A Festival of Global Cinema
Each autumn Hamburg’s cinemas — Abaton, CinemaxX Dammtor, Metropolis, Passage and Studio-Kino among them — roll out a red carpet that is more local than glamorous. Over ten days FilmFest Hamburg screens more than a hundred productions from around the world: arthouse and documentaries, television, shorts, international premieres and the occasional Oscar contender. Founded more than thirty years ago, the festival is known for catching directors early; conversations between filmmakers and audiences matter as much as the films.
Awards, Industry Days and a Festival for Everyone
Awards run from youth cinema and young directing talent to political filmmaking and the Douglas Sirk Award for outstanding contributions to international film culture. Industry Days and the EXPLORER conference bring producers, distributors and innovators into the same week. German Unity Day (3 October) remains Free Admission Day at the main festival cinemas and participating neighbourhood “FilmFest ums Eck” venues — book those free tickets in advance.
For the 2026 programme, guests and industry events, see the official site.
Dates:
24 September – 3 October 2026
Address:
Abaton, CinemaxX Dammtor, Metropolis, Passage, Studio-Kino (plus FilmFest ums Eck partner cinemas)
