6 - 27 May 2026
This May, the 2026 HSBC German Film Festival presented by Palace, in association with German Films, will showcase the best contemporary German cinema direct from major festivals in Europe plus a selection from its German-speaking neighbours, Austria and Switzerland. Here’s a sneak peek into the programme which will screen nationally at Palace Cinemas, Palace Nova Cinemas and Luna Palace Cinemas.
General enquiries please email: [email protected]
Sponsorship enquiries please email: [email protected]
School bookings are now open for the Kino for Kids programme, proudly presented by the Goethe-Institut!
For school booking enquiries please contact your city:
MELBOURNE: [email protected]
SYDNEY: [email protected]
BRISBANE: [email protected]
ADELAIDE: [email protected]
CANBERRA, BYRON BAY/BALLINA, BALLARAT: [email protected]
PERTH: Palace Cinemas - [email protected] | Luna Palace Cinemas - [email protected]
Festival Dates
Adelaide
6 May - 27 May
Brisbane
6 May - 27 May
Canberra
6 May - 27 May
Byron Bay
7 May - 27 May
Perth
7 May - 27 May
Sydney
7 May - 27 May
Ballarat
8 May - 27 May
Melbourne
8 May - 27 May
First Highlights Announced
Centrepiece
Amrum
.
The celebrated new film from multi award-winning director Fatih Akin is a moving and deeply poignant drama about a 12-year-old boy who, in the shadow of the fading German regime, discovers the true enemy is far closer than he imagined.
Australian Premiere
Special Presentation
Sound of Falling
In die Sonne schauen
Winner of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival Jury Prize, this haunting and lyrical drama follows four girls from different time periods experiencing their youth on the same farm in northern Germany, where the past echoes in its walls.
Kino for Kids
Barry & Me
Mein Freund Barry
A breathtaking live-action adventure inspired by the legend of Switzerland’s most famous rescue dog, the St. Bernard, BARRY & ME is a timeless story of friendship, bravery, and survival in in late 18th century Switzerland.
Australian Premiere
Kino for Kids
Pumuckl's Big Mix-Up
Pumuckl und das große Missverständnis
A charming and entertaining family tale that combines live action and animation, following the adventures of a quiet craftsman in Munich and his mischievous and invisible goblin friend Pumuckl.
Australian Premiere
Kino for Kids
School of Magical Animals 4
Die Schule der magischen Tiere 4
The magical phenomenon returns with this highly anticipated fourth instalment of the successful franchise School of Magical Animals, based on Margit Auer’s bestselling book series, featuring stunning visual effects and valuable life lessons.
Australian Premiere
Kino for Kids
The Secret Floor
Das geheime Stockwerk
Shot in stunning Alpine locations, this playful time-travel adventure follows twelve-year-old Karli who discovers an elevator in an old hotel in the Alps that transports him through time to 1938 where he makes new friends and must help solve a mystery.
Australian Premiere
Kino for Kids
Tomorrow I’ll Be Brave
.
A charming, observant coming-of-age film, TOMORROW I'LL BE BRAVE explores the tween angst of falling in love with a touch of humour and tenderness.
Australian Premiere
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