Chief Guest: Volkan Baran, MdL
We are honored to welcome Volkan Baran, Member of the State Parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia (Landtag NRW), as our Chief Guest. Directly elected to represent Dortmund II, Mr. Baran serves as the Deputy Chairman of the parliamentary Committee for Culture and Media, as well as the SPD spokesperson for integration policy. Throughout his political career, he has been a steadfast advocate for cultural diversity, democratic values, and social cohesion. His presence highlights our shared commitment to empowering diverse storytelling and celebrating independent cinema across North Rhine-Westphalia

The NRW Film Festival is proud to announce Tom Barcal as our esteemed Guest of Honour. We are honored to welcome a distinguished actor whose career spans acclaimed television productions, international cinema, and musical theatre.

Tom Barcal is a German actor best known for his iconic role as Marc “Keule” Schneider in the RTL series Alles was zählt, in which he appeared in more than 1,000 episodes between 2006 and 2011. His powerful screen presence and authentic performances quickly made him a familiar face to millions of viewers.

Kais Setti is a German-Tunisian actor based in Cologne, known for his strong screen presence and versatility across theatre, film, and television. He has performed on major European stages, including the renowned Burgtheater Vienna, where he developed a solid foundation in both classical and contemporary theatre.

He gained wider recognition through international productions such as Dogs of Berlin and the Netflix feature film Blood Red Sky, one of the most successful German films released worldwide. Kais is also a familiar face in German television, particularly in crime dramas and series, where his performances are marked by authenticity and emotional depth.