about aarhus filmfestival.

Aarhus Filmfestival is an international film festival presenting short and documentary films to audiences in Aarhus and the region of Jutland.

The short film programmes highlight experimen- tal, artistic and innovative films. The document- ary programmes focus on global issues, human rights and social change. Further programming include regional films, seminars and special focus series. The festival is held each year in November at downtown venues in Aarhus, Denmark. After the festival in Aarhus, Aarhus Filmfestival goes on tour in Jutland with packages of films from the programme and debates.


The world around us is rapidly changing. Issues of globalization, migration, conflict, urban development and the environment as well as new media technologies are affecting both our ways of living as well as our ways of viewing the world. We receive more information than ever before, however the quality of the content and the personal intention of its makers, is often compromised by sheer quantity and variations of the same stories.

We believe that stories that are told with cinematic insights and worldly outsights can enlighten, inform and entertain, challenge our world-views and conceptions of the ’truth’ as well as spark activism and social change.

We want to use the power and uniqueness of film as a vehicle for insights and outsights from contemporary society and – together with the audience – create small pockets of reflection and immersion into the back-sides!? and wonders of the world.

Short film programmes presents international gems of artistic, experimental and innovative visual expression. Common for the films are that they use the possibilities of sound and vision to break with traditional cinematic language. They catch us off guard, surprise us, enchant us and speak to places in our mind and bodies that are rarely touched.

Mixing untraditional and provocative short films, fascinating animations, artistic visual creations and powerful short documentaries, the short film programmes take advantage of the interplay created by juxtaposing widely different genres and formats of visual expression.

Documentary film programmes offers inter- national high quality films about issues of global concern, human rights and social change. The films invest in their subjects, creating powerful, poetic and challenging narratives and visions!? that allow us to step into other lives, concerns and realities.

Mixing personal and creative approaches to filmmaking with debates and discussions, special screenings, directors’ comments and guest-curated programmes, the documentary programme will open for moments of reflection, immersion and surprise.

We hope you will join us!