Feature films
QUEENS OF THE DEAD
Thursday, Oct 22 | 8:30 PM
Tina Romero, the daughter of the creator of zombie film creator George Romero, kicks off this wonderfully over-the-top and garishly colorful horror comedy with a spectacular musical intro set in a church and the shocking murder of a drag queen. This macabre scene rapidly escalates into a completely crazy fight for survival. A horde of bloodthirsty yet utterly glamorous undead drag queens mercilessly hunts down unsuspecting humans. This spectacle shatters every cliché. Thanks to its extremely garish visuals, outrageous ideas, and an extraordinary cast, the classic zombie genre is completely turned on its head. Audiences can expect an extremely entertaining, delightfully crazy cinematic experience full of gore and glamour. A true must-see for all festival fans!
A NICE INDIAN BOY
Friday, Oct 23 | 6:00 PM
USA 2024 | 96 min | Original with German Subtitles | Directed by: Roshan Sethi
Naveen is a successful doctor who has long since come out to his family and coworkers. Still, his parents worry because, as a die-hard bachelor, he hasn’t yet found a “nice Indian boy.” But then Jay, a photographer—a white American who was adopted by an Indian couple, regularly attends the Hindu temple, and longs for a sense of family—enters the picture. The two quickly fall in love. But Naveen hesitates to tell his family that he has found his true love in Jay and that Jay isn’t Indian—especially since his sister was never supposed to marry a white man. This conflict gives rise to humor, emotional moments, and plenty of misunderstandings. Could a Bollywood classic help here?
BLACK BURNS FAST
Friday, Oct 23 | 8:30 PM
South Africa 2025 | 100 min | Original with English Subtitles | Directed by: Sandulela Asanda
Luthando knows exactly what is expected of her. As a scholarship student at a prestigious South African girls’ boarding school, she wants one thing above all else: not to stand out. But when the self-assured Ayanda arrives at the school, Luthando’s carefully maintained balance begins to falter. Amid friendships, her old life, and the constraints of boarding school, a first love blossoms that can no longer be suppressed. With plenty of wit, warmth, and a keen sense of the uncertainties of growing up, Black Burns Fast tells the story of the search for one’s place in the world—and of how liberating it can be to break free from the expectations of others. An energetic debut about queer Black identity, self-assertion, and the power to finally see oneself.
Aimée & Jaguar
Saturday, Oct 24 | 11:00 AM
Berlinale 1999 Best Actress (“Silberner Bär”): Maria Schrader, Juliane Köhler
Berlin 1943. In the midst of the war, the paths of two completely different women cross: Lilly Wust, in her late twenties, married to a Wehrmacht soldier and mother of four children, meets the self-assured Felice, who is Jewish, active in the resistance, and in constant danger. A passionate love develops between the two. For as long as they can, they push aside the realities of life and all the looming dangers. While Lilly finds refuge from reality in her love, for Felice it is playing with fire—but also a last chance to experience a fulfilling part of life. Based on true events, AIMÉE AND JAGUAR, set in the late 1990s, depicts a powerful, lesbian, yet forbidden love amidst the horrors and cruelties of World War II.
NOT EVERY LOVE STORY ENDS IN DEATH (Nem Toda História de Amor Acaba em Morte)
Saturday, Oct 24 | 3:30 PM
FIRST SCREENING IN GERMANY!
In the midst of a film and pop culture that so often ends in tragedy, this queer romance strikes a different path: emotional honesty and the healing power of genuine connectedness. The tender approach of two women, who struggle with very different social prejudices and expectations –– in the profession, in marriage with a man, in life as a single mother and as a deaf woman is shown. Step by step, Sol and Lola build trust in each other by encountering each other unbiased. A love film that shows that perceiving your own needs and vulnerability can be the key to a new beginning and that queer stories have the right to a happy, fulfilling happy ending in real life.
DEPARTURES CN
Saturday, Oct 24 | 8:30 PM
United Kingdom 2025 |82 min | Original with German Subtitles | Directed by: Lloyd Eyre-Morgan, Neil Ely
Right at the beginning we already learn the end: Benji is dumped. From Jake. But from the beginning: A short trip to Amsterdam is supposed to give Benji, frustrated single and Mama’s worry child, a little distraction. At the gate, he encounters the muscle-packed Jake and quite unexpectedly for Benji, it crackles violently between the two. Regular trips to the Amsterdam gay scene follow. A dynamic of unrestrained sex, stealth and the hope of a romantic relationship is developing. This dramatically fast comedy is based on true (and absurd) experiences of the two directors, Neil Ely and Lloyd Eyre-Morgan. The latter also embodies the character of Benji and makes us intensely empathize with the various stages of blissful-in-love to perplexed-injured.
DOWNTOWN
Sunday, Oct 25 | 3:30 PM
Netherlands 2026 | 98 min | Original with German Subtitles | Directed by: Michiel Van Erp
Amsterdam, 1986. In the extravagant nightclub “Downtown” Ronnie, Lennart and Bas seem to indulge in all sorts of excesses. Their close friendship revolves around nights of freedom, longing and excesses against the backdrop of a city that is in full motion. But when the first rumors about HIV are making the rounds, the mood in their world is slowly changing. As Ronnie tries to look cautiously into the future, Lennart and Bas continue to cling to a life that seems endless –– until Bas suddenly disappears without a trace. A good thirty years later, Ronnie Bas unexpectedly sees him on the subway again. He decides to organize a dinner, where Lennart also sits at the table. At this first meeting in years, deeply buried emotions come up.
ELEPHANTS IN THE FOG CN
Sunday, Oct 25 | 8:30 PM
Nepal/France/Germany 2025 | 108 min | Original with German Subtitles | Directed by: Abinash Bikram Shah
This visually captivating Nepalese drama explores the life of Pirati, a trans woman, within a rural community. Her daily life unfolds amid fascinating contrasts between spiritual rituals, grueling farm work, and modern nightlife. When her own daughter suddenly runs away and, at the same time, wild elephants threaten the region, the situation in the village spirals completely out of control. What follows is a highly emotional and large-scale search operation in the dense, foggy jungle landscape. This sensitive story about family obligations and the power of kindred spirits draws viewers in with an uncanny pull. In the end, despite all the trials and tribulations, it stands as a deeply moving testament to queer solidarity. A deeply immersive, intimate, and cinematically masterful work.
MISERICORDIA
Monday, Oct 26 | 6:00 PM
France 2024 | 103 min | Original with German Subtitles | Directed by: Alain Guiraudie
Jérémie returns to his hometown in southeastern France for the funeral of his former master baker. When he decides to stay longer at the widow’s house, he sparks the jealousy of her son, Vincent. Amid the misty forests of the countryside, tensions arise, filled with repressed desires, dark secrets, and absurd encounters. After a violent argument between the two men in the rain, Vincent is found dead in the forest, and Jérémie must dispose of the body as quickly as possible. While the police investigate and Jérémie gets entangled in his own excuses, the village priest, the farmer, and the widow—of all people—rush to his aid, showing a surprising amount of understanding for the depths of human depravity. A humorous, dark thriller about desire and guilt.
Fatherhood CN
Monday, Oct 26 | 7:00 PM (Limited seating in the Akademiesalon: don’t forget to reserve your spot!)
Norway, Germany, United Kingdom 2025 | 77 min | Original with English Subtitles | Directed by: Even G. Benestad, August B. Hanssen
This intimate and dynamically filmed documentary offers an up-close look into the lives of Kristopher, David, and Sindre. The three men are in a happy polyamorous relationship and are expecting their first child together. What makes this story unique is that Kristopher, a trans man, is carrying the baby himself. In addition to moving moments throughout the pregnancy and bureaucratic hurdles with health insurance due to his male gender designation, the film explores profound reflections on identity and family. Accompanied by uplifting music, the film captivates viewers with the loving support of the grandparents, intimate glimpses into the birth process, and the political struggle for queer rights in Norway. A deeply moving, honest portrait of a family model that transcends heteronormativity.
Hygge
Monday, Oct 26 | 8:30 PM
In a near future, the world is mired in chaos, but on an idyllic North Sea island, the world is still perfect – at least in the reality TV show “Hygge”. In order to secure the chance of artificial insemination, Levi and her partner Minu take part in the TV experiment. Between cozy Sweden houses, they are supposed to embody the advertising image of a happy small family. While Minu quickly blossoms in the staged harmony, doubts grow in Levi. The artificial paradise turns out to be a golden cage full of pressure to adapt. When the façade gets cracks, Levi faces a radical decision: Does she fit the system for her dream of the child or does she break out?
Skiff
Tuesday, Oct 27 | 7:00 PM (Limited seating in the Akademiesalon: don’t forget to reserve your spot!)
Fifteen-year-old Malou leaves everyone in the dust on the water in her narrow single kayak, but at the rowing club, her teammates treat her with nothing but resentment and bullying. The androgynous-looking teenager finds solace with her older brothers in a small Flemish town, while her mother is busy trying to date. When her brother Max introduces his new girlfriend, Nouria, Malou’s emotional world is thrown completely off balance. An unexpected, intense attraction develops between the two girls. Caught in a deep conflict of loyalty toward her brother, Malou must stop running away from herself. Sensitive and free of moral judgment, this coming-of-age drama captures the emergence of first queer love and the painful yet beautiful search for one’s own identity.
ON THE ROAD (EN EL CAMINO) CN
Tuesday, Oct 27 | 8:30 PM
Mexico 2025 | 93 min | Original with German Subtitles | Directed by: David Pablos
Veneno, a rebellious young man, often hangs out at rest stops, where he sleeps with truck drivers. When he desperately needs a ride, he meets the taciturn trucker Muñeco, who will take him into the hypermasculine world of long-haul trucking through northern Mexico. As they travel together and an unexpected intimacy develops between them, shadows from Veneno’s past resurface, putting both their lives in danger.
The director explains: “I was fascinated by the idea of telling a story steeped in homosexuality within the world of truck drivers. The film showcases their unique adventures, the visual appeal of this milieu, and its brutality, but also the warmth found in the brotherhood that develops among the men on the road.”
RUN ME WILD CN
Wednesday, Oct 28 | 6:00 PM
Germany 2026 | 86 min | Original with English Subtitles | Directed by: Catharina Lott
Toni in androgynous clothes, in the gym, drops of sweat flow, hairs line up. Toni excessively stems weights and prefers to work in her parents’ nursery rather than study. Everything is better than just not thinking about or talking about an experience in the past. Toni drags a trauma, the cause of which is never shown, like a ball and chain. In the encounter with the adventurous Anna, however, Toni’s protective wall begins to crumble. While more than a friendship develops between the two, a rumor is making the rounds in the Bavarian small town: A tiger is striking freely. For Toni a silly PR gag, for Anna an adventure. Yet the more Anna Toni challenges, the more often the tiger sneaks into Toni’s dreams.