Congress Future German Cinema / Forum Europe

Rethinking film politics – that is the central concern as written in the Frankfurt Positions on the Future of German Cinema. The paper, which advertises a thorough restoration of the German film systems, is public since the 11th LICHTER Filmfest. It is the conclusion of the congress “Zukunft Deutscher Film” that took place during the festival. Now, a sequel is planned with new questions. Like this, the German film funding practice is put into a new European context with the “Forum Europa”.

In this forum, central topics such as film funding, production, financing, use, training and trainees, diversity, filmeducation as well as the influence of repressive politics will be discussed and reflected. We aim to create a space for alternatives concepts, suggestions and new approaches in addition to critical analysis and reflection of given circumstances. A “lived” Europe, to us, means that national film politics and film culture need to think about and further support European connectedness

As a first step, we have invited representatives from a number of European countries to an exchange of minds, a “Think Tank” that aimed to discuss the similarities and differences between the respective national practices in roundtable sessions.

Our original plan was to hold the second congress “Zukunft Deutscher Film” during this year’s Lichter Filmfest. Due to the Corona pandemic, this would only be possible under massive restrictions, which led to the decision to move the congress to late summer, should the current situation allow.

As part of the festival, our fourth roundtable for the congress preparations is taking place. In this public online-event we shine a light on the future of film culture and the future of cinema with guests from different European countries.

Additionally, there will be more online-events during the festival. You can find more information on this and our congress “Zukunft Deutscher Film” on our website and social media platforms.

The previous roundtables:

Round Table 1

Film politics: Funding, Financing and Markets (11.12.2020)

Moderation: Martin Hagemann (Professor for Film- and Television Production, Filmuniversität Babelsberg Konrad Wolf member of the board of the Deutsche Filmakademie)

Participants:

Ido Abram (Director SEE NL & Deputy Director at Eye Filmmuseum), Netherlands; Amra Baksic-Camo (Producer SCCA/pro.ba; head of CineLink / Sarajevo Film Festival), Bosnia-Herzegovina; Stavroula Geronimaki (Greek Film Centre/Hellenic Film Commission), Greece; Jens Meurer (Producer Egoli Tossell Pictures / Instant Film), Germany; Ada Solomon (Producer Hi Film, Member of the Board of the European Film Academy), Romania; Julio Talavera (European Audiovisual Observatory), France; Antonio Saura (Managing Director Latido Films, Sales; Member of the Board of the European Film Academy), Spain

Round Table 2

Film Education (29.01.2021)

Moderation:

Anna de Paoli (Producer „Schattenkante Filmproduktion“, managing lecturer DFFB, Film macht Schule)

Participants: Matthieu Bakolas (Quai10); Belgium, Karolina Dačkutė (Lithuanian Film Centre), Lithuania, Charlotte Giese (Danish Film Institute); Denmark, Leopold Grün (Vision Kino); Germany, Radka Hoffmanová (Youngfilmfest); Czechia, Simone Moraldi (University of Roma Tre); Italy, Mark Reid (British Film Institute); England

Round Table 3

Film Training (29.01.2021)

Moderation:

Svenja Böttger (CEO and head of the Filmfestival Max Ophüls Preis)

Participants:

Femi Kolade (London Film School, Head of Studies), England; Anna Huth (Kieslowski Film School Katowice, Vice-Director), Poland; Anders Rune (Stockholm Film School, Director), Sweden; Amos Geva (T-Port), Israel and more.