A Festival for everyone
Discover films and engage with their creators: FILMFEST HAMBURG is a festival for everyone – the place to experience the films that will shape the cinema of tomorrow and that audiences are eagerly anticipating.
For over 30 years, FILMFEST HAMBURG has been showcasing films from around the world, presenting a wide range of artistic perspectives over ten days, across ten sections and on 19 screens. Equally important as the films themselves are the discussions that follow – the encounters between filmmakers, audiences, and industry professionals.
The festival’s eye for talent and its ongoing support for filmmakers’ careers are unique in the German festival landscape. Directors such as Céline Sciamma, Sean Baker, Xavier Dolan, Yorgos Lanthimos, Mohammad Rasoulof, Magnus von Horn, and Justine Triet premiered their work here early in their careers and continue to return with new films.
At FILMFEST HAMBURG, numerous jury prizes are awarded to producers, directors, German distribution companies, and emerging filmmakers. Outstanding contributions to the film and television industry are recognized with the Douglas Sirk Prize. Additionally, the audience selects the best film of each festival edition, while a children’s jury awards the MAJA at the MICHEL Children’s and Youth Film Festival.
Diverse, accessible, and unifying: since 2024, October 3 has been designated “Free Admission Day.” On this day, FILMFEST HAMBURG celebrates the power of cinema and the shared film experience with its audience – in line with the cosmopolitan spirit of Hamburg.
Since 2025, the FILMFEST HAMBURG INDUSTRY DAYS have been a dedicated programme pillar of the festival.The industry programme is designed for national and international trade visitors, providing a space for exchange, networking, and discussion of current developments in European filmmaking. Key formats include the European Work in Progress (EWIP) and the International Film Distribution Summit (IFDS). The programme is complemented by the Explorer Conference and various initiatives supporting emerging talent and professional development, such as #ATELIER25 in cooperation with FIRST STEPS, ENCOURAGE Film Talents, and other initiatives for young filmmakers.
“Every year, Filmfest Hamburg serves as a mirror of the city and, at the same time, a window onto the world. In 2025, it was both – and more: a declaration that cinema must be political. At a time when right-wing shifts, war, and a neoliberal retreat into the private sphere are dominating the discourse, the festival made it clear: film is not an escape, but participation and responsibility.”
Andreas Strube, KinoKulturHamburg
“A magnet for cineastes, a driving force for the industrY”
Stefan Grund, Die Welt
“Hamburg is and always will be a laid-back festival.”
Frank Arnold, epd film
“In her second year as festival director, Malika Rabahallah once again assembled a first-class programme with her trusted team, while also strengthening the supporting programme for the film industry. She succeeded in bringing many hits from the major A-list festivals to Germany for the first time.”
Harald Ringel, j:mag
“Filmfest Hamburg celebrated a triumphant, record-breaking edition, attracting over 300 guests from 29 countries…”
Martin Blaney, Screen International
“The first edition of Filmfest Hamburg under the new leadership of Malika Rabahallah was a powerful celebration of cinema.”
Susanne Gietl, nd
