April 4, 2026

This year’s edition of the Days of European Film brings a powerful female presence. Whether through debut female directors, experienced female filmmakers, or stories that place women at the centre, the festival offers a rich variety of perspectives on the body, identity, motherhood, sexuality, and social pressures. These films speak boldly, sensitively, and without compromise – exactly what European cinema needs right now.

Weightless (Vægtløs, Denmark, dir. Emilie Thalund)

A delicate yet uncompromising coming-of-age story about fifteen-year-old Lea, who discovers desire and a complicated relationship with an adult man during a summer weight-loss camp by the sea. The film, which won the Best Debut Award in San Sebastián, sensitively explores the body, self-perception, and the boundaries of adolescence.

Love Me Tender (France, dir. Anna Cazenave Cambet)

A bold and deeply personal drama about a forty-year-old woman who loses custody of her son after openly embracing her relationships with women. An adaptation of Constance Debré’s book starring Vicky Krieps, it is an uncompromising statement on motherhood, sexuality, and societal expectations. Nominated for the LUX Audience Award.

Deaf (Sorda, Spain, dir. Eva Libertad)

An intimate portrait of a deaf woman, Ángela, who is expecting a child with her hearing partner. The film sensitively and authentically examines questions of identity, communication, and parenthood from a perspective rarely seen on screen. Another strong LUX Award contender.

Julian (Belgium, dir. Cato Kusters)

A tender lesbian drama about a couple fighting to keep their love alive while planning a wedding in every country where it is legal. An intimate and very contemporary film that received the Special Jury Prize in Locarno.

White Snail (Rakousko/Německo, dir. Elsa Kremser)

A dark, hypnotic romance set in Minsk, following a Belarusian model and a night-shift mortuary guard. Director Elsa Kremser (together with Levin Peter) explores questions of the body, beauty, and death through two outsider lives. Special Jury Prize in Locarno.

Little Trouble Girls (Slovenia, dir. Urška Djukić)

An intimate coming-of-age drama about a teenage girl in the closed environment of a Catholic choir camp. During a summer retreat, she faces a conflict between faith and sexuality and encounters unexpected temptations. A fresh and sensitive female perspective on adolescence.

Winter of the Crow (Poland, dir. Kasia Adamik)

A powerful historical drama set in Warsaw in 1981. Lesley Manville stars as an English academic who experiences the palpable social tension just before the declaration of martial law. Kasia Adamik, daughter of Agnieszka Holland, offers a compelling female viewpoint on fear, resistance, and history.

What these films have in common is the courage to speak about women’s experiences without sugar-coating – from adolescence and sexuality through motherhood and identity to historical and social pressures. This year’s festival clearly shows that female voices in European cinema are becoming stronger, more diverse, and more essential than ever.

Don’t miss the screenings of these films in Prague, Brno, Ostrava, and other cities. Support strong female stories directly on the big screen. The festival runs from 9 to 19 April 2026.