HAUS FÜR POESIE

What exactly is a poetry film?

A poetry film can be anything: documentary, experimental short film, or animation — as long as it is based on a poem.

International Competition

A key part of ZEBRA Poetry Film Festival is its international competition. Each year, an Open Call invites submissions of recently produced short films based on poems.

Around 1,500 to 2,000 films from about 100 countries are submitted annually. Up to 25 of them are selected for the official competition program at the festival, with three awards presented by a jury. An additional 100 or so films are featured in curated programs drawn from the submissions.

As part of Poetry in Education, Zebrino focuses on poetry film education for children and young people. The program includes workshops, film screenings, and even a jury made up of elementary school students, who select the winner of a fourth prize.

The curated programs of ZEBRA Poetry Film Festival are not limited to the festival itself — they are shown at partner festivals around the world. Additionally, they appear in both in-house and external events, such as an open-air summer cinema in the courtyard of Haus für Poesie or as part of poetry readings.