Filmfest Dresden 2027

What it is

Filmfest Dresden shows international short film every April, with animation given equal weight to live action, a legacy of the city's former DEFA animation studio. Founded in 1989, months before the GDR fell, as a forum for films the state had kept off screens, it drew more than 21,400 visitors in 2026. Its core is two juried competitions, and its top awards are the Golden Horsemen.

Two competitions

The Golden Horseman

The festival's prizes are the Golden Horsemen (Goldener Reiter), named after the gilded baroque statue of Augustus the Strong on the Neustädter Markt. By the festival's count its prizes are worth more than 70,000 euros in all. The two main International Competition Golden Horsemen, for animation and for live action, are worth 7,500 euros each; the Saxon film promotion prize, at 20,000 euros, is the largest single award, alongside audience and youth-jury prizes.

Where it plays

The festival plays across cinemas in Dresden. Each cinema below links to its programme. The Filmtheater Schauburg in the Neustadt is the main house.

Filmtheater Schauburg

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Programmkino Ost

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Thalia — Cinema. Coffee and Cycling

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Kino im Kasten

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Zentralkino

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Clubkino im Lingnerschloss

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In 2026 the festival held 197 events at 19 venues across Dresden, including an open-air screen on the Schlossplatz.

Original with subtitles

International short films screen in their original language with English subtitles (OmeU), so the International Competition is followable without German. German-language films screen in German, some with English subtitles for the international audience. The exact subtitle language per programme is set in the spring line-up.

Tickets and how it works

Short films screen in curated programme blocks rather than singly, so a ticket buys a block. Filmmakers can submit until 1 December 2026. The competition selection is announced in February, and the full 2027 programme, jury and schedule follow in spring.

Common questions

When is Filmfest Dresden 2027?

13 to 18 April 2027, in Dresden.

What does it show?

International and German short film, with animation and live action given equal weight.

What is the Golden Horseman?

The festival's award, named after the gilded equestrian statue of Augustus the Strong. The main International Competition prizes are worth 7,500 euros each.

Are the films shown in the original language?

Yes. International shorts run in the original with English subtitles (OmeU); German films in German, some with English subtitles.

Which cinemas host it?

The Schauburg is the main venue, with Programmkino Ost, the Thalia, the Zentralkino and Kino im Kasten among the others.