Meetings at the  Berlinale Co-Production Market 2023 © Lydia Hesse / Berlinale 2023

Call for Projects: Time to Submit Film and Series Projects for the Berlinale Co-Production Market

Until  September 21, 2023, experienced producers from all over the world can submit new feature film projects in need of co-producers and financiers for the 21st edition of the Berlinale Co-Production Market (February 17-21, 2024). By the end of this year, market curator Martina Bleis and her team will choose approximately 20 feature film projects from all the submissions and confirm them for the official selection. The projects’ overall budgets may range from one to 20 million euros, and at least 30 per cent of the financing or production funding should be secured from the project’s native country prior to selection.

There are some exceptions to this ruling for projects with lower budgets or a smaller share of funding in place (overview of terms and conditions). The minimum budget for some countries is only 600,000 euros, in order to better reflect production realities there, and to support countries from World Cinema Fund-supported regions as well as other countries in Southeast Europe. Directors whose previous films have been screened at the Berlinale and Ukrainian production companies with recent co-production credits are also entitled to submit films without funding in place. 

Until September 4, up-and-coming producers can also apply for the ten places in the Talent Project Market in cooperation with Berlinale Talents.

Co-Pro Series

Up until October 5, international producers can also apply for the tenth edition of the highly sought-after Co-Pro Series Pitch, where they can present their new drama series projects to several hundred suitable co-producers and financiers and thus follow in the footsteps of successful Co-Pro Series projects such as Babylon Berlin, Blackport, Trom, Freud or Eldorado KaDeWe (further information on Co-Pro Series).

At the Berlinale Co-Production Market, meetings are tailored for all the selected feature film and series projects, facilitating contacts with suitable co-producers, financiers, world sales agents, distributors, TV stations and representatives of film funding bodies that are interested. Over 1,500 individually scheduled meetings are held every year.

Producers and financiers looking for promising projects such as the ones selected here, and wishing to enter concrete negotiations and initiate co-productions, can apply for participation as from November 2023.

In addition to the feature film and series projects, in Company Matching five international companies are presented annually at the Berlinale Co-Production Market. From the end of August, publishers and literary agents can submit exciting new, best-selling or award-winning material for the renowned pitch event Books at Berlinale, the first ever rights market at an A-list film festival, established in cooperation with Frankfurter Buchmesse. Ten selected Books at Berlinale projects particularly suitable for film adaptations will be presented to interested producers in February.

Case studies of successful co-productions and other talk events, as well as additional networking formats complement the programme of the Berlinale Co-Production Market, which has now been the contact point at the Berlinale for producers and financiers for all matters concerning international co-productions and new projects for over 20 years.

Current Successes

Over 350 international feature film projects and more than 20 series selected for the Berlinale Co-Production Market in previous years have already been realised successfully. After two Golden Bears in a row with the Co-Production Market projects Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn (2021) by Radu Jude and Alcarràs (2022) by Carla Simón, this year 20,000 Species of Bees by Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren won the Silver Bear for Best Acting Performance in a Leading Role. 13 co-productions from previous years have already been selected at international A-list film festivals in 2023. Lillah Halla’s Levante and Vladimir Perišič’s Lost Country won prizes at Cannes, while Olga Chajdas’ Imago received an award in Karlovy Vary. Holly by Fien Troch will premiere in the Venice Competition in September.

The Berlinale Co-Production Market is a Berlinale Pro* initiative of Berlin International Film Festival and is supported by MDM - Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung and the European Union’s Creative Europe - MEDIA programme. 

Online forms and further information about submitting projects in 2023 can be found at www.berlinale-coproductionmarket.de.