Each year (since 1960), around 100,000 spectators flock to the festival to watch screenings that are spread across a number of theaters in the historical center of Vienna.

The Viennale presents an international selection of films as well as Austrian titles presented as preview screenings or gala events. Particular attention is given to documentaries, international short films, and experimental works.

The closing night of the festival features the presentation of the FIPRESCI Prize, awarded by international film critics, the Cinema Prize from the City of Vienna, and an award given to actors by readers of the daily newspaper Der Standard.

This year, in addition to the French films included in the Official Selection—including the documentaries La Permanence, by Alice Diop, and The Father, the Son and the Holy Jihad, by Stéphane Malterre—a special tribute will be held in honor of Jacques Rivette in the presence of the director's favorite leading lady, Bulle Ogier, and his widow, Véronique Rivette.

Official Selection / Fiction

• Staying Vertical by Alain Guiraudie
• La Vallée close by Jean-Claude Rousseau
• Dark Diamond by Arthur Harari
• Things to Come by Mia Hansen-Løve
• Le Parc by Damien Manivel
• Personal Shopper by Olivier Assayas
• The Father, the Son and the Holy Jihad by Stéphane Malterre
• Planetarium by Rebecca Zlotowski
• In Bed with Victoria by Justine Triet
• The Death of Louis XIV by Albert Serra

Official Selection / Documentary

• La Permanence de Alice Diop
• The Competition de Claire Simon
• Ta'ang, un peuple en exil, entre Chine et Birmanie de Wang Bing
• Atlal de Djamel Kerkar
• The Father, the Son and the Holy Jihad de Stéphane Malterre
• Bienvenue à Madagascar de Franssou Prenant
• A Maid for Each de Maher Abi Samra
• Daft Punk Unchained de Hervé Martin-Delpierre
• Dans ma tête un rond-point de Hassen Ferhani
• Standing Men de Maya Abdul-Malak
• Don't Blink - Robert Frank de Laura Israel
• Eat That Question - Frank Zappa in His Own Words de Thorsten Schütte
• El Dorado XXI de Salomé Lamas
• The Frankenstein Complex de Alexandre Poncet, Gilles Penso
• The Challenge de Yuri Ancarani

Artistic delegation

• Niels Schneider, August Diehl and Arthur Harari for Dark Diamond
• Albert Serra for The Death of Louis XIV
• Alain Guiraudie for Staying Vertical
• Claire Simon for The Competition
• Olivier Assayas for Personal Shopper
• Virginie Efira for In Bed with Victoria
• Bulle Ogier for Jacques Rivette
• Rebecca Zlotowski for Planetarium
• Stéphane Malterre for The Father, the Son and the Holy Jihad
• Damien Manivel for Le Parc
• Alice Diop for La Permanence
• Jean-Claude Rousseau for La Vallée close