What is the Initiative Zukunft Deutscher Film?

The LICHTER Filmfest has set itself the goal of reflecting intensively on what the future of German and European cinema could look like. We want to be a forum that discusses questions of film and cultural policy, critically reflects on the status quo, discusses relevant topics (such as film funding, production, financing, distribution, training and young talent and diversity) and develops alternative concepts, proposals and approaches.

Our wish is to analyze the current conditions, develop new perspectives and identify possible problems. Our aim is to support independent and ambitious films, to create or, if possible, expand artistic freedom and to preserve the cinema as a cultural venue, but also to rethink it. In this context, we also want to discuss restrictions on cultural and artistic freedom under the conditions of repressive politics and position ourselves clearly. We want to work on common (European) ideas and concepts and give different perspectives a voice. In addition, we hope that there are common hopes and wishes among many different ideas that can be bundled and focused.

In 2018, the "Future of German Film" congress was held in Frankfurt for the first time, which had a strong European perspective. During the 2019 Lichter Filmfest, we continued to discuss the relevant issues in various panels and discussion rounds. In various online rounds with participants from many European countries, we discussed topics such as film funding, film financing, training and young talent, and film education in thematic round tables.