Edition 2026
Finished
Cinema
Short film
Documentary
Max Ophüls Prize Film Festival
Saarbrücken — Landkreis Regionalverband Saarbrücken (10041)
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19 Jan 2026
— 25 Jan 2026
Edition
2026
2026
Edition 2026 — Finished
Edition 2026 — Max Ophüls Prize
The 47th Max Ophüls Prize Film Festival took place from January 19th to 25th, 2026, in Saarbrücken — attracting 36,168 cinema visits, over 1,250 film submissions worldwide, and a diverse program. The opening film was 'Sie glauben an Engel, Herr Drowak?' by Nicolas Steiner, and the main prize in the feature film competition went to 'Gropiusstadt Supernova' by Ben Voit.
The opening ceremony took place on January 19th, 2026, at CineStar Saarbrücken — lead actors Luna Wedler and Karl Markovics were present for the European premiere of 'Sie glauben an Engel, Herr Drowak?'. Throughout the festival week, several hundred film screenings were held in various sections, alongside the MOP-Industry program and evening gatherings at Lola's Bistro.
The awards ceremony on Saturday evening honored 'Gropiusstadt Supernova' by Ben Voit as the best feature film. The Ecumenical Jury recognized 'Wovon sollen wir träumen' by Milena Aboyan and Constantin Hatz. Other awards went to documentary, short, and medium-length films.
Programme
Monday, January 19, 2026 — Opening
- Evening — Opening film 'Sie glauben an Engel, Herr Drowak?' by Nicolas Steiner with Luna Wedler and Karl Markovics (out of competition)
Tuesday, January 20 – Friday, January 23, 2026 — Competition
- Feature film, documentary, medium-length film, and short film competitions
- MOP-Industry with industry panels and workshops
- Lola's Bistro as the festival club in the evenings
Saturday, January 24, 2026 — Awards Ceremony
- Main Feature Film Prize: 'Gropiusstadt Supernova' by Ben Voit
- Ecumenical Jury Prize: 'Wovon sollen wir träumen' by Milena Aboyan and Constantin Hatz
- Other section prizes and special honors
Sunday, January 25, 2026 — Best-Of
- Re-screening of award-winning films
- Festival closing