The festival will open in Sydney on 2 May, in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra on 3 May and in Melbourne, Perth and Byron Bay on 4 May, then concludes on 24 May in all cities.

This year’s line-up will feature an impressive selection of the best in contemporary German cinema including two excellent dramas direct from the 2023 Berlin International Film Festival. The much-loved Kino for Kids sidebar, presented by the Goethe-Institut, will also return and you can explore them all below plus the other first highlights!

INGEBORG BACHMANN: JOURNEY INTO THE DESERT
Ingeborg Bachmann – Reise in die Wüste
Vicky Krieps shines as charismatic Austrian writer Ingeborg Bachmann in this stylish biopic from Margarethe von Trotta, which chronicles Bachmann’s unconventional life and tumultuous romance with Swiss playwright Max Frisch.

SISI & I
Sisi & Ich
A story of the rich and powerful, in the late 19th Century, this wild reinterpretation of the “Sisi” myth starring Susanne Wolff and Sandra Hüller follows the lady-in-waiting of Empress Elisabeth of Austria-Hungary, as they live in an aristocratic commune in Greece.

FAMILY AFFAIRS
Der Nachname
Family conflicts are brought to the surface on the stunning Spanish island of Lanzarote in this all-star caustic comedy of manners and sequel to 2019 hit How About Adolf?, from acclaimed director Sönke Wortmann.

IN A LAND THAT NO LONGER EXISTS
In einem Land, das es nicht mehr gibt
Inspired by director Aelrun Goette’s experiences as a model in the late 1980s in the German Democratic Republic, this enchanting drama tells a story of beauty, fashion and freedom in 1989 East Berlin.

THE FOX
Der Fuchs
Featuring up-and-coming star Simon Morzé, this touching story based on true events follows an introverted motorcycle courier for the Austrian Army who finds friendship with a young fox cub early in WWII.

ALFONS JITTERBIT – CLASS TRIP CHAOS!
Alfons Zitterbacke – Endlich Klassenfahrt!
Flying macaroni with tomato sauce, exciting nights around the campfire and a suitcase mix up turn a class trip to the Baltic Sea into one that Alfons and his friends will never forget.

MY LIFE AS LOTTA – OKEY DOKEY ALPACA!
Mein Lotta-Leben – Alles Tschaka mit Alpaka!
Full of friendship, communal spirit, mysterious puzzles and lots of fun dialogue, this family comedy follows Lotta on her adventures of her first school trip, based on the best-selling book series of the same name.

ONE IN A MILLION
A coming-of-age documentary about success and loneliness in the age of social media, friendship, first love, coming out as queer and having the courage to find your voice.

SCHOOL OF MAGICAL ANIMALS 2
Die Schule der magischen Tiere 2
The most popular German film of 2022, this live-action adventure sequel returns us to Winterstein School for its 250th anniversary, where the students and their magical animals are rehearsing a musical to celebrate.

THE ROBBER HOTZENPLOTZ
Der Räuber Hotzenplotz
In this remake of Otfried Preußler’s classic children’s book, Kasperl and his friend Seppel set out on an adventure to retrieve his grandmother’s stolen coffee grinder.

Keep an eye out for the main programme release and tickets on sale date, coming soon!

2023 German Film Festival
2 – 24 May – Sydney
3 – 24 May – Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra
4 – 24 May – Melbourne, Perth, Byron Bay
www.germanfilmfestival.com.au/