41st Husum Film Days

Over 40 Years of Film Culture in Husum

The Husum Film Days were founded in 1986 by a group around the Volkshochschule Husum — in response to the lack of arthouse cinema in the North Frisian province. What started as an initiative by volunteer film enthusiasts has become one of the oldest and longest continuously running film festivals in Schleswig-Holstein. 2026 marks the 41st edition — and the festival continues to be run by the volunteer curatorial team around Hans-Peter Schweger (spokesperson), Stephan Hartung, Max-Peter Heyne, and Eszter Lovas.

Three Program Pillars

The festival consistently curates its program along three pillars:

• Schleswig-Holstein Films — Productions from the region or with a thematic connection to Germany's northernmost state
• Current German Cinema — Socially relevant films that often don't find a place in major cinema chains
• Children's and Youth Program — Dedicated screenings with matinees for families and school cinema sessions

Thematic Focus and Retrospective

Each year, the festival dedicates itself to a thematic focus — either a thematic area (migration, family, agriculture, climate change) or a retrospective of an author, director, or actor. This curated thread makes each edition of the Husum Film Days a distinct cultural statement. The thematic focus for 2026 will be announced shortly before the festival. A tradition of the festival also includes silent film screenings with piano accompaniment.

Film Discussions Instead of Competition

The deliberate decision against competition and prizes is a programmatic choice: The festival sees itself not as a platform for careers, but as a curated film showcase where discussions with filmmakers are paramount. Directors, screenwriters, and actors come to Husum for discussions — often in a relaxed atmosphere, without the competitive pressure of a festival calendar.

Husum and the Kino-Center

The festival takes place at the Kino-Center Husum — the classic city cinema at Neustadt 114, one of the few remaining downtown cinemas in North Frisia. The Kino-Center offers several screens and is in operation daily from morning until late evening during the festival week. Husum itself — Theodor Storm's "grey town by the sea" — is in its quiet off-season in October; the festival is one of the city's most important cultural events at the end of the tourist season.