The Grenzland-Filmtage festival was established in 1977, near where Czechoslovakia, West and East Germany met. Its objective from the start was to reflect this geography: Oberfranken, the county where the festival takes place, was the most easterly territory in West Germany, making the interest in films from the East logical. A forum in this border region, in Selb, emerged for those who appreciate artistic and socially critical European cinema. And they looked eagerly to their neighbours for a range of films. The Grenzland-Filmtage focuses on films beyond the mainstream, a far cry from Hollywood, those which retain a sense of individuality and complexity.

The Grenzland-Filmtage screen recent productions, placing them in three categories: features, documentaries and short films. Our traditional focus revolves around eastern European productions, yet films from all corners of Europe are integral to the festival.