At their first meeting on 4 July in Kassel, Germany, more than 60 German film festivals (list below) joined forces to found a film festival association (AG Filmfestival). The aim of the association is to network with each other, to create better conditions for film festivals in Germany and, together with filmmakers and other associations, to strengthen and promote film culture. The founding members include the largest and oldest film festivals in Germany, and festivals from all regions and sectors.
Film festivals are at the beginning of the film exploitation chain; they define themselves both as part of the film industry and of the cultural practice of cinema and its mediation. In Germany alone there are around 400 film festivals, worldwide there are several thousand. In terms of scope and impact, German film festivals represent a substantial factor in the commercial viability of German films in the cinema, and their share in the theatrical promotion of German productions will increase further in the coming years. In contrast to the dwindling number of cinema-goers, film festivals are experiencing a steady increase in demand. Film festivals play a central role in the efforts to make the theatrical exploitation of German films more attractive.
In a statement on the amendment of the Filmfoerderungsgesetz (FFG – German Film Promotion Act), the AG Filmfestival demands: “The amendment of the FFG must answer the question of how cinemas can be upgraded as a viewing and promotion location for films and what significance cinemas should have in the future spectrum of commercial viability contexts. Moreover, film festivals make a considerable contribution to the social upgrading of cinema spaces. As a result, cinemas also profit indirectly through cinema awards from the realisation of film festivals. However, in the amendment of the Filmfoerderungsgesetz the festivals’ voices have so far not been heard at all. In future, film festivals must be given greater consideration in the FFG, even when their viewpoint has many points of contact with the producers and cinema operators”. (Quote Preamble Statement AG Filmfestival)
The next meeting of the AG Filmfestival will take place as part of DOK Leipzig (28.10 – 3.11.2019).
Contact:
Website: www.ag-filmfestival.de
E-mail: info@ag-filmfestival.de
Representing AG Filmfestival
Svenja Böttger – director Filmfestival Max Ophüls Preis
Dr. Lars Henrik Gass – director Internationale Kurzfilmtage Oberhausen
AG Filmfestival (dated 22 July 2019):
20minmax Internationales Kurzfilmfestival Ingolstadt
achtung berlin – new berlin film award
Berlin Lesbian Non-Binary Filmfest (BLN)
Braunschweig International Filmfestival
cinefest – Internationales Festival des deutschen Film-Erbes
Deutsches Kinder Medien Festival Goldener Spatz
DOK.fest München
DOK Leipzig
DOKUARTS
Duisburger Filmwoche / doxs! dokumentarfilme für kinder und jugendliche
Essener Video Rodeo
European Media Art Festival, Osnabrück
exground filmfest
Favourites Film Festival
Festival des deutschen Films Ludwigshafen am Rhein
FILMFEST DRESDEN – International Short Film Festival
FILMFEST HAMBURG
FilmFestival Cottbus
Filmfestival Max Ophüls Preis
Filmfestival Münster
FILMKUNSTFEST MV (Schwerin)
Filmplus – Festival für Filmschnitt und Montagekunst
GENRENALE – Das Forum des Deutschen Genrefilms
German International Ethnographic Film Festival
INDEPENDENT DAYS|Internationale Filmfestspiele Karlsruhe
interfilm – international short film festival Berlin
International Short Film Festival Detmold
Internationale Hofer Filmtage
Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin
Internationale Kurzfilmtage Oberhausen
Internationale Kurzfilmwoche Regensburg
Internationales Filmfest Oldenburg
Internationales Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg
Internationales Frauenfilmfestival Dortmund / Köln
Internationales Kurzfilmfestival Landau – La.Meko
Internationales Nürnberger Filmfestival der Menschenrechte
Internationales Trickfilm-Festival Stuttgart
Kasseler Dokumentarfilm- und Videofest
KFFK / Kurzfilmfestival Köln
KINO DER KUNST
Kinofest Lünen
Kölner Kinderfilmfest Cinepänz
Kurzfilm Festival Hamburg
Landshuter Kurzfilmfestival
LICHTER Filmfest Frankfurt International
LUCAS – Internationales Festival für junge Filmfans
Monstronale
Neiße Filmfestival
Nippon Connection – Japanisches Filmfestival
Nordische Filmtage Lübeck
Open Air Filmfest Weiterstadt
OpenEyes Filmfest Marburg
Orscheler Filmfest
QUEER Filmfest Weiterstadt
Remake. Frankfurter Frauen Film Tage
SCHLINGEL – Internationales Filmfestival für Kinder und junges Publikum
Schülerfimfestival-NRW
SoundTrack_Cologne
Soundwatch Music Film Festival Berlin
UNDERDOX dokument & experiment
up-and-coming Internationales Film Festival Hannover
Werkleitz Festival
Werkstatt der Jungen Filmszene
Woche der Kritik
ZEBRA Poetry Film Festival