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In the documentary film "Pfaffendorf Forest," we explore the legends and fears associated with the mysterious forest in the city of Koblenz, Germany, through observations and interviews with local residents.

An immersive VR experience taking the heroine and hero into a world where matriarchal structures have endured. It is a parallel world in which people treat each other based on a different set of societal rules. This has an effect on social, economic, and the political life. Family and love relationships function differently. This experience will attract everyone who is curious about societal change and is a first-timer in VR.

The boy is familiar with his surroundings. His path is linear and without diversions. Slowly, doubts creep into his mind and he begins to question the status quo. Where does my path lead?

An installation work by Minha Park, shot in 16mm.

Monopoly is the most famous board game in the world. It brought capitalism to the game board and made haggling over roads and train stations socially acceptable worldwide. The documentary tells the true story of how the legendary Monopoly game came about, of clever marketing, the utopia of a fair world - and of ourselves.

An exploration of Cologne Cathedral, an emblematic monument and world heritage site. The towering place of worship took over 600 years to complete. Once the tallest building in the world, its ornate facade remains a masterpiece of Gothic architecture - and a reflection of the evolution of Franco-German relations.

The paths of two teenagers, Daniel, a local villager, and David, a tourist from New York City cross during their summer break at a Bavarian lake.

Although he is a highly regarded classical pianist, Francesco Tristano closes his concerts with a remarkable DJ set. With these unique performances, part classical music and part electronic, the Luxembourg-based artist proves he can stimulate both mind and body.

Where is the Middle East one year after Hamas' terrorist attack on Israel? Is there a prospect of peace? What could this solution look like? Or is the war spreading? These big questions are in the background of the two personal stories in this documentary. Israeli Gil Dickmann is fighting for the release of his cousin Carmel. She was abducted as a hostage in the Gaza Strip during the Palestinian terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Between fear, frustration and hope, Gil has become one of the spokespeople for the hostage families, who are putting pressure on the Israeli government of Prime Minister Netanyahu with numerous protests and actions. In the Gaza Strip, too, people are desperately hoping for such an agreement that could end the war and the deaths. 14-year-old Usaama lost 19 family members in an Israeli attack. He himself survived with serious injuries, but even after several operations he cannot walk.

Berlin in February: cold and grey. For Foteini and Elena, who come from sunny Greece and Italy, it is the first winter in Germany. Being new in the big city, they are looking for what life might have to offer to them. Overwhelmed by the multitude of possibilities, they try to settle in Berlin while also attempting to connect their longing for their distant homelands with their aspirations. But the question remains: are their dreams really the same?

In a world where everyone is trying to reach paradise everyone can define it for themselves) as quickly as possible, many unfortunately succumb to the misconception that this goal can only be achieved through prosperity and social recognition via the detour of repetitive, tedious and self-sacrificing work.

The film approaches one of the greatest choreographers of our time on several levels: John Neumeier. Now, after 51 years, he is ending his time as head of the Hamburg Ballet. A turning point and occasion for a search for traces of origins, influences and possible secrets. In the USA, John Neumeier embarks on a journey into his own past and visits places from his childhood and youth.

Strange noises in the house have natural causes, right?... A young woman asks herself the same thing as she lies in her bed at night and hears scratching in her walls accompanied by the creaking wooden floor. Nothing to worry about, right?...

Documentation about the successful football season 2023/2024 of VfB Stuttgart.

With the Russian soprano Irina Lungu, the British tenor Allan Clayton and the German baritone Matthias Goerne, a star cast has been found that ties in with the history of the work in a special way: Benjamin Britten composed his War Requiem as a work of mourning and remembrance of the war dead and wanted the soloists to be members of the countries that had previously been enemies in the war. The premiere took place in 1962 in the rebuilt Coventry Cathedral, whose previous building had been destroyed by German bombing. The text was based on the Latin text of the Missa pro Defunctis and poems by Wilfred Owen, one of the most important literary witnesses to the horrors of the First World War.

In Nigerian Pidgin, okada refers to the informal motorcycle taxi service in Lagos. Karimah Ashadu paints the explosive portrait of a gang of bikers revving up for business, despite the official ban. This wild, performative ride draws connections between the representation of masculinity and the vulnerability of this precarious working class.

A father who has to find his own way through grief. After the death of his child, the different grief strategies of him and his wife are revealed. The story bring the diversity of grieving processes and addresses communication problems.

A queer-apocalyptic 8mm short film depicting a couple's love just minutes before the end of the world. The radio messages were written by ChatGPT with an AI sample of the director's voice.

A star dancer at the Cambodian royal court lovingly raises her husband's little brother as her own son. Decades later, as a forced labourer under the Khmer Rouge, she discovers that her foster son is Pol Pot.

Using a collage of found footage, this documentary essay examines humanity's conflicted relationship with fire - tracing its journey from control and mastery to destructive power, reflects on masculinity and the cost of progress and hubris.

Swimmer Elin finds herself at a crossroads after her girlfriend Alma persuades her to embark on a risky adventure...

A conversation with camerawoman and Studio Tatyana co-founder Tatyana Loginova from September 2024 in preparation for a Forum & Friends event, adapted for film by Christiane Büchner. For technical reasons, the organisers were only able to capture an audio recording of the conversation – this recording has been supplemented by animated sequences from Christiane Büchner as well as video footage, photographs and documents from the following sources: the Hildegard Westbeld Collection in the archive of Kinothek Asta Nielsen and the private archives of Alla Tkatchenko and Tatyana Loginova.

In the heart of an old city, a photographer's chance encounter with a mysterious girl leads to a night of shared intimacy and connection, but as morning breaks, it exposes a hidden truth, casting shadows on their romance.

Seeking peace, Annie Collins visits the Valley of the Dolls, only to find eerie life-sized dolls scattered across an ominous landscape. Over three days, the valley reveals strange lights, warped landscapes, and a suffocating, sweet scent that clouds the narrator’s mind. Discovering that the valley is a portal connected to a dark dimension, she realizes the dolls are vessels for wandering souls. To stop the malevolent force, they surrender themselves to a black pool at the heart of the valley.

Sometimes it just doesn’t fit at all.

In 1943, the Nazis completely dismantled the Sobibór extermination camp, determined to erase every trace of their crimes. Archaeological digs and eyewitness accounts have recently uncovered the inner workings of this horror machine.

A drama about love, language, and the subconscious, as a meet up gives a woman her most personal challenge.

Discover Grace Bumbry’s inspiring rise to global opera fame. Spotlighting her historic performances, the film explores the racial barriers she overcame to triumph in her 1966 performance as "Carmen."

"The body in action: relaxed and sensitive. The feeling: open and free. So breaking is a warrior art and must be transferred to everyday life." BBoy Said has to laugh at his own quote. But there is something to it: he draws strength from the breakdancing philosophy to accept defeat and dance resolutely towards his happiness. The big goal is the Olympic Games - BBoy Said would be the first Uigure to take part in 2024. BBirl Joana is also competing for the Olympics and at the same time has to find a way to deal with her past and learn to rethink family.

The second short film by Alton Vegaz.

Basel is stuck in a war-torn country, while his brother Rafi has found refuge in Germany. The two talk regularly and even the phone call one evening seems routine. But then things take a dark turn

One hundred and twenty meters of film with the last fishermen on the German Baltic coast. An essayistic documentary film.

An escargotic exploration of the spaces lived and lost throughout the life of Mrs. Miko, who is quite old now, perhaps even a centenarian. Her storied, shell-like mind structures have become intertwined with those of Lenia Friedrich, who, within the proximity of their shared home, dreamily muses on her own moribund process of ageing.

Two boys bravely resist the desire to join a dance.

A triple exposure on EXR 50D 16mm film: two layers shot in summer, and the third captured on the cusp of winter. A collection of statues fading in and out of consciousness, around the Weissensee lake in northeast Berlin, where the filmmaker lives.

It is for the memory of Agamemnon that Elektra continues to live – and for the memory of his violent death at the hands of his wife Clytemnestra, her own mother. Elektra’s life revolves completely around the question of how this murder can be avenged. With the issue of crime and punishment comes the desire to personally right past wrongs without causing further injustice – moral dilemmas that remain burningly relevant today.

Papua New Guinea is dangerous, unpredictable, fascinating – and sometimes terrifying. ARD correspondent Florian Bahrdt and his team are on a road trip through the highlands of Papua New Guinea. Traveling there is a strenuous ordeal. And very risky. Brutal fighting between villages leaves people dead and injured every day. Robberies and roadblocks are commonplace. But Papua New Guinea is so much more: "Expect the unexpected!" advises Mundiya Kepanga. The chief, who likes to show off his traditional outfit and moves effortlessly between the rainforest and climate conferences, shows the team the island's threatened and vital natural resources. Why is Papua New Guinea still so unique? ARD correspondent Florian Bahrdt is looking for answers – where few others go.

When the young and shy Louanne moves to Vienna, hungry for life, a kind of friendship, she has never known, develops with her confident flatmate Thaïs.

On May 24, Fame Fighting will finally enter the next round with a Challenger tournament. The winners of the fights have the chance to qualify directly for Fame Fighting 2 in November. Several fights have already been decided and it's going to get wild again! We are looking forward to experiencing these indescribable emotions with you again, we have had to wait long enough. There will be 16 influencers who can't wait until November and want to take the unique opportunity to qualify for the main event in November by winning the Fame Fighting Challenger. The event will take place at Kunstwerk Mönchengladbach.

I saw one the other day that looked like you. I quickly realized it couldn't be you - but he moved like you. Ran his fingers through his hair like you. And carried the same rucksack in the same poor condition. So I decided to follow your not-you around a bit.

Based in Toronto, experimental combo BadBadNotGood blends seventies soul jazz, futuristic hip-hop and electronica to create a sound as exciting as it is unique. In the early 2010s, the group made a name for itself with improbable cover versions of hip-hop tracks by the likes of Odd Future and MF Doom in a jazz style. An innovative set at Elbjazz 2024 from these soundscape pioneers.

A Chinese poem can also sound like an English letter. Secrets are revealed briefly, but at the same time the door to them is closed forever. We are waiting outside the door, and I just want to stay with you longer.

Since the Bayreuth Baroque Opera Festival was founded in 2020, the city of Bayreuth has become a mecca for Baroque music. Sandrine Piau invites us to savour the frivolity of 18th-century Rome through cantatas with enchanting notes.

A cemetery, a young woman, and a gardener. There must be order, and mourning connects.

A fugitive named Kui sneaks back home to attend his mother's funeral, disguising himself as a Buddhist monk. Surprisingly, he is asked to chant scriptures at another funeral and while doing so, all his memories come rushing back.

What are the consequences of heat peaks on our bodies and on the organization of our social life in major urban centers, agricultural territories and aquatic areas? Bringing together the expertise of scientists from different disciplines, this documentary highlights the multiple undesirable effects of rising temperatures on the European continent, and presents a range of possible adaptation strategies to deal with them.

Early summer sun, birds chirping, the perfect day in the allotment garden - until a woman shows up who doesn't seem to be having a particularly perfect day.