Frequently Asked Questions

To create a user account on our site: To the left of the menu button with three lines in the top right corner you will find the button to Register & Sign In. Open the registration form, fill in your email address, a password, your name and date of birth and click “Register”.

You will receive a verification email. After confirming your email address, you are automatically registered.

To sign in to our streaming platform, just use the email address you used to register and your password.

In the top right, after clicking on the Sign In button (to the left of the menu button with three lines), you will find the option to Register & Sign In.

For every new Login, just use the email address you used to register and your password and click on “Sign in” to access your account.

Simply click "Forgot password" on the Sign In page, enter the email address you used to register your account and you will immediately receive a link to reset your password.

If you can’t find the email to recover your password, remember to check your spam folder!

To buy a ticket, you need to have an account on our platform. For more information about how to register an account, see point 1 ("How do I register?").

Select your desired ticket from our ticket offers. We offer an online season ticket for €25 or a combined season ticket (for the festival on-site AND online) for €85 (reduced €75).

These subscriptions are NOT renewed automatically.

Additionally, single tickets for each feature film and for each short film compilation are available at a price of €5.

Please note: Due to geo-blocking films are only available within Germany.

Click on the ticket to choose which one you would like to buy. After this, our payment form will open. You can choose between paying with PayPal, credit card, or with your debit card.

Please note: You will be redirected to the PayPal page first. All Payments are processed through PayPal, but you can select the other payment options we offer on the PayPal payment processing page. You do not need a PayPal account to make the payment.

Upon successful completion of the transaction, you will receive a confirmation email.

The following purchase options are available:

Online single ticket (for a feature-length film or short film compilation) €5

Online season ticket (for the online film program only) €25

Combined season ticket (for the festival on-site AND online) €85

Reduced combined season ticket (for the festival on-site AND online), only available at Filmladen or at the FestivalCounter €75

Please note: Due to geo-block the film are only available within Germany.

You can pay by debit card, credit card or PayPal.

Please note: All Payments are processed through PayPal, but you can select the other payment options we offer on the PayPal payment processing page. You do not need a PayPal account to make the payment.

Yes, we also offer payment by direct debit!

Don't worry if you are redirected to the PayPal page – there you can select your preferred payment option!

The season ticket provides discounted access to the festival program. A season ticket does not guarantee access to an individual film or an individual compilation. There is no reservation option for online films with a season ticket. Access is entirely dependent on the demand.

The accreditation is our discounted industry access option to the entire festival program. An accreditation does not guarantee access to an individual film or an individual compilation. There is no reservation option. Access is entirely dependent on demand.

Please use the function "Redeem code" in the menu on the right or click this link: https://online.kasselerdokfest.de/en/coupon.

If you have trouble redeeming your code please check for spelling or typing errors thoroughly. If you keep having problems, please reach out to our support team.

When you bought your season ticket at the counter or at the Filmladen, you were given a coupon code.

After registering or signing in on this platform, you can redeem this coupon by clicking "Redeem coupon" in the menu on the right.

If the code does not work, please check for typing errors thoroughly. If you keep having problems redeeming your code, please reach out to our support team at support@kasselerdokfest.de or call +49 (0)151.65004513. Please check the availability hours of the support team in the tab "Support" in our FAQ.

Each season ticket is only valid for personal use and should not be shared. The ticket is valid for the complete online program.

Simply bring the payment receipt for your combined season ticket (KombiDauerkarte) to the Filmladen box office or to the FestivalCounter. There, you will be issued a personalized, physical season ticket.

There are several ways to find films on the streaming platform:

1. Navigate through the sections

2. Browse the timetable 

3. Search function at the top right of the page:

→ Enter the name of your favorite film

→ Search for the compilation it is in

→ Search for the section

In order to enable the audience to make an informed decision about attending a film screening, sensitive content in films is marked with “CN” (content note) above

the respective film synopsis or below the compilations texts.

Possible CNs are: depression, suicide, violence, sexualized violence, torture, sound effects, flashing lights.

1. First, please check if the film is currently available. Each film is only available for a certain period of time.

2. Please refresh your browser and try again, the film should start now.

3. Please clear your browser cache.

4. Please use another browser (Safari, Firefox, Chrome)

5. Please check if the problem persists on another device.

Please note: Due to a technical error, it is not possible to play the short film compilations using a Safari browser. Please use a different browser; we recommend using Google Chrome.

If you continue to have difficulties buying tickets or starting playback on a film after trying all these steps, please contact our support team: support@kasselerdokfest.de.

Please make sure to include a screenshot of the error and a detailed description of the issue. We will get back to you as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, Safari does not support the playback of multiple consecutive copy-protected videos. It is therefore not possible to play our short film compilations using a Safari browser. We recommend Google Chrome.

If you have purchased a season ticket, you can watch any film for the entire period of its availability during the festival (November 19 – 30). Films from the section junges dokfest will be available until the 19th of December for teaching purposes.

If you have purchased a single ticket, a film is available to you for up to 48 hours from the first viewing.

Starting with the day of its presentation in festival cinemas, each film is available online for 7 days. After you have started the film for the first time, you will be able to access it for 48 hours. You can stop and restart the film at any time during this 48-hour period. 

Starting with the day of its presentation in festival cinemas, each film is available online for 7 days. You are free to decide when you would like to watch a film within its availability period.

Example: A film available from November 19 will be available until November 26.

The most common cause for problems with streaming the films is an unstable internet connection.

If playback of the film lags or stops repeatedly, it's best to reload the page. You can pause the film, reload the page, and then start playing the film again. You can then scroll to where you left off. You can also try playback in a different browser.

We suggest a broadband internet connection with at least 2 MBit/s data transmission rate for films in SD quality and 6 MBit/s data transmission rate for films in HD-quality. Generally, streams also work with a low speed of Internet.

Our player automatically takes an adaption of the film quality, if the Internet speed isn’t enough.

Please keep in mind that your actual Internet speed is usually slower than stated in the tariff.

There are many free options on the Internet that can test your actual Internet speed, e.g. at www.wieistmeineip.de/speedtest. 

PC and Mac? Yes!

DokfestOnline is a browser based Internet portal. That means that you only need an Internet browser to be able to navigate on our system and then watch films in the browser, it doesn’t matter what kind of Computer (PC or Mac) you use.

Updating your operating system and browser to the latest available version is necessary, to play content on our platform. The following browsers are supported:

Chrome (Latest version available from Google)

Firefox (Latest available version from Mozilla, with latest version of the plugin "Widevine Content Decryption Module")

Edge (Latest version bundled with Windows)

Safari (Latest version bundled with macOS)

A plugin like Flash or Silverlight is not necessary.

Tablets and smartphones?

On the tablet or smartphone, our content is also available. Updating your operating system and browser to the latest available version is necessary. Videos can be played on:

Android, with Chrome (Latest version available from Google)

iOS and iPadOS devices, with Safari (Latest version bundled with the OS)

More Information at "Help and Devices".

HDMI

Connect your PC to the TV using an HDMI cable.

Streaming via Apple AirPlay

Using an iOS device or a Mac with a current Safari browser, videos can be transferred TVs via Apple AirPlay. Both devices must be on the same Wi-Fi network to do this. Start playing the movie on the iOS device or Mac in the browser, and then click the AirPlay icon and select the AirPlay-enabled device.

Please note: Screen synchronization in the control center of iOS is not supported for copy protection reasons.

Streaming via Google Chromecast

Using a mobile device or a PC with the latest Chrome browser, videos can be transferred to TVs with built-in Chromecast or Chromecast sticks installed on TVs. To make this work, both devices must be on the same Wi-Fi. Start playing the movie on the mobile device or in the browser of the PC, and then click the Cast icon and select the Chromecast device.

Please note: Screen mirroring from smartphones is not supported for copy protection reasons.

More Information at "Help and devices".

If available, you can switch language and subtitles in the player. Start the film first. At the bottom right you will find a small cogwheel. Click on it, a selection menu appears. Under "Audio Track" select the desired language and under "Subtitles" the subtitles.

If there are subtitles, you can set the size, color and font directly in the player:

– First, start the film

– At the bottom right you will find a cogwheel. Click on it, and a selection menu will appear

– Next to the menu item "Subtitle" there is another cogwheel. Click on it and change the desired settings

There are individual films in which the subtitles are "burned" directly into the picture. It is not possible to change the settings in these cases. 

The watermark cannot be hidden.

Since the films on DokfestOnline are protected and are only shown within a limited time frame, we use a watermark so that any unlawful distribution or illegal copies become traceable.

Our film program is geo-blocked and can only be watched in Germany.

Only professional accreditations are exempt from geo-blocking.

The licenses for films in different countries are given by different copyright owners.

Although we strive to make the films available to accredited individuals and team members worldwide, this is sometimes not possible due to complicated legal issues.

Normally, the films are at least available in Germany.

The film program on our portal is generally rated 18+. The exception to this are films from the junges dokfest program, which are recommended for ages 14 and up. To ensure compliance with the requirements of the Interstate Treaty on the Protection of Minors in the Media (JMStV), registration on our platform is only possible by stating the date of birth. If the age falls below the age rating of the rating for a film, the film cannot be played by the user.

You can also enter a PIN in your customer account. Films from age 18 and above can then only be played by entering the PIN.