September 2025 Highlights: Top Cinematic Events of the Month
Prepare for an exciting cinematic journey this September and October, as Berlin plays host to a diverse array of film festivals showcasing everything from animation and regional cinema to queer cinema and fantasy films.
Kicking off the season is the Film Without Borders festival, taking place from the 11th to the 14th of September at Eibenhof Bad Saarow, Alte Eichen 33, Brandenburg. This event promises a rich programme of animated works from 33 countries, including the International, German, New Talent, Commissioned Films, Pink Panda (for children from preschool to secondary school), and feature films competitions.
The Festival of Animation returns for its 8th edition on the 26th to the 28th of September, moving to silent green, Gerichtstr. 35, Wedding, and City Kino Wedding, Müllerstr. 74, Wedding. This year, the festival will feature a special anniversary screening commemorating 65 years of the International Animated Film Association.
Meanwhile, the filmPOLSKA festival, focusing on regional cinema, particularly debut or second feature films, will take place from the 25th to the 1st of October at various venues. This year's competition programme includes the acclaimed coming-of-age story Glorious Summer, the documentary Flowers of Ukraine, and the essay film Letters from Wolf Street.
For those with a taste for the fantastical, the Fantasy Filmfest, established in 1987, offers a reputation for launching cult classics. This year's lineup includes a contemporary erotic thriller called Bone Lake, a horror film named Good Boy featuring Larry Fessenden, Japanese anime, and the black comedy splatter film The Toxic Avenger.
The Queer Film Festival screens some of the year's boldest, funniest, and most beautiful queer cinema. No information is available about the Idiocinecratic series hosted in collaboration with "The Future of Film Is Female." However, it is known that Sarah Jacobson's Mary Jane's Not a Virgin Anymore and Martha Coolidge's Not a Pretty Picture are part of the series.
The Kurdish Film Festival, in its 15th year, screens films from Kurdistan and the diaspora. The event takes place from the 25th of September to the 1st of October at Babylon, Rosa-Luxemburg-Str. 30, Mitte.
The Silent Film Live Festival, a 10-day event that showcases silent movies scored live by an in-house organist, does not seem to be part of the autumn lineup in Berlin.
Lastly, the Hump! Film Festival showcases 22 spicy adult short films at Babylon Kreuzberg, Dresdener Str. 126, Kreuzberg on the 23rd and 24th of September. The filmPOLSKA concert focuses on Polish composer Grazyna Bacewicz, as well as works by Frederic Chopin and Karol Szymanowski. The Festival of Animation will open with a performance by the AniManga Chor.
To top it all off, Kinofest offers €5 tickets to all films screening in participating cinemas across Germany on the 13th and 14th of September. Film enthusiasts, mark your calendars and get ready for a cinematic adventure!
