The 18th Berlinale Co-Production Market (February 13-17, 2021) has called for submissions from worldwide producers for new feature-length film projects in need of co-producers and financiers (deadline September 30, 2021). The Berlinale Co-Production Market is part of the European Film Market. The Berlinale Co-Production Market is funded by MDM – Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung and the Creative Europe – MEDIA programme of the European Union. Online submission forms are available at www.berlinale-coproductionmarket.de. Berlinale International Film Festival which is scheduled for February 11-21, 2021 will take place as physical festival. EFM is planned in both physical and virtual formats.

By the end of this year, approximately 20 projects will be chosen from all submissions and confirmed for the official selection. Project budgets can be anywhere between one and 20 million euros, and must have at least 30% of financing or production funding from the project’s native country already in place. Some exceptions are made for projects with less than 30% financing (overview of terms and conditions). If necessary, digital elements will be arranged to supplement the physical Co-Production Market. More information will follow in the coming months.

The Berlinale Co-Production Market brings together 600 international producers, sales agents, distributors as well as broadcasting and funding representatives who are active in international co-productions.

“Co-Pro Series”

International producers with series projects are invited to apply by October 15 for participation in the sought-after “Co-Pro Series” pitch, following in the footsteps of earlier projects such as Babylon Berlin to find international co-production partners. At the “Co-Pro Series” event, the Berlinale Co-Production Market team organises meetings with potential partners in addition to the pitch (more information on Co-Pro Series).

A tailor-made meeting timetable is created for each selected project at the Berlinale Co-Production Market. The results of this comprehensive scheduling are approximately 1,500 specifically pre-planned, individual meetings with fitting and interested potential co-producers, financiers, international sales agents, distributors, TV broadcasters and fund representatives to talk about the potential cooperation in practical terms. Producers and financiers in search of co-production projects may apply for participation starting in November 2020.

In addition to the feature-length film and series projects presented at the Berlinale Co-Production Market, once again five international companies will be introduced at the “Company Matching”. And at the pitch event “Books at Berlinale”, in cooperation with the Frankfurt Book Fair, there will once again be new novels to discover for potential cinematic versions.

Success to date

Of the international feature-length film projects selected for the Berlinale Co-Production Market in previous years, 310 have been successfully produced, along with 15 drama series. This year, the Academy Award-winning film Jojo Rabbit by director Taika Waititi was frequently talked about, as well as Agnieszka Holland’s Berlinale contribution, Charlatan, and Marvin Kren’s series Freud. Currently, Advantages of Travelling by Train by Aritz Moreno opened in German cinemas in August, and Katrin Gebbe’s Pelican Blood will open in September. Despite the difficulties getting films launched at festivals and in cinemas due to COVID-19, some earlier Berlinale Co-Production Market projects have already been invited to screen at international film festivals this year. In addition to those that premiered at the Berlinale, two films with Cannes 2020 labels and premieres in Sarajevo and Shanghai, three films whose producers were connected at the Berlinale Co-Production Market in years past will celebrate their premieres at the Venice International Film Festival: Quo Vadis, Aida? by Jasmila Zbanic; Nowhere Special by Uberto Pasolini; and Gaza Mon Amour by Arab and Tarzan Nasser.