German Films administers a new government funding programme in support of German world sales companies
by Olivia Popp
- With a total funding amount of €250,000 for 2025, the scheme aims to uplift sales companies and promote German films travelling around the globe
Since 1 October, German Films Service + Marketing GmbH, also shortened as German Films, has been administering a new funding programme for German international sales companies, consisting of a total amount of €250,000 for calendar year 2025. Financed by Germany’s Federal Government Commission for Culture and the Media (BKM, also known as the Minister of State for Culture and Media), the programme was finalised by the German Bundestag’s decision on 18 September 2025 and the German Bundesrat’s confirmation on 26 September 2025.
German Films is a limited company dedicated to the promotion of German movies worldwide, originally established in 1954. It offers advice and information for professional representatives in the film industry and also organises the selection procedure for the German entry for the Academy Awards. The company also presents the annual Face to Face with German Films campaign, which highlights top emerging talent in the country.
The goal of the programme is to uplift German sales companies and to “strengthen their international competitiveness and promote the export of German theatrical films”. After months of concern for the national film industry in light of potential funding cuts, the amended German Film Law (FFG), which came into effect on 1 January 2025, offered some relief. However, as the new FFG does not allocate funding to sales companies, the new scheme administered by German Films further aims to fill this gap.
Applications for the programme are open from 1 October-30 November 2025. According to German Films’ description of the funding scheme, eligible companies can apply once per calendar year for funding. International distributors “must prove that they have had at least two feature-length, majority German theatrical productions in their market line-up in 2024”. The films must either have had their market premiere in 2024 at the Berlinale’s European Film Market (EFM) or later, or be in the process of completion.
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