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Following a successful kick-off at FilmFest Hamburg, it’s time to get down to business: MOIN Film Fund, the Five Nordics and the German Federal Film Board (FFA) are looking for ten established writers from Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland to take part in the second edition of Nordic NEST.

From 2027, there will be four cross-state guidance documents for funded projects in the ‘Feature Film Production’ sector. The new documents will apply to projects for which the first application for production funding in the feature film sector is submitted on or after 1 January 2027.

Love, death, longing and loss: Fatih Akin’s new film “Ghost Song” will open the San Sebastián International Film Festival on 18 September – and “Geister” is also Akin’s first film to date to be featured in the main competition of this prestigious festival. Filmmaker Salka Tiziana will celebrate the world premiere of her short film “Gluey Feathers” in the Zabaltegi-Tabakalera section, Andrei Zvyagintsevs "Minotaur" will be shown in the section "Perlak".

In collaboration with EAVE, MOIN Film Fund, Hessen Film & Medien and nordmedia Film- u. Mediengesellschaft are enabling a total of nine production companies to take part in the ‘EAVE on Demand: Company Strategies’ workshop. The programme is aimed at executives who wish to further develop their corporate strategy, explore new business models and position their company for a sustainable future. Three companies will be selected from each funding region, with two representatives from each company eligible to attend the workshop. The deadline for applications is 7 September 2026.

The Venice International Film Festival has announced its line-up: two films supported by MOIN have made it into the Orizzonti competition, whilst one will be screened in the ‘Out of Competition’ section.

The Script Writers of a total of 20 projects at the development stage were selected in March and June for the ‘NEST Space’ fundings. In addition, one project was awarded the NEST Classic fundings.

Today marks the start of the first CineHamburg at the Congress Centre Hamburg (CCH) and CinemaxX Dammtor, transforming this city of culture into the hub of the German cinema industry for four days. From 7 to 10 July, industry representatives from across Germany will come together to discuss new films, business models, technologies and audience groups. Just in time for this industry gathering, Hamburg also has some good news to announce: the Senate’s draft for the forthcoming 2027/28 biennial budget provides for the budget increase for the MOIN Film Fund – introduced in 2025 and amounting to 5 million euros per year – to be made permanent.

A cinematic celebration in the Hanseatic city: with around 1,000 guests in attendance, MOIN Film Fund celebrated its annual industry gathering, ‘MOIN Mittsommer’, at Kampnagel in Hamburg on Tuesday evening. Among those on the red carpet were: ‘Tatort’ detective Denis Moschitto, Emil and Oskar Belton from ‘Discounter’, Bruno Alexander, and the actors Bjarne Mädel, Sibel Kekilli and Sebastian Bezzel.

The second edition of the Nordic NEST is around the corner! MOIN Film Fund and the Five Nordics, together with the German Federal Film Board (FFA) and the German Producers Alliance, are inviting 40 experienced producers from Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland to the kick-off event in Hamburg. Extended application deadline: 20 August 2026, 6 pm (CET)

The directors Kurdwin Ayub, İlker Çatak, Nora Fingscheidt, Helene Hegemann and Tom Tykwer announced today at the Cannes Film Festival that they are bringing one of the most radical movements in film history to Germany with DOGMA 25. The MOIN Film Fund is supporting the five planned DOGMA films with a total of 1.2 million euros.

MOIN Film Fund Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein has had an exceptional year for film. Thanks to a budget increase of five million euros, the film location has been able to showcase its full potential in recent months. In addition, new major projects such as the Beatles series "Hamburg Days" and the pioneering industry event "CineHamburg" will be realised in 2026.

Two MOIN-funded productions will celebrate their world premiere in Cannes in May: as the festival announced today, the international co-production "Minotaurus" will be in the running for the Palme d'Or. The debut film "Elephants in the Fog" by Lübeck-based Zischlermann Filmproduktion will be shown in the prestigious Un Certain Regard section

The films "Amrum" and "Yellow Letters" are among the favourites in this year's nominations for the German Film Awards: İlker Çatak is nominated nine times with his Golden Bear-winning film "Yellow Letters" - Fatih Akin's "Amrum" has six nominations. Both films are in the running for the LOLA for best feature film.

It’s a match: Eight teams of producers and writers have come together as part of the Nordic NEST and are now working across borders on their film and series treatments. The program by MOIN Film Fund, the German Federal Film Board (FFA) and the Five Nordics is thereby entering the screenplay phase – the three best projects will be announced during the Cannes Film Festival.

The 76th Berlin International Film Festival began with an opening film from Hamburg - and ended with a Golden Bear for Hamburg: Oscar-nominated director İlker Çatak won the Berlinale's highest honour with "Yellow Letters". A total of three MOIN-funded films were honoured: Sandra Hüller received the Silver Bear for her role in "Rose" and "Der Heimatlose" was awarded the Teddy Jury Prize.

A year of individual Fundings and contacts in the industry: Lilli Pink and Margareta Kosmol from Hamburg and Ashe Schaub from Flensburg have made it into the second edition of the MOIN Talents programme. Over the next twelve months, they will work on their current projects with mentors from the film industry and take part in international workshops and festivals.

Attention up-and-coming filmmakers from Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein! You have until 1 March to apply for the Screen Talent Europe Pitching Forum 2026. The event will take place from 9 to 13 June in Grimstad, Norway. You could win production funding of 4,000 euros for your next short film. You can also make valuable contacts with filmmakers from all over Europe.

Five films in the programme, a delegation of eleven Executive Producers on site and the Nordic NEST enters the next round: the German film north is prominently represented at this year's Gothenburg Film Festival - the most important film festival in Scandinavia.

Hamburg, 20.01.2026 - CineHamburg - the new industry gathering of the German cinema industry - will take place in the Hanseatic city for the first time from 7 to 10 July 2026. This was announced today by the associations HDF KINO and AllScreens Verband Filmverleih und Audiovisuelle Medien. With CineHamburg, the two associations are combining the strengths of their previous formats Filmtage Köln and Filmtheaterkongress KINO, thus opening a fresh chapter for the cinema industry.

The MOIN Film Fund Committees have awarded almost 2.2 million euros to 38 projects in their current meetings. Among them: the newcomer project "Erinnerung an das Jetzt" produced by Tamtam Film from Hamburg and directed by Friedrich Tiedtke from Schleswig-Holstein, the documentary "Greenworld" by "Gunda" director Victor Kossakovsky and the new short film project "Amber Light" by Cannes winner Mohammad Rasoulof.

Script Writers from a total of 19 projects in the development stage were selected for "NEST Space" Fundings in October and December. Ten further projects will receive basic funding in the "NEST Classic" programme.

Hamburg, 03.12.25 - In its most recent meeting, the High End Committee of the MOIN Film Fund supported an extraordinary series project: The German-British production "Hamburg Days" (AT) tells the story of the early days of the Beatles in Hamburg's neighbourhood and the friendship surrounding a group of German artists led by Klaus Voormann. Showrunner of the series: "The Crown" Director Christian Schwochow.

His life story can currently be seen in the cinema with Fatih Akin's "Amrum". Now Hamburg film legend Hark Bohm, Director of classics such as "Nordsee ist Mordsee" and co-founder of the Hamburg Film Office, has passed away at the age of 86. In addition to "Amrum", he also wrote the scripts for "Tschick" and "Into the Fate" with Akin.

The film north meets in Lübeck: the 67th Nordic Film Days will take place there from 5 to 9 November 2025. More than 180 films will be shown in ten sections - including 18 MOIN-funded productions such as the haunting drama "Smalltown Girl" by Kiel filmmaker Hille Norden, the world premiere of "Astrid Lindgren - Humanity Has Lost Its Mind" by Kiel-based Director Wilfried Hauke and the animated film "Mama Micra" by Rebecca Blöcher from Hamburg, which was nominated for the German Short Film Award.

Are you a Director and Script Writer from Hamburg or Schleswig-Holstein and have already realised at least one short film? Are you currently working on a new fictional short film and want to get the most out of your project with the help of customised expert coaching? Then apply to take part in the Directors Village 2026!

In December, United XR Europe will bring the European XR scene together in Brussels for the first time - and you can be part of it! Together with Augmented World Expo (AWE) and Stereopsia, a new European industry meeting place for immersive media is being created here, combining conference, expo, networking and market activities.

How do inspiring visions of the future in entertainment media affect the ecological transformation of our society? Communication scientist Dr Daniel Possler is currently investigating this question in Hamburg's Green Bunker as part of his residency research grant, which was awarded for the first time by the MOIN Film Fund and Planet Narratives.

Two of the coveted prizes at the Venice International Film Festival went to MOIN-funded productions on Saturday evening: The "Lion of the Future - Luigi De Laurentiis Award" for best debut went to "Short Summer" by Nastia Korkia. Actress Luna Wedler received the Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Young Actress for her outstanding performance in "Silent Friend".

The MOIN Film Fund introduces the "MOIN Cinema Bonus": Additional funding totalling 100,000 euros, which will be awarded this year as part of the Hamburg Cinema Awards.

Turkey is calling! For the 14th time, German and Turkish Executive Producers can submit their joint projects to the German-Turkish Co-Production Development Fund.

Directors Rosanne Pel is represented in the international competition of the 78th Locarno Film Festival with her drama "Donkey Days". The film was largely shot in Hamburg and realised by the Hamburg-based production company Junafilm. The short film "Die Uniformierten" by Timon Ott from Hamburg will also be screened in the newcomer section Pardi di Domani.

Are you a Director and currently working on a new film project? Are you from Schleswig-Holstein and already have your first short film in the can? Would you like to work on your new film project together with others and gain specific insights into the international film industry? Then apply now for the Future North programme of the Nordic Film Days Lübeck, where MOIN Film Fund is once again a partner institution this year.

From 2026, the previous "Filmtage Köln" will take place in Hamburg for the first time, where it will be further developed into a joint, integrated industry event in a new form and under a new name with the HDF's KINO film theatre congress, which will also come to Hamburg from 2026. Hamburg is thus continuing to grow as a film and media location.

Venice Immersive (28.08.-03.09.2025) is entering its tenth round - and you can be part of it! This year, we are once again sending a delegation from the North German XR scene to the festival in Venice. Interested creators and Executive Producers can apply for one of the places until 16 July.

In the cinema auditorium of the LichtBlick Filmtheater in Heide today (Wednesday 11 June), for once it was not the film that was in the spotlight, but those who provide the film with a stage: the cinemas and their operators.

The Hamburg Media School (HMS) is sending a clear signal for diversity and inclusion in the German film industry with its current film degree programme. Since the current student year, HMS has been the first university in Germany to use the OMNI Inclusion Data survey tool to record the diversity on its students' film sets and back it up with concrete data.

Mayor Dr Peter Tschentscher and Senator for Culture Dr Carsten Brosda received Mohammad Rasoulof as a guest of honour at City Hall today. The renowned Iranian Director, who had to flee Iran in 2024 due to political persecution and has since returned to his adopted home of Hamburg, signed the city's Golden Book. His latest film, the drama "The Seeds of the Sacred Fig Tree", which was funded and produced in Hamburg, was nominated for an Oscar for Best International Film 2025. It has been nominated six times for the German Film Award, which will be presented on 9 May. In May 2024, it was awarded the Special Jury Prize at the Cannes International Film Festival.

Three MOIN-funded productions will celebrate their world premieres at the 78th Festival de Cannes in May: As announced today, Fatih Akin's new feature film "Amrum" will be shown in the prestigious "Cannes Première" section. Romeria" by Carla Simón will screen in the official competition and "Once Upon a Time in Gaza" by Tarzan and Arab Nasser in the Un Certain Regard section.

New "Nordlichters" wanted: In 2025, filmmakers will once again have the chance to realise their fictional debut project as part of the talent promotion programme. 1.15 million euros are available per "Nordlichter" project.

Attention up-and-coming filmmakers from Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein! You have until 21 April to apply for the Screen Talent Europe Pitching Forum 2025. The event will take place from 10 to 13 June in Grimstad, Norway. You could win production funding of 2,000 euros for your next short film. You can also make valuable contacts with filmmakers from all over Europe.

Hamburg, 11.03.25 – FILMFEST HAMBURG is expanding: Starting with the next festival edition from September 25 to October 4, 2025, the renowned industry platform European Work in Progress (EWIP) and the International Film Distribution Summit (IFDS) will be held in the Hanseatic city for the first time. With producer Fabian Massah as the new head of INDUSTRY DAYS, the festival in Hamburg will become one of the most important industry events in the North.

The jury of the Grimme Prize 2025 has announced its award winners - among them are the MOIN-funded series "Festmachen" by Hilke Rönnfeldt and "Player of Ibiza" by the "Die Discounter" team Bruno Alexander, Oskar Belton and Emil Belton. The Documentary "Total Trust" by Jialing Zhang was also honoured.

Film on the fjord! From 1 to 6 April, Filmfest Schleswig-Holstein will be presenting a diverse programme of regional productions - including ten MOIN-funded projects. Cineastes have the opportunity to see films before their official cinema release - such as the drama SIEBEN TAGE by Ali Ahadi Samadi and the children's film GRÜßE VOM MARS by Sarah Winkenstette.

Following the successful pilot phase, OMNI Inclusion Data is now being launched for the entire German film and media industry. For the first time, the platform offers a data-based foundation to make diversity in productions measurable. This was announced today at the 75th Berlinale in the Hamburg State Representation with industry representatives from film funding, production and streaming.

With "The Seeds of the Sacred Fig", filmmaker and Hamburg resident Mohammad Rasoulof has made it to the final five films for the foreign Oscar - and is now nominated as the German entry for the film world's most important prize. Following İlker Çatak's nomination last year for "The Teachers' Lounge", this is the second time in a row that a Hamburg project has been nominated for the Oscars in Los Angeles.

A total of five MOIN-funded films have made it into this year's programme of the 46th edition of the Filmfestival Max Ophüls Preis, two of them into the competition: "Rote Sterne überm Feld" by Laura Laabs will have its world premiere in the feature film competition, "Inkubus" by Hamburg filmmaker and HMS graduate Reza Sam Mosadegh will be shown in the medium-length film competition.

The next step on the Oscar podium has been taken: Directors and Hamburg resident Mohammad Rasoulof is on the shortlist for the foreign Oscar with his drama "The Seeds of the Sacred Fig". The Cannes film, produced in Hamburg, is in the running for Germany and now has to prevail against 14 other international films.

Anetta Jones and Matthew Shaw win the XR Pitch Battle 2024. Their project "Harvest", produced by ScanLAB Projects, deals with the monitoring of modern hoover robots.

Hamburg, 07.11.2024 - At this year's meeting, the German-Turkish Co-Production Development Fund of Medienboard, MOIN Film Fund and Istanbul Film Festival will award 70,000 euros for the development of seven new German-Turkish film projects.

Lübeck, 04.11.24 – Mit den Nordischen Filmtagen widmet sich Lübeck vom 6. bis 10. November ganz der Filmkunst im Norden. Mit 18 MOIN-geförderten Projekten im Programm bietet das Festival ein breites Spektrum: Mit dabei sind die Schleswig-Holsteinischen Regisseurinnen Pola Rader und Hille Norden, ein Film über den Lübecker Schriftsteller Thomas Mann und das Langfilmdebut “Der Fleck” des Hamburgers Willy Hans.

Script Writers of 10 projects take part in a five-day workshop, the NEST Space, and work together on their ideas and drafts. With NEST, MOIN Film Fund has been breaking new ground in the area of development funding since this year.

As a prelude to this year's INDUSTRY DAYS of FILMFEST HAMBURG, the Explorer Konferenz invites you to the Hanseatic city on 30 September under the motto "Risk & Reward". The conference programme has now been announced. Among the 16 speakers: Astronaut Dr Insa Thiele-Eich, who will provide insights into dealing with risks on her journey to the ISS, BAFTA winner Tobi Kyeremateng, who will talk about experimental production structures, and Johanna Koljonen, who will present the current Nostradamus Report 2024.

Autumn in Hamburg is Filmfest time again: 19 MOIN-funded films and series are on the programme at the 32nd Filmfest Hamburg. Among others: the German Oscar candidate "The Seeds of the Sacred Fig" by Mohammad Rasoulof, "Der Buchspazierer" with Christoph Maria Herbst and "The Outrun" by Nora Fingscheidt.

After his escape from Iran and the acclaimed premiere in Cannes, the next important milestone for Director Mohammad Rasoulof from Hamburg follows: As German Films announced today, the film "The Seed of the Sacred Fig", produced in the Hanseatic city, will enter the race for the Best International Feature Film.

"Seven Days" by Director Ali Samadi Ahadi will celebrate its world premiere at the 2024 Totonto International Film Festival. Also included: "Happy Holidays" by Scandar Copti and "The Seed of the Sacred Fig" by Mohammad Rasoulof. All three films will screen in the Centrepiece programme.

The Explorer Konferenz kicks off this year's INDUSTRY DAYS at FILMFESTS HAMBURG and invites you to the Hanseatic city on 30 September under the motto "Risk & Reward" to shed light on the changes in producing for film, television and streaming.

MOIN Film Fund is represented at this year's Venice Film Festival from 28 August to 7 September with three funded productions. These include a VR project from Schleswig-Holstein and an international co-production with Hamburg participation.

At its latest meeting, the Director's Cut Committee of MOIN Film Fund supported 16 projects with more than 700,000 euros. Among them: the social horror film "Hygge" by Hamburg Media School graduates Lena Fakler and Zarah Schrade and the documentary "Cinema Popular" by Hamburg filmmaker Philipp Hartmann.

The High End Committee of the MOIN Film Fund awarded more than 1.7 million euros to ten projects at its latest meeting. These include the animation adventure "Out of Frame" by Hamburg-based Ulysses Filmproduktion and the action thriller "Control" with Hollywood star James McAvoy.

Eleven film theatres in Schleswig-Holstein have been awarded the state's cinema prize this year. On Wednesday (12 June), State Secretary for Culture Guido Wendt presented the certificates at the award ceremony in Kiel and praised the cinema landscape in Schleswig-Holstein as an integral and indispensable part of a diverse cultural offering.

With NEST, MOIN Film Fund has been breaking new ground in the area of development funding since this year. In addition to customised funding tools, all participants take part in a five-day workshop (NEST Space) and work together on their ideas and drafts. A total of 20 projects were supported in the first two funding rounds.

The 77th Cannes International Film Festival begins today, tuesday. It is currently unclear whether directors Mohammad Rasoulof, who lives in Hamburg and Iran, will be able to attend the world premiere of his MOIN-funded film "The Seed of the Sacred Fig" in person. Hamburg's Senator for Culture Dr Carsten Brosda, MOIN Film Fund and FILMFEST HAMBURG express their solidarity.

Attention up-and-coming filmmakers from Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein: You have until 10 May to apply for the Screen Talent Europe Pitching Forum 2024. The event will take place on 12 and 13 June in Grimstad, Norway.

Our cooperation with the international mentoring programme "First Cut Lab" is entering the next round! The "First Cut Lab Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein" is aimed specifically at MOIN-funded feature film productions that are in the editing phase. There will be an info call for interested parties on 16 April.

In its first meeting of the year, the Kurz + Innovativ Committee of the MOIN Film Fund awarded 160,000 euros to five projects, including the animated film "Uncle Filmi" by Director Nazgol Kashani and the 360-degree film "The Nama Hut" by Namibian artist Tuli Mekondjo.

In its first funding session of the year, the High End Committee of MOIN Film Fund awards more than two million euros to eleven projects. Among them: the drama "Der Heimatlose" with 20 shooting days in Schleswig-Holstein and the children's film "Bille & Zottel" with 37 shooting days in the northernmost federal state.

Two MOIN-funded films have the chance to win a Golden Bear at the 74th Berlinale! The star-studded family drama "Dying" by Matthias Glasner and the new science fiction film by French Director Bruno Dumont are in the competition race. Five other films have also made it into the Berlinale programme.

Five Lolas at the German Film Awards, two nominations for the European Film Awards - and now the chance to win an Oscar®: Directors İlker Çatak's film "The Teachers' Lounge" is one of five films to receive a nomination in the "Best International Film" category, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced today. The drama was shot entirely in Hamburg and stars European shooting star Leonie Benesch.

At its current meeting, the Director's Cut Committee of the MOIN Film Fund awarded more than 1.3 million euros to 22 projects. Among them are the new Hamburg project "Die Stadt" by "Human Flowers of Flesh" Director Helena Wittmann and the documentary "Solo" about the struggle of single mothers by Hamburg-based directing duo Simona Dürnberg and Christian von Brockhausen.

MOIN Film Fund is breaking new ground in the funding of scripts and ideas: In future, Script Writers and Creators will receive customised Fundings and the opportunity to fully exploit the potential of their ideas with other creatives in a collaborative thinking space. Welcome to NEST.