Since 2004, the Crossing Europe Film Festival Linz has devoted its program each year in April to idiosyncratic, contemporary and socio-political auteur cinema from Europe. The goal of the annual festival is to give various perspectives on contemporary European cinema. New forms of narrative or innovative artistic design also play a substantial role in the program selection, just as topical, socio-political themes or a confrontation with European reality characterize and enrich the program.

Central program tracks like the European Panorama and the Competition European Cinema (first or second feature film) with Euro 10,000 in prize money, Tributes (surveys of work by individual directors or filmmakers, including Matteo Garrone, Marc Recha, Ursula Maier etc.), and Specials (including films focusing on Working Worlds or from the realm of music and youth culture) have been permanent features of the program since the beginning of the festival. The same is true of the Nightline with musical live acts, which takes place every evening at the festival center OK, and the program section Local Artists, from which a regional film or video work is awarded with the Crossing Europe Award Local Artist with a total value of 6,000.- Euro. Subsequently the festival also introduced the Audience Award in 2006 and the Crossing Europe Award European Documentary in 2010.