Overview

• Organizers confirm an eight‑day program across Starnberg and nearby towns featuring regional and early premieres from Central Europe.
• The festival opens with the French comedy “Jane Austen und das Chaos in meinem Leben.”
• Director Matthias Helwig spotlights the motto “Realations,” urging real-world encounters beyond virtual bubbles.
• Helwig says the event runs on €370,000 this year and has been shortened for cost reasons, far below the €700,000–€1,000,000 he considers typical for peers.
• Starnberg has pledged support at the previous level for this year and next, with notable guests including Leonie Benesch, who receives the Hannelore-Elsner-Preis, and Edgar Reitz, plus multiple competitions and new sections such as “Conflict & Community” and “Odeon.”