FILM.POLITIK.DIALOG + Siegfried Kracauer Preis

Film.Politics.Dialogue – The Future of Film Festival Culture in Baden-Württemberg

Film is also political! Organized by the Film Festival Network Baden-Württemberg, this discussion brings together key representatives of state politics to talk about the unique role of film festivals in revitalizing city centers, as employers, and as spaces for promoting democracy. Film festivals bring together people from different ideological, cultural, and national backgrounds, thus fostering contact between different worlds and worldviews. In doing so, they lay foundations for mutual understanding. They are also vital pillars of cinema culture and culture in general. As film industry hubs and presentation platforms, they are an integral part of Baden-Württemberg’s film landscape. What does the future hold for film festivals, and what should policymakers do to preserve their important contribution? To start, Cathrin Ehrlich, director of the Deutsches FernsehKrimi-Festival in Wiesbaden and former head of the Baden-Baden TV Film Festival, will speak on the current state of festivals in the region. This will be followed by the presentation of the Siegfried Kracauer Prize for Film Criticism.


When and where: Mon, 10 Nov | 7:00 pm (doors open at 6:30 pm) | EinTanzHaus, G4 4, 68159 Mannheim | Participants: State Secretary Arne Braun, MdL Erwin Köhler (Greens), Boris Weirauch (SPD) | Moderator: Rosa Omenaca Prado | Admission: free | Language: German



Siegfried Kracauer Prize

By sparking lively debate and taking bold stances, film criticism also makes a significant contribution to a vibrant cinema culture. Accordingly, the Siegfried Kracauer Prize is part of an initiative to strengthen the German film landscape. As a distinct art form in its own right, criticism fosters appreciation for films and cinema itself. We are therefore delighted that the award will once again be presented at our festival in 2025. The categories Best Film Review and Best Innovative Form are each endowed with a price money of 5,000 Euros and awarded following the vote by a jury of experts. The awards are sponsored by MFG Filmförderung Baden-Württemberg, Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, and Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung (MDM), in collaboration with the Association of German Film Critics (VdFK).