We invite filmmakers from all over the world to the 23rd PROVINZIALE, from now until 15 May 2026, to submit their productions to us. We are looking for films that respond to our programme: Spatial reference, resource management, coming, going, staying and shaping. Landscape, region or place become visible as players in human life.

A sixteen-strong selection team reviews the entries, evaluates them in terms of their quality and our programme and puts together a festival programme for the following international competitions:

The fourth competition is dedicated to

and will be compiled from films invited by us. Unsolicited applications for this competition are only possible with an exposé by email to doc.submission@provinziale.de by 15 April.

Two audience prizes (THE ROSE and THE THISTLE) totaling €12,000 will be awarded for each of the four competitions. THE ROSE is the prize for the audience favourite. Here the audience honours the film that moved them the most, that they liked and that particularly appealed to them. THE THISTLE is the award for film criticism. Here the audience assesses the dramaturgy and camera work, the narrative style and the treatment of the protagonists.

From the competition entries in all four categories, the selection team will also nominate four to eight films for the special jury prize THE PRICKLE. This is awarded for the most interesting film dealing with the topic of sustainability. The prize money of €2,000 is donated by the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development and Kreiswerke Barnim.