Creative film makers: International meeting in Babelsberg!

Creative film makers: International meeting in Babelsberg!

In the summer of 2025, international filmmakers, authors, festival experts as well as film students and teachers will gather in Babelsberg to take part in a groundbreaking summer school on the subject of African storytelling. The official opening will take place on Saturday, September 22nd, at the Filmmuseum Potsdam. The event will provide a platform that illuminates identity, dramaturgy and narrative forms within African narrative traditions. At the beginning of July, information about the program and registration was published on the film university's website.

Among the participants is Jean Pierre Bekolo from Cameroon, a renowned filmmaker who is considered one of the pioneers of Afro-Futurism. His film “L’Afrique, la pensée en mouvement Part 1” was shown at the Berlinale in 2018 and is considered an important contribution to the discussion about African identity. Bekolo's work not only promotes cultural preservation but also challenges conventional narrative structures. His studies in semiology under Christian Metz have had a profound impact on his filmmaking approaches.

Well-known participants and their contributions

The event attracts numerous important personalities from the African film scene. Fabrizio Colombo, Festival Director of the Zanzibar International Film Festival, will also be present. This festival, one of the largest in Africa, has evolved under Colombo's leadership since 2016.

Another highlight is Tsitsi Dangarembga from Zimbabwe, who became known as an author and filmmaker, particularly for her novella “Nervous Conditions,” which won the African Commonwealth Writers Prize in 1989. Through her studies at the German Film and Television Academy in Berlin, she combines European and African cinematic perspectives.

Also the Ugandan author Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi, winner of the Windham-Campell Prize 2018, will take part in the event. Her teaching at Lancaster University emphasizes the importance of narrative in the education of aspiring creatives.

The Tanzanian filmmaker Martin Mhando also brings valuable experience. As a former director of ZIFF, he has made significant contributions to African film production and education. He is co-editor of the Journal of African Cinemas and teaches film production in Australia.

Supportive initiatives and networks

The Summer School is an initiative of the Goethe Institute Johannesburg and the Federal Foreign Office that aims to intensify the professional and cultural exchange between film schools. In 2017, the Film School Network Africa was founded, which includes numerous film schools from Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and other countries. The aim of the network is to develop a better understanding of the needs in film education and to promote regional cooperation.

The African film industry is diverse and in constant evolution. It reflects the resilience of the continent and includes major works such as District 9 and Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. The main film industries are in Nigeria (Nollywood), South Africa and Kenya, with emerging productions in Ghana and Tanzania. Organizations like MultiChoice Talent Factory support local filmmakers through workshops and networking opportunities.

With a focus on the challenges and opportunities in African cinema, the Summer School will provide an important forum for the exchange of ideas and creative solutions. Visitors are encouraged to engage with the different narrative traditions and future perspectives of African film.