In five film programs, you will discover 29 of the best international short dance films from 26 countries. In these shorts, where dance manifests itself beyond the dancer’s body, the films compete for the prestigious Cinedans Awards. The films range from 1 to 25 minutes, are presented in one-hour-long programs, and conclude with a Q&A featuring the filmmakers and the audience. 

Across three film programs, you will find a selection of short documentary dance films competing for the Short Docs Award, which is being presented for the first time this year. In these documentaries, dance emerges as a means of exploring reality and articulating what is at stake - from connection and resilience to resistance and submission. The films vary in length and are presented in one-hour-long programs. 

An increasing number of short dance films originate in the Netherlands and are given a platform during Cinedans FEST in two New Dutch programs. Each program features an exciting selection of recent Dutch short films in which dance flourishes in inventive and provocative ways, seamlessly shifting between absurdity, empathy, fantasy, and tragicomedy. The screenings are accompanied by Q&A sessions with the filmmakers. 

The two out-of-competition film programs bring together longer dance films and documentaries into a layered and intriguing whole. The films do not compete for awards, but unfold powerful perspectives on collective movement, personal histories, and embodied memory. Here, dance becomes a driving force for life energy and resilience.

Discover feature films and longer documentaries having their Dutch premieres. In these full-length screenings, dance reveals itself as a powerful carrier of meaning. The films show how makers around the world respond to technological change, social issues, and personal stories, with attention to social and historical context, the pressures of a demanding society, and the relationship between humans and technology. 

Each year, the Specials focus on key themes and highlight film and dance from different parts of the world. Both contemporary and historical perspectives are explored, with special attention to the body as translator, memory, and metaphor. A Special consists of one or more dance films, sometimes complemented by conversations with filmmakers, experts, and the audience. 

In the Installations & Virtual Reality program, dance steps beyond the film frame. Throughout the festival, installations, projections, and VR projects can be discovered in which dance and movement are explored in new ways, and technology invites you into different modes of seeing and experiencing dance. This year, Cinedans collaborates with Ágota Harmati, artistic director of Moovy Festival in Cologne for the selection and presentation of the VR Selection. The program will be announced shortly.

Alongside the film program, Cinedans presents a context program that offers space for encounter and deeper engagement. Through talks, workshops, and masterclasses, filmmakers, professionals, and audiences come together to explore developments in dance film, delve into key themes, or actively take part themselves. The program is aimed at a broad audience — from emerging makers to experienced professionals, and from children to students. Discover the full program and feel warmly invited to join our Festival Party.

The professional program offers space for exchange, in-depth discussion, and forward-looking perspectives within the international dance film field. Through panels, roundtables, and networking sessions, filmmakers, programmers, archivists, and other professionals come together to address key topics such as AI and authorship, archiving, international collaboration, and talent development. The program combines critical reflection with practical insights and fosters new connections between art, technology, and cultural heritage. Certain programs are available to the general public. If you are a professional visiting the festival, please take a look here.