The Film fest

To each film its fingerprint. Bildrausch shows contemporary films with idiosyncratic attitudes. They dare to experiment and ask questions; they open doors to conversations and to lively and free reflection. They lead to encounters with filmmakers, seat-neighbors and cinema lovers. In the exchange about the films, we not only learn more about the moving images but about the world around us and within ourselves. The Bildrausch Filmfest extends an invitation to explore the wonderful diversity and transformative power of cinematic creation. So come and join us!

The film festival was founded in 2011 by Nicole Reinhard and Beat Schneider, the directors of Stadtkino Basel at the time. Over ten years, the founders developed the festival into a cinephile meeting place with a strong identity of its own. In 2021, Susanne Guggenberger took over as artistic director.

The rush of images is always a venture. It seduces, enchants and surprises. Perhaps it also pulls the rug out from under our feet, maybe we question old certainties. Suddenly everything is possible: flight of fancy and being fogged in at the same time.

Bildrausch shows films that prepare us for this adventure and carry us along with it. They challenge the well-known world and open windows into the unknown, often outside our comfort zone, to view a new perspective. They play with our perception and enrich our senses: we see more clearly and more than before.

In the International Program, we present contemporary, international films that demonstrate courage in terms of content and form. All of them are rarities that have caught our eye at festivals abroad and will not be shown in regular cinemas in Switzerland.

The Focus section is about the socially burning issues of our time. Films and discussions illuminate the pressing questions from different angles – whereby it is not primarily about answers, but about the diversity of perspectives.

In our tributes and/or special programs, we devote ourselves entirely to the protagonists behind the camera. In these selective shows we gain insight into their creative processes and film history. 

The short film program belongs to filmmakers from Switzerland, France and Germany. They will have the opportunity to present their work and exchange ideas with experienced colleagues. This program is put together by partner festivals and institutions. 

The supporting program deepens the Bildrausch idea with film talks, panel discussions, readings, concerts, exhibitions, and performances. It builds personal bridges between the filmmakers and the audience, encourages multiple perspectives, and creates an inspiring, charming and relaxed atmosphere for encountering the arts. This program varies annually.

Bildrausch’s hub is the Stadtkino Basel as a venue and festival center. The cozy and weatherproof piazza invites visitors to linger, talk and meet. Other venues include the nearby partner cinema kult.kino atelier and, since 2022, the Kaserne Basel and the Gare du Nord.