Dear colleagues and partners,
FilmFestival Cottbus is getting ready for its 36th edition: from 3–8 November 2026, Cottbus will once again become a meeting place for filmmakers, industry professionals and audiences passionate about cinema from Central and Eastern Europe.
While the full programme will be revealed in mid-October, we are happy to share a first glimpse of what awaits you at FFC 2026 – from Andrzej Wajda’s cinematic legacy and contemporary Latvian cinema to perspectives on Montenegro and the transformations following the fall of the Berlin Wall.
And if you are planning to join us in Cottbus: Industry accreditation is now open.
Get Accredited for FFC 2026
Planning to join us in Cottbus? Industry accreditation for the 36th FilmFestival Cottbus is open.
The regular accreditation fee is €55, with applications accepted until 1 November 2026. Late accreditations after 1 November are possible at a fee of €75.
Your accreditation gives you the opportunity to discover the latest cinema from Central and Eastern Europe, meet filmmakers and fellow industry professionals, and take part in the festival’s screenings, talks and networking opportunities.
Get Accredited
100 Years of Andrzej Wajda: A Legacy Revisited
Andrzej Wajda would have turned 100 this year. In Don’t Call Me Vintage!, FFC brings four of his films back to the big screen: ASHES AND DIAMONDS (1958), INNOCENT SORCERERS (1960), LANDSCAPE AFTER THE BATTLE (1970) and THE PROMISED LAND (1975).
But this is more than a retrospective. Films by students and graduates of the Wajda School in Warsaw and Filmuniversität Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF enter into dialogue with Wajda’s work, asking what his artistic and political legacy means to a new generation of directors today.
Close-Up: Latvia
After focusing on Estonia in 2025, FFC continues its exploration of the Baltic film landscape with Close-Up: Latvia.
The section turns the spotlight on contemporary Latvian cinema, presenting different generations, genres and perspectives from a film culture that continues to make its mark internationally. The complete selection will be announced with the full FFC programme in October.
View from the Black Mountain: Montenegro Special
Another journey takes us further south: View from the Black Mountain: Montenegro Special puts the spotlight on cinema from one of Europe’s smallest film countries.
The programme invites audiences and industry guests to discover different perspectives on Montenegro, its society and its cinematic landscape and filmmakers whose work is still rarely seen on German screens.
Transformation without End?
More than three decades after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the consequences of political and economic transformation continue to shape biographies, communities and societies.
Our special series Transformation without End? – Cinematic Perspectives on the Fall of the Berlin Wall and Its Aftermath brings together films exploring these experiences from different perspectives and asks how the upheavals of 1989 and the years that followed continue to resonate today.
Watch & Vote: MIOB in Shorts 2026
The MIOB in Shorts Award is back – and the audience decides the winner. The members of the European Moving Images – Open Borders (MIOB) network have nominated twelve European short films for the 2026 edition.
The complete selection is available on This is Short until 15 October, giving audiences across Europe the chance to watch the films online and vote for their favourite. All twelve films will also be screened at FilmFestival Cottbus in November, where the winner will be announced at the closing ceremony.
Watch the MIOB in Shorts selection & vote
Meet FFC on the Road
FFC Programme Director Bernd Buder will be on the festival circuit over the coming weeks. Meet him at the Festival of Slovenian Film in Portorož (13–18 October) and DOK Leipzig (26–28 October).
Save the Date
36th FilmFestival Cottbus
3–8 November 2026
The full programme will be published in mid-October. Until then, stay tuned for more films, competitions, guests and industry news.
We look forward to welcoming you to Cottbus!
FilmFestival Cottbus Team
