Snowdance Independent Film Festival

Snowdance Comes to Essen

Since 2009 (first edition in Landsberg am Lech), the Snowdance Independent Film Festival has established itself as a German platform for independent and auteur film. After several years in Bavaria, the festival has found its new home in Essen – and in 2026, it will hold its edition from February 4th to 8th. The program clearly bears the hallmark of a curated, jury-based selection beyond the major industry festivals.

Three Venues in Essen's Cultural Landscape

Three venues will be used, each with its own distinct character:

• Trudi – former St. Gertrud Church, now a cultural center: the central festival hub, hosting the awards ceremony on February 7th.
• Kreuzeskirche Essen – an impressive neo-Gothic church building serving as an event space. Stage for the new Snowdance Vision Award on February 5th.
• Sabu – an independent film bar, and Lichtburg (one of Germany's largest cinemas).

2026 Program – 20 Films in Four Categories

The 2026 Snowdance edition will feature a total of around 20 films:

• 9 Feature Films: The world outside, The deserter, The emperor's new crown, The End Of The World, Make Me Feel, A Break In The Rain, Together we are less separated, The Color of Exile.
• 7 Documentary Films: Anna and grandma, Cast Off, Blind spot, The Spies Among Us, The Wind In Her Hands, Below, Loving Karma.
• 4 Short Film Programs: Dramatic Shortz, Black Shortz, Lunatic Shortz, Sunderland Shortz – each featuring between 4 and 8 short films per program.

Snowdance Vision Award – New Award in 2026

A highlight of the edition: Snowdance is introducing the Snowdance Vision Award for the first time in 2026. The award ceremony will take place on Thursday, February 5th, 2026, at the Kreuzeskirche. With this, the festival expands its award portfolio with a category for visionary, aesthetically groundbreaking filmmaking.

Festival Bar at Motel One

A meeting point for networking and festival talk: the Festival Bar at Motel One (Essen Hbf), open from February 5th to 8th. Filmmakers, jurors, and the audience will meet there after the screenings.