W.I.M. Over Time

2026-03-11 – 2026-10-18

ONE WAY TO BONN AND BACK

2026-09-22 @ 20:00

Directed by: Pavel Schnabel, Harald Lüders | 45 min. West Germany 1982. Dir.: Pavel Schnabel, Harald Lüders. 45 min. 16mm short films: IN THE HEART OF GERMANY (West Germany 1978. 10 min) and MONEY ALONE MAKES... (West Germany 1982. 17 min.) Guest: Pavel Schnabel Film Series: Pavel Schnabel EINMAL BONN UND ZURÜCK uses documentary techniques to depict the political situation in West Germany during Helmut Schmidt’s chancellorship. In the form of a short fiction film, MITTEN IN DEUTSCHLAND captures the mood of the “German Autumn” period. GELD ALLEIN MACHT … is also a short fiction film, this one exploring the power of money over the individual.

LA PAURA

2026-09-22 @ 22:30

Irene Wagner, the wife of the respected German scientist Professor Albert Wagner, had an affair with Erich Baumann. She keeps this a secret from her husband in the hope of preserving his carefree nature and their “perfect marriage.” This fills her with fear and guilt.

HAPPY THEN, HAPPY NOW

2026-09-23 @ 20:00

Directed by Pavel Schnabel | 90 min. Germany 1997. Dir.: Pavel Schnabel. 90 min. 16mm. Followed by a discussion on editing in documentary film with Eva Voosen (editor) and Melanie Gärtner. Film series: Pavel Schnabel In the 1970s, there were quite a number of people who, as dropouts, left their former lives behind and, for example, founded rural communes. Two decades later, Pavel Schnabel sought out some of them and asked whether their dreams and hopes for an alternative life had come true.

THE TASTERS

2026-09-23 @ 22:30

Rosa Sauer, a native of Berlin, is forced—along with six other women—to taste-test food intended for Adolf Hitler. The purpose is to ensure that the Führer is not served poisoned food. Torn between the fear of death and hunger, the women form alliances and friendships. Everything changes, however, when the new commander, Albert Ziegler, takes up his post and creates a climate of fear.

THE SWALLOWS OF KABUL

2026-09-24 @ 22:00

Afghanistan in the summer of 1998: The Taliban rule the country with fear and terror. The young couple, Zunaira and Mohsen, long for a life of freedom. When Mohsen dies in an accident, Zunaira is accused of murder, imprisoned, and sentenced to death...—The animated film (2017) is based on the novel of the same name by Mohammed Moulessehoul.

BIG GIRLS DON'T CRY

2026-09-25 @ 10:45

Director: Paloma Schneideman | 99 min. New Zealand 2026. Writer/Director: Paloma Schneideman. 99 min. Feature film. English with German subtitles. Approved for ages 12 and up. Recommended for ages 15 and up. English original version with German subtitles GERMAN PREMIERE Film Series: 49th LUCAS Film Festival: A Queer Awakening in the New Zealand Summer of 2006. In the mid-2000s, people chat on MSN Messenger, gossip on text-messaging cell phones, and belly-button piercings are all the rage. Fourteen-year-old Sid lives in Omaha, a town surrounded by beaches: She is still inexperienced and gets swept up in the whirlwind of an older clique while grappling with new desires and confusing feelings. Instead of the intimacy she’d hoped for with her crush, the taciturn teenager finds herself, through a series of detours, at parties with older boys who only want her body. With a reserved and…

ALMOST FOREVER

2026-09-25 @ 13:15

Directed by: Lia Hietala, Hannah Reinikainen | 90 min. *Almost Forever* Sweden/Finland 2026. Screenplay and direction: Lia Hietala, Hannah Reinikainen. 90 min. Documentary. Swedish with English subtitles. Approved for all ages. Recommended for ages 14 and up. Swedish original version with English subtitles. Film Series: 49th LUCAS Film Festival. A long-term documentary portrait of a Stockholm clique on the cusp of adulthood. Carefree childhood summers give way to turbulent teenage years: Beginning in 2020—a year marked by the COVID-19 pandemic—ALMOST FOREVER follows Jasmine, Philip, and their group of friends over the course of five years. Together, they roam the Swedish capital and spend every free minute with one another. But first loves, hurt feelings, insecurities, and new experiences begin to strain the group’s bond…

THE ALTAR BOYS

2026-09-25 @ 17:00

Director: Piotr Domalewski | 110 min. *Ministranci*. Poland 2025. Director and Screenwriter: Piotr Domalewski. 110 min. Feature film. Polish with English subtitles and German live voice-over. Rated 12 and up. Recommended for ages 12 and up. Polish original version with English subtitles. Film series: 49th LUCAS Film Festival. Masks of the Storm in the Name of God: A gritty coming-of-age story about religiously rapping Robin Hoods. Incense and hip-hop, a rough neighborhood, and the golden, gleaming church: Filip’s life is full of contrasts. He, “Gucci,” “Chicken,” and his brother “Little Chicken” are altar boys who take their priest’s apocalyptic sermons at face value. They feel personally responsible for the injustice around them. They record confessions with a simple goal: to alleviate suffering and punish sins. Just one more rap song…

SYSTEM BREAKER

2026-09-25 @ 19:15

Foster family, group home, special education school: No matter where Benni ends up, she gets kicked out right away. The wild nine-year-old is what child welfare services call a “system-breaker.” But Benni wants only one thing: love, a sense of security, and to live with her mother again! But Bianca is afraid of her unpredictable daughter. When it seems there’s no place left for Benni and no solution in sight, anti-violence coach Micha tries to free her from the spiral of anger and aggression...

MY FIRST LOVE

2026-09-25 @ 22:00

Director: Mari Storstein | 87 min. *My First Love* Norway 2025. Dir.: Mari Storstein. Screenplay: Mari Storstein, Tomas Myklebost. 87 min. Feature film. Norwegian with English subtitles. Approved for ages 12 and up. Recommended for ages 15 and up. Norwegian original version with English subtitles. Film Series: 49th LUCAS Film Festival. First Love: Between Freedom and External Control. Ella’s long-held wish is finally coming true: the 19-year-old is moving to Lillehammer. She’s looking forward to her studies, meeting new people, and finally being able to do whatever she wants. But the authorities deny her the personal assistance she needs as a wheelchair user. Instead of living in her own student apartment, she ends up in a residential home for people with disabilities, where rigid rules dictate her daily life. When she falls in love with…

LUCAS SHORT FILM PROGRAM 3

2026-09-26 @ 12:00

70 min. LITTLE FURY. Czech Republic 2026. Dir.: Ivana Vogrinc Vidali. When Josefinas’ crush, Mikey, treats her inappropriately in front of the whole class, her infatuation turns to shame, and her shame turns to anger. Together with her friends, she decides to take her fate into her own hands and get revenge on Mikey. (AnG) MY SISTER’S SANDAL. Germany 2026. Dir.: Semih Korhan Güner. The setting: an outdoor pool. While it’s pouring on the lawn, silence reigns beneath the water’s surface. Here, amid a labyrinth of bodies, the diversity of society is revealed: young, old, fat, or thin—everyone is looking to cool off. (SiS) FLOWERS WEAR NO SHOES I fiori non hanno le scarpe. Italy 2025. Dir.: Matteo Vicentini Orgnani. In the Italian countryside, work on the farm is…

LUCAS SHORT FILM PROGRAM 2

2026-09-26 @ 14:30

74 min. France/Netherlands/Sweden/Taiwan 2025–26. R+DB: various 59 min. Original version with German live voice-over. Recommended for ages 10 and up. Original version with German live voice-over. Film series: 49th LUCAS Film Festival DUNGEONS & SPECTRUMS, Netherlands 2025. Dir.: Wout Malestein. Ross has autism. In role-playing games, he finds stability and a way to connect with other children, because there he can shape the world according to his own rules and fill it with imagination. Little by little, he learns to let go of control and overcome obstacles together with others. (SiS) TANGLED Taiwan 2026. Dir.: Lily Ling. Soccer player Xi is in love with her teammate Yu. When his friends make fun of her curly hair, she plans to change her appearance. Online, she finds a miracle cure that promises to solve all her problems. But is this the change she…

LUCAS SHORT FILM PROGRAM 5

2026-09-26 @ 17:00

74 min. Germany/Croatia/Mexico/Norway/Peru/USA 2025–26. R+DB: various 71 min. Original version with English subtitles. Recommended for ages 15 and up. Original version with English subtitles. Film series: 49th LUCAS Film Festival BEASTS OF DEATH Bestias de la Muerte. USA/Peru/Mexico 2026. Dir.: Sandra Powers. To rescue her mother from the realm of the dead, Claudia risks her soul in an occult ritual. In the battle against her own demons, she confronts her fear and becomes a warrior of the night. A hauntingly beautiful comic-book style meets music video. (SiS) SANDY FANNIES Sand I Tissen. Norway 2026. Dir.: Ingrid Runde Saxegaard. Aurora spends the day naked with her mother on a secluded beach. Somewhere between honesty and embarrassment, this time away sparks intimate conversations about love and sex, first times, and deep desires. But then…

JOYLAND

2026-09-26 @ 19:00

When a patriarchal family longs for the birth of a baby boy to carry on their family line, their youngest son secretly joins an erotic dance theater and falls in love with a transgender starlet.

THE GIRLS FROM ABOVE

2026-09-26 @ 22:00

Director: Bérangère McNeese | 96 min. *Les Filles du Ciel* France/Belgium 2026. Director and Screenwriter: Bérangère McNeese. 96 min. Feature film. French with English subtitles. Approved for ages 12 and up. Recommended for ages 16 and up. French original version with English subtitles GERMAN PREMIERE Film Series: 49th LUCAS Film Festival Sometimes you find heaven on the eighth floor of a public housing building. Héloïse has just run away from the children’s home and desperately needs a place to stay. Mallorie, who is a bit older, first rescues her from a store detective and then offers her a place to sleep in her shared apartment: Up on the eighth floor of a public housing building, in her “heaven,” which she shares with Jenna, Mona, and Mona’s baby. The rules are clear: no lying, and the roommates put all their money into a shared pot. Héloïse starts working at the club where the…

MUMBO JUMBO

2026-09-27 @ 12:00

Directed by Karsten Kiilerich, Stine Marie Buhl | 83 min. | Animation “LUCAS for Families” on September 27: Families receive free admission. No online advance ticket sales: Please reserve your tickets by phone (+49 69 961 220 – 678) or by email (lucas-info@dff.film). Since Mumbo Jumbo Became Huge, Denmark 2026. Dir.: Karsten Kiilerich, Stine Marie Buhl. Screenplay: Karsten Kiilerich. 83 min. Animated film. German with German subtitles. Approved for all ages. Recommended for ages 5 and up. GERMAN PREMIERE Film series: 49th LUCAS Film Festival A colorful fairy tale about the power of friendship, courage, and being different When Mumbo miraculously grows into a true giant one day, the young hippo must embark on an adventurous journey to faraway Siberia. There, in an enchanted forest, lives the powerful witch Baba…

JULIÁN

2026-09-27 @ 15:30

Directed by Louise Bagnall | 85 min. “LUCAS for Families” on September 27: Families receive free admission. No online ticket sales: Please reserve your tickets by phone (+49 69 961 220 – 678) or by email (lucas-info@dff.film). Ireland/Luxembourg/Denmark/Canada 2026. Dir.: Louise Bagnall. Screenplay: Juliany Taveras. 85 min. Animated film. English, Spanish original version with English subtitles and German live voice-over. Approved for all ages. Recommended for ages 6 and up. English, Spanish original version with English subtitles and German live voice-over GERMAN PREMIERE 49th LUCAS Film Festival A colorful story about a world where imagination and identity are as fluid as water. Julián is supposed to spend the summer with his Abuela—his grandmother—in Brooklyn, whom he has never met before. She cooks strange food…

BRAVE CAT

2026-09-27 @ 17:45

Directed by Gabriel Osorio Vargas | 94 min. “LUCAS for Families” on September 27: Families receive free admission. No online advance ticket sales: Please reserve your tickets by phone (+49 69 961 220 – 678) or by email (lucas-info@dff.film). Konas Mission: Una Gata Valiente. CL 2026. Director and Screenwriter: Gabriel Osorio Vargas. 94 min. Animated film. English original version with German live voice-over. Approved for all ages. Recommended for ages 8 and up. English original version with German live voice-over Film Series: 49th LUCAS Film Festival An extraordinary animated adventure about friendship, forgiveness, and the courage to let go. Long ago, the mother of the wildcat Kona was kidnapped by a circus. When the circus reappears in the forest years later, Kona sets off in pursuit. Reluctantly, she takes the guard dog puppy Colin along with her,…

CONGO BOY

2026-09-27 @ 22:15

Director: Rafiki Fariala | 91 min. Central African Republic/Democratic Republic of the Congo/France/Italy 2026. Dir.: Rafiki Fariala. Screenplay: Rafiki Fariala, Tommy Baron. 91 min. Feature film. Sango, Lingala, Swahili, French (original version with English subtitles). Approved for ages 12 and up. Recommended for ages 16 and up. Sango, Lingala, Swahili, French (original version with English subtitles). Film series: 49th LUCAS Film Festival A multifaceted portrait of a refugee’s experience, carried by gentle optimism Poverty and civil war are part of everyday life in the Central African Republic, including in the capital, Bangui. Right in the middle of it all is 17-year-old Robert, who fled the Congo with his family and now has to take care of his four siblings on his own. His parents’ imprisonment, the approaching final exams, numerous odd jobs, and the…

TO FETCH A PAIL OF WATER

2026-09-28 @ 10:45

Directed by Abhay Punjabi | 108 min. Pukam Pukai, India 2026. Dir.: Abhay Punjabi. Cast: Akshita Namjoshi, Abhay Punjabi, Manish Devkunsh, Aakash. 108 min. Feature film. Hindi with original audio and English subtitles (optional) or German live voice-over. Approved for ages 6 and up. Recommended for ages 10 and up. Original Hindi version with English subtitles; optionally with German live voice-over. Film series: 49th LUCAS Film Festival. In New Delhi, three children help each other make their dreams come true. Santoo wants to build his own swimming pool, his buddy Chintoo is making a documentary, and their friend Fiza wants to play cricket on the national team. But how do you get enough water, how do you build a pool, and who’s even allowed to go to the tryouts? In any case, Santoo, Chintoo, and Fiza can’t count on their parents’ approval…

KOSCHKA

2026-09-28 @ 13:15

Shortly before summer vacation, a stray cat follows Jan home, gives birth to kittens there, and—despite initial reservations on his part and that of his friends Sami and Martha—is taken in by them. The children care for the animals with great dedication, even though this means major changes, sacrifices, and health problems for Jan. In the process, they experience a special time that strengthens their bond and completely transforms their everyday lives.

LUCAS SHORT FILM PROGRAM 4

2026-09-28 @ 16:30

80 min. Germany/Iran/Norway/USA/Vietnam 2025–26. R+DB: various 65 min. Original version with English subtitles / Original version with English subtitles and live German voice-over. Recommended for ages 13 and up. Original version with English subtitles / original version with English subtitles and live German voice-over. Film series: 49th LUCAS Film Festival ROOFTOP LEMPICKA Lempicka Trên Mái Nhà. Vietnam/USA 2025. Dir.: Nguyen Luong Hang. Thi befriends Ngoc, a club waitress who sublets a room from her family. Through her, her mother, and an art book by the painter Tamara de Lempicka, Thi encounters different portrayals of femininity. (EW) TROPHY. Germany 2026. Dir: Benjamin Hujawa. For 14-year-old Max, a family trip to the beach turns into a confrontation with his father’s archaic gender roles. Will he…

ILUMINADA

2026-09-28 @ 22:00

Director: Nicolás Rincón Gille | 127 min. Belgium 2026. Director and Screenwriter: Nicolás Rincón Gille. 127 min. Feature film. Spanish with English subtitles. Approved for ages 12 and up. Recommended for ages 16 and up. Spanish original version with English subtitles GERMAN PREMIERE Film Series: 49th LUCAS Film Festival A poetically told drama in which the past, present, and future are inextricably intertwined Iluminada, known as Lumi for short, was born in Chocó, western Colombia: This rainy region, with its lush flora and fauna, remains shaped to this day by the cultural traditions of Afro-Colombian and Indigenous communities. Her family now lives in a Bogotá suburb plagued by poverty and gang crime, where there is no room for individual dreams. Her recurring visions of the past and the future,…

HIJRA

2026-09-29 @ 10:45

Director: Shahad Ameen | 114 min. Egypt/Iraq/Saudi Arabia/United Kingdom 2025. Director and Screenwriter: Shahad Ameen. 114 min. Feature film. Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, English (original version with English subtitles). Approved for ages 12 and up. Recommended for ages 14 and up. Film series: 49th LUCAS Film Festival A thought-provoking road movie about female perspectives on freedom and identity Sarah and Janna are traveling with their grandmother to Mecca for the Hajj, the Islamic pilgrimage. When teenage Sarah suddenly disappears during a stopover, the strict grandmother decides not to tell her father about it for the time being. Instead, she sets out alone with 12-year-old Janna to search for her older granddaughter. By chance, the two meet Ahmed…

CORPUS DELICTI

2026-09-29 @ 13:15

Director: Lena Stahl | Cast: Damian Hardung, Hannah Herzsprung | 108 min. | Drama Free admission! No online ticket sales: Please reserve your tickets by phone (+49 69 961 220 – 678) or by email (lucas-info@dff.film). Germany 2026. Director and Screenwriter: Lena Stahl. 103 min. Feature film. German original version. FSK 12. Recommended for ages 14 and up. Film series: 49th LUCAS Film Festival “In the near future, the ‘Method’ represents a society that promises health and maximum safety for all. Scientist Mia Holl’s life changes abruptly when her brother Moritz is accused of murder. The evidence is overwhelming—and yet Mia is convinced of his innocence. A contradiction that forces her to take action—against a system that allows for no doubt. But who can she…

IRON BOY

2026-09-29 @ 19:30

Director: Louis Clichy | 90 min. Le Corset France/Belgium 2026. Dir.: Louis Clichy. Screenplay: Louis Clichy, Franck Salomé. 90 min. Animated film. French with German subtitles. Recommended for ages 12 and up. French original version with German subtitles Film Series: 49th LUCAS Film Festival A coming-of-age story animated with light, fluid lines about being confined—and breaking free. Christophe simply keels over: while eating, at school, in church, on the tractor, and when photos are being taken. Because there’s something wrong with his back, he has to wear a rigid corset from now on. Christophe’s world is thrown off balance. As if it weren’t enough that he can’t live up to his father’s expectations! But then Christophe discovers a passion for playing the organ—which leads to even more problems…

A GIRL UNKNOWN

2026-09-29 @ 22:00

Director: Zou Jing | 125 min. China/France 2026. Screenplay and Direction: Zou Jing. 125 min. Feature film. Chinese with English subtitles. Approved for ages 12 and up. Recommended for ages 16 and up. Chinese original version with English subtitles. Film Series: 49th LUCAS Film Festival An atmospheric coming-of-age drama about a girl who is not an isolated case. Zou Jing’s feature film debut traces the childhood and adolescence of Wang Juan over several years, as she is passed from foster family to foster family at an early age. For her, affection proves to be nothing more than a fleeting experience. What remains, however, is the desire to find a permanent home. Yet even with her latest set of parents in the city, a sense of security remains elusive. Nevertheless, the girl repeatedly experiences moments when she feels as though she has finally found a place to belong. This feeling…

MY LIFE IN VERSAILLES – THE MOVIE

2026-09-30 @ 10:45

Directed by: Clémence Madeleine-Perdrillat, Nathaniel H’limi | 82 min. My Life in Versailles: La vie de château – My Childhood in Versailles. France/Luxembourg 2025. Dir.: Clémence Madeleine-Perdrillat, Nathaniel H’limi. Cast: Olivier Demangel, Clémence Madeleine-Perdrillat, Alice Vial. 82 min. Animated film. French original version with German live voice-over. Approved for all ages. Recommended for ages 8 and up. Film series: 49th LUCAS Film Festival A lovingly hand-drawn animated film about an eight-year-old girl who builds a new home with her uncle at the Palace of Versailles. He stinks, is poorly dressed, smacks his lips while eating, and lives in a ramshackle shack in the park of the magnificent French Palace of Versailles: her gruff Uncle Regis, whom she last saw many years ago…

Short Film Program for "Minis"

2026-09-30 @ 13:00

A basketball team made up of little people is about to play one of the most important games in a local tournament. They plan to use the $50,000 in prize money to send a teammate’s son to college. But just a few days before the tournament, the team is still looking for a captain. That’s when the Minis come up with an idea. Maybe NBA superstar Dennis Rodman can help them out. But Dennis isn’t so easy to convince… Sarcastic remarks leave him cold, and the tough competition doesn’t faze him. In fact, this team of little guys has tricks up their sleeves that even the Globetrotters would be amazed by.

PANEL DISCUSSION: “THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CHILD IN CINEMA: BETWEEN ART, PROTECTION, AND EDUCATION”

2026-09-30 @ 17:30

60 min. | Live event, lecture (approx. 60 min.). Guests: Michael Schmidt (Permanent Representative of the State Youth Authorities at the FSK), Stefan Stiletto (film educator and journalist), T.B.A. Film Series: 49th LUCAS Film Festival How much protection do young people need at the movies—and how much can films reasonably expect of them? And conversely, what does a film’s artistic vision demand of its audience? These areas of tension are at the heart of the panel discussion, which is explicitly aimed at teachers, film educators, and filmmakers and is intended as a prelude to the FSK’s review conference in November 2026. Registration: lucas-welcome@dff.film Keyword: “Panel on Child Welfare”

Short Film Program 1

2026-09-30 @ 19:30

47 min. Austria/Netherlands/Norway/Taiwan 2025–26. R+DB: various 47 min. Original version with German subtitles / Original version with German live voice-over. Recommended for ages 7 and up. Original version / Original version with German live voice-over. Film series: 49th LUCAS Film Festival. THE LITTLE HOTEL DETECTIVE (De kleine Hoteldetective), Netherlands 2025. Dir.: Julia van Braak. Billie is bored: Summer vacation has begun, and her mother is busy running the family hotel, which is also due for an inspection. But maybe Billie can help by exposing the inspector disguised as a guest? (TJ) AZUKI Austria 2026. Dir.: Astrid Rothaug. Azuki roams the alleys, rummages through piles of trash, and sleeps in the woods. When the stray dog ends up at the animal shelter, hope for a human rescue grows. Soft watercolor images and a…

RUN AMOK

2026-09-30 @ 22:00

Director: NB Mager | 96 min. USA 2025. Director and Screenwriter: NB Mager. 96 min. Feature film. English with English subtitles. Approved for ages 12 and up. Recommended for ages 15 and up. English original version with English subtitles GERMAN PREMIERE Film Series: 49th LUCAS Film Festival Meg was still very young when her mother was killed during a shooting rampage at Meg’s current school. Now, on the tenth anniversary of the incident, a memorial service is to be held. As a passionate harpist, Meg has the idea of staging a musical—even with songs she wrote herself! The school principal is skeptical; she wants a tactful, uplifting ceremony. Couldn’t Meg just sing “Amazing Grace”? But one teacher supports her—at least at first... Meg’s search for a format for her performance raises many questions: Who was her mother? Who was the…

THE SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE

2026-10-01 @ 22:30

Young Ana (Ana Torent) lives with her family in a small, rural village in Spain in 1940, after the Civil War, where life is very quiet. One day, James Whale’s *Frankenstein*, starring Boris Karloff, is shown at the community hall, and Ana’s imagination begins to run wild. Together with her sister, she tries to understand what happened in the film.

GRENZGÄNGER (1999) Germany, not specified

2026-10-02 @ 20:00

Director: Pavel Schnabel | 102 min. Germany 1999. Dir.: Pavel Schnabel. 102 min. 35mm. Special guest: Pavel Schnabel. Film series: Pavel Schnabel. The “border crossers” of the title are three men who were affected by the division of Central Europe by the Iron Curtain and each reacted to it in their own way: Thomas Schoppe was the lead singer of the Klaus Renft Combo, one of the most famous rock bands in the GDR; in 1978 he moved to West Berlin, and after the fall of the Wall, he tried to relaunch his career in the East. Peter Porsch, a German studies scholar originally from Vienna, emigrated to the GDR in 1973; after the fall of the Wall, he became active in the PDS. The Czech dissident Ivan Dejmal, on the other hand, never left the country despite massive persecution; after the fall of the Wall, he became Minister of the Environment in Prague. The film paints a very…

LA VALLÉE CLOSE OmeU, not specified

2026-10-02 @ 22:30

Director: Jean-Claude Rousseau | 143 min. France 1995. Dir.: Jean-Claude Rousseau. 143 min. 16mm. Original version with English subtitles Presented by: Antonia Bannwarth Film Series: Treppe 41 Over the course of ten years, Jean-Claude Rousseau returns again and again to the legendary Sorgue spring grotto in Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, France. Following the structure of the sestina poetic form and a geography textbook, he edits together Super 8 reels and separately recorded sound fragments to create a cinematic meditation: reminiscences of Petrarch, Giorgione, and Lucretius; telephone conversations with a distant loved one; groups of tourists on the threshold of the invisible. In doing so, LA VALLEÉ CLOSE magnetically circles the fundamental elements of cinema and the world, a material aesthetic as well as…

BROTHERS AND SISTERS D, for ages 18 and up

2026-10-03 @ 20:00

Director: Pavel Schnabel | 94 min. Germany 1991. Dir.: Pavel Schnabel. 95 min. DCP Special Guest: Pavel Schnabel Film Series: Pavel Schnabel In 1988, Pavel Schnabel filmed a documentary in Weimar on behalf of Südwestfunk for the series “Menschen und Straßen” (People and Streets) about the city partnership between Trier and Weimar. In the process, East German television effectively assigned four “model citizens” to act as his chaperones. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, Schnabel sought out the four again—this time without any of the official trappings. In a sophisticated parallel montage, he interweaves scenes from the past and present, vividly bringing to life the situation of upheaval in which the certainties of the past have given way to new uncertainties.

THE SOUTH Original version with subtitles, not specified

2026-10-03 @ 22:30

Director: Víctor Erice | Cast: Omero Antonutti, Sonsoles Aranguren, Icíar Bollaín, Lola Cardona | 95 min. Southern Spain/France, 1983. Dir: Victor Erice. Cast: Omero Antonutti, Lola Cardona, Sonsoles Aranguren. 94 min. 35mm. Original version with German subtitles Film Series: Víctor Erice One evening in 1957, 15-year-old Estrella reminisces about her childhood. She lives with her parents in a city in northern Spain; her mother is a former teacher, her father a doctor with few opportunities to practice. The family is originally from Andalusia and was forced to move north due to the events of the Civil War. The more she learns about it, the more the south becomes a place of longing for Estrella. Erice weaves a dense tapestry of political, historical,…

MORITZ IN ADVERTISING COLUMN D, starting at 0

2026-10-04 @ 17:00

Director: Rolf Losansky | 86 min. GDR 1983. Dir.: Rolf Losansky. 85 min. 35mm. Recommended for ages 8 and up. Includes a discussion. Film series: Children’s Cinema. Moritz is a dreamer and often feels misunderstood. One day, he moves into an advertising column. There, he meets new friends, including a talking cat. They help him become braver and face his problems.

DEPARTURE OmeU, not specified

2026-10-04 @ 22:00

Directed by Václav Havel | 90 min. *Leaving* (Czech Republic, 2011). Dir.: Václav Havel. Starring: Josef Abrhám, Dagmar Havlová Veškrnová, Jaroslav Dušek. 90 min. DCP. Original version with English subtitles Exhibition opening in the foyer at 6 p.m. Film series: Czech literary adaptations “Leaving” is the only film by writer and former Czech President Václav Havel; Havel directed it shortly before his death in 2011, based on his own 2008 play. The main character is the politician Rieger: a former chancellor who now lives with his family on a stately country estate—though the new government is threatening to evict him from there. On top of that, there’s a tabloid reporter who wants to write a story about Rieger. The film’s origins in a play are…

WE ARE ALL GOING TO THE WORLD’S FAIR D, FSK to follow

2026-10-06 @ 22:30

86 min. | Horror film, USA 2021. Dir.: Jane Schoenbrun. Starring: Anna Cobb, Michael J. Rogers, Turner Greaves. 86 min. Blu-ray. Original version. Film series: Trans New Weird. Casey grows up in a small rural town, living alone with her father. The lonely teenager enters the film through her webcam by participating in the viral “World’s Fair Challenge” via video. With her feature film debut, Jane Schoenbrun demonstrates an unparalleled understanding of the role the internet plays in the self-discovery of small-town teenagers. WE’RE ALL GOING TO THE WORLD’S FAIR is like a Cronenberg-esque coming-of-age drama—body horror for the digitally outsourced self. A film about obsession, loneliness, and the longing for community.

IN THE DISTANT HORIZON, SO CLOSE, N/A

2026-10-07 @ 22:00

Director: Wim Wenders | Cast: Bruno Ganz, Otto Sanders, Horst Buchholz | 90 min. Germany 1993. Dir.: Wim Wenders. Starring: Otto Sander, Peter Falk, Bruno Ganz. 146 min. DCP Film Series: W.I.M. Over Time Three years after the fall of the Wall, Wenders followed up *Wings of Desire* with a sequel. Berlin had become a different city, and it seemed to him that the best way to depict this change was through the same characters. And so Damiel (Bruno Ganz) is now married to Marion (Solveig Dommartin), runs the pizzeria “Da Angelo,” and the two have a child. Cassiel (Otto Sander), the angel left behind in solitude, is dissatisfied with his fate as a mere observer of human life and finally decides to take the great leap into human existence as well. IN THE NEXT…

I SAW THE TV GLOW (Original Version with Subtitles), ages 16 and up

2026-10-08 @ 20:00

Director: Jane Schoenbrun | Cast: Justice Smith, Brigette Lundy-Paine | 100 min. USA/UK 2024. Dir.: Jane Schoenbrun. Cast: Justice Smith, Jack Haven, Fred Durst. 100 min. Blu-ray. Original version with German subtitles Film series: Trans New Weird Owen is a loner who never really fits in at his high school. One day, he meets his classmate Maddy and, through her, discovers the TV series “The Pink Opaque.” Together, they immerse themselves in the show’s mystical universe, which seems more real than the world they know. Much like the show itself, *I SAW THE TV GLOW* has become a queer cult phenomenon thanks to its visual style and brilliant soundtrack.

LOVE ON SCHEDULE (Original version with subtitles), not specified

2026-10-08 @ 22:30

Director: Jirí Menzel | 93 min. Love According to the Schedule, Czechoslovakia 1966. Dir.: Jirí Menzel. Cast: Václav Neckár, Jitka Bendová, Vladimír Valenta. 92 min. 35mm. Original version with German subtitles Film series: Czech Literary Adaptations In his first feature-length film (the original title roughly translates to “Carefully Observed Trains”), Menzel adapted a short story by Bohumil Hrabal. The film is set during World War II, under German occupation, in a small Bohemian town. The main character is an adolescent who works at a train station alongside the stationmaster and the dispatcher. The film focuses on the boy’s shyness and sexual struggles; however, it also deals with resistance against the occupation. The film is a typical example of…

THERE'S ROOM FOR MICE IN HEAVEN, too, D, ages 6 and up

2026-10-10 @ 17:00

Directed by Denisa Grimmová, Jan Bubenícek | 88 min. | Animation CZ/FR/PL/SK 2020. Dir.: Jan Bubenícek. 88 min. DCP. Original version. Recommended for ages 8 and up. Film series: Children’s Cinema. After her death, Dalli the mouse meets Whitebelly the fox in heaven. As they search for Dalli’s father, they must learn to trust one another. A sensitive animated film about death and a friendship that overcomes prejudice.

THE SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE (Original version with subtitles), ages 16 and up

2026-10-10 @ 20:00

Director: Victor Erice | Cast: Fernando Fernán Gómez, Ana Torrent, Victor Erice | 98 min. *The Spirit of the Beehive* Spain 1973. Dir.: Victor Erice. Cast: Ana Torrent, Fernando Fernán Gómez, Teresa Gimpera. 98 min. 35mm. Original version with English subtitles (OmeU) With a supporting film. Film series: Victor Erice Shortly after the end of the Spanish Civil War, a traveling movie theater operator arrives in a village and screens the 1931 film FRANKENSTEIN. Among the audience is a little girl. Ana is so impressed by Frankenstein’s monster that from then on she connects her surroundings to her experience of the film—especially when she discovers a deserter who has taken refuge in a remote barn. Through the eyes of a child, Erice depicts a dream world: The relationships within…

CAMP OF, not specified

2026-10-10 @ 22:30

Director: Avalon Fast | 111 min. Canada 2025. Dir.: Avalon Fast. Cast: Zola Grimmer, Alice Wordsworth, Lea Rose Sebastianis. 111 min. DCP. Original Version Film Series: Trans New Weird After a traumatic experience, Emily is struggling to get back on her feet. Her father advises her to take a summer job at a summer camp. Once there, she finds a sense of community and warmth, but an ominous feeling won’t let her go. Director Avalon Fast describes the film’s style as “Girl Horror” and, in this small masterpiece, captures a trance-like atmosphere somewhere between *Picnic at Hanging Rock* and *Lost Highway*.

SHORT FILM PROGRAM: IRENA VRKLJAN, IN CONTRAST DmeU, not specified

2026-10-13 @ 20:00

Directed by: Ante Viculin, Irena Vrkljan | 66 min. *Dedication to a House*, West Germany, 1966. Dir.: Irena Vrkljan, 5 min. Digital Berlin (Not for Sale), West Germany 1967. Dir.: Irena Vrkljan. 15 min. Digital Berlin, West Germany 1969. Dir.: Irena Vrkljan. 32 min. Digital. Guest: Borjana Gakovic, Tobias Hering Film Series: Irena Vrkljan, Backlit Accompanying the three Berlin films that Irena Vrkljan shot at the DFFB and an essay film from her earlier work at Croatian television, Borjana Gakovic and Tobias Hering will read passages from Vrkljan’s literary work. The program introduces a sensitive, all too rarely remembered witness to German and Croatian/Yugoslav history. A common thread running through her work is her wartime experiences, which shaped Irena Vrkljan’s life and left an indelible mark on her literary work.

WE LAUGHED SO HARD D, ages 12 and up

2026-10-13 @ 22:15

Directed by: Eva Müller, Isabel Schneider | Cast: Hella von Sinnen, Gaby Köster, Bettina Böttinger | 98 min. Germany 2026. Dir.: Eva Müller, Isabel Schneider. Documentary featuring Maren Kroymann, Hella von Sinnen, Gaby Köster, Esther Schweins, Bettina Böttinger. 96 min. DCP Special Guest: Maren Kroymann in conversation with Urs Spörri Film Series: What’s Happening in German Cinema? An entire generation in this country was socialized by male comedians—through “Wetten, dass…?”, the “Harald Schmidt Show,” and later “TV total.” But what about their female colleagues? Maren Kroymann, Hella von Sinnen, Bettina Böttinger, Esther Schweins, and Gaby Köster recall the image of women that dominated German entertainment television in the 1990s. Female humor was marginalized,…

REGINA D, not specified

2026-10-14 @ 20:00

Director: Gedeon Kovács | 82 min. West Germany, 1976. Dir.: Gedeon Kovács. Screenplay: Benno Meyer-Wehlack, Irena Vrkljan. Cast: Kornelia Boje, Werner Hinz, Manfred Seipold, Ruth Drexel. 82 min. Digital Special guests: Borjana Gakovic, Tobias Hering Film series: Irena Vrkljan, In the Backlight With unconventional protagonists and narratives that occasionally bordered on the fantastical, the writing duo Irena Vrkljan and Benno Meyer-Wehlack left their mark on German television drama in the 1970s, a genre that was then recognized as an independent art form identified primarily with its writers. In REGINA (1976, directed by Gedeon Kovács), Kornelia Boje plays a woman in her early thirties who, although professionally independent, is forced into an emotional straitjacket by her domineering mother and an opportunistic lover…

THE SWIMMER OV, not specified

2026-10-14 @ 22:15

Director: Frank Perry | Cast: Burt Lancaster, Janet Landgard, Janice | 94 min. *The Swimmer* (USA, 1968). Dir.: Frank Perry. Starring: Burt Lancaster, Janet Landgard, Janice Rule. 94 min. DCP. Original version. Special guests: Prof. Gabu Heindl, University of Kassel; Drehli Robnik (film scholar) in conversation with Jorun Jensen (German Architecture Museum). Film series: Suburbia—Dreams of Home Ownership “Pool by pool, they form a river,” says the protagonist of *The Swimmer*—played by an athletic, bewilderedly grinning Burt Lancaster, who appears in nothing but swim trunks throughout the entire film. In this 1968 New Hollywood film, an advertising executive in his fifties decides to swim home. He sees it through: In a few hours, moving from one garden lot with a single-family home to the next, he swims through each…