Overview
The Viennale is Austria's largest and most important film festival. The 63rd edition took place October 16 to 28, 2025, selling 78,600 tickets across 13 days with a 78.3% occupancy rate - an increase of 2,800 tickets over 2024. The festival screened films across five Vienna cinemas and welcomed international guests including Juliette Binoche, John C. Reilly, and Willem Dafoe. The 64th edition is scheduled for October 22 to November 3, 2026.
The Viennale is a non-competitive festival accredited by the FIAPF (Federation of International Film Producers Associations). It does not award jury prizes for its main program. Instead, it functions as a curated cinephile event where the invitation to screen is itself the honor. The festival's director is Eva Sangiorgi, and filmmaker Christian Petzold was named the festival's president in 2025.
The festival's programming philosophy prioritizes formally ambitious world cinema over industry function. The 2025 edition opened with Petzold's "Miroirs No. 3" (which premiered at Cannes) and closed with Hong Sang-soo's "What Does Nature Say to You." The program included new work by Yorgos Lanthimos ("Bugonia"), Jim Jarmusch ("Father Mother Sister Brother"), and Luca Guadagnino ("After the Hunt"), alongside retrospectives and special programs.
Submission Details
The Viennale accepts open submissions, though the main program is primarily invitation-based. Key details:
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Submission Deadline | July 31, 2025 (for 2025 edition; 2026 deadline TBA) |
| Submission Platform | Viennale online submission form |
| Festival Dates (2026) | October 22 to November 3, 2026 |
| Advance Ticket Sales (2026) | October 17, 2026, 10:00 AM |
| Accepted Formats | 35mm, 16mm, DCP (other formats by prior agreement) |
| Admission Policy | Films must not have been shown publicly in Austria before |
| Short Film Restriction | Short narrative/fiction films up to 40 min: only Austrian productions accepted |
| Submission Fee | None (no entry fee) |
There is no submission fee, which is unusual for a festival of this scale. However, the festival's programming is primarily curated by invitation. The open submission channel exists but accounts for a small portion of the final program. Films selected for the main program may have already screened at other international festivals. However, they must not have been shown publicly in Austria in any format, including cinema, TV, museum installation, or online.
All films are presented in their original version with subtitles or simultaneous translation. The Viennale covers print and copy transport expenses for officially invited films to Vienna, and return shipment costs if the copy is being sent back to the lender.
Program Sections
- Main Program - new international features and shorts, curated by invitation and open submission
- Austrian Film Program - new Austrian features and shorts
- Retrospective - major retrospective organized in collaboration with the Austrian Filmmuseum. The 2025 retrospective was dedicated to Jean Epstein (1897-1953)
- Tributes and Homages - programs honoring individual filmmakers. The 2025 edition included a tribute to Angela Summereder and a Textur series dedicated to Lucrecia Martel
- Historical Programs - curated programs of lesser-known international filmmakers. 2025 featured Jnos Xantus (Hungary), Digna Sinke (Netherlands), and Massimo D'Anolfi and Martina Parenti
- Special Screenings - landmark films in special contexts, including silent film performances with live music
- Viennale Talks - Q&A events and discussions with directors, organized in collaboration with drehbuchFORUM Wien, the Austrian Directors' Association, and FC Gloria
Awards
The Viennale does not award competitive jury prizes for its main program. However, several awards are presented during the festival:
- Vienna Film Award for Best Austrian Film - 2025 winner: "Perla" (dir. Alexandra Makarova, Austria/Slovakia)
- Special Jury Award - 2025 winner: "Girls and Gods" (dir. Arash T. Riahi and Verena Soltiz, Austria/Switzerland)
- Erste Bank MehrWERT Award - for Austrian films. 2025 winners: "White Snail" (dir. Elsa Kremser, Levin Peter) and "Rojo Zalia Blau" (dir. Viktoria Schmid)
- FIPRESCI Prize - awarded by international critics
- Viennale Standard Audience Jury Award - selected by an audience jury
The Vienna Film Award carries a cash prize of 25,000 EUR for the Best Austrian Film, making it one of the more substantial Austrian film awards.
What Filmmakers Should Know
The Viennale is not a market festival. It does not host a film market or function as an acquisition venue. If your goal is to sell your film or secure distribution, the Viennale is not the right platform. If your goal is to screen your film to one of Europe's most cinephile audiences, the Viennale is among the best festivals for that purpose.
The festival's 78.3% occupancy rate in 2025 indicates strong audience engagement. The festival has consistently grown its audience from 73,700 in 2022 to 78,600 in 2025.
For Austrian filmmakers, the Vienna Film Award (25,000 EUR) is the most significant domestic prize. Austrian productions also benefit from the short film policy: short narrative films up to 40 minutes are only accepted if they are Austrian productions.
Festival History
The Viennale was founded in 1960 and has operated for over six decades as one of Europe's most respected non-competitive film events. Unlike most major European festivals, the Viennale does not award a grand prize for best film. The invitation to screen is considered the honor. This approach has attracted filmmakers who value the curated, cinephile context over award-driven media attention.
The festival's retrospective program, organized in collaboration with the Austrian Filmmuseum, has become one of its signature elements. The 2025 retrospective was dedicated to Jean Epstein (1897-1953). Eva Sangiorgi has served as festival director since 2018, and Christian Petzold was named festival president in 2025.
Past Winners
The Viennale does not award competitive jury prizes for its main program. The awards focus on Austrian films and critical recognition:
2025 edition (63rd) winners:
- Vienna Film Award for Best Austrian Film: Perla (dir. Alexandra Makarova, Austria/Slovakia, 2025) - a Slovakian refugee who fled to Vienna during the Cold War returns with her daughter. Carries a 25,000 EUR cash prize.
- Special Jury Award: Girls and Gods (dirs. Arash T. Riahi and Verena Soltiz, Austria/Switzerland, 2025) - a documentary about women navigating world religions that discriminate against them.
- Erste Bank MehrWERT Award: White Snail (dirs. Elsa Kremser, Levin Peter) and Rojo Zalia Blau (dir. Viktoria Schmid).
- FIPRESCI Prize: awarded by international critics to a first or second feature.
- Viennale Standard Audience Jury Award: Late Fame (dir. Kent Jones, USA, 2025).
Notable Alumni Films and Where They Ended Up
- Perla (dir. Alexandra Makarova, 2025) - won the Vienna Film Award at Viennale 2025. World premiered at IFFR 2025 Tiger Competition. Screened in Horizons at Karlovy Vary 2025. Sales agent: Cercamon. Austrian distribution by Stadtkino Filmverleih.
- Miroirs No. 3 (dir. Christian Petzold, 2025) - opened Viennale 2025. Premiered at Cannes Directors' Fortnight. Also screened at TIFF and NYFF. US distribution by 1-2 Special.
- Late Fame (dir. Kent Jones, 2025) - won the Viennale Standard Audience Jury Award 2025. Jones is known for Diane (2018), which won the Grand Jury Prize at Tribeca.
- The Souffleur (dir. Gaston Solnicki, 2025) - premiered at Viennale 2025 with Willem Dafoe in attendance. Solnicki's Kekszakallu (2016) won the FIPRESCI Prize at Venice.
- In Die Sonne Schauen (dir. Mascha Schilinski, 2025) - screened at Viennale 2025 after being honored at Cannes and submitted by Germany for the Oscars.
- What Does Nature Say to You (dir. Hong Sang-soo, 2025) - closed Viennale 2025. Hong Sang-soo is a regular Viennale presence.
- Dry Leaf (dir. Alexandre Koberidze, 2025) - screened at Viennale 2025. Won the Golden Leopard at Locarno 2025. US distribution by Cinema Guild.
The Viennale has historically programmed new work by Yorgos Lanthimos, Jim Jarmusch, and Luca Guadagnino alongside emerging voices. Past Viennale trailers have been directed by David Lynch, Jean-Luc Godard, Radu Jude, and Claire Denis.
Submission Tips Specific to This Festival
The Viennale has no submission fee, which removes the financial barrier that exists at most festivals. However, the program is primarily invitation-based, and the open submission channel accounts for a small portion of the final program.
Films must not have been shown publicly in Austria before screening at the Viennale. This includes cinema, television, museum installations, and online availability. This Austrian premiere requirement is strict and applies to all formats.
Short narrative and fiction films up to 40 minutes are only accepted if they are Austrian productions. International short filmmakers should target other festivals for short fiction work.
The FIPRESCI Prize is awarded to first or second features. If your film is a debut or sophomore feature, it may be eligible for this critical recognition. The Viennale Standard Audience Jury Award selects a film without Austrian distribution. The winning film receives free advertising support from DER STANDARD if it finds a distributor.
Industry Reputation Notes
The Viennale occupies a distinctive position among European film festivals as a non-competitive, FIAPF-accredited event. Unlike Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Locarno, and Karlovy Vary, the Viennale does not award a grand prize. This approach attracts filmmakers who value the curated, cinephile context over award-driven media attention.
Compared to the Berlinale, which runs a large industry market, the Viennale is not a market festival. It does not host a film market or function as an acquisition venue. Filmmakers seeking to sell their film should not target the Viennale as a primary industry platform.
Compared to Locarno, which is also a curated festival with a strong cinephile identity, the Viennale has a similar commitment to formally ambitious world cinema. Locarno runs a competitive program and attracts industry professionals for its Open Doors co-production lab. The Viennale's non-competitive structure makes it a more purely exhibition-oriented event.
The festival's audience engagement is notable. The 2025 edition sold 78,600 tickets with a 78.3% occupancy rate, up from 75,800 in 2024. Vienna's cultural infrastructure creates an audience with high expectations for formally ambitious programming.
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See Also
Calculate your total festival submission costs and projected return using the Festival ROI Calculator. Estimate your acceptance probability with the Festival Acceptance Odds Estimator. For festival circuit strategy and planning, see Film Festival Strategy. For understanding the European film market and international sales, see International Film Markets. Submit through the Viennale submission form. Read the full Viennale 2025 regulations.
