The 40 most popular german family movies, ranked. Click any film for ratings, reviews, trailers, and where to watch.


Monster Mia
2026 · 1h 22m · AT
12-year-old Mia and her scruffy pet rat Quentin are sent to the mysterious Rotwood Academy after one too many problems at school. The new school gives her the creeps, and Mia needs to figure a way out before the students realize she isn't a monster like them! But the vice principal Van Vlad hosts a particular dislike for humans, and Mia is scared he has seen through her act...


The NeverEnding Story
1984 · 1h 41m · DE
While hiding from bullies in his school's attic, a young boy discovers the extraordinary land of Fantasia, through a magical book called The Neverending Story. The book tells the tale of Atreyu, a young warrior who, with the help of a luck dragon named Falkor, must save Fantasia from the destruction of The Nothing.


Heidi
2015 · 1h 51m · DE
Heidi, is an eight-year-old Swiss orphan who is given by her aunt to her mountain-dwelling grandfather. She is then stolen back by her aunt from her grandfather to live in the wealthy Sesemann household in Frankfurt, Germany as a companion to Klara, a sheltered, disabled girl in a wheelchair. Heidi is unhappy but makes the best of the situation, always longing for her grandfather.


Welcome to Smelliville
2021 · 1h 25m · BE
The Oggly family arrive at the municipal rubbish dump of Smelliville and must look for a new home, but they never feel really welcome anywhere. They stink and are for most humans just a tad too oggly. When Firebottom, the family dragon, crash-lands on the run-down rubbish tip of the small town of Smelliville, the Ogglies at once feel at home. And it's here they want to stay.


Pets United
2019 · 1h 29m · DE
When Roger (a Robin Hood-esque, stray dog) and Belle (an elegant yet spoilt pet cat) are thrown together amidst the chaos of a robot take-over of their home city, they must push all their preconceptions aside in order to survive, as they embark on a high-stakes, action-packed adventure.


Momo
2025 · 1h 33m · DE
Momo is a young orphan girl who lives in the ruins of an old Roman amphitheater and becomes friends with everybody in the neighborhood. But when a powerful international corporation starts stealing everybody’s time, nobody has any time left for her, let alone their friends or families. Momo, together with Master Hora, the custodian of time, are the only ones who can go up against the time thieves before all is lost forever.


The Amazing Maurice
2022 · 1h 33m · BE
Maurice is a streetwise ginger cat who comes up with a money-making scam by befriending a group of self-taught talking rats. When Maurice and the rodents meet a bookworm called Malicia, their little con soon goes down the drain.


Treasure Island
1972 · 1h 34m · UK
Young Jim Hawkins finds himself serving with pirate captain Long John Silver in search of a buccaneer's treasure, in this short adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale.


The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter
1990 · 1h 30m · DE
Once again, Bastian is transported to the world of Fantasia which he recently managed to save from destruction. However, the land is now being destroyed by an evil sorceress, Xayide, so he must join up with Atreyu and face the Emptiness once more.


Monster Family
2017 · 1h 33m · UK
The Wishbone family are far from happy. In an attempt to reconnect as a family, they plan a fun night out. However, the plan backfires when they are cursed and all turned into Monsters.


Grand Prix of Europe
2025 · 1h 38m · DE
Edda, a young mouse and the daughter of fairground operator Erwin, dreams of becoming a race car driver. Ahead of the 50th anniversary of the European Grand Prix, Edda gets the opportunity to meet her idol, racing star Ed, and to help her father save his failing business. But to do so, she'll have to get behind the wheel herself.


The Goose Girl
1971 · CH
Once upon a time, a young princess set out for a distant kingdom with her maid and her faithful, talking horse, Fallada, to marry the young prince. But along the way, the deceitful maid turns against her mistress, steals her clothes and identity, and takes her place as the princess. Thus, the wicked maid arrives at the royal court as the supposed bride, while the true princess, dressed in a servant’s clothes, is forced to tend the geese. But Kürdchen, the young goose herder, soon notices something very special about his new companion: whenever she makes her hair, the goose girl can command the wind! When the old king learns of this, he sets out to uncover the truth! A short film produced by Ullstein AV for distribution through the Foto-Quelle catalog of the period, based on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale.


Niko: Beyond the Northern Lights
2024 · 1h 25m · DK
Niko the reindeer joins his father in Santa's Flying Forces, but when Santa's sleigh is stolen by an acquaintance, Niko must find it in time for Christmas.


Dragon Rider
2020 · 1h 40m · BE
An unlikely trio of heroes – a dragon, a boy and a forest brownie – embark on an epic adventure to find the “Rim of Heaven” - the mythological safe haven for all dragons.


A Stork's Journey
2017 · 1h 25m · BE
Orphaned at birth and raised by storks, teenage sparrow Richard believes he is one of them. But when time comes to migrate to Africa, his stork family is forced to reveal his true identity and leave him behind in the forest, since he is not a migratory bird and would not survive the journey. Determined to prove he is a stork after all, Richard ventures south on his own. But only with the help of Olga, an eccentric owl with an imaginary friend and Kiki, a narcissistic, disco-singing parakeet, does he stand a chance to reach his goal and learn to accept who he really is.


Happily N'Ever After
2007 · 1h 27m · DE
An alliance of evil-doers, led by Frieda, looks to take over Fairy Tale Land. But when Ella realizes her stepmother is out to ruin her storybook existence, she takes a dramatic turn and blossoms into the leader of the resistance effort.


Woodwalkers
2024 · 1h 43m · AT
Humans who can shapeshift into animals struggle to integrate with others without revealing their special abilities. As a group, they strive to inform and institute change in the perspective of deforestation and the importance of natural habitats. However, when that cannot happen, they're forced to take matters into their own hands.


Holidays in Tyrol
1956 · 1h 40m · DE
10-year-old Rosmarin von Stetten lives with his widowed father Robert in the big city. During the holidays one day in the morning Rosmarin goes to the lake near the castle and meets Thymian, the poorest boy of the village, whose mother did not come back from the war and who has to do several jobs in the village for his living. The boys enter a boat, but both fall into the lake. Thymian crawls out of the water first and is found by a servant from the castle, who thinks he is Rosmarin and bring him to the castle and to bed. The boy doesn't know what happens and thinks he's spellbound...


Animals United
2010 · 1h 33m · DE
A group of animals waiting for the annual flood they rely on for food and water discover that the humans, who have been destroying their habitats have built a dam for a leisure resort. The animals endeavour to save the delta and send a message to the humans not to interfere with nature.


Windstorm
2013 · 1h 45m · DE
While spending the summer at her grandmother's farm, a girl discovers a talent for communicating with horses and tries to tame a fierce stallion.


Latte and the Magic Waterstone
2019 · 1h 29m · BE
When a greedy bear steals a magic stone to keep the forest’s water for himself, a brave hedgehog and a timid squirrel must work together to retrieve it.


The 7th Dwarf
2014 · 1h 27m · DE
Seven clumsy dwarfs try to undo the spell they unwillingly unleashed and save the fairy tales world with the help of a tired dragon and a butterfly. The evil witch Dellamorta cursed princess Rose when she was a baby. Before she turns 18, Rose will get stung in the finger by a sharp object and she and the whole castle will fall into a hundred year long sleep unless her true love would kiss her. The night before her birthday she sends her bf Jack to the 7 dwarfs, who live behind the 7 mountains to hide until after Rose has turned 18. Unfortunately he gets lost and captured by Dellamorta's dragon Burner. So at the party, Rose gets stung in the finger, and everyone falls into deep sleep. Everyone but the 7 dwarfs of course who will go on a journey to save Jack so he can save Rose.


My Name is Niki
1952 · 1h 41m · DE
Winnie is desperate and doesn't know what to do next. She is about to marry her lover Paul, who has returned from war captivity. Both want to emigrate to America short after marriage. But the young woman has an illegitimate one-and-a-half-year-old son, whom she has kept secret from her fiancé. The short-tempered Paul would never understand that. When she is on her way to the orphanage, the grumpy senior civil servant Hieronymus Spitz and his little dog Tobby get into her train compartment. After a short observation, Winnie is certain that the misantrope actually has a good heart, because he lovingly takes care of his dog. Without further ado she leaves little Niki with the tax accountant and disappears from the train. Only a note with a request remains. The overwhelmed old gentleman initially wants to get rid of the child, but then takes it home and takes care of it together with his housekeeper. Both take the bundle of joy to their hearts. But then everything turns out differently.


Luis and the Aliens
2018 · 1h 26m · BE
11-year-old Luis makes friends with three loveable little aliens, who crash their UFO into his house. In return for Luis' help in finding the home-shopping channel stuff they came for, they save Luis from boarding school - and an exciting adventure follows.


Momo
1986 · 1h 41m · DE
Momo is a young orphan girl who lives in the ruins of an old Roman amphitheater and becomes friends with everybody in the neighborhood. But when a powerful international corporation starts stealing everybody’s time, nobody has any time left for her, let alone their friends or families. Momo, together with Master Hora, the custodian of time, are the only ones who can go up against the time thieves before all is lost forever.


Zwischen uns
2022 · 1h 26m · DE
Eva is struggling to live happily with her autistic son Felix. The two are inseparable, but Felix's frequent outbursts of anger, the constant problems at school and his fear of strangers are almost impossible for Eva to cope with. One day when Felix accidentally seriously injured Eva, suddenly nothing is the same as it used to be.


Alles für meine Tochter
2013 · 1h 30m · DE
Teacher Ines and journalist Boris have been happily married for 14 years. But Ines suffers from her childlessness. Then she is confronted with a chapter of her life that has displaced her for many years: In a new student she recognizes her daughter, who she had released after adoption for adoption. Since Boris knows nothing about it, Ines can only trust her best friend Simone. Against her advice, she also seeks in private the proximity to the unsuspecting student. In doing so, she finds herself in a conflict between her responsibility as a teacher and her growing motherly feelings.


Panda Bear in Africa
2024 · 1h 34m · DK
A young adventurous panda travels from China to Africa to rescue his best friend, Jielong the Dragon, who has been kidnapped. On his journey, he discovers a strange amazing new world of mountains, deserts and jungles.


Night Forest
2021 · 1h 36m · DE
Paul leaves home with his best friend Max on the first day of summer vacation. Following in the footsteps of Paul’s missing father, the boys venture into the forest of the Swabian Alb and into a mysterious cave. For the first time in their lives, they truly feel carefree surrounded by forest and mountains. But the adventure challenges that await them are much bigger than they thought.


Heimat
2012 · 1h 31m · DE
Zsuzsi and Sàndor are well-integrated foreigners: successful at work, the children healthy, their own house freshly made. But it does not work in bed anymore. A couple therapy could help. It quickly becomes clear that the happiness of the Barabássy couple is only seemingly perfect. Sàndor's dreams are too big and too materialistic, Zsuzsi's longing too indefinite to be satisfied. Luckily, Zsuzsi's mother in distant Budapest does not know about all this. Zsuzsi and her often talk on the phone - the only opportunity to exchange their native language. That changes when Zsuzsi's old friend Rita turns up unexpectedly with her boyfriend Istvan to shoot a documentary about Hungary abroad. All at once, the home is so close and your own husband so far away.


Lassie Come Home
2020 · 1h 40m · DE
12-year-old Florian and his beloved dog Lassie live in an idyllic village in the German countryside. When Florian's father loses his job, the family have to move into a small apartment where there are no dogs allowed. Lassie is given away to another family, but Florian and Lassie yearn to be reunited again so Florian sets out on an adventure to find his best friend.


The Magic Flute
2022 · 2h 5m · DE
A seventeen year old travels from London to the Austrian Alps to attend the legendary Mozart boarding school. There, he discovers a centuries-old forgotten passageway into the fantastic world of Mozart's "The Magic Flute".


The NeverEnding Story III
1994 · 1h 35m · DE
A young boy must restore order when a group of bullies steal the magical book that acts as a portal between Earth and the imaginary world of Fantasia.


Impy's Island
2006 · 1h 27m · DE
On a magical tropical island, a fun-loving group of misfit animals and people discover a baby dinosaur frozen since prehistoric times. When a king from a faraway country vows to capture the loveable baby dino for his private collection, all the inhabitants must join together to save their new friend.


Moonbound
2021 · 1h 21m · AT
When Peter sets out on a magical journey to rescue his little sister Anne, he needs to travel to mysterious territory: the Moon! Anne was kidnapped by the evil Moon Man when she tried to help the beetle Mr. Zoomzeman in search for his wife. On his fantastic adventure, Peter lands on the Star Meadow where he meets the sleepy Mr. Sandman. He knows, only at the Night Fairy’s dinner in the castle in the clouds, they can find out where Anne is – but there aren’t enough seats for everyone. So they join the wild race along the Milky Way against the five Spirits of Nature: Storm Giant, Lightning Witch, Henry Hail, Rainy Robin and Mother Frost…


Mother Hulda
1971 · DE
Once upon a time, a widow had two daughters: the lazy and wicked Blackmarie, her own beloved child, and the hardworking and kind Blondmarie, her despised stepdaughter. One day, Blondmarie—who was made to do all the housework—drops her spindle into the well, which had become stained with blood. When she leaps in after it, she finds herself in Mother Hulda’s otherworldly realm. There, Blondmarie diligently shakes out the old woman’s bedding, making it snow all over the world, and helps her with the housework. As a reward, Mother Hulda showers her with gold. Envious of her stepsister’s newfound wealth, Blackmarie then jumps into the well and enters Mother Hulda’s service. But laziness has its just reward! A short film produced by Ullstein AV for distribution through the Foto-Quelle catalog of the period, based on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale.


Bibi & Tina
2014 · 1h 40m · DE
Bibi Blocksberg visits her friend Tina Martin at the riding stables during the summer vacation. This year there is to be a special horse race organized by Count Falko. However, the two friends run into trouble when Sophia von Gelenberg from an elite boarding school at Falkenstein Castle, a participant and close acquaintance of the house, arrives and tries to steal Tina's boyfriend Alexander. The shady businessman Hans Kakmann is also up to no good, and it's not just the foal Socrates, known as "Socke", he's after. Bibi tries to save Alex and Tina's relationship on the one hand and expose Kakmann's business practices on the other. But even witchcraft can't prevent her from turning everyone against her, Count Falko enrolling his son in boarding school and Kakman offering to buy the foal "Socke".


Richard the Stork and the Mystery of the Great Jewel
2023 · 1h 24m · BE
Richard, a sparrow adopted by a stork family, is wintering at the Great Lake in Northern Africa. When he realises that he won’t be the one to lead his flock back North, Richard decides to travel on his own and crosses paths with Samia and her sparrow flock, who are being held captive by evil marabous under the control of greedy peacock Zamano. The only chance of freedom for the sparrows is to solve a riddle and find the Great Jewel, which will call upon teamwork, trust and most of all- spork (sparrow + stork) skills.


Bibi Blocksberg
2002 · 1h 42m · DE
Elation in Neustadt: by the means of a little witching, Bibi Blocksberg saved two kids from burning to death. While her mother Barbara, a witch of flesh and blood herself, is very proud of her daughter, father Bernhard, overworked and stressed, disapproves greatly of her supernatural antics. Then Bibi gets a message from Walpurgia, the senior witch: she is going to receive her crystel ball, that will make a "real" witch of her, early. Proudly, Bibi jumps up her broom to fly to the Blocksberg, the witches' headquarters. But Rabia, one of the few evil witches, aging in misery and with a secret, begrudges her all the glory...and her youth. And so Rabia sets off events that will soon make Bibi's life fall into pieces.


Schwarzwaldmelodie
1956 · DE
No overview available
German cinema's two great periods bookend the century: Weimar-era Expressionism, whose shadows and angles built the visual grammar of horror and noir, and the New German Cinema of the 1970s under Fassbinder, Herzog, and Wenders.
Family films are made to work for two audiences at once, which is a harder brief than it sounds. The enduring ones layer real emotional stakes under the accessibility.