DW Akademie at the Berlinale

Development-focused film award "CINEMA fairbindet"

Spezial award given out by Germany's Ministry for Economic Corporation and Development

For the second year in a row Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) will present the special award "CINEMA fairbindet" ("CINEMA connects"). Deutsche Welle is the event's media partner and DW-TV Arabia presenter, Dima Tarhini, will sit on the international jury panel. DW Akademie is supporting the BMZ in organizing the event.

With the CINEMA fairbindet award, the BMZ honors a film that contributes in an outstanding way to discussions on global issues such as climate change, migration, education, the effects of war, human rights abuses and environmental damage. The films are nominated in close consultation with the management of the Berlinale international film festival. Up to ten films from various Berlinale categories will be nominated. The Federal Minister of Development, Dirk Niebel, will present the award at noon on Friday, February 19, 2012 in the Sony Center. The event is open to the public and tickets can be purchased in advance.


Film festival and event management: workshop during the Berlinale

Participants of the workshop "Film Festival and Event Management"

DW Akademie will also be conducting the ninth "Film Festival and Event Management" workshop in cooperation with the Berlinale management. The workshop is for international managers and organizers of film festivals. This year twelve participants from Africa, Asia and, for the first time, Latin America will take part. They'll look at festival promotion strategies and learn more about funding, organization and film selection. They'll also have an opportunity to see how the Berlinale itself is run and meet and network with those involved.


WCF Factories: Supporting the professionalization of filmmakers
Last year in Burundi and Burkina Faso DW Akademie supported African filmmakers in the production of feature films. This was part of the World Cinema Fund Factories, a DW Akademie project in cooperation with World Cinema Fund, a Berlinale initiative for funding international films. DW Akademie supported film crews in one of the three phases of feature film production - preproduction, production or postproduction. The teams each chose a phase where they needed the most support, and this then became the focus of their workshop.


Talent Campus: DW Akademie trainees reporting from the Berlinale

DW Akademie trainees at the Talent Campus

Talent Campus takes place during the Berlinale and is a creative workshop for young international filmmakers. This year more than 350 promising young talents involved in acting, directing, production, design, scriptwriting, editing or distribution will take part. They'll spend six days attending professional workshops and lectures, produce their own film projects and have the opportunity to network internationally.

DW Akademie trainees will accompany Talent Campus for the six days (February 11- 16, 2012). They'll get an inside view of the workshops and interview professionals and up-and-coming filmmakers. They'll file online reports and produce a film about the Campus' highlights for the closing ceremony.