Once again, we have done everything in our power to assemble a magnificent program: highlights from the big A-list festivals in Cannes, Berlin, Venice and Karlovy Vary are coming to Wiesbaden, including a slew of submissions for the 2027 best foreign feature film Oscar. Around 200 productions will be screened this year – a cross-section of international cinema’s class of 2025/2026, chosen from more than 2,000 submitted short and feature-length films. The highest compliment you can pay to our film selection is to come out to our festival venues in large numbers again.

And yes, we are happy to be back at Caligari FilmBühne, our main festival venue and festival centre. After renovations to comply with fire safety regulations were not finished in time for our festival in 2025, we are now able to savour the cinema hall and foyer with our own cinema bar once again. The construction is still ongoing, but you, dear audience, will not see that, of course!

From November 13 to 22, you will also have plenty of opportunities once again to enter into conversation with the filmmakers and expand your and our horizons. There are no substitutes for the collective experience of cinema and in-person exchange!

In light of the difficult times ahead for culture in Wiesbaden in the coming years, we can only appeal to you to support us with your presence in the cinema, as we do not know how things are going to continue to develop in our hometown from 2027 on when it comes to culture – all the more so as the municipal budget for 2027 is not due to be approved until next year! A sheerly untenable situation for all cultural institutions in Wiesbaden, since it removes any sense of certainty in planning for them.

Our thanks go out to all those who have supported us in 2026 – especially the State Capital of Wiesbaden, the Hessian State Ministry of Science and Research, Arts and Culture, HessenFilm & Medien GmbH and Kulturfonds Frankfurt RheinMain. Our equally heartfelt thanks go to all of our helpers, without whom we would not be able to put on the festival.

We are looking forward to ten eventful festival days full of new impressions, as well as to many guests and attendees!

Andrea Wink, Brigitte Strubel-Mattes and Gerald Pucher
(management team at exground filmfest)

Words of Welcome:
– WELCOME MESSAGE FROM ANNA SCHOEPPE
– WELCOME MESSAGE FROM TIMON GREMMELS
– WELCOME MESSAGE FROM DR. PATRICIA BECHER
– WELCOME MESSAGE FROM DR. SUSANNE VÖLKER