the German words "Gegen" and "über" are separated by blue waves
the German words "Gegen" and "über" are separated by blue waves

Celebrate German-American Friendship through Cinema
 Goethe on Demand: Our free streaming platform for German films

Over the years and across the Atlantic, countless German-American friendships have been formed. Lifelong bonds have grown – friendships that stand the test of time. And that’s exactly what we want to celebrate! Dive into a curated selection of remarkable German films – available to stream for free. So get comfortable, press play, and enjoy. Here’s to friendship — and great cinema!

Goethe on Demand, our free streaming platform, offers a carefully curated collection of contemporary German cinema – from modern classics and arthouse gems to powerful documentaries that offer a behind-the-scenes look at German society.

Start streaming – discover the Goethe on Demand collection!

Collage made out of three film stills Created by Ricardo Roa. Copyrights (stills) 1: © UFA Fiction 2018; 2: © CORSO Film- und Fernsehproduktion; 3: © Markus Zucker / 2022 Schiwago Film, DOMAR Film


Breaking Lines

Through 07/31/2026 | Online
Goethe on Demand celebrates the empowering, unifying force of soccer

Filmstill © Weydemann Bros. GmbH

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!

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

Our editorial team's monthly picks

Still | THE ORDINARIES: Fine Sendel Photo: © Bandenfilm

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.

Scene from Measuring the World © Boje Buck Filmproduktion

Measuring the World

Germany, Austria, 2012, 119 mins.
Director: Detlev Buck
Genre: Adventure

Not all travel is benign. Such are the expeditions of 19th century German scientists Alexander von Humboldt and Carl Friedrich Gauss on their trips around the world based on Daniel Kehlmann's best-selling novel of the same name. Cloaked in a veil of curiosity is an escapade of exploitation of the lands they seek to “discover” worlds and cultures unknown to them.
 
The novel Measuring the World has been translated into over 40 languages and is one of the most successful German books of the postwar era. The author, Daniel Kehlmann, served as a co-writer on the screenplay for the film adaptation.

Stream the movie now for free and without ads at gegenuber.goethe-on-demand.de!

Further information

Among Friends - Unter Freunden GI colors Logo © Goethe-Institut / Ricardo Roa

Among Friends

Under the motto “Among Friends" (Unter Freunden), the Goethe-Institut USA's campaign from fall 2025 to summer 2026 aims to strengthen the transatlantic partnership.