International Short Film Week Regensburg
Germany's oldest short film festival with an international competition
2026
About Kurzfilmwoche Regensburg
Kurzfilmwoche Regensburg — edition 2026
The 32nd edition celebrates the festival's 30-year history with its programme. Opening on Thursday, March 5, 2026, awards ceremony on Wednesday, March 11, festival end on Sunday, March 15. In between, special events like the Zündfunk party on March 7 – an institution for the industry.
The festival is organised by the Arbeitskreis Film Regensburg e.V., supported by the FilmFernsehFonds Bayern (FFF) and other partners. The programme structure for 2026, with its focus on Canada, presents a deliberately broad spectrum: historical footage, contemporary productions, and indigenous film perspectives are placed on an equal footing.
Highlights Kurzfilmwoche Regensburg 2026
Programme Kurzfilmwoche Regensburg 2026
Opening and Highlights
- Thursday, March 5, 2026 — Official opening of the 32nd Short Film Week
- Saturday, March 7, 2026 — Zündfunk party (industry festival party)
- Wednesday, March 11, 2026 — Awards ceremony with up to ten accolades
- Sunday, March 15, 2026 — Festival closing
Competition Sections
- International Competition — Selection from worldwide submissions
- German Competition — Current German short film productions
- Bavarian Competition — Focus on Bavarian filmmakers
Country Focus 2026 — Canada
- Historical Canadian short films
- Contemporary Canadian productions
- Indigenous Canadian filmmaking
Retrospectives and Specials
- Retrospective of directors Mila Zhluktenko and Daniel Asadi Faezi
- Analogue Special: Scopitones (music film machines from the 1960s)
- Vinyl Films — Short films with live DJ accompaniment
Venues
- Filmgalerie Leerer Beutel
- Ostentor Kino
- Wintergarten
- Filmtheater W1
Full programme and ticket sales via kurzfilmwoche.filmchief.com. Newsletter registration via [email protected].
Prices Kurzfilmwoche Regensburg 2026
Practical information — Kurzfilmwoche Regensburg
Getting There
Regensburg is located on the A3 (Nuremberg–Passau) and A93 (Hof–Munich) motorways. ICE train stop at Regensburg Hauptbahnhof (main station). From the main station to the Old Town, it's about a 10–15 minute walk.
Tickets
Online via kurzfilmwoche.filmchief.com. Single tickets per programme, festival passes with discounts available.
Newsletter and Updates
Sign up via [email protected], updates via Instagram @kurzfilmwoche.regensburg.
Germany's Oldest Short Film Festival
Since 1994, the International Short Film Week Regensburg has brought together filmmakers, industry professionals, and a broad audience in the Upper Palatinate university city on the Danube. This makes it Germany's oldest short film festival – and one of the most renowned. The Arbeitskreis Film Regensburg e.V. organises the Short Film Week every year in the first or second week of March, supported by the FilmFernsehFonds Bayern (FFF).
The Programme Architecture
Over 50 programmes featuring around 250 short films are spread across eleven festival days. The programme structure includes:
- International Competition – the festival's most important short film contest
- German Competition – a selection from current German short film productions
- Bavarian Competition – focusing on Bavarian filmmakers
- Country Focuses – changing, with thematic programmes from historical, contemporary, and indigenous perspectives
- Retrospectives of individual directors
- Special Formats such as vinyl films with live DJ accompaniment and analogue specials on Scopitones (1960s music film machines)
- A total of up to ten prizes are awarded
Venues in the World Heritage Old Town
The Short Film Week uses several cinemas and cultural spaces in Regensburg's historic Old Town – including the Filmgalerie Leerer Beutel as the central venue, the Ostentor Kino, the Wintergarten, and the Filmtheater W1. Regensburg's Old Town has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2006 – a spectacular backdrop for an international film festival.
More Than Competition – An Industry Platform
Beyond film screenings, the Short Film Week is an industry meeting point: Directors personally present their films, Q&A sessions, workshops for emerging talents, and informal discussions at the opening, awards ceremony, and the traditional Zündfunk party make the festival a networking event. FFF Bayern and other sponsors support the programme with talent development and industry panels.
Regensburg as a Film City
Besides Munich, Regensburg is Bavaria's second major film city. The university, art college, and an active independent film scene provide the event with local audiences and filmmakers. The city on the Danube, with around 150,000 inhabitants, is large enough for a festival of this scale – and small enough for the industry to naturally meet in the Old Town.
Where it takes place Kurzfilmwoche Regensburg
Kurzfilmwoche Regensburg at a glance
History of Kurzfilmwoche Regensburg
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