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This website predominantly reflects current research results pertaining to the German film festival landscape. Growing international interest has prompted us to also offer the contents successively in English. We appreciate your understanding, should you encounter any content that is still only in German.
Many thanks for your interest, The filmfestival-studien.de Team

A number of discussion events focus on the crisis of cinema at the Leipzig Film Art Fair (in German)

Die großen Herausforderungen, denen sich das Kino neben seiner strukturellen Krise all den weiteren Bedrohungen wie einer Herbst-Corona-Welle, den explodoierenden Energiekosten, dem gewandelten Publikumsverhalten stellen muss, stehen im zentrum zahlreicher Diskussionsveranstaltungen auf der Filmkunstmesse Leipzig, die zeitgleich kostenlos auch online begeleitet werden. Darunter finden sich:Panel: Investition in die Zukunft: Energiesparmaßnahmen im Kino finanzierenam Dienstag 20.09.22, um 12:00 bis 13:30 UhrPeter Dinges (Vorstand der FFA)Konrad Nickel (Energieberater des GIH)Christian Pfeil (Kinobetreiber

Hauptverband Cinephilie publishes position paper on film education

While educational work on art and culture in Germany is largely one of the tasks of „cultural institutions (theaters, museums, orchestras …) and educational institutions (schools, universities, music schools, etc. …), film education to date is largely based on the commitment of film and cinema activists, often at municipal cinemas, non-profit film institutions and film festivals. The accompanying desideratum is all the more apparent since „the 20th and early 21st

Expert on cinema structure in MV calls for continuation of special federal fund for cultural events

Against the background of rapidly rising costs not only in the context of the energy crisis, Fabian Liebenow, responsible for Strategic Cinema Planning at FILMLAND MV, emphasizes, „The energy crisis hits the cinemas completely through no fault of their own. They continue to be strongly affected economically by the pandemic. (…) Now they are in a situation that, without government support from the state and federal government, will ensure that

Cultural institutions such as movie theaters face temporary closures due to energy savings

According to the President of the German Association of Districts, District Administrator Reinhard Sager, it is to be expected that the burden on municipalities due to the sharp rise in gas and electricity prices will lead to severe cuts in voluntary services such as the financing and promotion of culture and voluntary initiatives. Olaf Zimmermann, executive director of the German Cultural Council, states: „If we don’t counteract this, we’re heading

21 million euros for mobility of cultural workers

The Commission, in cooperation with the Goethe-Institut, promotes the mobility of artists and cultural workers. The corresponding agreement provides for a budget of 21 million euros. Over a period of three years, up to 7000 grants are to be awarded; it is the largest EU-funded measure for individual artists to date. For more information see here.

Film festivals and world sales – Signing of Memorandum of Understanding and Guide of Good Practices

Against the background of the intensive interaction between the film festival sector and the world sales companies, the Network Europa Film Festivals and the World Sales Association Europa International have for the first time developed a guide of good practices, which describes the responsibilities as well as the services of both parties in more detail and which will also serve as a manual for the daily work in the future.The

New Network of European Film Festivals

After the regrettable end of the Coordination of European Film Festivals, a new association of European Film Festivals was founded (already working together since 2020). Originating from the project of the Capital of Culture Galway 2020 called „Peripheral Visions“, it still consists just of 12 member festivals. The aim of the network is to promote the exchange of information, strategies and styles of interaction between festivals. With a commitment to

Independent cinema production landscape in the UK under extreme pressure

On behalf of BFI, an analysis by Alma Economics was recently published that paints a bleak picture of the independent cinema production landscape in the UK.The study identifies three drivers in particular that are putting independent cinema producers under extreme pressure: Firstly, the steadily decreasing revenues from theatrical exploitation as well as the home entertainment market, the significantly increased costs due to the corona measures for filming and the shortage

Success concepts for the cinema of today from the CinemaVision Conference

After the future conference CinemaVision 2030 of the three German cinema associations HDF Kino e.V., AG Kino – Gilde deutscher Filmkunsttheater e.V. and BkF Bundesverband kommunale Filmarbeit e.V. im Juni in Berlin, the recordings of the contributions of the international speakers as well as the panel discussions have now been made available online. Numerous best practice examples from Europe, the USA and China provide valuable insights into special concepts for

Curating in times of war – One sees films with a pathos that justifies a war that cannot be justified.

The Cottbus film festival is regarded as one of the most important festivals of East European Cinema worldwide. In an interview, artistic director Bernd Buder outlines the responsible role of film festivals, especially in times of a changing political climate, and offers insights into his curatorial work today defined by the ongoing war: „As a festival, we always say we don’t just celebrate cinema, but cinema is also an instrument