| From documentaries to animation, from comedies to thrillers: the diverse portfolio of German films once again attracted numerous buyers this year. This year, German Films invited buyers to the German Films Previews in Hanover, the capital of Lower Saxony. On Monday, June 30, 2025, international film buyers from different parts of the world traveled to Germany to celebrate a small anniversary - it was the 25th edition of the previews. This year's participants came from Argentina and Mexico, Israel and Lebanon, Japan, Canada and the USA. There were also numerous buyers from Europe, from Spain to Poland to Estonia, from Turkey to Greece to the UK. German Films has been organizing the annual German Films Previews event since 2001. For three days, international distributors and buyers are invited to Germany to see new German films on the big screen. The German Films Previews offer a suitable environment for effective networking, sales talks and exchange for the three target groups: Buyers, world sales agents and producers.
In addition to the feature film program, which consists of feature films, animated films and documentaries, the German Films Previews also include the “Upcoming Films from Germany” section, in which international distributors present German films that are still in production. At the 25th edition of the previews this year, 64 buyers were able to watch films in the cinemas of the Astor Grand Cinema Hannover over the three days. The program was highly diverse, with films from different categories and genres and with multifaceted themes. 17 full-length films were part of the program. In the Upcoming section, eleven new projects were presented by representatives of world sales companies. A total of 14 world sales companies and three production companies presented their new projects at the German Films Previews this year. | |
| The 59th edition of Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF) took place in the Czech spa town from July 4 to 12 this year. A total of 14 German productions and co-productions were screened in various sections. One German production and two German co-productions were represented in the Proxima Competition section including the major German production RAIN FELL ON THE NOTHING NEW by Steffen Goldkamp. There was also a reunion with the German films from Cannes in the Horizons section. In addition to the successful competition entry SOUND OF FALLING by Mascha Schilinski, the German co-productions THE MYSTERIOUS GAZE OF THE FLAMINGO by Diego Cespedes, YES by Nadav Lapid and TWO PROSECUTORS by Sergei Loznitsa were also screened. PETER HUJAR'S DAY by Ira Sachs, which has already been shown at Sundance and Shanghai this year, was also screened in this section. In addition to the festival, the eleventh edition of the Future Frames – Generation NEXT of European Cinema, a program dedicated to supporting graduates of European film schools, took place. Organized by the European Film Promotion EFP in cooperation with Karlovy Vary International Film Festival this year’s edition featured ten emerging directors and their short films. Among them, Simon Schneckenburger from Germany was selected as the recipient of the 2025 Allwyn Residency film scholarship in Los Angeles. He impressed the jury with his short film SKIN ON SKIN. The scholarship is part of the Allwyn Residency, a month-long professional development program in Los Angeles run in partnership with leading talent agencies UTA and Range Media Partners. The initiative provides the selected filmmaker with exclusive access to the LA based film industry, including personal mentoring, shadowing opportunities, and specialized training. Alongside the successful screenings, German Films and European Film Promotion hosted their annual reception in Karlovy Vary, offering drinks and discussions that provided numerous filmmakers with a valuable opportunity to exchange ideas. | |
| The International Film Festival BNP Paribas New Horizons was founded in 2001 to present independent artistic cinema, which was somewhat underrepresented in Poland at the time. The 25th edition took place in Wroclaw from July 17 to 27, 2025, together with the 14th edition of Polish Days, the industry platform. Each year, the festival hosts dozens of film directors from all over the world – from debutants to undisputed film masters. As part of the Polish Days, there was a networking event under the motto "Polish-German Co-production / Meet and Greet". This was co-organized by Connecting Cottbus and Film Festival Cottbus, co-hosted by German Films. The meeting served as a networking opportunity for Polish and German producers to exchange ideas and plan co-productions between the two countries. A total of 10 projects were pitched at this year's Polish Days, in addition to 8 work-in-progress projects. In closed screenings 4 brand new Polish films were presented, among them the Slovak-Czech-Polish coproduction FATHER by director Tereza Nvotová which will have its world premiere in the Orizzonti international competition in Venice. | |
| Jerusalem Film Festival took place in Israel from July 17 - 26, 2025. Beyond its contribution to Israeli film, Jerusalem Film Festival is the leading platform in Israel for presenting the world’s finest contemporary cinematic trends to its local audiences. Nowadays, the July Festival spans 11 days, offering a rich and varied program with more than 200 films. Alongside the Festival program, JFF holds professional events for Israeli and international film industry members. This variety of events has gradually turned Jerusalem Film Festival into the most important cinematic gathering in Israel. German films were very well represented at this year's festival, including SOUND OF FALLING by Mascha Schilinski in the International Competition, MIRRORS NO.3 by Christian Petzold in the Masters section, ISLANDS by Jan-Ole Gerster and KÖLN 75 by Ido Fluk in the Gala section, and AMRUM by Fatih Akin and IMPATIENCE OF THE HEART by Lauro Cress in the Panorama section as well as NO DOGS ALLOWED by Steve Bache in the Debuts section. The German directors Julia von Heinz and Matthias Glasner were on the international jury and accompanied the festival on location. They awarded prizes to THE SECRET AGENT by Kleber Mendonça Filho, LESSION LEARNED by Bálint Szimler, and SOUND OF FALLING by Mascha Schilinski. Simone Baumann, Managing Director of German Films, traveled to Jerusalem and took part in the festival and industry events, including a panel in which Birthe Klinge (FFA) participated connected online as an expert. German Films also co-hosted a festival dinner for Israeli and international guests of the festival. | |
| Two FACE TO FACE ambassadors recently enjoyed the German and world premieres of their latest films at Filmfest Munich: RAVE ON by Nikias Chryssos and Viktor Jakovleski, featuring Aaron Altaras in the lead role, screened on July 1. The Techno club odyssey, first presented at the Marché du Cannes, is being distributed worldwide by Playmaker Munich. On July 3, DANKE FÜR NICHTS (THANKS FOR NOTHING) by Stella-Maria Markert (Filmuniversität Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF) premiered in Munich. In this intense coming of age drama, FACE TO FACE talent Lea Drinda, who recently got frenetic applause for her role in the Cannes award-winning film SOUND OF FALLING, plays the lead role. | |
| The Student Academy Awards® is an international student film competition. Each year, college and university film students from all over the world compete for awards and cash grants, with films being judged in the following categories: Alternative/Experimental, Animation, Documentary and Narrative. Alternative/Experimental
THE WEIGHT OF THE MOON (DAS GEWICHT DES MONDES) by Felizitas Hoffmann (University of Television and Film Munich HFF) Animation
POLLIWOG (KAULQUAPPE) by Julia Skala (Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg)
A SPARROW’S SONG by Tobias Eckerlin (Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg)
THE UNDYING PAIN OF EXISTENCE by Oscar Jacobson (Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg) Documentary
SAME, BUT DIFFERENT – THE IMAGE OF WOMEN IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH (GLEICH, ABER ANDERS – DAS FRAUENBILD IN DER KATHOLISCHEN KIRCHE) by Eva-Maria Schauer (Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg) Narrative
VASU by Sidharth Harikumar (MetFilm School Berlin) | |
| On October 8 + 9, 2025, the Franco-German Filmmeeting returns to the Goethe-Institut in Paris – bringing together around 200 key players from France and Germany, including producers, distributors, writers, broadcasters, funding bodies, and policymakers. This two-day industry event offers a unique opportunity to exchange ideas, spark new collaborations, and explore the future of European cinema. Through a rich programme of panels, case studies, and networking sessions, the Filmmeeting dives into pressing industry challenges and emerging opportunities – from co-production and financing to AI-driven workflows and innovative storytelling strategies. This year’s topics include: - updates from the German film reform
- CNC priorities and funding strategies
- evolving exploitation models and regulation
- collaborative story development across borders
- respectful production frameworks
A special focus will be given to two recent case studies that premiered in Cannes 2025: - LA PETITE DERNIÈRE (DIE JÜNGSTE TOCHTER) (Best Actress, Queer Palm)
- SOUND OF FALLING (IN DIE SONNE SCHAUEN) (Jury Prize)
Evenings are dedicated to celebration and connection – including an invitation to the opening of the Festival of German Films in Paris and a dinner cruise along the Seine. Participation is limited. Deadline for registration is September 15, 2025. More information can be found here. | |
| From January to June 2025, 388 German films reached cinema audiences in more than 80 countries, generating over 82.3 million euros in international box office revenue and attracting more than 10.8 million viewers. This marks a significant increase of over 45% in revenue and 39% in admissions compared to the same period in 2024. The top majority titles included MARIA, SEPTEMBER 5, and IN THE LOST LANDS, contributing to a strong performance that may push 2025 to surpass last year's full-year results. A detailed analysis is now available in our full report online. For further information, please contact Andrea Schiefer. | |
| The focus for the next session of the English-language KINO! FILM SALON online film club on August 17 will be WERNER HERZOG: RADICAL DREAMER by Thomas von Steinaecker. This comprehensive portrait of and extraordinary homage to one of the most visionary filmmakers in modern film history, celebrated its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival in 2022. With exclusive behind-the-scenes access into Herzog’s everyday life, rare archive material and in-depth interviews with the man himself and celebrated collaborators – including Christian Bale, Nicole Kidman, Robert Pattinson, Volker Schlöndorff, Carl Weathers, Chloé Zhao and his wife Lena Herzog – we are given an exciting glimpse into his work process and personal life. Our curator Jim Kolmar's comment on the movie: "Bavarian filmmaker Werner Herzog is almost a household name at this point, so it’s surprising that such a thorough exploration of his life and work has only recently materialized. Thomas von Steinaecker’s WERNER HERZOG: RADICAL DREAMER features interviews with Herzog himself, and with admirers and collaborators including Patty Smith, Joshua Oppenheimer and Wim Wenders, and of course a generous amount of footage from his iconic filmography.
Perhaps the first major overview of his formidable career, the documentary feature film takes full advantage of Herzog’s weirdly avuncular charm and humour, his deep insight and his clear spirit of self-inquiry. For all the austerity and opacity that sometimes define his films, this is a beautifully intimate, charming portrait of a remarkable artist showing no signs of slowing down." RSVP here Date and time: Sunday, August 17th at 11:00am – 12:00pm PT, 2:00pm – 3:00pm ET, 8:00pm – 9:00pm CET.
Hosted by Jim Kolmar KINO! FILM SALON is a production of Telescope Film, in collaboration with the German Film Office Trailer here | |
| Episode 83 - August 83, 2025:
When talking to director and director of photography Ngo The Chau, he revealed a deep appreciation for all things Marvel – shout-out to Wolverine – and Christopher Nolan’s INTERSTELLAR. We also discussed, why acting was his entry-job into the world of filmmaking, the importance of food, Tony Leung and not having any regrets. You can find all of the episodes on our website and wherever podcasts are available. SHORT TAKE on Instagram! | |
| Episode 5 - August 5, 2025:
We talked to writer and creative powerhouse Anette Hess about her shows INTERPRETER OF SILENCE and WEISSENSEE, her journey to becoming a writer, why dialogue is like music - think rhythm, temp and melody – the fear of the blank page and her personal connection to the stories she writes. Plus we got a tiny glimpse of the newest installment of the KUDAMM series. Episode 6 - August 26, 2025:
On the last episode of this season film critic and economic researcher Moritz Pfeifer was our guest. We talked about European films, political drama - and film financing. Our discussion covered a lot of ground: from European arthouse film, and film marketing to the FFG. You can find all of the episodes on our website and wherever podcasts are available. DEEP DIVE GENRE on Instagram! | |
| Young Horizons Industry - Producers LINK 2025
Young Horizons and Cinekid for Professionals have now announced the selection for the fifth edition of Producers LINK. The program will start in Warsaw at Young Horizons Industry and continue during Cinekid for Professionals in Amsterdam this October. In total 21 producers from 15 countries were selected this year. Two producers from Germany were selected for the Producers LINK: Julia Dordel from Dorcon Film and Eliza Plocienniak-Alvarez from Blaue Pampelmuse. Awards for German productions at FIDMarseille 2025
The international film festival FIDMarseille (Festival international de cinéma de Marseille), known for its documentary selections and avant-garde narrative features, awarded various German productions this year. Two films supported by German Films received top honors from the FID Marseille juries. MIRACULOUS ACCIDENT by Assaf Gruber earned a Special Mention from the High School Students’ Jury. FERNLICHT by Johanna Schorn Kalinsky was awarded the Fondazione Claudia Cardinale Prize, an award for a debut filmmaker that includes a one‑month creative residency near Fontainebleau. In addition, two German projects from the FIDLab co‑production platform also received prestigious awards: MARCELA (dir. Salka Tiziana; prod. Hannah Schwartz & Tom Otte ) won the Casa de Velázquez / ECAM Prize, offering a two‑month residency in Madrid and tailored mentoring via ECAM Impulso. THE CITY (dir. Helena Wittmann; prod. Julia Cöllen) secured the Label 42 Prize, with options for one week of color grading + cinema projection or a Dolby Atmos sound mix, valued at €10 000. German short film candidates for the Academy Awards® 2026
German Films is planning to publish a list of all German short films submitted to the 99th Academy Awards® and asks all producers to inform us about their submission and film by October 1, 2025 by contacting Martin Scheuring (scheuring@german-films.de). The Academy’s deadline for live action, animation and documentary short films that qualified for submission through an award or theatrical release by June 30, 2025 will be on Thursday, August 14, 2025. The final deadline to submit shorts that qualified later is on Thursday, October 8, 2025. Call for applications - ACE Training Days NL 2025: ACE Producers is pleased to announce the Call for Applications for the Training Days NL 2025, taking place in Leiden and Amsterdam, The Netherlands, on 14 + 15 October. The ACE Training Days NL is a tailor-made program designed for emerging producers at relatively early stages in their careers, who are looking to expand their network and learn more about the international context of the audiovisual industry. The workshop welcomes producers working in fiction, animation and documentary, and strives to make the industry more inclusive and diverse. Deadline is September 1, 2025. More information can be found here.
- Warsaw Industry Days: Warsaw International Film Festival has announced the launch of the Warsaw Industry Days (October 13-18) — a new industry initiative at the 41st WFF. This platform is dedicated to fostering networking, collaboration, and partnerships within the Central and Eastern European film industry. As part of this initiative, the Warsaw Co-Production Forum has been introduced. Producers from Central and Eastern Europe with feature-length fiction projects in development and works in progress with international co-production and distribution potential are invited to submit their projects. Details on submission requirements and deadlines can be found here.
- European Short Pitch 2025/2026: The European Short Pitch has been supporting the development of short film projects, young talents and European co-productions since 2007. Authors and creative teams should apply with their short narrative, animation, documentary or hybrid projects in development for participation in the next edition by September 12, 2025. The first 4-day workshop focusing on script development and further enhancing the projects is scheduled for January 12-16, 2026. This workshop will be followed by several individual online training sessions to prepare for the Coproduction Forum in May/June 2026 during Leiden Short Film Festival (Belgium), where the projects will be presented to the international short film industry. In November there will be another call to submit short films currently in post-production, which will be presented as works-in-progress. At the 2025 edition, the German-Indonesian project VATERLAND by Berthold Wahjudi received the European Short Pitch Award. More informationcan be found here. A list of more international training and pitching events for short films is available here.
- Masterschool at Documentary Campus: Europe’s longest running documentary training program is back for its 25th year. The Masterschool is a one-stop-shop for non-fiction projects looking to thrive in international markets and successfully finance and produce original fact-based formats. The Documentary Campus encourages applications from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds. Deadline for submissions is December 1, 2025. More information about the application process can be found here.
- #DocsConnect Conscious Filmmaking: #DocsConnect is a unique and holistic training initiative designed to empower filmmakers and creative professionals with the necessary tools, mindset, and industry access. Led by award-winning international mentors and developed from 25+ years of experience at Taskovski Films, one of the leading global documentary sales and production companies will offer this 3-module-training. Deadline was June 30, but 6 spots are still available. More information and application form can be found here.
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| German productions and co-productions at New Zealand, Edinburgh, Wroclaw, Locarno, Giffoni, Guanajuato, Los Angeles, Jerusalem, Seoul, Lago, Tel Aviv, Durban and Venice. | |
| Awards for German productions and co-productions at Zlín, Raindance, Giffoni, Lago and Los Angeles. | |
| International releases of German films in August 2025 supported by the German Films Distribution Support program: EVERY YOU EVERY ME in Ukraine (Distributor: AT Films LLC, World Sales: The Match Factory, Theatrical Release: August 1, 2025)
GRAND PRIX OF EUROPE in UK, Ireland (Distributor: Kazoo Films, World Sales: Sola Media, Theatrical Release: August 6, 2025)
GRAND PRIX OF EUROPE in Slovakia (Distributor: Magic Box Slovakia, World Sales: Goodfellas, Theatrical Release: August 6, 2025)
GRAND PRIX OF EUROPE in Czech Republic (Distributor: AQS, World Sales: Europa - Park Freizeit und Familienpark Mack KG/Timeless Films, Theatrical Release: August 8, 2025)
GRAND PRIX OF EUROPE in Norway (Distributor: Ymer Media, World Sales: Beta Film, Theatrical Release: August 14, 2025)
GRAND PRIX OF EUROPE in Croatia (Distributor: Blitz , World Sales: Europa - Park Freizeit und Familienpark Mack KG/Timeless Films, Theatrical Release: August 14, 2025)
GRAND PRIX OF EUROPE in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Distributor: Blitz F.V.D., World Sales: Europa - Park Freizeit und Familienpark Mack KG/Timeless Films, Theatrical Release: August 14, 2025)
GRAND PRIX OF EUROPE in Türkiye (Distributor: TME Icerik , World Sales: Europa - Park Freizeit und Familienpark Mack KG/Timeless Films, Theatrical Release: August 15, 2025)
HEIDI - RESCUE OF THE LYNX in UK (Distributor: Kaleidoscope Home Entertainment, World Sales: Studio 100, Theatrical Release: August 1, 2025)
HEIDI - RESCUE OF THE LYNX in Türkiye (Distributor: Besiktas Kultur Merkezi Anonim Sirketi, World Sales: Beta Film, Theatrical Release: August 15, 2025)
HEIDI - RESCUE OF THE LYNX in Spain (Distributor: Selectavision, World Sales: Mad World FZ LLC, Theatrical Release: August 15, 2025)
MIRRORS NO. 3 in France (Distributor: Les Films du Losange, World Sales: Be for Films, Theatrical Release: August 21, 2025)
NO BEAST. SO FIERCE in Poland (Distributor: Madness SP, World Sales: Epsilon Film, Theatrical Release: August 22, 2025)
PATERNAL LEAVE in Spain (Distributor: Bteam Pictures, World Sales: Studio 100 Film GmbH, Theatrical Release: August 22, 2025)
SEVEN DAYS in Türkiye (Distributor: L'Atelier D'Images, World Sales: Beta Film, Theatrical Release: August 22, 2025)
THE LIGHT in Türkiye (Distributor: Yeni Bir Film, World Sales: Studio 100, Theatrical Release: August 22, 2025)
THE LIGHT in Romania (Distributor: CAY Films, World Sales: The Match Factory, Theatrical Release: August 27, 2025)
THE LIGHT in Brazil (Distributor: Imovision - Tag Cultural, World Sales: Sola Media, Theatrical Release: August 28, 2025)
THE SCHOOL OF MAGICAL ANIMALS 3 in Poland (Distributor: Stowarzyszenie Nowe Horyzonty, World Sales: Europa - Park Freizeit und Familienpark Mack KG/Timeless Films, Theatrical Release: August 28, 2025)
THE SCHOOL OF MAGICAL ANIMALS 3 in Norway (Distributor: Another World Entertainment, World Sales: Europa - Park Freizeit und Familienpark Mack KG/Timeless Films, Theatrical Release: August 28, 2025)
THE SCHOOL OF MAGICAL ANIMALS 3 in Lithuania (Distributor: Garsu Pasaulio Irasai, World Sales: Goodfellas, Theatrical Release: August 29, 2025)
THE SUPER ELFKINS in the Netherlands (Distributor: Paradiso Entertainment Nederland, World Sales: Epsilon Film, Theatrical Release: August 29, 2025)
THE SUPER ELFKINS in Columbia (Distributor: Antartica Cinema, World Sales: EpsilonFilm GmbH, Theatrical Release: August 29, 2025)
XOFTEX in Mexico (Distributor: Piano Distribucion de Obras Cinematograficas, World Sales: Europa - Park Freizeit und Familienpark Mack KG/Timeless Films, Theatrical Release: August 29, 2025) Please note: Correct at time of going to press. Changes may occur at any time. | |
| Contact:
Angela Sonntag (Head of Press & Public Relations) | |
| German Films Service + Marketing GmbH
Herzog-Wilhelm-Straße 16
80331 München/Deutschland Tel +49-89-59 97 87-0
Fax +49-89-59 97 87-30 | |
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