About BEYOND

Concept & Theme

BEYOND takes its name literally. The festival goes beyond the boundaries of conventional cinema programming, bringing film together with social issues, art and new forms of storytelling. At its heart lies not only a passion for cinema, but also a curiosity about stories, lived experiences and perspectives beyond our own.

To this end, BEYOND brings an exceptional selection of international short films, feature films and documentaries to Feuchtwangen. Several films will be screened in Germany or Europe for the first time, while others will even celebrate their world premieres at BEYOND. At selected screenings, directors and other filmmakers will attend in person – some travelling considerable distances from other countries and continents. They will introduce their films and engage in discussions with the audience. Additional discussion forums and talks will explore cinema and its future. The opening evening itself brings together film and personal encounters, with a buffet for all visitors.

BEYOND is therefore much more than a series of film screenings. The festival offers a rare opportunity to experience new productions as they are presented to German or European audiences for the very first time – and to meet the people who created them. For Feuchtwangen and the surrounding region, this creates a cultural event of a kind usually associated with major international festival destinations.

More than 150 filmmakers from around the world submitted their work to BEYOND in 2026. This year's festival takes place under the overarching theme “The Pluriverse – Many Worlds, One Screen.”

Festival Director Ludger Pfanz explains:

“The pluriverse challenges the idea that there is only one valid truth, one correct way of life or one predetermined path into the future. Instead, it describes a world in which different experiences, cultures and understandings of reality coexist and are interconnected.”

Since 2023, BEYOND has been held at KulturKino Feuchtwangen. Here, the festival combines international film culture with strong regional roots and a deliberately personal atmosphere. Its intimate scale is one of its greatest strengths: filmmakers, audiences and guests meet face to face, and conversations take place not only on stage, but also before and after the screenings.

Another distinctive feature unites BEYOND and KulturKino Feuchtwangen: both are sustained by the dedication of volunteers.

Wolfgang Grebenhof, Chairman of KulturKino Feuchtwangen e. V., explains:

“Behind the festival, the cinema and its events are people who contribute their time, ideas and experience because they care deeply about the future of film and culture. That is why we are especially delighted to welcome new people to our team. Anyone who would like to help shape the future of cinema, support events such as BEYOND or contribute their own skills is warmly invited to get involved.”

The history of BEYOND dates back to 2011. The festival was founded by Ludger Pfanz and Gülsel Özkan within the creative and academic environment of the Karlsruhe University of Arts and Design and the ZKM | Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe.

It began as the world's first 3D film festival and, from the outset, explored how technological developments transform the language of cinema. BEYOND thus became a meeting place for filmmakers, artists, scientists and technological visionaries.

Among the defining encounters of those early years were events featuring Wim Wenders, as well as discussions surrounding Werner Herzog's Cave of Forgotten Dreams, involving Peter Weibel and Peter Sloterdijk.