Voiron German Film Festival

A festival born from the Voiron-Herford twinning

The Voiron German Film Festival was born from the friendship between the twin cities of Voiron (Isère) and Herford (North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany). Organized every year in January by the association Amitié Voiron-Herford, it is part of a tradition of Franco-German cultural exchanges that enriches this twinning. Since its creation in 2011, the festival has established itself as an anticipated cultural event in the Pays voironnais.

German films in their original version

Each edition offers the screening of a selection of recent German films in their original version with French subtitles (VOSTF) in the PASSrL cinemas of Voiron (Le Mail and Les Écrans). The program covers a wide spectrum of contemporary German cinema: dramas, comedies, historical films, documentaries, and auteur films. Screenings take place over about ten days, offering the Voiron audience a privileged window into German film production.

A complete cultural festival

Beyond the screenings, the Voiron German Film Festival offers a rich program of cultural and festive events:

• Stand at the Voiron market to open the festival, with pretzels and grilled sausages in a friendly atmosphere
• Lyrical music concert or instrumental music related to German culture
• Inaugural conference on German cinema, led by specialists
• Meetings with directors and actors, fostering exchanges between artists and the public
• Festive closing evening to celebrate the end of the festival

The Amitié Voiron-Herford association

The association Amitié Voiron-Herford is the driving force behind this event. Active throughout the year, it maintains the links between the two twin cities through cultural, linguistic, and human exchanges. It also offers German courses and organizes trips and meetings between Voironnais and Herfordois. The film festival is the annual highlight of its activities, attracting an audience far beyond just Germanophiles.

A bridge between two cultures

By highlighting the richness of contemporary German cinema, the festival contributes to the bringing of cultures closer together and to a better mutual understanding between French and Germans. It thus participates in the fundamental mission of European twinnings: to build bonds of friendship and understanding between peoples, through culture and the arts.