Courtesy of Oldenburg Film Festival

While other film festivals focus on the commercial and mainstream —from the studios, the big independents and, increasingly, the big streaming platforms —Germany's Oldenburg International Film Festival continues to let its freak flag fly.

The event, which runs Sept. 11-Sept. 15 in the northern German city, prides itself on celebrating "true indie cinema," films that break new ground and push the medium forward.

This year's event — the 26th anniversary — is no different. The Hollywood Reporter has picked five films running in Oldenburg that break the rules, from a German Western starring recent refugees to a Spanish sci-fi spy thriller set in Ethiopia and MAGA drama that feels ripped from the headlines.