BERLINALE 2025: The Berlin Film Festival has hosted a presentation showcasing how the EU’s investment mechanisms can unlock up to €145 billion for the sector

A moment during the presentation (© CEDs Deutschland)

During the 75th Berlinale, the European Investment Fund (EIF) presented new financing opportunities for the creative industries through MediaInvest. Hosted by Creative Europe Desks Germany at the European House, the event showcased how the EU’s investment mechanisms can unlock up to €145 billion for the sector, backed by €11 billion in guarantees. Institutions from 23 countries benefit from these guarantees, enabling various loan and equity financing models. To date, 45 transactions totalling €400 million have been realised under this framework.

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Two panels explored these financial instruments, featuring EIF representatives and industry case studies. MediaInvest secures investments and loans for equity investment funds and banks, which in turn provide financing to European film and TV production and distribution companies, as well as game developers.

Among the intermediaries utilising this support is Beta Film. Dr Jan Wünschmann, EVP Co-Production and Business Affairs, highlighted the increasing difficulty in securing full financing for film projects, with an estimated 30% funding gap becoming the norm. Distributors often bridge this shortfall through minimum guarantees (MGs), but with EIF backing covering up to 70% of MGs, Beta Film can better manage the risk of recoupment. Beta’s MediaInvest-backed programme is set to launch in early summer.

Sebastian Schelenz, CEO of Belgian production company Velvet Films, has already leveraged this mechanism through Triodos Bank to secure cash flow: "No project is easy to finance, and EIF tools don’t change that, but they help us manage cash flow until tax incentives and subsidies are received."

For Cologne-based Augenschein Filmproduktion, the Logical Content Ventures Fund is a key financing partner. Represented by Frédéric Fioré, the fund strategically invests in European arthouse films with strong international sales potential. Producer Maximilian Leo emphasised that collaborating with such a fund provides more than financial support - it offers strategic insights into market positioning and risk assessment: "Producers are talent managers, not fund managers, and it remains challenging to view films purely as products."

Alexandra Lebret, associate director of the AXIO Together Fund, summed up the fund’s philosophy: "We are ready to invest in companies that are ready to grow." The newly launched fund provides equity investment for production companies across Europe, offering them a crucial boost to scale their operations.

For those interested in MediaInvest, a comprehensive list of intermediaries can be accessed via InvestEU’s database, where users can apply filters for "Cultural and Creative Sectors" to find relevant funding options.