Viennale film festival returns to Vienna with monsters theme

The 64th Viennale international film festival will take place in Vienna from October 22 to November 3. Themed around ‘monsters’—symbolized by a whale on the festival poster—the event aims to use the motif to explore imagination rather than threat, according to director Eva Sandiorgi.

Featured filmmakers include Sandra Volner, Valeska Grisebach, Tizza Covi, Rainer Frimel, Angela Schanelec, Volker Schlöndorff, James Gray, and Ryusuke Hamaguchi. The festival will also showcase debuts from local authors Manuel Wetscher and Katharina Rabl.

Key programming includes a retrospective of American director Robert Altman in collaboration with the Film Museum in Vienna, an ‘Alpe Adria Underground!’ program focusing on Slovenian director Vasko Pregelj, and a focus on Lebanese filmmaker Jocelyne Saab. The historic Funkhaus building will serve as a central hub for workshops, discussions, and concerts. Additionally, the festival is introducing a new 20-euro subscription for youth aged 14 and older to encourage engagement with diverse cinematic languages.