Bolzano Film Festival Bozen

A frontier festival among the Dolomites

The Bolzano Film Festival Bozen (BFFB) is the most important film event in South Tyrol and a key reference point for auteur cinema across the entire Alpine arc. Organized by FILMCLUB Bozen, it takes place every spring in Bolzano, the capital of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano in the Trentino-Alto Adige region. Established in 1987 as "Filmtage Bozen," the festival has grown into an international showcase that brings the best productions from neighboring countries to the city, while also championing local independent cinema.

A multilingual and social identity

The BFFB fully reflects the bilingual nature of Bolzano, a city where Italian and German coexist in daily life. The festival has always dedicated special attention to stories of minorities—whether linguistic, political, or social—offering a global perspective that transcends borders. The "Piccole Lingue DOC" section is emblematic of this mission, featuring documentaries dedicated to Europe's linguistic minorities.

Festival sections

The program is divided into several sections ranging from the major international competition to local productions:

• BFFB International Competition — feature films and documentaries, mostly national premieres, from countries across the Alpine arc;
• RealeNonReale — documentaries and hybrid works exploring the boundary between reality and fiction;
• BFFB Special — a selection of works noted for their narrative intensity and strength;
• Local Heroes — productions from the Euregio (Tyrol, South Tyrol, and Trentino);
• Piccole Lingue DOC — films dedicated to linguistic minorities;
• LiLi – Little Lights — screenings for children and young people at reduced prices.

Awards and guests

The international jury awards the prize for Best Film along with various collateral honors, including the Audience Award and the Euregio awards for local feature films and short films. Each edition also celebrates cinema personalities with lifetime achievement awards, attracting internationally renowned directors, actresses, and actors to Bolzano.

Festival venues

The historic heart of the festival is the FILMCLUB Capitol, located in Bolzano's city center. Since 2026, the festival has expanded to include a second venue, the Teatro Cristallo in the Europa-Neustift district, to be more inclusive of the city's diverse audiences. Alongside the screenings, the BFFB offers professional training and development programs for young filmmakers, cementing its role as a laboratory for the cinema of tomorrow.