The Bundesfestival junger Film in St. Ingbert, Saarland, is a short film festival devoted to young German-language filmmaking. Competition films run no longer than 30 minutes, their directors are 30 or younger, and every work needs a link to Germany through its team, language or shooting location. A pre-selection jury chooses the programme from several hundred submissions a year, and a member of each team presents the film in person. Besides the short film competition, the festival holds junger Pitch for script ideas, junger Clip for music videos, a newcomer competition for directors up to 21, a competition for offbeat films and screenings for school classes; its prizes carry the name Filmreif. Films screen at venues around St. Ingbert, including an open-air cinema on the market square.
The non-profit association junger Film e.V. organises the festival, which Jörn Michaely and Fabian Roschy founded; the first edition took place in 2018, and in 2020 the festival ran online and on television. The 2027 edition runs from 9 to 13 June 2027.
Awards and prizes
The festival awards the Filmreif prizes, chosen by juries, a youth jury and the audience. The festival's press information names prizes worth up to 15,000 euros in total; the number, type and value of prizes may change from year to year.
Prizes of the 2026 edition: best film; audience award; award for a socially relevant film; award for outstanding direction; innovation award; award for outstanding cinematography; youth jury award; newcomer award (directors up to 21); Kurzes Kinder Kino award; script development award (junger Pitch); music video award (junger Clip); award for the most offbeat film.
Earlier editions also gave awards for screenplay, acting, sustainability, series and the junge Piloten category.
Festival rules
Short film competition: the director is 30 or younger at the time of submission (newcomer competition: 21 or younger; with several directors the youngest counts). Films run up to 30 minutes.
Connection to Germany: a significant part of the team comes from or studies in Germany, or the film is in German or was shot in Germany.
2027 edition: films completed in 2025 or later; submission deadline 1 February 2027.
No more than two submissions per director per edition, across all competitions.
Submission through the festival's online portal; the screening copy must stay available online until the end of the festival. Time-limited download links are not accepted.
A pre-selection jury decides which films enter the competition. At least one team member must present the film in person at the festival in St. Ingbert.
A submission can be withdrawn free of charge until the deadline; later withdrawal costs a 15 euro fee.
junger Clip: music videos up to 5 minutes, director 30 or younger, presented in person.
junge Piloten: audiovisual forms that fit no other category (series, commercials, film experiments), up to 30 minutes, director 30 or younger.
Wettbewerb der schrägen Filme: trash, horror and comedy films up to 30 minutes, director 30 or younger.
junger Pitch: unfilmed scripts, concepts or ideas at any stage by authors 30 or younger, submitted with a project folder (synopsis and author's statement, no treatment or full script); selected authors pitch on site.
SR Kurzes Kinder Kino: concepts for 15-minute children's short films, same conditions as junger Pitch.
