German Films of the VIFF 2025 Lineup

By Elke Porter | Westcoast German News | September 6, 2025
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The 44th Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) runs October 2-12, 2025, and German cinema enthusiasts have much to celebrate. With several compelling German productions and co-productions in the lineup, this year's festival offers a rich sampling of contemporary German filmmaking alongside its broader international program of 269 films from 70 countries.

Closing Night Glory: Köln 75

The festival will close with Ido Fluk's Köln 75, which follows 16-year-old music promoter Vera Brandes's (Mala Emde) rebellious determination to organize the now famous 1975 concert that later became Keith Jarrett's The Köln Concert, the best-selling solo jazz recording and piano album of all time. VIFF's closing gala will feature a live performance by the versatile pianist and composer Chris Gestrin, making this a particularly memorable finale that bridges cinema and live performance.

German Highlights Worth Seeking Out

Among the standout German entries, Late Shift (Heldin) emerges as a Swiss-German hospital thriller told in German, starring Leonie Benesch. The film offers a powerful exploration of compassion and systemic strain in healthcare, representing a standout example of German-language cinema that commands attention.

Miroirs No. 3 by acclaimed German auteur Christian Petzold continues the director's masterful exploration of psychological complexity. After a car crash kills her boyfriend, piano student Laura is taken in by Betty, who witnessed the accident. This gothic fairytale set in present-day Germany had its world premiere at Cannes 2025's Directors' Fortnight section.

The German representation extends further with Hysteria, Wind, Talk to Me, and several shorts backed by German production—each offering a unique voice and cinematic approach that reflects the diversity of contemporary German filmmaking.

A Festival Transformed

VIFF 2025 has expanded significantly, adding 20 percent more screenings and introducing two new venues: the Arts Club Theatre's Granville Island Stage and the Alliance Française. This growth brings world-class cinema to new Vancouver neighborhoods, with the festival programming 172 features and 97 shorts across 69 languages.

The festival's enhanced industry programming under new Director of Artist & Industry Programs Ana Belén Asfura positions VIFF as a hub where technology meets storytelling, with initiatives spanning fiction, documentary, animation, gaming, and post-production.

Beyond Borders

While German cinema forms a compelling thread through this year's program, the festival's promise extends far beyond one country. Films like Ancestral Visions of the Future, Cutting Through Rocks, Khartoum, and Calle Malaga ensure VIFF remains a truly global celebration of film, complementing the German selections with diverse international voices.

For German cinema lovers, whether attending in Vancouver or streaming online, VIFF 2025 offers an opportunity to discover how contemporary German filmmaking continues to evolve and resonate on the international stage.

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Public Relations. Communications. Education

Closing Night Glory: Köln 75

German Highlights Worth Seeking Out

A Festival Transformed

Beyond Borders

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