About
An evening that makes visible what this region actually produces — beyond everyday business, beyond pitch rooms and Zoom calls.
What started in 2024 as an internal screening has evolved into a public platform driven by one clear need: more visibility, more exchange, more real connection within the local film industry. After two successful editions, WHAT THE FILM now moves into a professional external venue, turning Düsseldorf's creative output into a shared cinematic experience.
Short films and commercial work on the big screen — created by the people who work here, introduced by the people who made them.
Edition 02 · Düsseldorf
The Program
A curated program brings together selected short films and commercial productions from Düsseldorf, shown in a real cinema setting with live introductions by the filmmakers.
Three short films by Düsseldorf-based filmmakers and productions. Narrative, documentary, experimental, and artistically driven works — offering space for independent perspectives and creative freedom.
Each work introduced live, on stage, by the filmmakers themselves.
Five works from Düsseldorf's production landscape. Advertising films, branded content, campaign work, and client-driven storytelling — the full breadth of what this city makes.
A real cinema setting. Real reactions. Real industry exchange.
Between the Screenings
Between the screenings, the focus shifts deliberately: encounters, conversations, and new collaborations. No industry small talk — just real exchange between people who actually make the work happen.
Designed as a space where creatives, agencies, and clients meet on equal ground — informal, open, focused on connection that goes beyond a single project.
Call for Entries
Production companies, agencies, and filmmakers based in Düsseldorf — or actively working within the Düsseldorf film and media industry.
Short films and commercial / advertising films, max. 15 minutes. Created in a professional or semi-professional context.
€25 per film. This contribution supports the curatorial process, program development and the realization of the event.
Submission does not guarantee selection. The organizers retain full curatorial discretion.
Past Editions
Get in Touch
For curatorial questions, partnerships, or invitations — get in touch with us directly.
