In addition to the film program, there will also be special events this year:

Film journalist and radioeins host Knut Elstermann will be reading from his books ‚Im Gespräch mit – Knut Elstermann befragt ostdeutsche Stars‘ and ‚Kohlhaase‘ (Thu, Sept 12, 6 PM).

Actor and Neil Young fan Ludwig Blochberger presents a concert reading: He reads from „The Book of Those Killed by Neil Young“ by Navid Kermani and plays selected songs live on the guitar (Fri, Sept. 13, 6 PM).

At a live concert on festival Saturday, jazz singer Amanda Becker, accompanied by guitarist Gur Liraz, interprets songs by the legendary singer and civil rights activist Nina Simone (Sat, Sept 14, 7:10 PM).

Following the preview screening of the film „Filmstunde_23“ by Jörg Adolph and Edgar Reitz, there will be a lecture on the topic of „Reflection and Identification in Cinema.“ The film will be presented by filmmaker Volker Schlöndorff (Fri, Sept 12, 3 PM).

In the traditional festival talk, journalist and producer Gero von Boehm welcomes the neuroscientist and author Prof. Dr. Joachim Bauer this year. Topic of the conversation: „Empathy in the Digital Age: How AI & Co. Address the Brain.“ (Sun, Sept 15, 3 PM)