International Short Film Festival

CITY AREA PORTRAIT Altona & Ottensen

For strolling, having a coffee, taking a walk or having some delicious food – situated directly at the Elbe and traversed by parks, Altona & Ottensen are considered to be charming and diverse districts with character. Brick walls create a rather rough atmosphere in Altona, while it is lively and colourful in Ottensen.
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Film culture in Hamburg's cinemas Hamburg Film Festival

The Hamburg Film Festival will celebrate its 34th anniversary in 2026. Every autumn, it delights countless cinema fans over ten days on ten screens with around 70 national and international feature films and documentaries as world premieres, European premieres or German premieres.
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Local and international cultural diversity altonale

Diversity, tolerance and openness are the core values of the annual altonale. The festival offers a varied programme of music, film, theatre, art, dance, literature and street art. The events take place both indoors and outdoors at numerous unusual locations throughout Altona on an area of almost 30,000 square metres. A central element is the festival centre on Platz der Republik, which presents a colourful and diverse programme throughout the entire duration of the festival.

The festival concept

The unique combination of active participation, the strengthening of togetherness and the promotion of basic democratic values, combined with an extraordinary cultural programme, is what makes the altonale so special. This unique cultural festival has been delighting guests for over 25 years. Every year, the team develops new ideas and formats for the multifaceted festival.

The highlights

One highlight is the STAMP Festival (‘Street Arts Melting Pot’), which will form the finale of the altonale from 19 to 21 June 2026. International artists will transform the streets and squares of Altona into lively stages for performative art in public spaces.
The altonale flea market, one of Hamburg's largest flea markets, and the art market on the Christianswiese, where artists exhibit their latest works, are always part of the event. Another crowd-puller is the information mile Buntes Altona, where the diverse cultural and leisure landscape of the Hanseatic city is presented. The young altonale encourages children and young people to get involved and offers a diverse programme of workshops, readings and art.

Theater Festival at the Hamburg Thalia Theater Lessing Days

From 31 January to 15 February 2026, the Thalia Theatre will become the lively centre of the Lessing Days festival. Under the direction of Matthias Lilienthal and with the theme of ‘post-populism’, the festival presents international productions, discussions and art events. A walk-in festival centre invites visitors to experience theatre in a completely different way: right in the middle of the action, right in the heart of Hamburg.
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