LAST DAYS 2025 HSBC GERMAN FILM FESTIVAL- FEATURING STANDOUTS FROM THE 2025 BERLINALE, GERMANY’S FINEST STARS AND BOX OFFICE HITS
-RIEFENSTAHL DOCUMENTARY MAKER ANDRES VEIEL SPECIAL GUEST
Palace in collaboration with German Films is delighted to unveil the 2025 programme of the HSBC German Film Festival taking place from 30 April – 28 May at Palace Cinemas, Palace Nova and Luna Palace Cinemas. The 2025 line-up features a standout selection of twenty films. Superb cinema offerings include six films direct from the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale), compelling biopics and documentaries that delve into the lives of Germany’s most iconic artists, delightful comedies and charming family films plus provocative and exciting Australian premiere screenings from a bold new generation of German filmmakers.
Long term collaborators German Films commented “We are having another successful year for German cinema –you can see the strong presence of German films at the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) with films like WHAT MARIELLE KNOWS and HYSTERIA. A very special event will be the screening of the documentary RIEFENSTAHL with director Andres Veiel in attendance. We wish all our Australian viewers a wonderful cinematic experience.”
Opening the festival is one of Germany’s biggest box office hits, the romantic comedy LONG STORY SHORT (Feste und Freunde – Ein Hoch auf uns!) featuring an all-star cast including Laura Tonke, Ronald Zehrfeld and Trystan Pütter. A hilarious and poignant celebration of love and friendship, the film follows a group of friends through a series of special occasions.
From the 2025 Berlinale, where it gained much attention, is Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay’s provocative thriller HYSTERIA, the festival Centrepiece. A piercing reflection on the power of images and the dynamics of perception, projection and social hysteria, the film features one of European cinema’s most exciting new stars Devrim Lingnau as an assistant director intern who is drawn into a dangerous game of secrets, lies and paranoia on a film set when a burned Quran is discovered.
Palace in collaboration with German Films is delighted to unveil the 2025 programme of the HSBC German Film Festival taking place from 30 April – 28 May at Palace Cinemas, Palace Nova and Luna Palace Cinemas. The 2025 line- up features a standout selection of twenty films. Superb cinema offerings include six films direct from the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale), compelling biopics and documentaries that delve into the lives of Germany’s most iconic artists, delightful comedies and charming family films plus provocative and exciting Australian premiere screenings from a bold new generation of German filmmakers.
Long term collaborators German Films commented “We are having another successful year for German cinema – you can see the strong presence of German films at the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) with films like WHAT MARIELLE KNOWS and HYSTERIA. A very special event will be the screening of the documentary RIEFENSTAHL with director Andres Veiel in attendance. We wish all our Australian viewers a wonderful cinematic experience.”
Opening the festival is one of Germany’s biggest box office hits, the romantic comedy LONG STORY SHORT (Feste und Freunde – Ein Hoch auf uns!) featuring an all-star cast including Laura Tonke, Ronald Zehrfeld and Trystan Pütter. A hilarious and poignant celebration of love and friendship, the film follows a group of friends through a series of special occasions.
From the 2025 Berlinale, where it gained much attention, is Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay’s provocative thriller HYSTERIA, the festival Centrepiece. A piercing reflection on the power of images and the dynamics of perception, projection and social hysteria, the film features one of European cinema’s most exciting new stars Devrim Lingnau as an assistant director intern who is drawn into a dangerous game of secrets, lies and paranoia on a film set when a burned Quran is discovered.
Palace in collaboration with German Films is delighted to unveil the 2025 programme of the HSBC German Film Festival taking place from 30 April – 28 May at Palace Cinemas, Palace Nova and Luna Palace Cinemas. The 2025 line-up features a standout selection of twenty films. Superb cinema offerings include six films direct from the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale), compelling biopics and documentaries that delve into the lives of Germany’s most iconic artists, delightful comedies and charming family films plus provocative and exciting Australian premiere screenings from a bold new generation of German filmmakers.
Long term collaborators German Films commented “We are having another successful year for German cinema –you can see the strong presence of German films at the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) with films like WHAT MARIELLE KNOWS and HYSTERIA. A very special event will be the screening of the documentary RIEFENSTAHL with director Andres Veiel in attendance. We wish all our Australian viewers a wonderful cinematic experience.”
Opening the festival is one of Germany’s biggest box office hits, the romantic comedy LONG STORY SHORT (Feste und Freunde – Ein Hoch auf uns!) featuring an all-star cast including Laura Tonke, Ronald Zehrfeld and Trystan Pütter. A hilarious and poignant celebration of love and friendship, the film follows a group of friends through a series of special occasions.
From the 2025 Berlinale, where it gained much attention, is Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay’s provocative thriller HYSTERIA, the festival Centrepiece. A piercing reflection on the power of images and the dynamics of perception, projection and social hysteria, the film features one of European cinema’s most exciting new stars Devrim Lingnau as an assistant director intern who is drawn into a dangerous game of secrets, lies and paranoia on a film set when a burned Quran is discovered.
The Festival’s ‘Beyond the Borders’ sidebar features a selection of German language films from neighbouring Austria and Switzerland. Sönke Wortmann’s (How About Adolf?, Family Affairs) third film reunites the all-star ensemble including Iris Berben, Florian David Fitz, Christoph Maria Herbst and Janina Uhse in comedy A FAMILY DILEMMA (Der Spitzname). Amidst the chaos of acting dreams, career obstacles, overprotective parents, and mischievous teens, a couple’s Alpine wedding hangs in the balance in this biting comedy set in the picturesque Tyrolean Alps.
Also from Austria is PEACOCK (Pfau – Bin ich echt?), a witty, existential black comedy with a touch of the surreal. Starring an incredible Albrecht Schuch as the head of the successful Rent-A-Friend agency, who begins to experience an identity crisis as he finds the real challenge is just being himself. Set in 1943, Swiss/Italian co-production THE TASTERS (Le assaggiatrici) is a gripping drama adapted from Rosella Postorino’s bestselling novel. It tells the incredible true story of a group women tasked with testing Adolf Hitler’s meals at the Führer’s headquarters in the Wolfs Lair.
John Cranko Filmdreh, Elisa Badens, Jason Reilly, Sam Riley, Rocio Aleman, Marti Fernandez Paixa, Friedemann Vogel, Stuttgarter, Ballett,SWR, Zeitsprung Pictures, Stuttgart, 04.04.2023, pictures taken by Stephan pick
In the stunning biopic JOHN CRANKO (Cranko) Sam Riley delivers a revelatory performance as famed choreographer John Cranko. Joachim Lang’s cinematic, dance-infused drama follows the amazing revitalisation of the Stuttgart Ballet in the 1960s.
Produzentin :Dr. Alice Brauner; Co-Produzenten: Michael Zechbauer, Alexander von Glenck, Stefan O. Mahlich, Annegret Weitkämper- Krug; Regie: Marcus O. Rosenmüller, Kamera: Namche Okon
Rich with art and passion, gorgeous historical drama MÜNTER & KANDINSKY – THE BLUE RIDER (Münter & Kandinsky) explores the complex relationship of artist-lovers Gabriele Münter and Wassily Kandinsky who were highly influential in the Blue Rider expressionist art movement at the start of the 20 th Century.
For German comedy lovers comes German box office smash OLD WHITE MAN (Alter weißer Mann). The satirical comedy, written and directed by Simon Verhoeven, is a sharply observed, provocative exploration of contemporary society’s generational and cultural divides. Plus, THE MYSTERY OF LOVE (Die Ironie des Lebens) in which a lonely yet highly successful comedian reconnects with his ex-wife at a turning point in his life. He learns to appreciate family and love anew in this bittersweet tragicomedy from Markus Goller.
In a special anniversary event commemorating 45 years of German New Wave, director Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s iconic work BERLIN ALEXANDERPLATZ will be screened across three weekends in selected cities. The film follows Franz Biberkopf’s tragic descent in Weimar Berlin, blending crime, existentialism, and surrealism in a hypnotic masterpiece that no cinephile should miss on the big screen. Based on the best-selling novel by Carsten Henn is THE DOOR-TO-DOOR BOOKSTORE (Der Buchspazierer). Inspired by a real bookstore in Aachen, The Door-to-Door Bookstore is a charming ode to books and readers.
From the popular ‘Kino for Kids’ sidebar, presented by the Goethe-Institut Australia, is a delightful selection of films for the whole family to enjoy. Winner of the 2024 German Film Award for Best Children’s Film, WINNERS (Sieger Sein) tells the story of eleven-year-old Mona, a refugee from Syria, whose talent for football is discovered. An uplifting coming-of-age story, WINNERS explores the importance of resilience, teamwork, friendship, and belonging.
Enchanting documentary CIRCUSBOY (Zirkuskind), direct from the 2025 Berlinale Generation K-Plus selection, chronicles the lives of the Frank travelling circus family over one year, capturing eleven-year-old Santino’s experience growing up among extended family and animals, in a world of storytelling.
THE CHAOS SISTERS AND PENGUIN PAUL (Die Chaosschwestern und Pinguin Paul) is adapted from the popular book series and follows four sisters who must work together to save a dancing penguin who has been kidnapped from the local zoo.
The 2025 HSBC German Film Festival will take place from 30 April – 28 May
Tickets are now on sale.
Listing details:
Canberra: 30 April – 21 May, Palace Electric
Sydney: 1 May – 21 May, Palace Norton Street, Chauvel Cinema, Palace Central, Palace Moore Park
Melbourne: 2 May – 21 May, Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth, The Kino,
The Astor Theatre, Pentridge Cinema, Palace Penny Lane
Ballarat: 2 May – 21 May, Palace Regent Ballarat
Brisbane: 7 May – 28 May, Palace James St, Palace Barracks
Adelaide: 7 May – 28 May, Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas, Palace Nova Prospect Cinemas
Perth: 8 May – 28 May, Luna Leederville, Luna on SX & Palace Raine Square
Byron Bay and Ballina: 8 May – 28 May, Palace Byron Bay, Ballina Fair Cinemas
For more information, please visit germanfilmfestival.com.au
Facebook: @GermanFilmFest
Instagram: @germanfilmfestival
