Film Festival Max Ophüls Prize 2025: A festival of the new talents!

Film Festival Max Ophüls Prize 2025: A festival of the new talents!

The 46th Film Festival Max Ophüls Prize (MOP) has opened its doors in Saarbrücken. This renowned festival is considered the most important thing for German -language films and specifically promotes talents from Germany, Austria and Switzerland. According to Radiohochstift.de this year will be in a total of nine venues in Saarland this year 151 films presented in 234 performances.

The kick -off of the festival was “Muxholstchenstill?” celebrated by director and actor Jan Henrik Stahlberg. This film deals with current topics from party politics and populism and will be shown in cinemas nationwide from May 1st. The premiere was broadcast in five cinemas in Saarbrücken and three other cinemas in Bous, St. Ingbert and Saarlouis as well as via live stream.

competitions and awards

A total of 57 films compete in four competition categories: feature film, documentary, medium -length film and short film, with 38 of these films celebrating their premiere. The topics of the submitted works are diverse and range from family, grief and loss to female empowerment to queer identities and magical realism. Compared to the previous year, fewer contributions to the topics of flight, migration and war are represented. A new highlight this year is the price for the "Treatment Development", which is awarded in collaboration with ZDF/the small television game and is endowed with 10,000 euros.

A jury occupied with celebrities, which also includes the actresses Sibel Kekilli and Lorna Ishema, will decide on the award of 19 prizes that have a total value of 128,500 euros. Prime Minister Anke Rehlinger emphasized the socially relevant topics of the films in her opening speech.

logistical details and support

The festival has a total budget of 1.6 million euros, which is slightly above the previous year's level. The largest sponsors are the state capital of Saarbrücken and the country. Festival director Svenja Böttger emphasized the importance of the visit of tribute guest Christian Petzold.

For more information and details about the festival and for contacting you, the organizational information on the website of the Film Festival Max Ophüls Prize gGmbH . The address is Europaallee 22, 66113 Saarbrücken, and for questions the festival can be reached on +49 681 90689-0.