German Government's Cultural Film Funding Programme Supports Diverse and Authentic Projects
The German government's cultural film funding programme has awarded a total of €2.5m to seven projects in its latest session. Among the recipients are Jan Ole Gerster and Sebastian Schipper, who received funding for their new feature films. Gerster's project, "German Angst," stars Tom Schilling as a journalist who gets entangled in conspiracy theories. Schipper's film, "Toter Mann," follows two brothers planning a murder after suffering abuse as children.
Additionally, novelist Helene Hegemann received funding for her second feature film, "Kiss Kiss Wolf," set in 1986 in East Germany. Uisenma Borchu's project, "Fidschi," received funding for a story about two girls with Vietnamese and Mongolian roots navigating prejudice in 1990s East Germany. Visar Morina also received funding for his tragic love story project, "Wherever You Are, I Leave You The Keys."
The German government's cultural film funding programme provides non-repayable grants of up to €1m for film production projects. In collaboration with Netflix, the producers' association PROG is launching an initiative called "East German Perspectives in Film and Series" to support young talents from the eastern part of the country in developing authentic storylines.
Six creative teams will be selected to receive grants and pitching training as part of a four-month programme. The initiative aims to showcase diverse and authentic narratives from the region. The teams will present their project ideas at a pitching event during the 2027 Berlinale to attract production and financing partners.