The fiction film section includes films with predominantly fictional content of all lengths. Films running in this section have a chance of winning the Best Fiction Film and Outstanding Artistic Achievement in Fiction Film awards.

The Documentary Film section includes films with predominantly non-fictional content of all lengths. Films screened in this section have a chance of winning the Best Documentary Film and Outstanding Artistic Achievement in Documentary Film awards.

This year, the animation focus section is intended to highlight the craft of animation in particular. Films screened in this section have a chance of winning the Best Animated Film award.

The engaged film section is intended to highlight projects that stand up for others through film. Films of all formats can be screened in this section if they highlight topics such as inequality, marginalization or the climate crisis. A prize will be awarded for the Best Engaged Film.

In this section we show children's and youth films of all formats. The winning films are decided by a children's jury and a youth jury. The Best Children's Film and Best Youth Film prizes are awarded in this section.

In this section, the screenplay takes center stage and has the chance to win the Best Script award. The nominated, previously unfilmed screenplays will be presented to the festival audience in the staged reading “Kopfkino”. In the Pitch section, participants can convince the jury with their idea and receive the prize for Best Pitch.

The 360° section includes virtual reality films and experiences. Immersive storytelling creates potential for new stories and poses challenges for filmmakers. This is why we award the Best 360° Film prize in this section.

In addition to the festival's classic film program, the exhibition presents media art that uses modern technologies in a creative way and is dedicated to innovative narrative forms. This includes topics such as XR, artificial intelligence, projection mapping and sensor or web-based systems.

Unfilmed German film or TV scripts up to a maximum of 7 A4 pages in synopsis form for the Best Pitch Award.

German-language film scripts with a planned minimum running time of 50 minutes for the Best Script Award.

Whether you’re sculpting 3D projections or orchestrating light symphonies, this category is your chance to reimagine architectural surfaces. Projects should be designed to captivate audiences with a 2-7 minute experience that seamlessly blends narrative, aesthetics, and space.

We’re looking for experimental works that fuse image and/or sound into immersive worlds of their own. Whether through dynamic video compositions, abstract visualisations of sound, or multi-sensory explorations, this category celebrates projects that transcend traditional media.

We are searching for daring, unconventional projects that explore the relationship between sound, image, and human presence in live settings. Whether through experimental music performances, interactive audiovisual shows, or digital theatre, we want to see projects that break away from the typical stage.

This category is for visionaries who wish to dive deeper into the intersection of art, technology, and critical thinking—whether through research, workshops, or discussion panels—this is your stage. We welcome thought-provoking concepts that interrogate the evolving landscape of digital media, questioning its role in art, society, and culture.