Sections

The main programme invites audiences to explore a diverse selection of feature films, documentaries, animated films and experimental works that spark curiosity and engagement. The length, mood, and content of the selected works vary between short and feature-length films, between convention and innovation, between entertaining diversion and cinematic journeys, between the past and the future.

Our special programmes focus on particular themes, historic periods and aesthetics, showcasing film as a medium through which we can reflect on the past, that takes responsibility, offers young people perspectives and explores musical forms of expression.

Social Impact

Music Videos

Future

Retrospektive

Social Impact: Storytelling and Producing

Films can do more than just entertain. This is demonstrated by our section Social Impact: Storytelling and Producing. Here, we bring together the work of young filmmakers who use their stories to spark debate, highlight injustices, and inspire action. They tell stories of human rights violations and the pursuit of justice, of ecological crises and the search for sustainable solutions, of social inequality and those who fight for change.

Musikvideos

Once a daily presence on MTV and VIVA, music videos are now primarily encountered in social media feeds. The way music is written, staged, and shared reflects how our relationship with media is changing. Sehsüchte brings the format to the big screen and gives it the full attention. The selected works visualize music in different ways – filmed or animated, narrative or conceptual, loud or quiet.

Future

Future offers the space for children and teens to explore the world of film. Together we follow young protagonists as they question their place in the world: Who am I? What do I want in life? How is the world around me changing? – So come along for the ride!

Retrospektive

The retrospective offers a glimpse into the past and presents works from the long history of the Film University Babelsberg. Films take on a variety of roles here: they become historical artifacts, bases for discussions that build bridges to the present day, or spokespersons for all the invisible film heritage that still longs for the light of the projector.

Schreibsüchte highlights story development as the ground from which creative visions emerge and as an autonomous art form. Within the screenplay and pitching competition, it becomes accessible to festival audiences through Kopfkino and the live pitch. In line with the theme What’s Left, Schreibsüchte creates spaces for artistic visions capable of sustaining complexity and ambivalence.

The exhibition presents a curated selection of contemporary works at the intersection of art, technology, and experimentation. Featuring installations, audiovisual pieces, and interactive formats, it invites visitors to explore, reflect, and engage. Throughout the day, visitors are welcome to discover a wide range of exciting projects. In the evening, the exhibition space transforms into a vibrant space for an audiovisual performance, inviting everyone to vibe, connect, and exchange with artists, students, tech enthusiasts, and fellow visitors.

Our Virtual Reality section presents 360° films, linear, interactive, and exploratory virtual reality experiences with narrative elements, as well as location-independent augmented reality experiences. Visitors can experience the selected works firsthand with VR headsets. The focus is on projects that explore new ideas and forms of artistic and narrative expression through the integration of virtual space.