Planet Earth Film Festival
A cultural meeting point for film, music and creative media.
„For Filmmakers and Musicians“
The Planet Earth Film Festival is a premier independent festival that brings together filmmakers and musicians from around the world.
Led by filmmakers and professionals from the film industry, it offers a unique platform for creative exchange and a strong sense of community – enhanced by the artistic charm and cultural diversity of Bayreuth.
The festival stands out for its professional organization and its carefully curated film selection, featuring a wide range of thematic focuses woven throughout the daily program.
All selected films and videos will be screened at the Reichshof in Bayreuth, offering filmmakers and audiences a professional cinema experience in a unique historic setting.
The 1. edition of the Planet Earth Film Festival will take place in Bayreuth, Germany, from July 20–23, 2026, just before the world-famous Bayreuth Wagner Festival – celebrating film, art, and cultural exchange on an international stage.
Bayreuth is regarded as the cultural capital of Northern Bavaria and is home to two internationally renowned UNESCO World Heritage sites: the Bayreuth Festival and the Margravial Opera House, both of which attract visitors from around the world each year.
Located in the heart of Upper Franconia, Bayreuth serves a catchment area of more than one million residents, all within approximately one hour’s travel of the city. With over 15,000 students enrolled at the University of Bayreuth, the city also benefits from a young, international, and culturally engaged audience.
The main venue of the Planet Earth Film Festival is the Reichshof, a historic cinema dating back to the 1920s. Its architectural and acoustic highlight is the remarkable Zollinger lamella ceiling, which creates an exceptional sound experience. The venue’s unique appeal lies in the combination of its historic atmosphere and a carefully modernized theater space with outstanding acoustics.
The Reichshof is located in the very heart of Bayreuth, directly at the market square within the pedestrian zone, and is easily accessible on foot from all nearby parking facilities.
Reichshof Bayreuth
Maximilianstr. 28, 95444 Bayreuth
In addition to the film screenings, participating filmmakers can look forward to a dedicated festival venue in Bayreuth offering numerous networking opportunities – including Q&A sessions after the screenings, red carpet interviews, and exclusive after-parties.
The Planet Earth Film Festival is designed to offer a relaxed, filmmaker-friendly atmosphere, giving participants the opportunity to build valuable industry connections and forge new professional relationships in an inspiring cultural setting.
The festival culminates in a prestigious awards ceremony, where a jury of journalists and industry experts announces the winners and presents the official Planet Earth Film Festival trophies.
The Planet Earth Film Festival in Bayreuth offers filmmakers from around the world a unique opportunity to present their work not only to an expert audience, but also to invited guests, media representatives, and cinema enthusiasts. We warmly invite you to take part in the first edition of the festival, which will be held in Bayreuth, Germany, from July 20–23, 2026. Thank you for being part of the Planet Earth Film Festival – and don’t forget:
You can increase your chances of selection by submitting to multiple categories!
Planet Earth Film Festival – Awards
Planet Earth – Best Film
Planet Earth – Best Sci-Fi Movie
Planet Earth – Best Documentary
Planet Earth – Best Animation Film
Planet Earth – Best Short Film
Planet Earth – Best Director
Planet Earth – Best Actor
Planet Earth – Best Actress
Planet Earth – Best Supporting Actor
Planet Earth – Best Supporting Actress
Planet Earth – Best Screenplay
Planet Earth – Best Writer
Planet Earth – Best Producer
Planet Earth – Best Cinematography
Planet Earth – Best Original Score
Planet Earth – Best Soundtrack
„Film as dream, film as music. No art passes our conscience in the way film does, and goes directly to our feelings, deep down into the dark rooms of our souls.“ Ingmar Bergman
Rules
- Entries for the Planet Earth Film Festival are open to everyone. Feature films, short films, documentaries, and music videos may be submitted. Participants under the legal age must provide a consent letter from a parent or guardian.
- Films and videos may be based on any theme or concept.
- Films can be in any language. However, all films must have English or German subtitles.
- The total runtime of a feature film, including opening and closing credits, must be at least 70 minutes and no more than 180 minutes.
- The total runtime of a short film, including opening and closing credits, must be at least 3 minutes and no more than 20 minutes.
- The total runtime of a documentary, including opening and closing credits, must be at least 30 minutes and no more than 120 minutes.
- The total runtime of a music video must be at least 2 minutes and no more than 12 minutes.
- All content used in feature films, short films, documentaries, and music videos must be either owned or properly licensed. If any copyrighted material is used, the participant must obtain permission and submit a copy to the festival organizers.
- The submission deadline for unsolicited films and documents is 20th May 2026. Please send advertising material (posters, flyers, etc.) only after the film has been invited.
- Permitted formats for the short film competition are DCP and Blu-ray. Other formats are accepted only upon request.
- Only films, documentaries, and music videos produced and completed after 1st January 2020 are eligible for the festival.
- We reserve the right to move your film to another appropriate category if there is a better chance at winning. -Acceptance and “being in consideration” is not a pre-requisite for getting an automatic screening at the festival. 2 weeks before the event we will make a decision on what films will be screening.
- The Planet Earth 2026 Film Festival will be held as an official event in Bayreuth. The Reichshof will serve as the official screening venue for all selected films and videos. All files will not be distributed outside the Planet Earth Film Festival.
- Once invited to the festival program, a short synopsis, photo, short biography and filmography of the director as well as scene photos and – if available – press material must be submitted. If invited to a competition, a suitable high-resolution, approx. 60-second excerpt must also be provided free of charge, which can be used as part of the festival coverage and at the awards gala.
- For competition films, additional viewings are necessary for the internal festival preparation of the moderations and talks. Consent to the forwarding of the links or the DVD/BluRay to the responsible festival staff is deemed to have been given upon submission of the film.
- Planet Earth reserves the right to copy or use the material submitted by participants in any form, online or offline, for the festival’s promotional and archival purposes. Please note that your entire short film will never be shared with anyone or uploaded online without your permission. We understand that filmmakers want to keep their films private, and we will honor that.
- The jury’s decision is final and binding.
- The Planet Earth Festival organizers reserve the right to change, modify, or alter any rule, part of a rule, or event of this competition at any time.
PLANET EARTH FESTIVAL – REICHSHOF – BAYREUTH
