Filmfest München

Since 1983: The Grand Summer Celebration of Cinema

Founded in 1983, Filmfest München has evolved over four decades into an indispensable fixture on the international festival calendar. Unlike the Berlinale, which is conceived as an industry festival with a competitive character, Munich is primarily an audience festival: films to watch, discuss, and rediscover. The atmosphere is summery and relaxed, the mood warm, and the program sophisticated and diverse.

200 Films, 15 Screens, One City

Every year, Filmfest München presents around 200 films on 15 screens across the Bavarian capital. Venues include the Gasteig HP8 in Sendling, the University of Television and Film Munich (HFF), the Arri Cinema in Schwabing, the Deutsches Theater, and selected city center cinemas. The films come from all continents, and many celebrate their world, European, or German premieres in Munich.

The Sections at a Glance

• CineMasters: current films by renowned directors
• CineVision: debut and second works by emerging talents
• Neues Deutsches Kino (New German Cinema): world and German premieres of new German films
• Neue Deutsche Fernsehfilme & Serien (New German TV Films & Series): 9 films and 7 series celebrate their cinema premieres
• CineKindl: family and children's cinema with feature films and short films
• Internationale Reihe (International Series): outstanding festival discoveries from around the world
• Spotlight, FilmTalk & Industry Days: industry and discussion formats

CineMerit Award and Other Prizes

Filmfest München awards several significant prizes. The CineMerit Award honors filmmakers for their life's work – previous recipients include Wim Wenders, Bernardo Bertolucci, Volker Schlöndorff, and Christoph Waltz. The ARRI/OSRAM Award for the best international film and the CineCoPro Award for the best international co-production round off the prize program.

Munich as a Film City

Munich (state of Bavaria) has been one of Germany's most important film cities since the silent film era. The Bavaria Film Studios in Geiselgasteig, the HFF, several major distributors, and production companies form a dense industry ecosystem. Filmfest München is the annual stage where this industry brings together the public and the industry – and underscores Bavaria's importance for German and international film.

Festival Experience in the Summer

The combination of a top-class program, a summery city atmosphere, open-air screenings, film talks with directors and actors, and festival bars makes Filmfest München one of Germany's most enjoyable festival weeks. Anyone in Munich during the summer should dedicate at least one day to the festival.