Since 15 October selected young professionals from around the globe have explored current and future trends of film marketing, sales, distribution, exhibition and curatorship in the frame of the NEXT WAVE professional training programme, run by the DFFB and funded by Creative Europe (MEDIA) and Medienboard Berlin Brandenburg.

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Over the course of nine months the NEXT WAVE participants evolved in practical assignments, networked at festivals and markets, gained deep insights in current film developments, met industry experts in tailor-made seminars and, most importantly, developed their own business strategies or research ideas, by means of an innovative and interdisciplinary approach. In this way, NEXT WAVE aims to establish a powerful skill set for participants to deploy in their future careers, and to equip them with the international networks needed to navigate in the future of film. Business knowledge is imparted not only by top-notch course tutors but also by the NEXT WAVE Advisory Board consisting of high-level experts like Bobby Allen (MUBI), Matthijs Wouter Knol (EFM), Maddy Probst (Watershed), Erwin M. Schmidt (Cinemathon) and Sten-Kristian Saluveer (Storytek / Cannes NEXT) who actively mentor the participants progress.

NEXT WAVE Head of Programme Lysann Windisch says, “Considering the current developments and on-going shifts in audience behaviour, which now have been even more accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic - challenging not only the film industry but all cultural sectors alike - it seems more important than ever to reflect on how to rethink the traditional value chain and how to engage audiences across multiple platforms. The NEXT WAVE programme is exactly in the right spot for that, offering a great opportunity to young professionals to develop their own ideas on what the future might look like. It is a challenging endeavour, and yet absolutely necessary. (Re)Building the future will always be a collaborative act and demands an open-minded and creative environment which we aim to provide.”

The first cohort, 14 brilliant young professionals, who stepped out of their usual day-to-day business to embark on this exciting journey, will present the final results to the industry at the Cannes NEXT section of the Cannes Film Festival’s Online Marché du Film on 23 June (5-7pm, Paris time).

Many projects have taken on a collective shape, collaboration being the overarching theme of this edition:

Kika’s Kino, an app that empowers and connects young female audiences in Sweden through film
(Emma Caviezel, Sweden, in collaboration with Magdalena Rotko)

Kino Prototype, a research project exploring the future of the collective cinema experience
(Raphaëlle Cittanova, France, in collaboration with Queralt Pons)

MORETHAN, a collaborative international film agency offering services across the value chain in the areas of strategy, representation, matchmaking and education
(Lidia Damatto Moreira, Brazil, in collaboration with Lorna Bösel, Emma Caviezel, Queralt Pons and Magdalena Rotko)

SubcontinEU, an organisation facilitating a wider distribution of European films in the Indian subcontinent as well as coproduction opportunities
(Shapath Das, India)

New Film Tool, a modular online tool enabling audiovisual storytellers to engage with audiences worldwide in a collaborative process
(Marina Gumzi, Slovenia)

Film Proxy, a talent agency promoting emerging Polish below-the-line artists in the areas of cinematography, editing, sound engineering, vfx and animation
(Anna Huth, Poland)

Zero Bunker, a non-profit organisation promoting Albanian-language films internationally and connecting them to the Albanian diaspora
(Lediona Kasapi, Albania)

CINEsymposium, a training programme for festivals programmers aiming to create curating alliances and a solid network of cinephiles
(Ioanna Kryona, Greece)

DoConnect, an online content aggregation platform engaging audiences for documentary films by interdisciplinary, transmedial discussions
(Lisa Plumeier, Germany)

Q – International Film Consultancy providing services in the fields of festival distribution, marketing, matchmaking for feature and short films from Catalonia
(Queralt Pons, Spain)

Film O’Clock International Festival, a film festival aiming to create a social movement by connecting audiences in countries on the same meridian
(Mirona Radu, Romania)

The C Report, a research paper exploring COVID-19's impact on the global film industry
(Lorna Bösel, Max Minkoff, Magdalena Rotko)

NEXT WAVE is currently preparing its second edition. The creative incubator targets committed professionals with backgrounds in film sales, distribution, exhibition, festivals or production and will take on up to 15 young professionals. The call for application is open until 30 June. For more information visit nextwave.dffb.de.