As the first feature-length film festival in Rhineland-Palatinate, FILMZ – Festival of German Cinema has presented current, German-language productions from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland every year since 2001.

What began relatively small back then has since developed into an established institution within the supra-regional cultural landscape. In addition to a feature-length film and a short film competition, FILMZ has also hosted competitions in the medium-length film and documentary film sections since 2008 and 2010, respectively. Furthermore, FILMZ brings young film productions from the region to the big screen in its Local Short Films competition. In 2018, the second local competition, 55FILMZ, was introduced, giving dedicated filmmakers from the Mainz area the opportunity to showcase their talent within 55 hours. With the 20th edition of the festival, FILMZ is focusing on international co-productions with German participation in the new SPOTLIGHT section. France will be the first to mark the 20th anniversary of the bilateral Franco-German film funding program.

FILMZ is a public festival, meaning the best films in competition are not chosen by a jury, but by the festival audience. We also strive to create a celebratory atmosphere outside the cinemas, offering a forum for filmmakers and film enthusiasts alike, for example in our FILMZirkel, which is open to both our film guests and the public. In addition to our extensive film program, we also host a diverse supporting program on all festival days, ranging from a silent film concert to a screenplay pitch. Since 2022, FILMZ has also awarded the City of Mainz Special Prize for outstanding achievements in film, endowed with €2,500. The curatorial heads of the FILMZ competition sections decide on the winners.

Since its founding in 2001, FILMZ has been a purely volunteer-run festival and therefore relies heavily on the hard work of its staff and volunteers, who strive year-round to provide Mainz audiences with a fantastic festival experience. Since 2009, the city of Mainz has been the official organizer of the festival, and the association behind FILMZ, FILMZ e.V. (formerly Brainstream e.V.), has served as the event organizer ever since. In addition to the support of the city of Mainz and the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, our festival is also made possible by a multitude of dedicated partners and sponsors, without whom FILMZ – Festival of German Cinema in Mainz would not be possible. FILMZ is also a member of the AG Filmfestival and the Federal Association of Municipal Film Work e.V.