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Munich gets a new independent film festival: from 4 to 6 December, the first Munich Open Film Festival shows 17 films from 13 countries, chosen from more than 240 submissions, and opens with MUGANGA

The best stories don't wait for permission. They come from film schools and from tiny crews, from Java, Kazakhstan and Hong Kong, from first-time directors and from producers like Angelina Jolie – and they deserve a big screen and an audience. That is what the Munich Open Film Festival (MOFF) is for. Independent, without public funding and made by Munich filmmakers, its first edition shows 17 films from 13 countries – animation, documentary, fiction, experimental work and one AI-crafted film – selected from more than 240 submissions from 53 countries. Four of them were made in Munich.

The festival opens on Friday 4 December at Neues Rottmann with MUGANGA by Marie-Hélène Roux, produced by Cynthia Pinet and Angelina Jolie, with Isaach de Bankolé and Vincent Macaigne. The film tells the story of Denis Mukwege, the Congolese doctor and later Nobel Peace Prize laureate who risked his life to treat thousands of women who survived sexual violence in eastern Congo.

On Saturday and Sunday the festival moves to KiM Kino im Einstein in Haidhausen: two programme blocks, each followed by a one-hour panel talk in which filmmakers and jury talk with the audience. The programme includes MALIKA by Natalia Uvarova (Ireland, Kazakhstan, Moldova; Busan 2025, Vision selection), WAR ON ART by Andrzej Miękus about the volunteers who saved Ukraine's art during the war (Warsaw, Odesa, Scanorama and FIPADOC selections), the animated Javanese folk tale HANACARAKA – A TALE OF JAVA and THE TALE OF THE PEONY from Hong Kong. Stay for the panels: that is where the festival actually happens.

An international jury of thirteen watched and rated every one of the 240+ submissions; about 7 % made the programme. The awards are presented on Sunday evening: Best Film (presented by bebob), Best Director, Best Performance and Audience Award.

“Munich has a serious film industry and nowhere near enough rooms where independent filmmakers can put their work in front of an audience. The Munich Open Film Festival exists to be one of those rooms. No hierarchy, no dress code, no gatekeeping: a first short and a feature-length documentary run in the same block, and the people who made them are sitting in the room.” – Pung Worathiti, Andreas Schrade and Devan Fry, the festival team

All films are shown in the original version with English subtitles. Tickets at munichfilmfestival.com: early bird €10 per day (regular €12.50), festival pass for all three days €25 (regular €31.25). Start times will be announced. The official presenting partner is Levantto, with WePush, bebob, Crew United, Gotteswinter und FIBO Druck, MAXIM Kaffee, Shotcaller, MEDIASCHOOL BAYERN and Syntax Pictures.