Film Festival at Vienna City Hall Square Celebrates 35th Anniversary

The popular Film Festival at Vienna's Rathausplatz, held annually since 1991, will present itself in 2025 with a fundamentally renewed look: more open, modern, and atmospheric than ever before. The proven combination of high-quality music, international cuisine, and free admission remains - everything else has been newly conceived.

Vienna's Mayor Ludwig: Film Festival at Vienna's Rathausplatz is "a gift from the city to its people"

"The Film Festival at Rathausplatz is a gift from the city to its people - open, accessible, and full of cultural depth. That we are celebrating the 35th anniversary this year while simultaneously ushering in a new era shows how vibrant, adaptable, and forward-looking this event is. The city of Vienna has consciously enabled the Film Festival since 1991 with free admission because culture is particularly effective when it opens up to people and creates places for valuable encounters," said Vienna's Mayor Michael Ludwig.

Completely new attire for Film Festival at Vienna's Rathausplatz

On the occasion of the semi-round anniversary, the Film Festival presents itself in a completely new appearance. The architecture of the event has been comprehensively redesigned to create more openness, quality of stay, and an urban atmosphere. The grandstand in the cinema area, which had to make way for football last year, will not be erected this year either. Instead, a new spatial concept is being introduced, allowing for fluid transitions between cinema and gastronomy and creating new areas to linger.

Five large, round canopies, called "Skyliner," with diameters of up to 22 meters, characterize the square. In addition to gastronomic offerings and the new "Stage at the Ring" as a venue for live performances, there are 50 new "Vienas" for the first time, the iconic Viennese city furniture that enliven the cinema area. These changes make the square more comfortable and versatile. The Skyliners also provide protection from heat and rain, addressing climatic changes.

Film Festival at Vienna's Rathausplatz with new program scheme

The festival receives a new content structure. The film program follows a weekly scheme for the first time: On Mondays, it focuses on classical music, with orchestral works and operas. On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, various music styles are presented, including operetta, musical, ballet, jazz, and rock. From Thursday to Saturday, the Rathausplatz is dedicated to great voices and pop concerts. On Sundays, the focus is on operas, in collaboration with the Vienna State Opera. The "State Opera Sundays" offer opera art under the open sky. ORF III supports as a partner with concert recordings and contributes to cultural visibility.

Program Highlights at the Film Festival at Vienna City Hall Square

The film program of the 2025 festival is particularly diverse and powerful. Visitors can look forward to a best-of music history, presented in concert recordings and opera productions, curated by IMZ International Music + Media Centre. In the opera and classical section, Puccini's La Bohème, Richard Strauss' Elektra with the Berlin Philharmonic, and Johann Strauss' Die Fledermaus will be shown. Verdi's Macbeth in a modern production by the Salzburg Festival and Bizet's Carmen from the Royal Opera House are also highlights. For Gustav Mahler's 165th birthday, his 9th Symphony will be presented. The audience will also experience a 360° Swan Lake from the English National Ballet and a tribute to jazz musician Oscar Peterson, who would have turned 100 years old.

The festival combines great stage moments of past decades with current pop and rock highlights. Billie Eilish impresses on the first day with a visual and vocal show. Harry Styles presents a charismatic and captivating performance. Best of Glastonbury features performances by well-known artists like Coldplay, Dua Lipa, and others. Katy Perry offers an opulent pop fairy tale full of hits with The Prismatic World Tour. Bruce Springsteen celebrates the 50th anniversary of "Born To Run" with powerful rock. Oasis brings Britpop back with "Live at Wembley" and simultaneously celebrates their comeback. Whitney Houston's concert in South Africa, 30 years later, remains unforgettable. Austria 3 - Live in Schönbrunn showcases Austropop with Fendrich, Ambros, and Danzer, 25 years after the original concert. The program also includes artists like P!nk, The Rolling Stones, John Legend, Rosé, Pitbull, Queen, Robbie Williams, Tina Turner, Bilderbuch, and Seiler & Speer.

Film Festival at Vienna City Hall Square: Side Events for All Ages

In addition to film screenings, the film festival offers a varied supporting program. On Fridays from 2 to 5 PM, the City of Vienna organizes a children's activity program in the City Hall Park, where children can discover new forms of movement. From 5 PM, the Children's Opera Festival with free admission follows, presenting musical productions for children. On Sundays from 12 to 2 PM, the Jazz Brunch at City Hall Square invites visitors to enjoy musical experiences in the open air, where they can enjoy Austrian jazz music. The program is presented by the Vienna Summer of Culture.

The Vienna Summer of Culture offers two choir evenings at City Hall Square in July to present sound art from Austria and beyond. On July 19, 2025, there will be hits from rock & pop, and on July 20, 2025, timeless classics. Additionally, emerging artists will showcase their songs at Songwriter Sessions on July 12 and August 16. ENERGY's Sunset Beats bring club feeling with live DJs from Monday to Wednesday starting at 5 PM. The radio station NOSTALGIE plays the greatest hits of the 80s and 90s as a summery soundtrack at City Hall Square. The 2025 film festival shows that change and consistency can go hand in hand: With the renewed design, revised program scheme, and deepened content focus, the festival remains a popular attraction in Vienna and encourages both residents and visitors to enjoy summer at its best.

Facts about the Film Festival at Vienna City Hall Square

(Red)

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