SOVEREIGNINDEX

Graz, Austria

Diagonale

Austria's premier showcase for homegrown cinema

Tier 2
SovereignScore™
5.7/10

In plain English

Diagonale is Austria's national film festival, held annually in Graz, dedicated exclusively to Austrian cinema and co-productions with significant Austrian involvement. It serves as the definitive barometer of the country's film culture, drawing national press, broadcasters, and industry figures who are specifically scouting Austrian talent. Non-Austrian filmmakers should not submit, but Austrian directors and producers with any serious domestic ambition essentially must.

Score breakdown

SovereignScore™ dimensions

SovereignScore™
5.7/10
Prestige & Recognition6.0
Distribution Deals Made3.0
Submission ROI7.0
Filmmaker Experience8.0
Industry Attendance5.0

Great for

  • ✓ Providing unmatched visibility within the Austrian film industry, including ORF broadcasters, national distributors, and arts funders
  • ✓ Creating genuine peer-recognition and critical discourse around Austrian cinema through curated retrospectives and competitive sections
  • ✓ Connecting emerging Austrian filmmakers with decision-makers at the Austrian Film Institute and regional funding bodies

Not worth it if

  • ✗ Launching international careers or attracting significant foreign buyers — the audience is overwhelmingly domestic
  • ✗ Supporting non-Austrian or non-co-production work at any level; eligibility is strictly national
  • ✗ Generating the kind of deal-making or acquisition buzz that translates into broader European or global distribution

Best for these genres

Art-house dramaDocumentaryExperimental and essay filmShort film

Filmmaker tips

  1. Austrian premiere status matters — Diagonale strongly prioritizes films that have not screened publicly in Austria before, so time your domestic rollout accordingly
  2. Submit across categories if eligible; the short film and documentary sections are less competitive than features and carry real prestige within the local industry
  3. Attend in person — Graz is small, access to programmers, critics, and funders is genuinely informal, and face time here pays dividends for future Austrian funding applications

Notable alumni films

  • Goodnight Mommy (Ich seh Ich seh) — Severin Fiala & Veronika Franz (2014, featured prominently before international breakout)
  • The Robber (Der Räuber) — Benjamin Heisenberg (2010)
  • Kern — Peter Kern documentary work screened in retrospective
  • Soldiers. Story from Ferentari — shown in Austrian co-production context
  • Grenze — various Austrian short works premiered in competition

Submission details

Typical deadline
January
Festival month
March
Short submission fee
$0
Feature submission fee
$0

Compare with similar festivals

vs Sitges Fantastic Film Festivalvs NFTS Graduation Showcasevs Fantastic Festvs Visions du Réel Nyon

Before you submit

Ready to submit? Make sure your script is production-ready.

Festival strategy starts with knowing the festival — and having a finished film that meets its standards.

Read festival stories →