Competitions
European feature film competition
Eight feature-length films are in the running for the prize for the best director’s work (endowed with 5,000 euros), which is awarded by an international jury. This year, for the second time, it is exclusively debut films that give new impetus to European cinema and captivate with their exceptional narrative or visual language.
European short film competition
At the heart of the Filmfestival Münster, 36 short works from 12 European countries will be screened this year – animated films, documentaries and short feature films from the Faroe Islands to Portugal, an exciting and colorful mix in six program blocks. In addition to the jury, the audience will once again vote for their favorite.
The Westfalen Connection once again takes an extensive look at the region. In this section, ambitious films are shown that were produced by filmmakers from the region or shot here. A separate jury chooses its favorite, and the Stiftung Westfalen- Initiative donates prize money of 500 euros.
Accompanying programme
The country focus on films from the Netherlands, which is unique in Germany, results from the long-standing cooperation of the Filmwerkstatt Münster with colleagues from the Netherlands. This fruitful cooperation was sealed as early as 1997 with the founding of the joint “Stichting film|spiegel”.
Dark, shocking, bizarre and disturbing – the varied mix of horror films, thrillers and related genre gems in the late-night section is not for the faint of heart.
Specials
Time and again, cinema has been declared dead – especially in the pandemic year 2020. But cinema is alive! But how does it go on? As part of the Filmfestival Münster, we want to shed light on how cinema is changing in three discussion forums with different focuses.
Youth curated / New Film Generation
A look back at the festival’s 40-year history: as part of the “Youth Curated” project, four young adults have looked at selected short films from past festivals and picked out their favorites. This program also features the short documentary “New Film Generation”: eight filmmakers between the ages of 10 and 14 have embarked on a cinematic quest to discover what makes the medium of cinema so special.
With the film series “Kino aufs Land” (Cinema in the Countryside), the Filmwerkstatt Münster is touring the Münsterland region and will be stopping off at three different locations from September 22 to 24: Wettringen, Vadrup and Darup. In addition to current short films from the festival selection, selected productions from the region are also in the bag.
Panel discussion: Film without barriers
The film and cinema landscape has included in some funding regulations that films in Germany must be barrier-free. In a panel discussion, we would like to get into conversation with people from associations and with disabilities to make their experiences and perspectives on the accessibility of films and cinemas visible.
Shorts on Wheels goes Fahrradkino Münster
Watching short films through self-generated energy thanks to muscle power. Together with the bicycle cinema we ride through Münster. We will stop at selected places and turn the walls into projection surfaces.
Under the title “Luise and her sisters: Women in front of and behind the camera”, Filmservice Münster.Land and Die Linse e.V., as organizers of the “Provincial Film Days,” are offering two panel discussions on this complex of topics on September 16 and 17 in cooperation with the film festival. The topics will be equal opportunities and the potential of web series.
Best of Africa Film Festival Cologne
Films from the Africa Film Festival Cologne will be shown in Münster for the fifth time, this year for the first time as a guest of the Filmfestival Münster. For one week, new feature films, documentaries, feature-length films and short films will be shown. Guests are also announced for four programs.