16th LICHTER Art Award Exhibition: War, memory, identity, family, work: Five video art works. Five perspectives. From VR trauma to queer historiography to the question of why we work – a programme that gets under your skin.

The upper grades of a special education school in Rüsselsheim embark on an artistic journey of exploration. Their encounter with colours, sounds, music and dance show especially one thing: Art is universal and individual. 

After an assault on her life, young prosecutor Seyo Kim launches her own investigation and uncovers a far-right network. Could her own agency even be involved? Is the German justice system downplaying or covering up right-wing violence?

Workshop for film students

In his masterclass, Dominik Graf discusses genre, realism and the freedom of contemporary cinema.

16th LICHTER Art Award Exhibition: War, memory, identity, family, work: Five video art works. Five perspectives. From VR trauma to queer historiography to the question of why we work – a programme that gets under your skin.

'When everything is culture, nothing is art anymore' according to Bazon Brock. As an art mentor and companion of Beuys, he has put forward a fundamental culture critical finding: art is increasingly being replaced by a generalised concept of culture. 

Gesine Schwan, political scientist and former candidate for the post of Federal President, wants to argue more. But not in a personal destructive way; rather for the common cause.

Four VR-films, four worlds: A VR blockbuster in outer space, a quantum riddle about the nature of reality, pencil-drawn poetry inspired by Emily Dickinson, and a train journey through decades of Japan. Immersive. Poetic. Unforgettable.

After the death of his bandmate in 1961, jazz pianist Bill Evans falls into a deep abyss of grief and substance abuse. Through striking black-and-white imagery, director Grant Gee brings this dark chapter of Evan's career to life. 

„The private is political, of course.“ – Ulrike Rosenbach’s art has always been political. As a pioneer of video art and performance, as a student of Joseph Beuys. Director Sung-Hyung Cho dedicates this documentary portrait to her.

Sweden during the cold war. Karl-Göran repeats the safety instructions from the government like a mantra and starts to build his own fort. The work turns into a rhythm as parallels to the present day become apparent.

The Coalition of the Independent Scene invites you to its annual assembly as part of the LICHTER Filmfest Frankfurt International.

Power struggles over sex, money, great art and the buffet access: A filmic reinterpretation of the classical Myth of Medea is being made in Senegal. In the chaos of the film shoot, the actors of Medea and Jason fall in love. 

 "Voyage, voyage" - Mike leads a vagrant life on the streets, forced to be a survival artist. Caught in a self-destructive downward spiral, he tries to get his life back on track. Can he escape the vices of his past?

119 submissions. 28 programmed films. 4 rolls. 1 winner.

The regional short film competition shows once again the diversity and ingenuity, Hesse has to offer and supports the rising talents of tomorrow.

Four VR-films, four worlds: A VR blockbuster in outer space, a quantum riddle about the nature of reality, pencil-drawn poetry inspired by Emily Dickinson, and a train journey through decades of Japan. Immersive. Poetic. Unforgettable.

In the war-torn Germany of the seventeenth century, a scarred soldier swindles his way into the ownership of an estate. When his deceitful ways are uncovered, his desire for recognitions turns into a tribunal.

After an assault on her life, young prosecutor Seyo Kim launches her own investigation and uncovers a far-right network. Could her own agency even be involved? Is the German justice system downplaying or covering up right-wing violence?

Buying people's tears – is it art? And can you use art to process your trauma? Patryk and Maria try to therapise themselves and find their way in the Warsaw art scene. Is this escapism or a safe space?

Frankfurt and Mumbai are not officially twinned but I’m Not an Actor connects them cinematically. Filming for 28 days involved real video calls and simultaneous shootings in both cities. Featuring Nawazuddin Siddiqui!

Maternity is an extremely stressful situation: the constant wailing, the changing of full diapers, the heavy bleeding, the fear of losing your mind, the forest that is slowly encroaching on your home – Wait a minute, what??!

After the death of his bandmate in 1961, jazz pianist Bill Evans falls into a deep abyss of grief and substance abuse. Through striking black-and-white imagery, director Grant Gee brings this dark chapter of Evan's career to life. 

With the media crisis, the ‘fourth estate’ is disappearing as a countervailing force and a check on those in power. How are media discourses changing? What are the consequences for democracy?

The event is part of a double-panel discussion featuring a keynote speech.

The gaps in the media landscape are growing. Cultural magazines are being discontinued or merged, and entire cultural sections get scrapped. Is this process irreversible?

This event is part of a  double-panel discussion featuring a keynote speech.

LUMI invites you to join industry representatives Fitore Muzaqi and Emina Smajić for a discussion on breaking into the Hessian film industry, strategies for BIPoC filmmakers, and funding opportunities in the region.

How does cultural journalism work in the digital media? What kinds of opportunities or risks present themselves in these new platforms? 

This event is part of a double panel with keynote speech. 

16th LICHTER Art Award Exhibition: War, memory, identity, family, work: Five video art works. Five perspectives. From VR trauma to queer historiography to the question of why we work – a programme that gets under your skin.

It’s been a wild year for the creative media industry. “Artificial Intelligence” all over the place  –experimentation, adoption, adaptation, apprehension, panic and boycott.

A conversation on the last year, and the year ahead, for media, video, art, creativity and “artificial intelligence”.

In the 1960s cinema was iconoclastic. What has remained of the liberating power of breaking the rules? Is German film still capable of art?

Four VR-films, four worlds: A VR blockbuster in outer space, a quantum riddle about the nature of reality, pencil-drawn poetry inspired by Emily Dickinson, and a train journey through decades of Japan. Immersive. Poetic. Unforgettable.

For a long time, the division of roles in the German film industry was clearly defined. But what happens when creative professionals stop waiting and take the initiative themselves? A discussion about the responsibility of storytelling and the fundamental question: How radically must the German film landscape change if personal initiative becomes the new standard?

Close to the action on Schwedlerstraße: Why We Play captures the emotional intensity of rehearsals with Ensemble Modern in the Frankfurt Ostend district. A process of searching, discarding and collaboratively discovering a new musical language.

The low-wage sector keeps the country running - and simultaneously wears down those who work in it. In a cleaning company, Heike battles the lack of staff, costumer complaints and financial pressure - until she can no longer cope with the stress.

Hazy and emotionally connected to its characters’ plights, Nina Roza dives into the core of what makes art a quintessential human affair – the way it’s highly dependent on the social lives of the people who make it.

New Year’s Eve in Gropiusstadt: as fireworks light up the sky, Luan faces the prospect of losing everything – his great love is moving away, and his brother is facing deportation. A frantic race against time, fear and his own dark visions begins.

Maggi sets sail, Anna lets iron rust and calls it art. Their marriage? Well, that too, in a way. Hlynur Pálmason follows a family as they drift apart – with quirky humour, an Icelandic summer and spectacular 35mm imagery.

The regular meeting of the Hessian film industry takes place in cooperation with Hessen Film & Medien as part of the LICHTER Filmfest Frankfurt International. The regular meeting provides a forum for exchange, networking and discussion.

What moves us in an image – before we even understand it? Gunter Deller's installation explores the macchia: the fleeting first impression. Between light, darkness, and time, a way of seeing beyond words emerges.

The death of a loved one is followed by overwhelm, anger and the humour of the absurd. Lore must confront all of this while the COVID-19 pandemic makes closeness impossible. In double isolation, she struggles to give her mother a dignified farewell. 

Four VR-films, four worlds: A VR blockbuster in outer space, a quantum riddle about the nature of reality, pencil-drawn poetry inspired by Emily Dickinson, and a train journey through decades of Japan. Immersive. Poetic. Unforgettable.

Stella Nyanzi is imprisoned for writing a vulgar poem about Uganda’s dictator. But she continues to fight: as an activist, poet, and politician—fearless, outspoken, and unyielding. A compelling portrait of a woman who refuses to be intimidated by any regime.

119 submissions. 28 programmed films. 4 rolls. 1 winner.

The regional short film competition shows once again the diversity and ingenuity, Hesse has to offer and supports the rising talents of tomorrow.

Algeria, 1575. A young prisoner with a talent for storytelling longs to be free from his captivity, no matter the cost. Cervantes, Spain’s national poet, thus becomes the protagonist of his own journey.

A terraced house in Frankfurt, an Advent dinner, a family – that’s all Ein Abend im Dezember needs. What starts out as a festive dinner, quickly turns into a chamber play after a disturbing message. 

A theatre collective celebrates inclusion, and Bernd is a part of it. Until his enthusiasm for Nazi-ideology drives the group into a spiral of appeasement, anger, and escalation. A biting dark comedy in the spirit of Schlingensief about tolerance as a facade.

Following the regular get-together of the Hessian film scene, we’ll be kicking off May with some relaxed dancing at the festival centre. DJ Franksen will be providing the perfect beats.

Go to the cinema and just relax: the Scrivers invite you into their home and have plenty to share. Funny, absurd and thought-provoking stories from the everyday lives of the Cree – lovingly, humorously and vividly animated.

Here you can experience art and technology for yourself! On 1st and 2nd May, the team from display and Digital Worlds invites anyone aged 12 and over to try out programming, soldering and crafting – both in VR and in "real life".

16th LICHTER Art Award Exhibition: War, memory, identity, family, work: Five video art works. Five perspectives. From VR trauma to queer historiography to the question of why we work – a programme that gets under your skin.

Best Practices and Workshop with: Tim League (Neon, Alamo Drafthouse), Clément Schneider (L'Acid), Radka Hoffman (Krúton), Victor Fraga (DMovies), Luis Felipe Raguá (Cinemateca de Bogotá), Dennis Vetter (Woche der Kritik), Chloé Folens & Elie de Rudder (La Clef Revival)
Moderation: Geraldine de Bastion, Uri Aviv

The actress Bibiana Beglau, the director Jan Bonny and the artist Alex Wissel have been working together for more than ten years. Their collaborative projects span a wide range of media, from TV series and films to theatre and art installations.

Four VR-films, four worlds: A VR blockbuster in outer space, a quantum riddle about the nature of reality, pencil-drawn poetry inspired by Emily Dickinson, and a train journey through decades of Japan. Immersive. Poetic. Unforgettable.

This panel will discuss how AI is used as an instrument of authoritarianism, the mechanisms and narratives around it and how we can effectively defend ourselves against it.

Four VR-films, four worlds: A VR blockbuster in outer space, a quantum riddle about the nature of reality, pencil-drawn poetry inspired by Emily Dickinson, and a train journey through decades of Japan. Immersive. Poetic. Unforgettable.

Journalist Claus Kleber and political scientist Nicole Deitelhoff in a conversation about the art of protecting the foundation of freedom, as part of the Future German Cinema congress.

Hein has returned to his home island, only to find that nobody there recognizes him – he is a stranger. A village court would decide whether he is telling the truth. However, the returnee’s memories seem to differ dramatically from the villagers...

Dennis Hopper takes us on a wild ride through the 90s, when advertising was seen as the medium of the future. People from Hollywood – from David Bowie to David Lynch – as well as rabbis and prostitutes, share their thoughts on the advertising industry.

In this biting satire, filmmaker Bahram tries to find a cinema in Teheran for his newest film; so far, none of his films have been shown in his home country Iran. A farcical journey through a a climate of censorship and oppression.

There’s something off about the peaceful live Junior and Esther, a Haitian couple, have built for themselves in a Mexican forest. When the daughters are threatened, their journey must go on. But where could they find the garden they are dreaming of?

In this live edition of their popular morning show Der Bohnige Wachmacher, Dax Werner and Moritz Hürtgen come up with fresh, entertaining ideas for a thoughtful revamp of the public service broadcaster’s programming

Be there when Hessian film and media professionals meet at the FILM & MEDIA MEETUP as part of the 6th “Future of German Film” congress and the 19th LICHTER FILMFESTS!

What moves us in an image – before we even understand it? Gunter Deller's installation explores the macchia: the fleeting first impression. Between light, darkness, and time, a way of seeing beyond words emerges.

Part mockumentary, part romance, part adventure film, Memory of Princess Mumbi is a wholly original and imaginative film that dedicates itself to building multiple worlds without losing touch of the humans at its center.

There are those artists who can command both the dance floor and the conversation without compromising their style: Frank Spilker is one of them. That’s why we’re bringing him to the LICHTER stage on the Friday of the festival.

The sleepy village of Vitrival is thrown into turmoil when an unknown person sprays obscenities on the church walls. Then, out of nowhere, a series of suicides begins and the supposed idyll is shattered. Two young police officers take on the case.

For the ninth time, the LICHTER Film Festival is hosting the Crew Call. As always, all members of the Crew United film and media network are welcome to gather at our festival hub and mingle over a cold drink and some great music.

Four VR-films, four worlds: A VR blockbuster in outer space, a quantum riddle about the nature of reality, pencil-drawn poetry inspired by Emily Dickinson, and a train journey through decades of Japan. Immersive. Poetic. Unforgettable.

Luca has been part of her own brand since birth - her parents are influencers. Perfection and a hint of vulnerability make her a star. When her parents decide to have another child, Luca falls into a deep hole. Who is she when the screen goes black?

Shortly before the Taliban’s takeover in the year 2021: A camera woman in Kabul fights for self-determination amid patriarchal violence, hope and unexpected love.

Anna has locked herself away in her apartment. Her new degree course, her partner, old friends – no one can lure her out of her isolation. Until some old, worn-out cassettes turn up in the moving boxes. Low-budget cinema at its best!

119 submissions. 28 programmed films. 4 rolls. 1 winner.

The regional short film competition shows once again the diversity and ingenuity, Hesse has to offer and supports the rising talents of tomorrow.

How does a young female coyote cope with a breakup and creative drought? Through lengthy phone calls with her mother in Morocco? Or through hookups and parties in New York? Bouchra says: both help!

Here you can experience art and technology for yourself! On 1st and 2nd May, the team from display and Digital Worlds invites anyone aged 12 and over to try out programming, soldering and crafting – both in VR and in "real life".

16th LICHTER Art Award Exhibition: War, memory, identity, family, work: Five video art works. Five perspectives. From VR trauma to queer historiography to the question of why we work – a programme that gets under your skin.

Four VR-films, four worlds: A VR blockbuster in outer space, a quantum riddle about the nature of reality, pencil-drawn poetry inspired by Emily Dickinson, and a train journey through decades of Japan. Immersive. Poetic. Unforgettable.

Machines that fabricate images, write screenplays, make up films – is art on the brink of its last metamorphosis?

A conversation about the future of art in times of its algorithmic reproducibility.

Clara is a girl growing up in a rural Quechua community in the Andes. She is only allowed to pursue her talent for singing during her work as a midwife, but yearns for the colourful world of Chicha music. 

A Fading Man tells a poignant love triangle story about forgetting and remembering. With a keen sense of nuance, the film captures both the tragic and the comic moments of growing old.

After an assault on her life, young prosecutor Seyo Kim launches her own investigation and uncovers a far-right network. Could her own agency even be involved? Is the German justice system downplaying or covering up right-wing violence?

Childhood, love, friendship, family, marriage, sex – then all of a sudden, war. The documentary poignantly depict how drastically political turmoil can disrupt our daily lives and relationships.

Can art provide answers, suggest solutions and create spaces for new ways of thinking where political discourse reaches its limits? Can creativity and experiencing art truly change lives?

In cooperation with Kulturzeit.

In 1983, a complete unknown won France’s most prestigious architectural competition. The Dane Johan Otto von Spreckelsen had built four churches to date – and was now tasked with constructing Mitterrand’s landmark building of the century. What followed was a battle: art versus politics, vision versus bureaucracy.

Four VR-films, four worlds: A VR blockbuster in outer space, a quantum riddle about the nature of reality, pencil-drawn poetry inspired by Emily Dickinson, and a train journey through decades of Japan. Immersive. Poetic. Unforgettable.

The four boys of the North Hessian metal band Fatmull only have two options: giving up and taking off. Sole talent is not enough to survive. Soon it turns out that only if they stick together tightly, the band has a chance to survive.

Venice Audience Award 2025: A Sad and Beautiful World is an epic romantic drama spanning three decades. Cyril Aris tells a deeply emotional story about the fate of two people who bravely follow their gut instincts in times of crisis.

The premise of the Dialogue of the Arts panel is that film is not to be seen as its own isolated form of art, but to bring in into open dialogue with other artistic practices.

Grace moves to Montreal in 2011—no French, no plan, but a book project about Alanis Morissette. Then she ends up managing an indie band and caught between two men. Chandler Levack’s wild rom-com reinvents the music nerd—this time, she’s a woman.

"Everyone has a problem with girls" - but Sara Shahverdi has a problem with the patriarchy. Just elected head of her Iranian village, she fearlessly turns society upside down.

What moves us in an image – before we even understand it? Gunter Deller's installation explores the macchia: the fleeting first impression. Between light, darkness, and time, a way of seeing beyond words emerges.

With a simple setting, precise dialogue, and an ear for playing with noise and silence, Pereda’s film is an often funny exploration of the myth-making processes behind how we tell stories about art, and a deconstruction of its self-seriousness.

An orphaned boy searches for stability, a cocaine dealer navigates through Frankfurt's drug scene, and a severe alcoholic longs for love. Three lives. Three fates. And one film that connects them all.

Four VR-films, four worlds: A VR blockbuster in outer space, a quantum riddle about the nature of reality, pencil-drawn poetry inspired by Emily Dickinson, and a train journey through decades of Japan. Immersive. Poetic. Unforgettable.

A live set blending immersive ambient, experimental pop and AI-based vocal composition: allapopp performs “Altering Altars” live for the first time at LICHTER.

Daddy - Daddy cool: The hits of Boney M. are instantly recognisable. Who were the faces behind the world-famous disco band, and what role did a recording studio in Offenbach play in their success? A tribute to one of Germany's most successful bands.

Isabelle Huppert as resurrected blood countess Erzsébet Báthory and Ulrike Ottinger directing a bizarre vampire comedy: Vienna becomes the setting for a whimsical farce that blends operatic frenzy, social satire and a waltz of the undead.

Tristan da Cunha: the remotest inhabited island in the world. An enchanted vulcano in the middle of nowhere. Living here, far away from all the noise and stress of the globalised world, seems tempting – but what if it is forever?

119 submissions. 28 programmed films. 4 rolls. 1 winner.

The regional short film competition shows once again the diversity and ingenuity, Hesse has to offer and supports the rising talents of tomorrow.

Nach der Party ist vor der Party! Auch in diesem Jahr gehört Lars Eidinger bei LICHTER nicht nur die Leinwand, sondern die Nacht.

Art is free; if it is not free, it is not art

16th LICHTER Art Award Exhibition: War, memory, identity, family, work: Five video art works. Five perspectives. From VR trauma to queer historiography to the question of why we work – a programme that gets under your skin.

Elizabeth is a sex worker with a mission: she wants to offer her services to people with disabilities. She throws herself into her work with great enthusiasm. However, there are still prejudices to overcome on both sides. A debut with a bold message.

Four VR-films, four worlds: A VR blockbuster in outer space, a quantum riddle about the nature of reality, pencil-drawn poetry inspired by Emily Dickinson, and a train journey through decades of Japan. Immersive. Poetic. Unforgettable.

Shortly before the Taliban’s takeover in the year 2021: A camera woman in Kabul fights for self-determination amid patriarchal violence, hope and unexpected love.

Humankind has stopped dreaming and the last dreamer is dying. Like a star that expires in a supernova, he explodes in a final dream that dives deep into his mind and into the history of film. Chinese Inception.

Four VR-films, four worlds: A VR blockbuster in outer space, a quantum riddle about the nature of reality, pencil-drawn poetry inspired by Emily Dickinson, and a train journey through decades of Japan. Immersive. Poetic. Unforgettable.

Fourteen years after an attempted femicide, survivor Daniela Magnani Hüller looks for answers and underlying structures. She asks why people (didn't) act and who is responsible.

At first glance, she seems like a typical teenager: Ainara enjoys going out with friends and has a crush one of her classmates. But there's a divine calling brewing inside her. Or is it her adolescent mind just playing tricks?

Cinema Verité behind the scenes of the dream factory. Mike Figgis captures the chaotic making of Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis and portrays the filmmaker and his one-of-a-kind way of working.

What moves us in an image – before we even understand it? Gunter Deller's installation explores the macchia: the fleeting first impression. Between light, darkness, and time, a way of seeing beyond words emerges.

Four VR-films, four worlds: A VR blockbuster in outer space, a quantum riddle about the nature of reality, pencil-drawn poetry inspired by Emily Dickinson, and a train journey through decades of Japan. Immersive. Poetic. Unforgettable.

Fanfare, Bembel and champagne: the grand finale!

We warmly invite you all to the awards ceremony on Sunday evening! From 8 pm, we’ll be celebrating the festival’s most impressive and moving films together!

Close to the action on Schwedlerstraße: Why We Play captures the emotional intensity of rehearsals with Ensemble Modern in the Frankfurt Ostend district. A process of searching, discarding and collaboratively discovering a new musical language.

A very different kind of rebellion: in Seoul, three elderly people turn dining and dashing into a real art form. Though they are poor like many other people their age, to dine and dash also reflects their desire to lead a dignified life.

A programme of short films curated by Karola Gramann, Heide Schlüpmann and Gunter Deller will explore various facets of art and cinema at the DFF cinema to mark the end of the festival.

Maggi sets sail, Anna lets iron rust and calls it art. Their marriage? Well, that too, in a way. Hlynur Pálmason follows a family as they drift apart – with quirky humour, an Icelandic summer and spectacular 35mm imagery.

Luca has been part of her own brand since birth - her parents are influencers. Perfection and a hint of vulnerability make her a star. When her parents decide to have another child, Luca falls into a deep hole. Who is she when the screen goes black?