BERLINALE 2025: The industry event explored how filmmakers can harness gaming’s technology, and how the industry should co-operate to create successful IPs

l-r: Igor Simic, Christina Caspers-Roemer, Maite Woköck, Mafalda Duarte and AC Coppens during the panel (© EFM)

The European Film Market (EFM) session “Level Up: Bridging the Worlds of Gaming and Filmmaking”, held on 16 February at Berlin’s Documentation Centre for Displacement, Expulsion, Reconciliation, explored how filmmakers can harness gaming’s technology, storytelling techniques and production models to expand creative and commercial possibilities.

Moderated by AC Coppens, the discussion featured Igor Simic, of Demagog Studio; Christina Caspers-Roemer, of VFX studio Trixter and the Institute of Immersive Media; Maite Woköck, of Telescope Animation; and Mafalda Duarte, of Telescope Games.

Coppens opened the session with a round of introductions before posing the first question: what is the one thing that bridges gaming and film, and what can these two industries learn from each other? Simic highlighted storytelling as a shared foundation but pointed out a key difference – film remains a passive experience, whereas gaming is interactive. He noted that for new generations, there is no real difference between a Berlinale premiere and a new video-game release, as everything is now perceived as content. Therefore, the key challenge is capturing attention in this oversaturated landscape.

Simic shared that his company, founded in December 2017, developed Golf Club Wasteland, a video game set in a world devastated by an environmental disaster where billionaires like Thiel, Bezos and Musk have escaped to Mars. Years later, they return to Earth to play golf in the ruins. Apple showed interest in the pitch, and they expanded the game’s universe by incorporating a radio show in the style of Grand Theft Auto. Their other two games, The Cub and Highwater, are set in the same world, a concept that he and his team call “constellation storytelling”.

Duarte emphasised that collaboration is key and that the focus should be less on the project itself, and more on the audience, noting that while film and games feel close, they are still structurally very different. Despite these distinctions, both industries should aim to build a stronger connection.

Caspers-Roemer stressed the importance of technology, as film and gaming often share similar tools, but rarely integrate them efficiently. She argued that considering character development across different platforms – film, games and merchandising – from an early stage could be both profitable and cost-effective.

Woköck, who comes from a film background, expressed her fascination with gaming’s ability to build communities from the early stages of development, something that filmmakers could learn from. Coppens then asked the speakers how they approach the challenges of IPs and how best to expand their reach. Duarte and Woköck presented the case of The Last Whale Singer, where they constructed a vast story world. The project includes a feature film set for distribution in January 2026, a video game, a series, an interactive storybook and a second feature currently in development (see the interview with director Reza Memari).

Their goal was to avoid making a simple game adaptation of the film, as was common in the 1990s, but instead to create a universe that allows for experimentation and different audience engagement points. Ensuring that the IP could grow independently across mediums was key, making each entry point enjoyable on its own – viewers do not need to watch the film to enjoy the game, nor do they need to know the series to engage with the interactive book, for example.

Coppens then steered the discussion towards how games influence the visual language of film. Simic recalled a conversation with Croatian filmmaker Lordan Zafranović, who once told him, “You kids haven’t figured out digital cinema yet.” Simic cited Everything Everywhere All at Once as an example of a film that could not have been made in a different era, as its structure mirrors gaming’s branching narrative logic. He also mentioned productions like Poor Things [+see also:
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interview: Suzy Bemba
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film profile], which utilised the Unreal Engine in its development. Moreover, he advised following industry analyst Matthew Ball, who outlines three core principles: “Telling stories, creating love for characters, and monetising that love.”

Caspers-Roemer commented on the need for more development funds in Germany, as increasing these resources would help create stronger IPs. The conversation then shifted towards the skills required in this evolving landscape. Simic pointed out the challenges of working with major tech companies, where different departments operate in silos and are not designed to communicate effectively. He observed that while technology evolves rapidly, business structures remain outdated. Meanwhile, Caspers-Roemer encouraged creatives not to restrict themselves based on budget constraints in early development, instead advocating for fully fleshed-out treatments before adjusting for financial feasibility.

Coppens closed the discussion by addressing the role of AI. Simic acknowledged that artificial intelligence will accelerate various processes but insisted it should be viewed as a tool, rather than as a replacement. Caspers-Roemer concurred, explaining that machine learning is already being used but should primarily assist with “repetitive, boring tasks”, rather than eliminating jobs.

The event was rounded off by a short Q&A session.