Every year it’s a red-carpet intensive to discuss festival planning and marketing strategies, boost the genre of local film-making in developing regions and network in the name of cinematic impact. “The workshop is a great gathering of 12 different cultures from three different continents,” says project manager Pamela Schobess. “It’s all about networking and we’ve had an amazing start, making contacts between festivals all over the world.”

Of this year’s group, five are from Asia. Pictured above from left to right are Shoaib Iqbal, the director of Pakistan’s Lahore International Children’s Film Festival, Le Thi Thu Ha, an international relations expert for the Vietnam International Film Festival and Andrew Linggar, director of dissemination for Minikino in Indonesia. Hamed Kibria (pictured bottom row left) is the public relations secretary for the Dhaka International Film Festival (DIFF) in Bangladesh and to his right is Anuja Arvind Ghosalkar, the festival coordinator of India’s Experimenta film festival.

Over the course of five weeks, they’ve been getting behind-the-scenes access and a rare close-up look at one of Germany’s foremost international and cultural media events. But their stay in Germany is not all glamor and glitz. Their days are long and full of hard work. The rigorous schedule includes attending the official Berlinale press conference, completing understudy and group activities alongside other festival specialists and holding in-depth discussions with experts.

“While the Berlinale takes place,” Pamela adds, “we have the opportunity to meet lots of people who work for the festival, such as the heads of the sections and people from various administrative and organizational departments. It’s great that these people take the time to introduce themselves, their fields of work and answer the participants’ many questions.”

Besides honing their own communication and presentation skills, the workshop introduces the participants to tools and methods to effectively improve the profiles of the events they work for back home. Shoaib Iqbal of Pakistan says that one of the first things he plans to do after this experience is to “train not only our staff members with the core components of the course, but also to invite people from other arts and film organizations so they can benefit as well. In light of the such rich experience here, the key areas that I identified in our festival to grow are programming, strategic partnerships and audience development.”

Sales and distribution, securing funding and film selection criteria are just some of the areas they’ve been focusing on to help extend the reach of film festivals in Asia and expand their pool of sponsors, filmmakers and audiences. Le Thi Tu Ha says the experience will help her festival in Vietnam in a range of ways – from the daily business of managing the immense amount of paperwork through to supporting young filmmakers and developing film promotion and co-production partnerships.

That’s not the last of the Berlinale buzz either. DW Akademie was also closely involved with the special film award CINEMA fairbindet (CINEMA connects), which honors a film for outstanding contribution to the progress of development issues. One of the nominations this year was Filipino independent film Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank (The Woman in the Septic Tank). And DW Akademie trainees busily reported from the Berlinale Talent Campus, a creative academy for next-generation filmmakers, featuring illustrious international guest speakers such as award-winning Taiwanese film director Hou Hsiao-Hsien.

Many of the workshop participants cited the Talent Campus and European Film Market trade fair as particular highlights among the myriad of Berlinale-related events. The variety, says Andrew Linggar of Indonesia, “builds a really good ‘ecosystem’ where new talents learn, produced films are distributed and the audience has the chance to enjoy the films.”

The whirlwind Berlinale ends on February 19th, but the workshop participants will continue their work for a full week after, reviewing the flurry of film festival and workshop activities, presenting individual reports, and holding wrap-up meetings before heading home packed with new ideas and international contacts for their film festivals in Asia. Shoaib calls it “a creative and inspirational overdose of film.” In combination with the workshop he says that the “potential of this experience will unleash truly if you connect the dots that were gathered during the event.”

Two of this year's 12 participants are Luzviminda Casagan from Pasay City, the Philippines, and Arthur Mataruse from Cape Town, South Africa. Casagan works for the Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival, Mataruse for Encounters and the Out in Africa film festivals. We spoke to both of them to find out more about film festivals and filmmaking in their home countries.

How would you describe the importance of films in cinema and television in your home country?

Arthur Mataruse (pictured left): For us, films mainly have the function to strengthen the culture and the common identity in South Africa. Our aim is also to show other cultures and lifestyles.

Luzviminda Casagan: In the Philippines, fewer and fewer people are going to the cinema. One reason is that it is now easier to get films on DVD or from the Internet. Consequently, it's becoming more difficult for filmmakers to distribute and sell their films. Our aim with the Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival is to support young Philippine filmmakers whose films provide new insights and pursue new concepts, especially when that promotes art and culture.

Describe for us the local working and production conditions for filmmakers, producers and directors in your home country?

Casagan: In the Philippines, producers within the mainstream film industry have a monopoly. Film producers outside the mainstream do not have a lot of money and resources to produce their films. They need financial support but also backup in the fields of marketing and distribution. That gave us the idea to establish the festival. There are two films by Philippine filmmakers at this year's Berlinale: “Halaw” by Sheron Dayoc and "Sampaguita, National Flower” by Francis Xavier E. Pasion. Both films were co-financed by our festival.

Mataruse: South Africa has a growing and interesting film and TV industry. We have many talented people. During our Encounters and Out in Africa film festivals we offer workshops for documentary filmmakers to boost documentary production in South Africa. Notable examples for productions made by South African filmmakers are “Totsi”, “Yesterday” and “White Wedding”, which have attracted international attention and have been nominated for several media awards. Many South African films deal with the history of our country, especially the apartheid system. Queer productions also play an important role in South Africa – films and plays that deal with homosexuality, bisexuality or transgender issues. One prominent artist in this area is Evita Bezuidenhout, who received a Special Teddy Award at this year’s Berlinale.

What is the most interesting part of this workshop for you?

Casagan (pictured left): I learned a lot, especially how to set up and use systems when organizing festivals. We spoke about the promising Eventival computer program for example. With that program you can plan and conduct a film festival without using paper. I also learned a lot about  how to use the Internet for festival organization, marketing and time management. I will pass on all the information to my colleagues and adopt it for my work.

Mataruse: This workshop is excellent. I think my best experience so far was to meet the other participants. It is a special gift, because we found out that the only difference between us is geography. We all have had different experiences with our work and in life. And to be here in Berlin – to experience the art, culture and history – is just amazing.

What will you take back with you from the European and German colleagues that you've met?

Casagan: I've noticed how disciplined the Germans are. We Philippines should adopt it. I want to bring discipline to my home country and share it with my fellow citizens.

Mataruse: Accuracy and discipline. What I also learned from Germans is to be open to everything.

Author: Kathrin Reinhard

Translation: Ariane Missuweit (df)