News, 09.02.2026
Attention: Trigger Warning?
Introduction of Content Notes
Achtung Triggerwarnung?
The DIAMETRALE Film Festival understands itself as a space for the experimental, the comic, and the absurd. These elements are explored and represented artistically in many different ways. In doing so, it can always happen that content is disturbing, unappealing, or interpreted differently than originally intended. What exactly may be unsettling varies from person to person.
In recent years, the practice of so-called “trigger warnings” has become established in popular culture and, consequently, in films and film festivals. Trigger warnings usually issue very general alerts, for example about depictions of violence. The stated trigger is intended to protect people from experiencing flashbacks, that is, from a “reactualization of a traumatic situation.” However, this approach is problematic because it promotes a simplified and often inaccurate understanding of trauma and trauma processing, operating outside scientific, psychosocial, and therapeutic standards. One positive aspect of this discourse is the increased recognition of the vulnerability of individuals and marginalized groups, but this comes at the cost of blurring the clinical concept of trauma.
In practice, warnings are often phrased very vaguely, such as “Attention: Trigger Warning” or “Attention: Sexualized Violence.” It remains unclear who is warning whom about which content or which situations. In addition, such warnings often assume that people with experiences of violence are inherently “triggered” by violence itself.
At this point, it is worth examining the origins of these terms and the contexts in which they are used, rather than adopting them uncritically. In psychology, a trigger is understood as “something” that evokes a traumatic experience in a person. However, triggers are entirely individual, usually unconscious, and may—but do not have to—be directly related to the traumatic experience. They can include specific smells, sounds, situations, or environments.
This individuality makes it ultimately impossible to offer comprehensive protection in the context of film screenings, as one cannot know whether, for example, a particular piece of music might provoke a flashback for someone. Warning generally about violence assumes that violence itself is inherently triggering. Focusing on specific situations, on the other hand, defines—externally and prescriptively—what counts as a trigger for those affected and what does not. Some interpretations even assume that individual words or images are not merely triggers but can themselves cause trauma, leading to demands that all confrontation be avoided. This would ultimately imply complete isolation.
Furthermore, it should be considered that trigger warnings can unintentionally produce paradoxical effects: they may provoke anxiety in some people, spark curiosity in others—including those affected—or lead to a nocebo effect. Comparable to the placebo effect, the nocebo effect can cause the trigger warning itself to induce anxiety. The warning creates negative expectations, which then become a self-fulfilling prophecy: I am afraid that I will become afraid.
So what does this mean for our practice as a film festival?
› Drawing on established psychotherapeutic practice, we pursue a constructivist approach. Instead of issuing general content warnings, we aim to offer concrete suggestions and to illustrate our perspective.
› Anyone who feels uncertain about certain topics might consider not watching films alone, but together with trusted friends. This also creates the opportunity to exchange thoughts afterward. At our screenings, it is always possible to leave the cinema at any time.
› We consciously avoid terms such as “attention” or “warning” and instead strive to provide more precise descriptions and contextual notes when film titles do not already speak for themselves. We also see a responsibility on the part of visitors to seek out information in advance if they know they are sensitive to certain topics.
› Finally, we would like to emphasize that we understand film as a political medium. For us, this also means enabling emotional challenges, stepping outside comfort zones, and stimulating debate so that social issues can be discussed collectively.
At the same time, in order to be able to point out ambivalent content or intense film effects (such as stroboscopic lighting), we have decided to introduce content notes (inspired by the Crossing Europe Film Festival in Linz). These take the form of a numerical system that indicates topics such as sexualized violence, discrimination, or drug use. The advantage of this system is that each individual can decide for themselves whether or not to consult the accompanying legend to see which topics a particular number refers to.
Please note: this list of topics does not claim to be objective or universally valid. Nor does it guarantee completeness.
This text is based on professional expertise and experience in psychosocial work. The following literature and links were also consulted.
Sources:
› Bete, Shotko: Psychologie über Triggerwanungen: Anmaßend, weil fremdbestimmend 2023-01-27: Online unter ( https://taz.de/Psychologe-ueber-Triggerwarnungen/!5907830/)[https://taz.de/Psychologe-ueber-Triggerwarnungen/!5907830/] , 01.02.2026
› Rondot, Sarah: Wie sinnvoll sind Triggerwarnungen? o.Z. Online unter: ( https://www.swr.de/wissen/1000-antworten/wie-sinnvoll-sind-triggerwarnungen-100.html)[https://www.swr.de/wissen/1000-antworten/wie-sinnvoll-sind-triggerwarnungen-100.html] , 01.02.2026
› O.A. Triggerwarnungen in den Medien verfehlen laut Studien oft ihren Zweck: 2023-01-11 Online unter: ( https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/triggerwarnungen-in-den-medien-verfehlen-laut-studien-oft-ihren-zweck-100.html)[https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/triggerwarnungen-in-den-medien-verfehlen-laut-studien-oft-ihren-zweck-100.html] , 01.02.2026
› Berendsen Eva; Cheema Saba-Nur; Mendel Meron (Hg): Trigger Warnung. Identitäspolitik zwischen Abwehr, Abschottung und Allianzen: Zweite Auflage, 2019 Berlin.