FAQ
The Taunus Film Festival 2026 will take place from October 8-17, 2026, in Usingen.
The festival will take place from August 5 to 9, 2026, in Oberursel, Bad Homburg, Eschborn, and Bad Soden. The individual locations will be announced soon. here to be found.
What is special about the Taunus Film Festival?
The Taunus Film Festival has been around since 2010.
It is an international film festival with a long tradition, now offering five festival days with selected films from all over the world, workshops, networking events, and an extensive supporting program.
The best films will be awarded cash prizes totaling 3,500 Euros. The festival's themes are deliberately kept open, and films of all genres are accepted.
The focus is on bringing people together. In an age of streaming services and intensive cell phone use, the aim is to bring film back to life and bring people of all kinds together - both filmmakers and audiences from outside the industry.
The Taunus Film Festival sees itself as a place for meeting and dialogue, which actively contributes to the promotion of film culture.
What does the Festival Pass include?
The festival pass grants access to almost all events for one price. It includes: feature films, workshops, networking events, matinees, and the exclusive After Shorts party.
The opening gala and special events (e.g., the cocktail event in 2025) are not included. We explicitly mark this for the respective events.
Do I have to register separately with a festival pass?
Yes - for our internal planning it is essential that Festival Pass holders also register for every event.
With your pass you will receive an individual, non-transferable code that you can enter at all bookable events.
The respective ticket can then be booked free of charge.
Are all events with a festival pass available until the end?
Some events are more limited than others. It can therefore happen that certain events are fully booked.
We have a generous contingent available for Festival Pass holders, but we recommend that you make a reservation for the desired events as soon as possible.
How does the festival program work?
- Wednesday, August 5: Gala Opening Night with Live Music, Red Carpet, and Opening Film
- Thursday, August 6 & Friday, August 7: Film screenings, open-air cinema nights, workshops, networking
- Saturday, August 8: Grand Finale with Award Ceremony and Closing Party.
- Sunday, August 9: Art exhibition (which takes place from August 5–9.)
Which films will be shown?
International short and feature-length films of various genres are shown. These are almost exclusively films that have not yet had a (German) theatrical release.
Many of these works are celebrating their German or international festival premieres here.
The Taunus Film Festival thus offers the opportunity to discover new, exciting films early on and to engage with the filmmakers.
What are the Spotlight Awards?
At the film festival, there's aIn addition to the regular competition categories, this year's Spotlight Awards – Special awards for films that stand out in a thematic category selected by the festival. This category changes every year and focuses on a current or socially relevant topic—such as food, integration, or the environment.
The specific Spotlight theme will be announced after the submission deadline. All submitted films are automatically eligible for the Spotlight Award if their content aligns with the annual theme.
Other international films from a wide range of genres will also be shown.
How can I buy tickets?
Information about tickets and our advance sales will be posted in a timely manner (expected to begin in late June) on the official website taunale.de has been published.
Can I submit my own movie?
Yes, filmmakers can submit their works via the filmfreeway.com platform, which is typically open between August and March.
The exact submission modalities and deadlines can be found on the Festival website and at FilmFreeway.
Who can apply for accreditation?
Press representatives, industry professionals and interested parties can register via an accreditation form on the website.
Go to the accreditation for press representatives here.
Are there opportunities to work at the festival?
The festival is looking for volunteers for event management, content creation, graphic design, photography, videography and video editing.
A certificate of cooperation is possible.
Those interested can contact us by email at welcome@taunale.de sign up and here inform.
What are the prizes for the best films?
The best films will be awarded cash prizes totaling 3,500 Euros.
There are awards for the best short film, feature film (narrative and documentary), and two Spotlight Awards. There is also an audience award, which is presented with a laurel.
Who can I contact if I have further questions?
Further information is available at taunale.de or via e-mail to the organization team.
Contact details can also be found on the Festival website.
What are the admission prices for the Taunus Film Fest?
The Taunus Film Festival offers various formats to cover as many interests as possible.
Admission is charged for the gala evening, the award ceremony, workshops and feature film screenings.
The prices are deliberately set low, so that the festival does not even cover its costs, but tries to offer an extensive program for little money.
The open-air short film evenings and the networking breakfast are free to attend.
The aim is to give everyone - regardless of their financial situation - access to film art and cultural exchange.
Anyone who enjoys the free events can purchase the so-called "ticket afterwards" and support the film festival with it.