Cinema of Germany

The cinema of Germany began in the late 1800s and quickly became very important. German filmmakers helped create new technologies and ideas that changed movies, radio, and TV. A place called Babelsberg became famous around the world, much like Hollywood did later.

Many early German filmmakers and actors moved to early Hollywood. Their work helped shape the movie industry in many countries.

Over the years, Germany has gone through big changes, which created many different styles and periods in its film history. German movies and artists have been recognized around the world.

History

1895–1918 German Empire

The history of cinema in Germany began in the late 1800s. In 1895, Max Skladanowsky and his brother Emil showed the Bioscop, an early film projector, in Berlin. This was the first time people paid to watch films. Other German film makers soon made short films for fairs and markets.

Early German films were often based on books, with longer, artistic films starting around 1910. During this time, cinemas became more common, with dedicated movie theaters opening across Germany. By 1910, there were over 1,000 cinemas in the country.

1918–1933 Weimar Republic

After World War I, the German film industry grew despite challenges. Many films were made each year, attracting talent from across Europe. This time saw the rise of German Expressionism, a style with dark, dramatic looks and themes. Famous films from this time include The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Nosferatu.

The Weimar era made films in many types, from dramas to comedies, showing the changing times and social issues. Directors like Ernst Lubitsch became known for their dramas, while others tried new styles and technologies.

1933–1945 Nazi Germany

With the rise of the Nazi regime, the German film industry was strictly controlled. Many filmmakers with different views left the country. The remaining industry made films to support Nazi ideas, though most were still for entertainment. Directors like Leni Riefenstahl made influential films, while others made traditional entertainment.

1945–1989 East Germany

After World War II, East Germany’s film industry was rebuilt around DEFA, the state-owned studio. Early films often showed the war’s destruction, but later films included fairy tales, science fiction, and adventures. Despite limits, DEFA made around 900 feature films and many more documentaries and animations.

1945–1989 West Germany

In West Germany, the film industry slowly recovered after the war. Early films often showed life in the damaged country, similar to Italian neorealism. The 1950s saw popular “Heimatfilme,” heartwarming stories from rural areas. War films from this time often showed German soldiers as victims, avoiding darker themes.

The 1960s brought economic changes that reduced cinema attendance. Many studios closed, and filmmakers turned to television. The New German Cinema began in the late 1960s, with directors like Rainer Werner Fassbinder and Werner Herzog making films about Germany’s past and modern issues.

1990–Modern Germany

Since reunification, German cinema has faced both challenges and successes. Major studios like Babelsberg continue to make films, and directors such as Tom Tykwer and Wolfgang Petersen have gained attention around the world. German films now explore complex themes and reach new audiences through streaming services. The industry stays active, though it competes with international productions.

Film financing

The German government helps make movies with a program called the Deutscher Filmförderfonds (DFFF). This program gives money to filmmakers who follow certain rules and show their movies have cultural value. Every year, the program offers 50 million euros, and a movie can get up to 20% of its cost covered. At least 25% of the money spent must be used in Germany.

Germany has many groups that help pay for movies. Some are run by the national government, and others are in different parts of the country. These groups have been helping filmmakers since the early 1900s. Some people think that with so many groups, it can be hard to organize everything well. They also think spreading money out too much might make it harder for movies to earn back their costs.

Film funding institutions

Film funding in Germany comes from many places, including:

Federal

• Deutscher Filmförderfonds (DFFF) (German Federal Film Fund) of the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media
• Filmförderungsanstalt (FFA) (Film Funding Agency), since 1968
• Kuratorium junger deutscher Film (Board of Trustees for Young German Film)

Regional

• MFG Medien- und Filmgesellschaft Baden-Württemberg, since 1995
• FilmFernsehFonds Bayern, since 1996
• Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, since 1994
• Filmbüro Bremen
• MOIN Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein
• Filmbüro Hessen
• Hessische Filmförderung
• Film- und Medienbüro Niedersachsen
• Nordmedia – Film- und Mediengesellschaft Niedersachsen/Bremen mbH
• Film- und Medienstiftung NRW
• Filmbüro Nordrhein-Westfalen
• Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung, since 1998
• MV Filmförderung, since 2020
• Filmbüro Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, until 2020
• Stiftung Rheinland-Pfalz für Kultur
• Saarländisches Filmbüro, until 1998
• Gesellschaft zur Förderung des Medienstandortes Saarland
• Filmverband Sachsen
• Kulturelle Filmförderung des Landes Sachsen-Anhalt through the Kunststiftung des Landes Sachsen-Anhalt
• Filmbüro Schleswig-Holstein
• Kulturelle Filmförderung Schleswig-Holstein
• Kulturelle Filmförderung Thüringen

Lokal:

• Filmbüro Franken (City of Nürnberg)
• Förderverein Filmkultur Bonn

Festival

The Berlin International Film Festival, also called Berlinale, is one of the world's most famous film festivals. It happens in Berlin, Germany. It began in West Berlin in 1951 and has been held every February since 1978. Many people go, with hundreds of thousands of tickets sold each year. Up to 400 films are shown, and about twenty films compete for awards called the Golden and Silver Bears. Since 2001, Dieter Kosslick has been in charge of the festival.

The festival also has other events, and around 20,000 professionals from many countries attend. Over 4,200 journalists help share news about the festival around the world. During special movie premieres, famous actors and celebrities sometimes walk the red carpet.

Further information on the Berlin short film festival: Moviemiento

German Film Academy

The Deutsche Filmakademie started in 2003 in Berlin. It helps filmmakers talk about movies and makes German films more famous.

Since 2005, the winners of the Deutscher Filmpreis, called the Lolas, are chosen by members of the Deutsche Filmakademie. This award has a big cash prize, making it a top cultural award in Germany.

Film schools

Many schools in Germany, both public and private, teach people how to make movies. Some of these schools include:

• Deutsche Film- und Fernsehakademie Berlin in Berlin
• Hochschule für bildende Künste Hamburg in Hamburg
• Film Academy Baden-Württemberg in Ludwigsburg
• International Film School Cologne in Cologne
• University of Television and Film Munich in Munich
• Filmuniversität Babelsberg in Potsdam

Personalities

See also: List of German film directors, List of German actors, and List of German Academy Award winners and nominees

Some famous people in German cinema include:

• Emil Jannings
• Ernst Lubitsch
• Marlene Dietrich
• Heinz Rühmann
• Luise Rainer
• F. W. Murnau
• Karl Freund
• Ken Adam
• Curd Jürgens
• Armin Mueller-Stahl
• Michael Ballhaus
• Michael Verhoeven
• Volker Schloendorff
• Wolfgang Petersen
• Werner Herzog
• Wim Wenders
• Roland Emmerich
• Hans Zimmer
• Christoph Waltz
• Oliver Hirschbiegel
• Sandra Bullock
• Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
• Michael Fassbender
• Diane Kruger
• Kirsten Dunst