The Snowdance Independent Film Festival is the national and international most respected "new" festival in Germany. It mainly shows productions made with little or no state funding. Furthermore, Snowdance prefers films which are not dominated by the influence of TV stations or major studios. Snowdance sees itself as the main German festival for independent, free-thinking film makers.

Recently located in the city of "Essen / Ruhrgebiet", it offers Germany's largest and most beautiful art house cinemas as well as the catchment area of 5 million people.

Supported by important creatives of the German film scene, Snowdance grows in its first seven years to one of the hottest und most passionate indie film festivals in Europe.

Festival Director Thomas "Tom" Bohn realized "Straight Shooter" with Dennis Hopper and parts of the "Tatort" tv-series as a filmmaker. Snowdance's special guests have been the famous national actors Heiner Lauterbach, Til Schweiger, Harald Krassnitzer, Götz Otto, Peter Lohmeyer, Nora Tschirner, Hannes Jaenicke, Ulrike Folkerts, Max Tidof, Axel Milberg, Valerie Niehaus, and many others.

The Snowdance Independent Film Festival is made by engaged film creatives for engaged film creatives and their audience. Snowdance does not offer any red carpet or any VIP-corner. But it's a meeting and melting point for actors, directors, producers and all sorts of people who are interested in film.

Come and have a look !

Awards & Prizes

Snowdance Award for the best feature film
Price money : 1.000,- Euro

Snowdance Award for the best documentary
Price money : 1.000,- Euro

Snowdance Award for the best Short Film
Price money: 500,- Euro

Snowdance Award for the best young director (less than 30)
Price money: 500,- Euro

Snowdance Award for the best direction

Snowdance Award for the best script

Rules & Terms

1. We do not offer any discounts or fee waivers.

2. SUBMISSIONS
When submitting to SNOWDANCE you are agreeing to screen the submitted film during the dates of the festival. SNOWDANCE will not pay any screening fees for presentation of the film during the festival.

3. ENTRY REGULATIONS
SNOWDANCE is a competitive showcase for domestic and international feature films and documentaries. SNOWDANCE reserves the right to determine the eligibility of any project submitted. Only works completed in the last two years are eligible for selection.
We only accept online-Screeners (FilmFreeway). When you send DVDs, BluRays or any other material before being invited, SNOWDANCE will not judge it and will not send it back. SNOWDANCE does not accept additional e-mail informations about your film.

4. FILM/VIDEO ENTRIES
All non-english language entries must have English subtitles. Works in progress will not be judged. From SNOWDANCE selected screening material will be returned, press and any application materials will NOT be returned . All features and documentaries submitted must be available in BluRay or DCP for festival presentation.

5. COMPETITION
The SNOWDANCE Film Festival is a competitive event and unless notified otherwise, all films officially selected are eligible for competition. All films are nominated and voted upon by an impartial jury of filmmakers, industry professionals, festival programmers and film aficionados.

6. PRESS MATERIALS
If selected, SNOWDANCE will require an Electronic Press Kit (EPK) to include high-resolution production stills, key art, bio and filmography of the director, production notes and full cast and crew credits.

7. LIABILITY
Although every possible care will be taken with tapes, films, drives and files while in our possession, we cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage. Do not send original or master prints, tapes, files or drives. Please keep SNOWDANCE notified of any address/phone number changes.

8. SHIPPING
The cost of shipping all entries and films to the festival must be paid by the entrant. SNOWDANCE will resent the prints of the shortlist back to the filmmaker. SNOWDANCE will not be responsible for expedited or overnight shipping charges to other organizations. Also, SNOWDANCE cannot guarantee shipment of prints to other festivals during the days of the festival. All international entries must be sent 'free domicile' to the SNOWDANCE office with all transportation charges, duties, and taxes prepaid by the shipper.

9. REPRODUCTION AGREEMENT
Submission of an entry gives SNOWDANCE permission to have excerpts of accepted work, including film trailers, shown in all promotional activities realted to the festival.

10.NOTIFICATION
Films selected for SNOWDANCE will be notified no later than December 12, 2022.

76 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Mersiha Husagic

    We enjoyed being at the Snowdance Festival! We met great people and had beautiful conversations and it was a pleausure to share our film with a sensitive and open minded audience! Thank you very much Snowdance Festival!

    March 2024
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  • Max Fritzsching

    Great festival. The organization, the locations and the effort the team made for every filmmaker was truly exemplary. Thank you very much for allowing us to take part and for showing our film to another great audience.

    February 2024
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  • Ab nach Hause Team

    It was a great experience to screen our movie at SNOWDANCE. The team was very welcoming, and we felt comfortable throughout our time there. Meeting both emerging and established independent filmmakers was insightful, and the atmosphere during breakfast and at the bar in the evenings was inviting, leading to engaging discussions. The workshops were informative, and we gained valuable knowledge.

    Looking forward to returning with another film.

    February 2024
    Helpful
  • Producers of Marvin the Vampire

    Snowdance has been a fantastic experience. It's a festival that looks after its filmmakers and creates lots of networking opportunities. Communication with Anna Bell has been clear and very pleasant from the beginning. Our lead actor Erwin Janke managed to attend Snowdance on behalf of our film and this is what he said:

    I recently attended the Snowdance Independent Film Festival in Germany as an actor with the UK short movie, "Marvin the Vampire" which was selected as part of the 'Dark Shorts' showcase. I can confidently say that it was a transformative experience. The warmth and inclusive spirit of the festival, orchestrated by Tom Bohn and his fantastic team, made me feel instantly welcome.

    Whilst the international reach of the films screened at the festival was definitely a highlight, the workshops offered an unexpected gem. These sessions were engaging and practical, providing me with valuable insights and tools. I especially appreciated the Casting Workshop with Uwe Buenker.

    One of the most enriching aspects of the festival was the opportunity to network with diverse and creative passionate individuals– filmmakers, actors, screenwriters, composers and enthusiasts. We exchanged ideas, shared experiences, and created connections that will undoubtedly continue to grow.

    I look forward to returning next year, hopefully with another project in tow. A heartfelt thank you to Tom Bohn, Anna Bell, Silvia Reichert, and the entire Snowdance team for creating such a remarkable event.

    February 2024
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  • Jack Armstrong

    I attended Snowdance 2024 and the experience was excellent. The festival is really well curated and run so professionally everything runs like clockwork. It has a really welcoming and friendly vibe and you feel at home immediately. Drinks and chats with filmmakers in the hotel bar in the evenings. The Q&A was amazing, unlike many audiences the Snowdance audience are really engaged and get involved in the discussion, lots of interesting questions that lead to great discussions. I very highly recommend this Festival. Thank you Tom, Anna and the whole team.

    February 2024
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