With a diverse programme and more than 400 films from around the world, the Shanghai International Film Festival once again ranks among Asia’s most important film events. German cinema is strongly represented this year: with 28 films across various sections of the festival, German productions and co-productions demonstrate the creative diversity, artistic innovation and international relevance of Germany as a filmmaking nation.

Competing for the Golden Goblet Award in the Main Competition are two majority German productions alongside ten other films. Director Josef Brandl’s feature debut SUPERBUHEI will celebrate its world premiere in Shanghai. The film follows Jesse Bronske, who runs the run-down supermarket bar “Klaus Meine”, whose existence is threatened by a new modernization concept. While his partner Mona struggles to keep his life together, Jesse becomes increasingly consumed by the fear that he is being pursued by his evil twin brother Aaron. Amid alcohol, paranoia and Scorpions songs, he gradually loses control of his life. SUPERBUHEI marks Brandl’s feature film debut; he received the Short Tiger Award in 2024 for his short film of the same name.
THE MISERABLE MOTHER by Susanne Heinrich centres on a discouraged mother who is stuck at home with her partner and their newborn child. She experiences motherhood as a kind of prison. Within the confines of her home, the boundaries between inside and outside, society and the individual, body and discourse begin to blur. The drama will also celebrate its world premiere in Shanghai.

In the Short Film Competition, Sophia Küstenmacher’s THE MATCHMAKER has been selected. The short film follows Amar, who works in a match factory. When his colleague Lise finally asks him out on a date, he panics and decides to set her up with a seemingly perfect man instead.

This year, the International Panorama – Focus Germany section features four German productions, some of which have already screened at other festivals or are making their international premiere in Shanghai, including BABYSTAR by Joscha Bongard, I UNDERSTAND YOUR DISPLEASURE by Kilian Armando Friedrich, and THE HERO OF THE FRIEDRICHSTRASSE STATION by Wolfgang Becker. BEARHUNTING by Peter Meister is also celebrating its world premiere.

All German productions and co-productions in Shanghai at a glance:

Golden Goblet Award Competition Films - Main Competition
THE MISERABLE MOTHER (DIE MISERABLE MUTTER) by Susanne Heinrich (DE/FR, Reynard Films, Essential Filmproduktion)
SUPERBUHEI by Josef Brandl (Junifilm)
NIGHT OF BLINDNESS by Reis Çelik (TR/DE, Neopol Film)

Golden Goblet Award Competition Films -Short Film
THE MATCHMAKER by Sophia Küstenmacher (Furore Film)

Golden Goblet Award Competition Films - Asian New Talent
HUNTER’S MOON by Ridham Janve (IN/DE, Die Gesellschaft DGS)
THE BLIND GIRL AND AN ELEPHANT by Ishtiyak Ahmad Zihad (BD/DE, Mogador Film)

Siff Highlights - New From Auteur
MIROIRS NO. 3 by Christian Petzold (Schramm Film)

Siff Highlights - Films of Jury Presidents and Juries
SILENT FRIEND by Ildiko Enyedi (DE/HU/FR, Pandora Film)

Siff Highlights - Viva la Festival
ROSEBUSH PRUNING by Karim Aïnouz (IT/DE/ES/UK, The Match Factory)
ROSE by Markus Schleinzer (DE/AT, Walker+Worm, ROW Pictures)

Spectrum - Cinema and Beyond
DRY LEAF by Alexandre Koberidze (DE/GE, New Matter Films)

Spectrum - Siff Rhapsodies
THE GIRL FROM KÖLN (KÖLN 75) by Ido Fluk (DE/PL/BL, ONE TWO Films)

Contemporary World Cinema - Focus Germany
BABYSTAR by Joscha Bongard (LiseLotte Films)
BEARHUNTING (BÄRENJAGEN) by Peter Meister (Frisbeefilms)
I UNDERSTAND YOUR DISPLEASURE (ICH VERSTEHE IHREN UNMUT) by Kilian Armando Friedrich (WennDann Film)
THE HERO OF THE FRIEDRICHSTRASSE STATION (DER HELD VOM BAHNHOF FRIEDRICHSTRASSE) by Wolfgang Becker (DE/ES, X Filme Creative Pool, Arkanum Pictures, Koryphäen Film, Pergamon Film)

Contemporary World Cinema - Focus Spain
CALLE MALAGA by Maryam Touzani (FR/MA/ES/DE/BL, ONE TWO Films)

Contemporary World Cinema - Light and Shadow of the Nile
SAFE EXIT by Mohammed Hammad (EG/LY/TN/QA/DE, ODEH FILMS)

The Belt and the Road Week
DIYA by Achille Ronaimou (TD/FR/DE/CI, FIlmgalerie 451)
FOUR MINUS THREE (VIER MINUS DREI) by Adrian Goiginger (AT/DE, Giganten Film)

Tribute to Masters - In Memory of
SÁTÁNTANGÓ by Béla Tarr (HU/DE/CH, Von Vietinghoff Filmproduktion)
WERCKMEISTER HARMONIES by Béla Tarr, Ágnes Hranitzky (HU/DE/FR, Studio Babelsberg, Von Vietinghoff Filmproduktion)
THE MAN FROM LONDON by Béla Tarr, Ágnes Hranitzky (HU/DE/FR, Black Forest Films, Von Vietinghoff Filmproduktion)
THE TURIN HORSE by Béla Tarr, Ágnes Hranitzky (HU/FR/DE/CH, Zero Fiction Film)

Siff Special-Pathe: 130 Years of Cinema
QUEEN MARGOT (DIE BARTHOLOMÄUSNACHT) by Patrice Chéreau (FR/DE/IT, NEF Filmproduktion, WMG Film)

Roberto Rossellini Retrospective Presented by Bvlgari
GERMANY YEAR ZERO (DEUTSCHLAND IM JAHRE NULL) by Roberto Rossellini (IT/FR/DE, DEFA)

Siff Visions - Imax
CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS (DIE HÖHLE DER VERGESSENEN TRÄUME) by Werner Herzog (CA/US/FR/DE/UK, Werner Herzog Filmproduktion)

4k Restoration
SECRETS OF A SOUL (GEHEIMNISSE EINER SEELE) by G.W. Pabst (Neumann-Film-Produktion)