Tight budgets sometimes lead to new approaches. Now cultural film funding is being restructured. The most important German film award is affected.
In order to strengthen film funding, the German Film Prize will no longer have any prize money. According to a draft for the federal cultural budget, the nominations and awards from the office of Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth, which have so far been endowed with around three million euros, will be re-allocated from 2025. Instead, they will go into cultural jury-based film funding, according to a statement. The German Film Prize – one of the most important awards in the industry – will thus be on a par with unfunded prizes such as the Oscars or the European Film Awards.
With the increase, the Green politician wants to push forward the planned reform of film funding, which is intended to be simpler and more efficient. It comprises a total of four pillars. A groundbreaking reform is “urgently needed,” said the German Film Academy, which decides on the winners of the film award. It is therefore understandable that the funds will be pooled in the future. However, the prize money was important for filmmakers to tackle new projects.
Minister of State for Culture Roth can probably expect a similar level of funding as in the current budget. The federal cultural budget for 2025 provides a total of just over 2.2 billion euros. Cultural film funding is to be increased by 11.3 million euros, and another two million euros are planned for each of the following two years.
Seven million euros for cinema funding
The federal government also wants to support cinemas in Germany with seven million euros. This is “a significant step towards strengthening programming and an important commitment by the federal government to a diverse cinema and cultural landscape,” said Christian Bräuer, chairman of the AG Kino – Gilde. The Bundestag must decide on the final budget figures. The German Film Prize will be awarded in Berlin in May.
Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
