Filmförderung Berlin Brandenburg

Filmförderung Berlin Brandenburg
Name	Filmförderung Berlin Brandenburg
Formation	2005
Type	Regional film fund
Headquarters	Berlin
Region served	Berlin and Brandenburg

Filmförderung Berlin Brandenburg is the principal regional film funding body serving the German states of Berlin and Brandenburg. It provides fiscal support, development aid, and infrastructure financing to feature films, documentaries, television productions, animation, and interactive media connected to the region. The agency operates at the intersection of regional cultural policy exemplified by institutions such as the Berliner Senat, the Landtag of Brandenburg, and national frameworks including the German Federal Film Fund and the German Motion Picture Fund.

History

Filmförderung Berlin Brandenburg was created through the merger of earlier regional initiatives influenced by policy debates involving the Berliner Filmförderfonds, the Filmförderung Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and funding models from the Bavarian Film Fund. Its formation followed negotiations among the Senate of Berlin, the Ministry of Science, Research and Culture (Brandenburg), and cultural stakeholders like the Deutsche Filmakademie and the Bundesverband Deutscher Film- und Fernsehproduzenten. The agency’s evolution parallels developments at major festivals such as the Berlinale and institutional shifts reflected in the history of DEFA. Over time it adapted practices seen at the British Film Institute, the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée, and the Nordic Film and TV Fund.

Organization and Governance

The fund is governed by a supervisory board composed of representatives from the Senate of Berlin, the Brandenburg Ministry of Science, Research and Culture, and cultural bodies like the Filmverband Brandenburg Berlin and the Kulturstiftung des Bundes. Operational leadership includes an executive director and program managers with backgrounds linked to training institutions such as the DFFB (Deutsche Film- und Fernsehakademie Berlin), the Filmuniversität Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF, and the European Film College. Advisory committees consult experts drawn from the Producers Alliance Germany, the Directors Guild of Germany, the Ver.di cultural section, and festival programmers from the Locarno Film Festival and IDFA.

Funding Programs and Grants

The fund administers production financing for projects in development, production, and post-production stages, mirroring schemes at the SWR Medienholding and the ZDF. Programs include incentives for international co-productions similar to those promoted by the Eurimages program, development grants modeled on the Creative Europe scheme, and post-production rebates reflecting practices at the National Film and Television School. Specific instruments are tailored to feature films, documentaries, television drama, animation, and digital media with eligibility rules referencing credits from unions such as the Bundesverband Schauspiel and the Film & TV Kamera. It collaborates with broadcasters including ARD, ZDF, RBB, and streaming platforms akin to Netflix and Amazon Prime Video for gap financing and pre-sales arrangements.

Notable Projects and Recipients

Recipients include filmmakers who have worked with institutions like the Berlinale Competition and producers affiliated to X Filme Creative Pool, UFA GmbH, and Studio Babelsberg. Projects supported range from arthouse features selected for the Venice Film Festival, winners at the European Film Awards, documentaries screened at the Sundance Film Festival, to series commissioned by Sky Deutschland. Notable directors and producers associated with funded projects include alumni of the DFFB, Filmuniversität Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF, and creative figures who have collaborated with actors represented by the Agentur für Film und Fernsehen and technicians from the Bundesverband Kamera. Films supported have participated in markets at the European Film Market, been acquired by distributors like Scherfig Distribution and Filmverleih, and received accolades such as the Lola (German Film Award) and prizes at the Rotterdam Film Festival.

Facilities and Services

The fund invests in regional infrastructure including sound stages at Studio Babelsberg, post-production suites comparable to those used by the DEFA-Studio, and equipment pools utilized by freelance crews from associations like the VFF (Verwertungsgesellschaft der Film- und Fernsehproduzenten). Support extends to training and residency schemes in partnership with the Babelsberg Film School, the Konrad Wolf Hochschule, and post-grad programs at the Hochschule für Schauspielkunst "Ernst Busch". It underwrites location services working with municipal agencies in Potsdam, Mitte (Berlin), and heritage sites preserved by Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg for period productions.

Impact on Regional Film Industry

By channeling finance into development, production, and infrastructure, the fund has strengthened the profile of Berlin and Brandenburg as production hubs alongside international centers such as London, Paris, and Los Angeles. Its interventions have increased employment for crews organized under unions like ver.di and the Deutsche Schauspielerinnen und Schauspieler Verband, boosted services provided by companies such as Studio Babelsberg AG, and stimulated the regional post-production sector comparable to growth seen in Vancouver and Toronto. The fund’s support has contributed to tourism around film-related sites, collaborations with cultural venues including the Deutsche Kinemathek, and curricular links to universities such as the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.

Partnerships and International Cooperation

The fund maintains partnerships with international bodies like Eurimages, bilateral co-production treaties involving countries represented at the European Film Market, and institutional links to festivals such as the Berlinale, Cannes Film Festival, and Toronto International Film Festival. It coordinates co-financing with national agencies including the British Film Institute, the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée, the Fonds Sud cinéma, and the Flanders Audiovisual Fund, and engages in exchange programs with academies like the La Fémis and the National Film and Television School (UK). Collaborative projects often involve broadcasters such as Arte and streaming partners including Mubi.

Category:Film organisations in Germany Category:Cinema of Berlin Category:Cinema of Brandenburg