7 May—5 June 2024

It’s sometimes said that cinema is a pact between audience and filmmaker. On one side, the promise to provoke a visceral reaction; on the other, being open to empathy and emotions.

This year’s German Film Festival runs the gamut of feels across more than two dozen films. It includes movies fresh from their premieres at the Berlinale (aka Berlin International Film Festival), a celebration of acclaimed director Werner Hertzog, and a curated sidebar for kids, teens and families, plus lots more.

From Hilde, With Love is a deeply moving story of a young woman drawn into the anti-Nazi resistance movement during World War II. It’s set to open the season, with its award-winning director Andreas Dresen attending the Adelaide event.

Also direct from the Berlinale is Scorched Earth, a slick crime thriller starring Mišel Matičević and Alexander Fehling.

While at the other end of the spectrum, the tragicomedy One For The Road from director Markus Goller brings the laughs. The story is set between Berlin’s famous bars and sober therapy rooms and stars festival favourite Frederick Lau.

Whether you’re keen for the latest in German cinema, or to discover a classic like Hertzog’s Heart of Glass or the banned-for-decades Trace Of Stones – there’s plenty to love at this year’s festival.

Buy tickets and see the full program here.