German Filmmakers Warn of Crisis as Film Funding Law Faces Uncertainty

Wim Wenders, Volker Schlöndorff, and Tom Tykwer urge the German parliament to pass a new film funding law to prevent industry disruption as the current legislation nears expiration.

The German Film Funding Act (FFG), which regulates funding for domestic film productions, is set to expire at the end of 2024, raising concerns about a potential funding gap starting in January.
Renowned directors Wim Wenders, Volker Schlöndorff, and Tom Tykwer issued a public appeal to parliament, describing the German film industry as being in 'highest danger' without timely legislative action.
The proposed new FFG includes measures such as tax incentives and requiring streaming platforms to invest in German productions, aiming to make the industry more competitive internationally.
Failure to pass the law could result in halted productions, job losses for over 100,000 industry workers, and the loss of German talent and technical expertise to other countries with better incentives.
The Bundestag is scheduled to discuss and vote on the revised legislation on December 19, but its passage remains uncertain following recent political disruptions in the governing coalition.