39. Stuttgarter Filmwinter — Festival for Expanded Media

Festival for Expanded Media — Avant-garde in the middle of Stuttgart in January

Since 1987, the Stuttgarter Filmwinter has been Stuttgart's most important experimental film festival and one of the most distinguished festivals of its kind in Germany. Organized by Wand 5 e.V., a non-profit association dedicated to promoting experimental film art, Expanded Media, short films, and video art. The 39th edition runs from January 14 to 21, 2026.

Motto 2026: “SHIT | GOLD”

The motto “SHIT | GOLD” is inspired by the Grimm fairy tale of the donkey that produces gold. The festival uses this paradoxical image to reflect on social transformation, resource scarcity, and artistic innovation. The festival explicitly sees itself as “a laboratory for social transformation.” The question of how “shit” (waste, scarcity, crisis) can become “gold” (value, beauty, meaning) runs through the entire program.

Opening on Wednesday, January 14

The festival opening will take place on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, starting at 5:30 PM with an Expanded Media Exhibition. The official festival center opens at 7:30 PM — and with it, the entire eight-day program.

Short Film Competitions and Open Calls

The festival hosts several international open calls: short film competitions for all genres, 2-minute shorts as a minimalist format, Expanded Media works, and the Buggles Award for music videos (in cooperation with Pop-Büro Region Stuttgart and Kinothek Obertürkheim). These competitions attract thousands of submissions from around the world annually. An international jury evaluates the works; the awards ceremonies are the highlights of the festival's closing weekend.

Expanded Media Exhibition at Several Venues

The Expanded Media Exhibition is more than just a film screening — it combines film, video art, installation, performance, and live music. Main venues in 2026: FITZ! in the Tagblatt-Turm-Areal (Stuttgart's most important center for puppet theater, which also hosts experimental media art), the Theater tri-bühne, and KUNSTBEZIRK at Wagnerstraße 26 — a multifunctional venue for young art. Works are spread across several rooms — a treasure hunt for visitors through Stuttgart's city center.

Educational Program and Live Acts

An important part of the festival is the educational program: workshops for children, teenagers, and adults, lectures, discussion formats, and performances. Live acts accompany silent film screenings and Expanded Media works — a tribute to the old tradition of live silent film music in a modern avant-garde context.

Stuttgart and Experimental Film Art

Stuttgart has a strong tradition of experimental film — from the beginnings of video art in the 1960s with the artist group “Stuttgarter Schule” to today's film and media universities (Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg in Ludwigsburg, Hochschule der Medien). The Filmwinter builds on this tradition, connecting it with the international avant-garde scene. It is one of Stuttgart's most important cultural events during the cold season.