From May 20-25, the Neisse Film Festival is coming around again. The financial situation in the cultural scene almost everywhere in Germany and particularly in Saxony, resulting from the current political situation, presenting some challenges to the festival team, however. "We are all the more thankful that all our sponsors and supporters are behind us and making the festival in 2025 possible," explains Ola Staszel from the two-person festival leadership team. "This is a special signal for the people of our region, because now as much as ever it is important to remain in dialogue with each other socially and culturally." 

Living Europe in the Three-Country-Corner on the Neisse 

Since 2004, each May the Neisse Film Festival has been presenting current feature films, documentaries and short films in the three-country corner between Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic. Beginning as an idea to show films in three countries has grown into a cultural bridge for film fans from the three neighboring countries as well as international filmmakers and representatives of the film industry. The Neisse Film Festival is special and unique given the fact that it spans multiple genres - and takes place in three countries, with films screening in about 20 locations along the Neisse River. The program, which also spans the borders, once again includes three competitions and various thematic film series as well as numerous side events such as concerts, workshops and parties. 

For the 22nd Festival edition, approximately 900 film entries have been received by the festival team based in the Kunstbauerkino in Grosshennersdorf. The entries are feature films, documentaries and short films applying for the ten Neisse Fish and award money totalling 25,000 euros. Which films will be decided upon in the end for film series and competitions, will be decided by early April. "We are happy that once again so many films, with such a diversity among them, are wanting to make their way to the film screens and onto the Neisse Film Festival program," says Ola Staszel. "The submitted entries deal with current topics such as climate change or the wars waging around the world and their effects on people, as well as timeless stories of coming-of-age or death." 

Focus: "Crossing Borders" with Films and More 

With the title "Crossing Borders" the Focus series at this year's Neisse Film Festival is dedicated to the very current and multifaceted narrative of Borders and their German and eastern European trail of memories. With its unique profile, both trinational and spanning three borders at once, the festival itself was born in the spirit of an open Europe, and since its founding has seen itself as living zones of contact and places of cultural transfer, in which continuously fruitful "translation events" of people, ideas and goods are possible. The wide spectrum of how people approach "Borders" is a deep, multi-faceted motive in films of this series and openes a large space of association. The Focus expands across the borders of Germany to the mainly east-European film landscape. The Focus program also expands to include one reading and the accompanying exhibition. 

The 22nd Neisse Film Festival will commence on May 20th in the Gerhart Hauptmann Theater in Zittau. The awards ceremony then takes place on May 24th in the Miejski Dom Kultury in the Polish city of Zgorzelec. Awards will go to to the best feature, documentary and short films, the audience favorite, best acting, best screenplay and best production design. In addition, the Special award will be granted to one film selected for its successful portrayal of understanding of cultural and ethnic differences between various countries, or the existing similarities. Current information may be found online at www.neissefilmfestival.net. 

The 22nd Neisse Film Festival is being supported by and with funding from: the Saxon Ministry for Science, Culture and Tourism; the Kulturraum Oberlausitz-Niedersilesian, the Couty of Görlitz - Wokrjes Zhorjelc. Sparkasse Oberlausitz-Niederschlesien, Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung, the Cultural Foundation of the Free State of Saxony, and the German-Czech Funds for the Future, Bundesstiftung zur Aufarbeiten der SED Diktatur. The financial support is paid in part via tax monies on the basis of the budget which was passed by the representatives to the annual parliament. 

Photo material for the 22nd Neisse Film Festival is available here via Dropbox: www.dropbox.com/sh/2pbeipwp67fimhy/AAClFhYy59dRjODXjnIoz2OEa