goEast — Festival of Central and Eastern European Film

The Festival of Central and Eastern European Film

goEast has been the most important German-language film festival for Central and Eastern European cinema since 2001. Organized by the DFF – German Film Institute & Film Museum in Frankfurt am Main, it takes place every year at the end of April in Wiesbaden – with the historic Caligari FilmBühne on the market square as the main venue. goEast sees itself as a bridge between filmmakers, academia, and audiences from the two halves of Europe that were long separated by the Cold War.

26th Edition – Motto "(R)evolution!"

The 26th edition, from April 21 to 27, 2026, focuses on the phenomenon of revolution. In view of the political upheavals and ongoing protest movements in Georgia, Ukraine, Serbia, Bulgaria, or Lithuania, goEast 2026 examines the topic from various perspectives. The motto runs through almost all sections, with the exception of the International Competition and the East-West Talent Lab.

First time under the direction of Rebecca Heiler

2026 marks the beginning of a new era: Rebecca Heiler takes over the festival direction. She succeeds Heleen Gerritsen and brings the festival into its 26th season. The visual identity of the edition comes from Polish filmmaker Zuza Banasińska, who also created the festival trailer.

Portrait of Ada Solomon and Wajda Homage

This year's portrait honors the Romanian producer Ada Solomon, President of the European Film Academy since December 2025 and producer of over 90 films, including Radu Jude's "I Do Not Care If We Go Down in History as Barbarians." In parallel, goEast celebrates the 100th birthday of Andrzej Wajda with classics such as KANAŁ (1957), MAN OF IRON (1981), and DANTON (1982).

A City in Festival Mode

During the festival week, Wiesbaden transforms into a small film republic. Filmmakers from 40 countries are present, followed by discussions and Q&As after each screening. Films are shown in their original language with English subtitles; at the Caligari FilmBühne, they are also available with German subtitles. Accompanying programs – Symposium (curated by Borjana Gaković), East-West Talent Lab, goShorts short film competition, goKids for young audiences – make the festival a dense week.