film submission: 22st dokumentarfilmwoche hamburg (2025)

The dokumentarfilmwoche hamburg is a collectively run film festival. Due to the massive increase in submissions, which we were unable to cope with to this extent, we have not been accepting general film submissions since 2018.
We make exceptions for documentaries with a regional connection – i.e. films from and about Hamburg. So if your film has a relevant connection, please fill out the following form and justify the regional reference by, for example, production, direction, location, subject or film funding. We accept submissions for such documentaries from 1 October to 31 December 2024.
We attach great importance to the presence of the filmmakers during the screening as part of the dokumentarfilmwoche hamburg between the 22th – 27th April 2025.

Please fill out this form.

festival regulations

1. GENERAL INFORMATION
The documentary film festival hamburg is hosted by the dokumentarfilmwoche hamburg e.V. Documentaries related to the City and region of Hamburg of all kinds and lengths may be submitted.

2. RIGHTS
The person or institution submitting the film is responsible for clearing all rights to the content of the work relevant to the film’s use at the festival. They furthermore indemnify the dokumentarfilmwoche hamburg against all third-party claims in connection with the screening at the Festival.

3. ENTRY PROCEDURE
The preview copy including all required materials has to be submitted by 31 December 2024 at the latest. The completion date of the film should not be older than two years by the time of the festival (April 2025).

4. PREVIEW COPY
For previewing purposes please send us an online link to your film, preferably a downloadable Vimeo link. Please note, that one-time online links cannot be accepted. Downloads are also accepted, but please delay the the expiration date as long as possible. If the spoken language is neither German nor English, subtitles in one of those languages are mandatory.

5. SCREENING COPY
Possible formats for the screening copy are DCP and other digital formats, 16mm and 35mm. BetaSP, DigiBeta, Blu-ray or DVD are also possible. If the spoken language is neither German nor English subtitles in one of those languages are mandatory.

6. DISPATCH INFORMATION
All potential costs of submitting and providing a preview copy are paid be the applicant. All submitted preview copies remain in dokumentarfilmwoche hamburg’s archive and cannot be returned. The cost for returning the screening copy is covered by the festival. All submissions from non-EU countries have to be labelled ’No commercial value – for cultural purposes only’.