1st International Film Festival Ilsenburg (I.F.I.) 2026
A “new little Locarno” in the Harz Mountains –
new international cinema in a medieval Romanesque setting
The 1st I.F.I. 2026 is more than a film festival – it marks the birth of a new cultural beacon in the Harz Mountains and Saxony-Anhalt.
In the atmospheric architecture of the monastery and castle high above the town of Ilsenburg, we will be presenting new international and national cinema from September 24 to 27, 2026, framed by one of Germany's most famous hiking and nature areas, the Harz National Park – and at the most beautiful time of year: the “golden autumn.”
Ilsenburg is an established and popular health resort and attracts thousands of tourists from all over Europe every year due to its particularly mild climate. As the ideal starting point for a hike up the highest mountain in northern Germany, the town is also known as the “Gateway to the Brocken.”
As Saxony-Anhalt's youngest and only location-based international film festival, from 2026 we will offer filmmakers from all over the world a setting that is probably unique in the world: the almost 1000-year-old UNESCO-worthy Romanesque castle and monastery complex with fantastic views of the surrounding Harz Mountains.
In official cooperations with the `City of Ilsenburg`, the ´Ilsenburg Monastery Foundation`, the `Friends and Supporters of Ilsenburg Monastery Association` and sponsors from business and industry the first I.F.I. will show latest film productions, including world-, German-, and European premieres. International feature films, short films, and documentaries will be screened in five different competition categories before the I.F.I. Awards will be presented for the first time in various categories: the main prize, the IFI2026 for the best international feature film.
Throughout the I.F.I. days, after selected screenings, industry professionals—invited directors, actors, and producers—will engage in a close intellectual exchange with the audience in the form of Q&A events or exclusive film talks. A film-related accompanying program of seminars and workshops with filmmakers and a (film) music program will round off the first I.F.I.
