What are the cultural policy goals of film festivals in Germany? What does their content and financial future look like, in light of increasingly intensified competition for public funding as well as private sponsorship? This study is based on interviews with industry representatives and an analysis of the current situation of the German film festival landscape, along with a look at the future significance of cultural policy content and economic effects. Case studies include an in-depth analysis of the Berlin International Film Festival, the Emden Aurich Norderney Film Festival, and the International Short Film Festival Hamburg, concluding with a general outlook on the future cultural policy relevance of film festivals.