For the 38th time, the Bolzano Film Festival Bozen (BFFB) brings the best of international cinema to the big screen and welcomes prestigious guests to the heart of South Tyrol’s capital. As a festival with a strong multilingual character in a historically significant border region, the BFFB pays special attention to events beyond the border while closely following local film production. The program often focuses on the stories of minorities—whether linguistic, political, or social.
Vincenzo Bugno, the festival’s artistic director since 2023, describes the identity of the BFFB as follows:
"The festival project never ceases to fascinate me. I call it a project because a festival like BFFB should be seen as a constantly evolving organism, rooted in a local and national identity that are always in dialogue. It is a festival that belongs to the cultural fabric of the city and the region and never underestimates its audience. At the same time, it is part of a broader cinematic ecosystem that pays attention to ideas, dynamics, and the needs of the industry, its professions, and its technologies. It also recognizes cinema’s history as an integral part of our past, present, and future."
BFFB 38 – Opening & Closing Films
BFFB 38 officially opens on Friday, April 4, with the previously announced Italian premiere of Little Trouble Girls (Kajti Je Deklica), the debut film by Slovenian director Urška Djukić. The festival will conclude with Eileen Byrne’s tragicomedy Marianengraben (The Marianas Trench), a road trip that guides the audience through grief and healing toward new perspectives.
BFFB38 Competition
Minorities, languages, conflicts—these themes often emerge in the BFFB38 Competition, which is open to both documentary and fictional forms. Six debut films are among the 13 competing entries, featuring several Italian premieres and a world premiere.
The films in these sections are powerful and original works that leave a lasting impression. Although their stories may seem distant, they touch upon themes that are deeply connected to our everyday lives. They impress us with their depth while surprising us with their lightness, addressing complex realities without burdening them and reflecting the subtle contradictions of existence. These are intimate, sometimes ironic films that take us to underrepresented places and languages, expanding our perspective on the world. The selection also includes aesthetically and narratively strong films that often engage with history and politics.
My Boyfriend El Fascista (Matthias Lintner) – World premiere. A film set in the Alps exploring the relationship between Matthias, a left-wing director, and Sadiel, a Cuban activist disillusioned with communism, who turns to right-wing ideologies, challenging their bond and ideals.
April (Dea Kulumbegashvili) – A story set in Georgia, portraying the emotional and social tensions of midwife Nina.
Viet and Nam (Truong Minh Quý) – A film nominated for the Queer Palm in Cannes, exploring contemporary Vietnam through a love story.
Hanami (Denise Fernandes) – A poetic journey through languages and cultures, from Cape Verdean Creole to Japanese, French, and English.
Al Mosta’mera (The Settlement) (Mohamed Rashad) – Examines child labor, family responsibility, and social injustice in Alexandria.
Riefenstahl (Andres Veiel) – A deep dive into the controversial historical figure Leni Riefenstahl and her ties to the Nazi regime.
Wind, Talk to Me (Stefan Djordjevic) – A hybrid film about the eternal connection between mother and child.
Yunan (Ameer Fakher Eldin) – A reflection on the conflict between belonging and alienation, interweaving Arab and German realities.
Mond (Kurdwin Ayub) – Explores the mental and social restrictions faced by women in Europe and the Middle East.
Balentes (Giovanni Columbu) – Brings the Sardinian language to the big screen.
Where the Night Stands Still (Liryc Dela Cruz) – A black-and-white film in Tagalog addressing colonial legacies.
Pfau (Bernhard Wenger) – A satirical tragicomedy on the delicate balance between adaptation and self-discovery.
Little Trouble Girls (Kajti Je Deklica) (Urška Djukić) – The opening film, diving into adolescence and the first experiences of discovering one’s sexual identity.
RealeNonReale
The RealeNonReale section presents another program of documentaries, highlighting the immersive power of this genre.
Personale (Carmen Trocker) – Follows migrant workers in a luxury hotel in the Italian Dolomites, shedding light on their invisible labor.
Unsere Zeit wird kommen (Ivette Löcker) – A multilingual documentary on a couple struggling between bureaucratic challenges and cultural differences in Austria.
Dreaming Dogs (Elsa Kremser & Levin Peter) – Accompanies seven dogs and a woman into Moscow’s shadows, where dependency and domestication blur.
Khartoum – A hybrid documentary by a collective of Sudanese filmmakers who fled the country during the 2023 war, continuing their film in exile.
Bajo las banderas, el sol (Juanjo Pereira) – Uses archival footage to reveal Paraguay’s 37-year dictatorship’s attempts to erase history.
BFFB Special: Dag Johan Haugerud’s Trilogy
The complete screening of the Sex, Love, Dreams trilogy by Dag Johan Haugerud, recently awarded the Golden Bear at the Berlinale, will be a festival highlight. The Norwegian director will be present for this special event.
Lifetime Achievement Awards: Alba Rohrwacher & Christian Petzold
The BFFB Lifetime Achievement Awards, in collaboration with the Bolzano Tourist Office, will be presented to actress Alba Rohrwacher and director Christian Petzold.
Artificial Intelligence & Alexander Kluge
The festival will also feature Alexander Kluge, a legendary filmmaker born in 1932. He will present his first two AI-generated films, Cosmic Miniatures (2024) and Primitive Diversity (2025), offering a satirical journey through image technology, politics, and human imperfection.
BFFB Live Soundtrack & Prefestival
Electronic Music from Conservatorio Claudio Monteverdi
Live-scored screening of Carmen (1918) by Ernst Lubitsch, in collaboration with the South Tyrol Jazz Festival
Concert by Damian dalla Torre – Inspired by his acclaimed album I Can Feel My Dreams.
Focus: Taiwan
Taiwan’s complex political and cultural history has shaped its identity over centuries. This section presents seven films reflecting Taiwan’s evolving identity and societal transformation.
Homage to Thomas Heise (1955–2024)
The festival honors German filmmaker Thomas Heise with a screening of his documentary Heimat ist ein Raum aus Zeit, a nearly 100-year family history spanning Vienna, Dresden, Mainz, and Berlin.
Kleinsprachen DOC – Minority Languages in Cinema
This section, in collaboration with the Free University of Bozen, highlights films that preserve and promote underrepresented languages. Featured films include:
Karuara (Kukama language) – A documentary on Amazonian indigenous traditions.
Gingerbread for Her Dad (Russian, Kazakh, Tatar) – A deeply personal documentary on cultural identity.
Knackered (Welsh) – A slice-of-life drama in Wales.
International Jury & Awards
The BFFB38 Competition awards include:
Best Film (Province of Bolzano Prize)
Best Artistic Achievement (Sparkasse Foundation Prize)
Jury Special Prize
Trentino-South Tyrol Distribution Support Prize
The jury includes acclaimed filmmakers, producers, and critics from across Europe.
