Name: Kurdisches Filmfestival Hamburg (HKFF) 2026
Start: 2026-11-18T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-11-22T00:00:00+00:00
Location: ZEISE KINOS (Hauptspielort) + 3001 Kino, Haus 3, Mut! Theater

HKFF

About HKFF

The Hamburg Kurdish Film Festival (HKFF) has been one of the most important Kurdish film festivals outside of Turkey and Iraq since 2004. Every November, the festival screens a selection of current Kurdish feature films, documentaries, and short films in several Hamburg cinemas — ZEISE KINOS in Ottensen, 3001 Kino in Schanzenstraße, Haus 3, and Mut! Theater. In addition, there are artist talks, live music, and a festival party. Focus: Cinema as a space for resistance, survival, and hope.

Dates 18 Nov — 22 Nov 2026

Venue Hamburg (02000)

Prices —

Status —

Edition 2026

HKFF — edition 2026

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The 17th Hamburg Kurdish Film Festival 2026 is planned for mid to late November. As in previous years, ZEISE KINOS in Ottensen, 3001 Kino in Schanzenstraße, Haus 3, and Mut! Theater will be used. Feature films, documentaries, and short films from Kurdish regions and the diaspora. Opening live music and festival party. Exact dates to be confirmed.

17th HKFF 2026 — In Preparation

The 17th edition of the Hamburg Kurdish Film Festival is planned for November 2026. The exact date will be confirmed in the second half of 2026 on hkff.info — based on historical dates (16th HKFF: November 19–23, 2025), mid to late November can be expected.

Venues

As in previous years, four Hamburg cinemas and theaters are expected to be used: ZEISE KINOS (Friedensallee 7–9, Ottensen), 3001 Kino (Schanzenstraße 75), Haus 3 (Hospitalerstraße 107), and the Mut! Theater (Amandastraße 58).

Program Structure

The festival presents around 20–25 films from various Kurdish regions (Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Iran) and the international diaspora — feature films, documentaries, short films. Accompanying events: artist talks, opening with live music, festival party on Saturday.

Highlights HKFF 2026

17th edition of Germany's longest-established Kurdish film festival. Four venues in Ottensen, Schanzenviertel, and St. Pauli. Opening live music and festival party.

Programme HKFF 2026

Festival Week November 2026 (Dates to be Confirmed)

Opening — Opening film at ZEISE KINOS with live music
Thursday–Sunday — Main screenings at ZEISE KINOS, 3001 Kino, Haus 3, and Mut! Theater
Feature films, documentaries, short film blocks
Artist talks with attending directors and actors
Saturday — Festival party
Closing — Jury award ceremony and festival film

Films mostly in original language (Kurdish/Turkish/Persian/Arabic) with German or English subtitles. Latest information at hkff.info.

Prices HKFF 2026

Tickets per screening via the individual cinemas. Festival pass via hkff.info.

Practical information

Practical information — HKFF

Getting There

ZEISE KINOS: S-Bahn lines S1/S3 to Altona station, then approx. 10 minutes on foot. 3001 Kino: S-Bahn Sternschanze. Mut! Theater: U3 Feldstraße. Haus 3: S-Bahn Altona.

Tickets

Tickets per screening via the individual cinemas. Festival passes available — book via hkff.info.

Good to Know

Films mostly in original language (Kurdish/Turkish/Persian/Arabic) with German or English subtitles. Opening film with live music. Festival party on Saturday.

Hamburg's Kurdish Film Festival Since 2004

The Hamburg Kurdish Film Festival (HKFF) has been a firm fixture in the German festival calendar since 2004 — and one of the most important showcases for Kurdish film art in Europe. Every November, the festival presents a selection from current Kurdish cinema in several Hamburg cinemas. The Kurdish diaspora community in Hamburg is one of the largest in Germany — the festival location and audience are a perfect match.

Four Hamburg Cinemas and Theaters

Venues 2026: ZEISE KINOS (Friedensallee 7–9, Ottensen) as the main venue, 3001 Kino (Schanzenstraße 75, Schanzenviertel), Haus 3 (Hospitalerstraße 107, Ottensen), and the Mut! Theater (Amandastraße 58, St. Pauli). This anchors the festival in the three Hamburg districts where a significant part of the Kurdish diaspora lives and is culturally active.

Program

The festival screens around 20–25 films annually: feature films, documentaries, and short films from various Kurdish regions (Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Iran, diaspora). Accompanying events: artist talks with attending directors and actors, live music at the opening, and a festival party.

17th Edition 2026

2026 marks the 17th edition of the festival. The preceding edition in 2025 (16th HKFF) took place from November 19th to 23rd, 2025, with the motto "Memory, Resistance, Vision – Cinema from the Heart of Diversity".

Ottensen and Schanzenviertel Districts

Ottensen is part of the Altona district, characterized by its creative scene, small cafés, and a long tradition of migrant culture. The Schanzenviertel in the Eimsbüttel/Hamburg-Mitte district is Hamburg's alternative stronghold.