Country Focus: Germany
by Cineuropa
Articles, interviews, news, analysis on the German audiovisual sector.
Country profile: Germany
Stories about courage, love and lost memories supported by the FFHSH
The Hamburg-based film fund is backing new feature films by Fatih Akin, Sandra Nettelbeck and several newcomers
German-Danish Coproduction Development Initiative bears its first fruits
The green light has been given for co-production development support
German-French partnership strengthened by further funds
The CNC, the FFA and several regional film funds in Germany are launching new development funds
New co-development fund supports two film projects
The Dream Factory and Albertine are the first two titles to be supported under the new funding scheme that brings together the Netherlands Film Fund and the MDM Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung
Zentropa opens new German connection in Hamburg
CANNES 2015: Set up with DetailFilm’s Henning Kamm and Fabian Gasmia, Zentropa Hamburg will co-produce and “develop a slate of German content with great international appeal”
The FFHSH set to invest more than €5 million in 24 projects
Animated aliens, damaged dreams and ambitious adventures all feature in the movies that the Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein is backing
Territoriality is the basis for the profitability of film productions
The German Producers Alliance has issued a strong statement on the EU copyright reform plans
New development fund created for Dutch/German children’s films
The initiative reinforces the recently signed treaty between the two countries in order to enhance co-production schemes
The beginning of a wonderful friendship
The German-Dutch co-production treaty has been signed at the Berlinale
Fresh investment for French-German co-productions
New support programmes were announced at the French-German Film Meeting in Leipzig
The German arthouse audience is growing older
The Federal Film Board in Germany has presented its annual arthouse cinema report for 2013
Senator Entertainment and Wild Bunch plan to merge
The German and French distributors are looking to become a major independent player in Europe
FFF Bavaria: €3.55 million for seven features
The German regional fund is backing a comedy that crawls under Germans’ beds, the adaptation of a well-known illustrated children’s book, and the new films by Schweighöfer, Steinbichler and Groos
MEDIA in Germany: Seven years and €111 million
Support from the EU’s MEDIA programme saw great success in Germany between 2007 and 2013
FFHSH backs €3 million worth of film projects and distribution
The Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein is supporting film projects and distribution with more than €3 million
A fresh face for the European Film Market in Berlin
Matthijs Wouter Knol, programme manager of Berlinale Talents, has taken the top position at the EFM
Senator refocuses its strategy
The firm will invest more in production, start a talent academy and come up with cash prizes for the best concepts, while a bond of up to €10 million is to provide cash flow
Franco-German Commission contributes €820,000 to three projects
Studio Hamburg and ZDF Enterprises start distribution outlet
High market share for national films in Germany
Bernd Neumann: from minister to president
Bernd Neumann, former Minister for Culture and the Media, leads the German Federal Film Board
Germany: Federal Film Board gives a positive summary of 2013
The film fund supported the German film industry with more than 80 M€ with a third of the budget spent on production support
Independent German VPF Hub model becomes success story
After two years the first cinemas have already paid off their digital projection systems
FremantleMedia buys Denmark’s Miso Film to strengthen its Nordic position
Currently in production with 1864 – so far the largest Danish film and TV project – Danish producers Jonas Allen and Peter Bose sell 51% of their company to Germany’s Bertelsmann-RTL
Launch of new German distribution label Periscope Pictures
NFP marketing & distribution teams up with New York-based companies Submarine Entertainment and Dakota Group
A good first semester for German cinemas
The report published by the FFA for the first semester is positive, with record revenues and more than one quarter of the market share for German cinema
Germany: the end of analogue distribution
German distributor Concorde Film will deliver only DCPs to cinemas from August onwards
MEDIA funding in 2012: 15 million Euro for over 150 projects from Germany
In 2012, the MEDIA programme has awarded 15 million Euro to Germany, this amounts to 15,3% of the programme’s whole European funding budget
Almost €80 million for German film industry
International Film Guide 2012: Germany
A survey of the film culture and output in Germany published by the International Film Guide.
First semester sees lower admissions but increased takings thanks to 3D
The FFA (German film regulating body) has published figures for the first semester of 2010. While the number of admissions recorded between January and June 30 has fallen compared to last year’s first semester (60.4m compared to 64.9m – out of a population of almost 82m), takings have risen from €421.4m to €443.1m (showing a constant increase since 2007). This record result is largely due to 3D films, which have brought the average admission price up from €6.49 last year to €7.34 in 2010....
40% increase in film shoots in Bavaria
Measures aimed at attracting and providing more opportunities for film shoots in the federal state of Bavaria are starting to reap results. With 35 productions for film and 61 for TV, there has been a 40% increase in the number of productions compared to the same period the previous year. The different authorities set themselves some objectives in 2008 at the Munich Film Festival. Since then, a film permit office for shoots in the city of Munich has been set up, the network of locations in...
FFA publishes 2009 report
The FFA (German film regulating body) has published its report for 2009: €60.1m in funding was granted to the German film industry, i.e. around €11.5m less than the previous year. This is because debates about the film funding law created uncertainty and, during this latency period, companies with an obligation to invest in cinema felt discouraged from paying their contribution while this money wasn’t actually being reinvested in the industry as funding. The biggest share of subsidies was...
Germany - International Film Guide Survey 2010
A survey of the film culture and output in Germany published by the International Film Guide.
Germany 2009: Growth and disagreements
Germany can't fully take advantage of its growth in popularity and productions because of the disagreements between the exhibition industry and the German Film Institute.
Speculation grows about who will succeed Schmid-Ospach
Since the Filmstiftung NRW announced that its director, Michael Schmid-Ospach (64), will not renew his contract when it expires in March 2010, there has been much talk about who could take over the reins of one of Europe’s most influential regional audiovisual support funds, which had a budget of €36m in 2009. The names most bandied about as possible successors are Gebhard Henke, head of the TV drama, films and series division at WDR (Westdeutsche Rundfunk) and Petra Müller, director of...
FFA reveals positive figures for 2009
The German Film Promotion Institute FFA (Filmförderungsantalt) has given a positive verdict on the performance of the German film industry in 2009. During its annual press conference, on February 10, FFA director Peter Dinges gave a preview of figures to be published within six weeks. The most striking figure is the market share for domestic film, which reached 27.4% of a total of over 146m viewers, a level never before achieved in the recent history of German cinema. Compared to 2008, this...
€112,000 allocated for theatrical releases of German films abroad
In its third sitting of 2009, on September 23, the German Films Distribution Support awards committee decided to fund 15 foreign theatrical campaigns of 11 German films, for a total of €112,000. The following films and territories have been chosen: Everyone Else (Argentina, CIS territories/Baltic states) La Bohème (Denmark) John Rabe (Netherlands, Ukraine) Cherry Blossoms – Hanami (Denmark) Krabat (Spain) The Last Applause (Argentina) Friends Forever (France) Heavyweights (South Korea) Warum...
FFA announces Industry Tigers 2009 with Constantin on top
The FFA (German film regulating body) has announced its "Industry Tigers", awarded to the most dynamic producers and distributors and, as of this year, to the best short films. The top tiger of 2009 is unquestionably Constantin, which dominates the first two categories. The Tiger winners receive automatic support, which is awarded according to a points system taking into account the number of admissions, major festival selections and prizes garnered by each film. In total, the FFA has this...
Best first semester in five years
In the first semester of 2009, German theatres achieved the best results in five years. This shows not only that the box office is unaffected by the present economic situation but that cinema-going is even more popular in times of crisis. With 62.78m admissions and €409.54m in takings (according to Nielsen EDI), the good turnover recorded for the same period in 2006 was surpassed by 8.5%. Compared to the first semester of 2008, earnings rose by 18.5% and admissions by 4.4m. Johannes...
German Films releases 2008 report
The 2008 German Films report reveals that last year the agency spent €5.4m on marketing German films abroad. The largest budget item, the distribution support programme (for German titles abroad), was for €539,000. This programme was all the more successful as German cinema enjoyed a strong presence at international festivals, which are important showcases for reaching out to other territories. German Films spent €1.1m in supporting this presence. The participation of German film and TV...
FFA supports film industry to tune of €72.7m in 2008
According to a report published last week, in 2008, the German film regulating body FFA (Filmförderungsanstalt) had a total budget of €72.7m with which to support the film and video industry (compared to €71.3m the previous year). In all, €62.4m were allocated (i.e. €4.7m more than in 2007). Priority areas remain production support (€15.1m for 61 cinematic features) and the automatic support scheme Referenzförderung (€15.3m for 105 films). Distribution funding amounted to €10.3m, while...
German Films supports foreign releases of local films
In its second sitting of 2009, the Distribution Support awards committee of German Films allocated €63,000 in funding for the foreign theatrical releases of nine locala films. The supported films and their countries of release are: A Woman in Berlin (US), A Father’s Music (Romania and Hungary), North Face (US), The Red Spot (Québec), Storm (US), The Wave (Brazil) and Cloud 9 (UK/Ireland and Norway). The Distribution Support program was started in 2005. Subsidies are awarded for additional...
DFFF allocates €17.7m to 23 projects in first semester
In the first half of 2009, German national film fund DFFF (Deutsche Filmförderfonds), which began operating on January 1, 2007, allocated €17.7m to 23 film projects and generated €101.4m of expenditure on German territory. These positive effects on the industry have also resulted in a significant market share for domestic films. Moreover, five out of the six German titles to have exceeded 1m admissions during the first six months of 2009 received backing from the DFFF. It should also be...
Braun takes reins at Kinowelt
Wolfgang Braun, former director and vice-president of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Germany (previously known as Buena Vista International Germany), replaces Jan-Pelgrom de Haas as CEO of Leipzig-based Kinowelt, one of the most important distribution and sales companies in Germany. Last year, the group became part of France’s StudioCanal and Braun will report to the latter’s CEO, Olivier Courson. During his 15 years as head of Walt Disney Germany (1992-2008), Braun distributed and...
Positive 2008 results show rise in admissions
On the eve of the Berlin International Film Festival, the FFA (regulatory body for German film) unveiled positive results for 2008. There was an increase in admissions, thanks in particular to the success of local productions. The total number of viewers for 2008 stands at 129.4m, representing an increase of 4m (+3.2%), compared to the disappointing 2007 results. Box office takings amounted to €794.7m – €36.8m more than in 2007 (+4.9%). FFA director Peter Dinges said that the best news was...
Germany - International Film Guide Survey
Two films – one for the heart and one for the head – dominated German cinema in 2008. Rabbit Without Ears (Keinohrhasen), a romantic comedy, attracted an audience of 6.2 million, while The Baader Meinhof Complex (Der Baader Meinhof Komplex), about Germany’s brutal terrorist group, the Red Army Faction (RAF), was seen by 2.6 million people after only five weeks. The market share of 21.3% from January to September (in 2007 it was 14.4 percent) was very satisfactory. Germany’s film industry is...
Germany 2007 - Andro Steinborn: A producer's view on the new German Federal Film Fund
Berlin-based X-Filme Creative Pool is one of Germany's leading production houses and is the co-producer of Bille August's Goodbye Bafana which was selected for the Berlinale 2007 competition. X-Filme's Head of Business & Legal Affairs, Andro Steinborn, gave his first reactions to Cineuropa.org about the German Federal Film Fund. "I am really looking forward to seeing how the model works in practice and whether it actually becomes an additional component in the financing of German feature...
Germany 2007 - Dinges & Berg (FFA): "An attractive fund for foreign producers"
Germany's State Minister for Culture Bernd Neumann was true to his word when he promised that the German Federal Film Fund (DFFF) would receive the greenlight from the European Commission in time to start as planned on January 1 this year. 60 million Euros are being made available annually over the next three years from the federal government budget in the form of non-recourse, non-repayable, non-recoupable subsidies on part of the so-called "German spends" for theatrical feature films with...
Germany 2007 - The new production cost reimbursement model
As from January 2007, the German film industry is to be supported by the BKM via a newly developed bonus model which is based on the principles of “German Spend“ and “German Content“ and was developed under the aegis of Bernd Neumann, the Federal Commissioner for Culture and Media. 60m € per annum are to be made available with the new model to the German film industry for the duration of the current parliamentary term. After the general direction of the new model - as developed by an...
Germany: German funding system (published March 2005)
From regional to national: A window on the world The German funding system has long been seen as an exception in Europe. Until recently, Germany had no strong federal funding plan and no Minister for cultural affairs. The regional funds were the only public support systems available to local producers with the well-known "regional effect" that obliged them to spend the money granted in the region, sometimes up to 150%! The whole landscape is now quietly but ever-so-surely changing. It often...
