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Breaking News: Major Push for Diversity in Tomorrow’s Film Industry at Munich Film Festival
Munich, July 12, 2023 – At the heart of this year’s Munich Film Festival, a pivotal discussion took place under the aegis of the “Boosting The Next Generation” panel. This event focused on the pressing need for diversity within the film industry, specifically addressing the role of university cooperation in shaping a more inclusively trained workforce. Initiated by the Malisa Foundation, Netflix, and six prominent German film universities, the panel highlighted significant strides made and challenges still ahead.
The Effect: A Collaborative Effort
The “Boosting The Next Generation” project was spearheaded by the Malisa Foundation, Netflix, and a coalition of esteemed film universities, including Film University Babelsberg Konrad Wolf, University of Television and Film Munich (HFF), Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg (FABW), Art University Cologne (KHM), IFS International Film School, and German Film and Television Academy Berlin (DFFB). The shared goal? To integrate anti-discrimination and diversity sensitivity into the core fabric of film education.
Speaking at the panel, Film Academy & Netflix Director Sasha Bühler and actress/producer Maria Furtwängler stressed the urgent need for diversity both across the camera and behind it. Moderated by and podcaster Yugen Yah, the event featured a stellar lineup, including Susanne Stürmer, President of Film University Babelsberg, Merle Grimme, a director and author, Yelyzaveta (Lisa) Davydenko, a student at the Baden-Württemberg Film Academy, and Sinem Gökser, an inclusion consultant.
Diversity: No Longer An Option, But A Must
The discussion veered around how film universities can ingrain diverse perspectives within their training programs. The consensus: Diversity should be fundamental to the training, not an elective. InterBoundary’s collaboration and Netflix’s support have fostered pivotal developments, including cross-university diversity training that aims to standardize inclusivity within the industry.
Susanne Stürmer emphasized, “Together we are stronger – collaboration among German film universities, support from Netflix, and our collective efforts towards gender equity and diversity are crucial for the industry and society’s future.”
Sustainability and Future Initiatives
Highlighting the necessity for sustainable structures, the panel underlined the importance of long-term strategies to embed diversity within the film industry. The universities aim to continue their collaborative efforts, driving change and emphasizing inclusion as a binding standard.
“It’s more important than ever to strive for gender justice in audiovisual media. This successful collaboration between film universities is essential and will be ongoing,” affirmed Maria Furtwängler.
A Call to Action
The collaboration between industry giants and academia signals a significant shift toward an inclusively diverse film future. The Pan-Diversity project “Boosting The Next Generation” is not just a milestone but a beacon guiding the industry’s requisite evolution.
If you’re interested in how diversity can transform the film industry, stay tuned with archyde.com to catch the latest updates. Your voice and insights matter as we collectively work towards a more inclusive and progressive film industry.
