Echo-Verse© Wild Bunch

Goethe on Demand

On Goethe on Demand, the streaming platform of the Goethe-Institut, we present a variety of online film programs, film festivals and film series that can be streamed from home. More information about the alternating film series can be found here. The films are presented in original language with subtitles. They are accessible online and free of charge after registration.
 

How it works

I like it when reality and dreams don't diverge.

Wim Wenders


Showing now:

Still | THE ORDINARIES: Fine Sendel Photo: © Bandenfilm

Free streaming
The Ordinaries

Germany | 2022 | 124 min
Director: Sophie Linnenbaum
With: Fine Sendel, Jule Böwe, Henning Peker, Noah Tinwa, Sira Faal, Denise M'Baye, Pasquale Aleardi
Original version in German with English subtitles.

A high concept comedy about a three-class society existing in a surreal cinematic world, The Ordinaries is a rare and wonderful celebration of the Golden Age of Hollywood, as well as an unsubtle condemnation of class divisions.

A group of girls standing in a school yard © Pluto Film

Free Film Streaming | now through July 31 | Goethe On Demand
Breaking Lines

Gooooooaaaal! To mark the 2026 FIFA World Cup’s arrival in North America this summer, the German Film Office and the Goethe-Institut are pleased to present Breaking Lines, a series celebrating the empowering, unifying force of soccer.

From triumphant stories of teamwork told through the lens of migration (Too Far Away, Winners), to documentaries on women and queer people pioneering inclusivity in the sport (We Wanted More – The Miracle of Taipei, The Last Taboo), to a charming look at the devotion of a neurodivergent fan (Weekend Rebels), the selection sees soccer lovers of all stripes finding solidarity and perseverance both on and off the field.

Klassiker der Weimarer Zeit © Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Stiftung,

Free streaming
Classics of the Weimar Era

2026 is not only the year in which Fritz Lang’s world-famous futuristic dystopia Metropolis is set; it is also the 50th anniversary of the director’s death. To mark this occasion, present, in addition to Metropolis, two more significant classics of Weimar Republic cinema: The Testament of Dr. Mabuse (1933, also by Fritz Lang) and Nosferatu (1922, by F. W. Murnau).

These early expressionist masterpieces were made during a fascinating period of transition from silent to sound film. To this day, Weimar cinema is regarded as one of the most productive and influential chapters in German filmmaking, one that has lastingly shaped the international perception of German film. We hope you enjoy (re-)discovering them!

Goethe on Demand: Filmseries “City, Country, River” (Key Visual) © UFA Fiction 2018 / Schuldenberg Films, Smina Bluth / Basthorster Filmmanufaktur

Goethe on Demand: A cinematic journey through Germany
City, Country, River

The film series City, Country, River takes us through the diversity of German cities, villages and landscapes with a selection of twelve feature and documentary films. The films focus on regions and places away from the well-known big cities, inviting viewers to take a multi-layered look at the realities of life in Germany.


More on German film

Serienfieber Illustration einer Hand mit Fernbedienung © Colourbox / Image editing Goethe-Institut Los Angeles

German Series in Canada
Binge Fever!

Television “Made in Germany” is having a golden moment with the rise of international streaming services. German series that appeal to global audiences through smart and original writing, diverse themes, talented lineups and opulent productions have never received so much attention. 

Monika Treut’s film “Von Mädchen und Pferden” about two lesbian girls in the German-Danish border region. Photo (detail): © Edition Salzgeber

LGBTQI+
“Queer Cinema belongs to the mainstream here”

Monika Treut is considered to be one of the pioneers of Queer Cinema. In this interview the film director and producer talks about positive developments in western societies, repressive trends and things that aren’t quite running as they should. 

Scene from the movie “Buddenbrooks”: The elaborate historical costumes were designed by Barbara Baum, who has been working as a costume designer in the film industry for about 50 years. Photo (detail): © picture alliance/Bavaria Film International/Everett Collection

Film production
Women Behind the Cinematic Scenes

While the public can recite the names of famous German actresses, the women behind the camera often go unrecognised. We introduce ten women from the German film scene everyone should know. 

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