There is at least one film festival every day and every week of the year taking place somewhere in the world. But nowhere is film more often celebrated than in the heart of the film industry, in Hollywood. And this is not just the case for U.S. films but for an international array of works from around the world. Early October belonged to German and German-speaking projects during the German Currents Festival at the historic Egyptian Theater. The Goethe-Institut Los Angeles and the American Cinematheque organized the 9th Annual Festival of German Film Los Angeles with a selection of current German cinema, including features, documentaries and short films. On opening night the gala screening of Wir sind jung. Wir sind stark (We are young. We are strong) was attended by director Burhan Qurbani. Guests included fellow directors Uli Edel, Klaus Maeck, Frauke Finsterwalder, Dominique Schilling and Tom Keegan, composers Reinhold Heil, Paul Haslinger, Kim Planert, Nicolas Neidhardt and Edwin Wendler, and actors Christian Oliver, Nina Rausch, Kristina Klebe, Vanessa Eichholz, Jim Boeven, Qorianka Kilcher, Alice Amter, Rudolf Martin, Patricia Lueger, Thure Riefenstein and Nina Franoszek. In addition to the screenings, there were Q&As with directors, composers and actors as well as a free children’s matinee, showing Rico, Oskar und die Tieferschatten (The Pasta Detectives). Feature presentations included the stylish and exceptionally timely fast-paced cyber thriller Who am I – Kein System ist sicher (Who Am I – No System Is Safe) and the dark comedy about global economics, Zeit der Kannibalen (Age of Cannibals). Dora oder die sexuellen Neurosen unserer Eltern (Dora Or The Sexual Neuroses Of Our Parents) is based on Lukas Bärfuss’ challenging play and was the second to last film shown Sunday night. The closing night film came from Austria: Gruber Geht (Gruber is Leaving), an adaptation of columnist Doris Knecht’s best-selling novel about an arrogant man who is forced to change when a bad medical diagnosis sends him on self-finding journey. One of Germany’s most famous directors, Roland Emmerich, was honored with a tribute during the Filmmakers Brunch at the Goethe-Institut. Emmerich is, of course, known for action/adventures such as Independence Day, Stargate, and White House Down, to name a few. He recently wrapped Independence Day: Resurgence. Elisabeth Sereda