LUCAS – International Festival for Young Film Fans

49 Years of LUCAS

LUCAS was founded in 1974, making it Germany's oldest film festival for young audiences. It is organized by the DFF – Deutsches Filminstitut & Filmmuseum e.V., one of Germany's most important film institutions. For nearly five decades, the festival has significantly shaped children's film programming in Germany, serving as one of the few platforms that showcase international children's films beyond major commercial productions.

Competition in Three Sections

LUCAS features three competition categories: Kids (ages 8+), Teens (ages 13+), and Youngsters (ages 16+). Young jurors, alongside professional juries, decide on the awards. The festival screens international feature films, short films, animations, and documentaries from around the world – beyond the mainstream.

Venue: DFF at Frankfurt's Museum Embankment

The main venue is the DFF – Deutsches Filminstitut & Filmmuseum at Schaumainkai 41 in Frankfurt-Sachsenhausen, located right on the Museum Embankment. Additionally, screenings take place in school and neighborhood cinemas in Frankfurt and the Rhine-Main region, forming a dense network of cinemas that LUCAS utilizes during the festival week.

Participate, Don't Just Watch

A characteristic feature is the involvement of young people beyond just being audience members: they serve on juries, host events, write film reviews as festival reporters, and curate special programs. The Kids Jury consists of 10- to 12-year-olds, and the Teens Jury comprises 14- to 18-year-olds with English language skills.

DFF as Organizer

The DFF — Deutsches Filminstitut & Filmmuseum on Schaumainkai is one of Germany's most important film institutions. It operates the renowned Film Museum Frankfurt, the German Film Institute with its film archive, and several festivals, including the B3 (Biennial for Moving Image) alongside LUCAS. With LUCAS, the DFF covers a segment of film culture often underserved by commercial structures: sophisticated children's films from around the world.