FOFS 2026 opens, saluting the creativity of emerging filmmakers
On the evening of November 13, the 45th Festival of Future Storytellers (FOFS) opened in Munich. Through November 20, some 100 short films are being screened in programs showcasing their variety at the University of Television and Film Munich (HFF) festival center and the Arena Filmtheater.
The Festival of Future Storytellers (FOFS) was opened on the evening of November 13 by Deputy Mayor Mona Fuchs at the University of Television and Film Munich (HFF), with around 320 guests attending. These included many of the international students who will be presenting their films to audiences in Munich over the next eight days.
Deputy Mayor Mona Fuchs said: “Good stories offer fresh perspectives. That’s exactly what the Festival of Future Storytellers is all about: young filmmakers from 42 countries bringing their way of seeing the world to Munich. 99 short films portray a range of circumstances, social issues, and personal experiences. It is precisely this variety that makes the festival so worthwhile. It invites reflection, presents new ways of seeing things, and connects people across cultural and social boundaries. It’s particularly satisfying that films aren’t just screened here; the young filmmakers and the audience also discuss them after the screenings.”
The opening ceremony featured three films screened out of competition which exemplify the variety found at FOFS this year. “Patronymic” is a short documentary by Mariia Volodymyrivna Ponomarova in which the director searches for her lost middle name — her patronymic — and, by extension, explores her cultural identity in wartime; this film premiered at Toronto in 2026. “The End” by Niki Lindroth von Bahr, from this year’s Cannes lineup, has just been nominated for a European Film Award. This apocalyptic comedy, in which various creatures at an airport await their impending doom, will enjoy a repeat screening during the European Film Awards 2026: Short Film Nominees program on Thursday, November 19, at 8:30 pm at the Arena Filmtheater. The music video to “Siren” by Mirabelle Rose was also screened at the opening; moviegoers can catch it again for free on Saturday evening, November 14, as part of the Munich Music Shorts program at 8:30 pm in the Audimax at the HFF, to be followed by a short concert by the artist.
A total of 34 programs of short films from 42 countries, curated so as to highlight their variety, are waiting to be discovered in the HFF’s auditoriums and at the Arena Filmtheater. Alongside the films, the festival is hosting a number of talks and workshops. These events are open to everyone, and admission is generally free. The same applies tomorrow evening (Saturday, November 14) to the Munich Music Shorts program and the short concert by Mirabelle Rose that will follow it in the festival lounge at the HFF — the best place to discover the festival in all its variety.
“With its young audience, interactive events, and 99 short films from around the world, the Festival of Future Storytellers offers plenty of opportunities to discover and engage with young people’s creative output. The festival is becoming an ever more important platform for the industry’s emerging talent as it showcases a range of narrative forms not limited to those of the silver screen. We’re very much looking forward to having exciting conversations with all our guests,” said festival directors Christoph Gröner and Julia Weigl.
