On February 13, 2008, the World Cinema Fund (WCF) of the Berlinale invites WCF directors and producers as well as international representatives of the film branch and the press to a panel event. Under the heading "How to Optimize Our Potential / New Strategies for Cooperation und Funding", the WCF's strategic goals and current measures, as well as its experiences and results so far will be discussed.

In 2004, the German Federal Cultural Foundation and the Berlinale initiated the World Cinema Fund. As of 2005, the Goethe Institute also became a partner in the cooperation. The funding programme was originally set up for three years; in the interim, it has been extended for another two years.

Nationally and internationally, the WCF has become an important cultural and political funding initiative that has established itself in the movie business worldwide. To date, a total of 753 projects from 61 countries (from the WCF focus regions: Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, Central and South East Asia, as well as the Caucasus) have been submitted to the seven rounds for funding. 47 of these projects have received production or distribution funding. Meanwhile, many WCF-funded projects have been completed and successfully presented at festivals and on the international arthouse market. This year, L'Aquarium by Yousry Nasrallah (Egypt), a project funded in the fourth round during June 2006, is screening in the Berlinale programme.

This success is proof of the extreme topicality of the WCF, a project committed to world cinema and cultural diversity, whose funds are not to be spent in Germany but in the WCF regions. Annually, the WCF also organizes three WCF Spotlights worldwide with films it has funded and special events.

The WCF continually works on developing its concept and strategies further. What this process involves will be explored by the WCF panel:

We Can Do More! - How to Optimize Our Potential / New Strategies for Cooperation und Funding

Introduction and presentation: Vincenzo Bugno and Sonja Heinen (WCF);
with
. Viola Shafik - Filmologist, Germany / Egypt
. Aditya Assarat, Director, Thailand
. Peter Rommel, Producer, Germany
. Hernán Musalupi, Producer, Argentina
. Michel Auret, UK/South Africa
(There will be a reception following the discussion)

On February 13, 2008, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Filmhaus at
Potsdamer Str. 2, Room 5 (4th floor)
(Admission with Berlinale press accreditation) 

The World Cinema Fund is an initiative of the German Federal Cultural Foundation and the Berlin International Film Festival in cooperation with the Goethe Institute.