Panel on diversity in the film industry – track record and future of university cooperation at FILMFEST MÜNCHEN

Boosting the Next Generation:

Joint press release

Netflix, Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF, University of Television and Film Munich (HFF), Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg (FABW), Academy of Media Arts Cologne (KHM), ifs International Film School Cologne, and German Film and Television Academy Berlin (DFFB)

What changes are necessary to make diversity the industry standard for tomorrow's professionals? This question was the focus of the panel discussion “Boosting the Next Generation”, which took place today (June 30, 2025) as part of the 42nd FILMFEST MÜNCHEN.

Interim results of the project:
Initiated by the MaLisa Foundation, streaming provider Netflix, and six German film schools – Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF, University of Television and Film Munich (HFF), Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg (FABW), Kunsthochschule für Medien Köln (KHM), ifs Internationale Filmschule Köln, and Deutsche Film- und Fernsehakademie Berlin (DFFB)—the project aims to strengthen discrimination-sensitive structures in education and thus set impulses for new standards that can spread throughout the industry.

The panel provided an opportunity to take stock, reflect on progress and challenges, and take up new ideas.

In their keynote speeches, Sasha Bühler, Director Film DACH, Netflix, and Maria Furtwängler, actress, producer, and co-founder of the MaLisa Foundation, highlighted the importance of diversity in front of and behind the camera for modern film production and emphasized the urgency of actively promoting it.

Moderated by Yugen Yah (filmmaker and podcaster “Indiefilmtalk”), university members, filmmakers, and students discussed strategies for better anchoring diverse perspectives in education and film production. The panelists were:

• Susanne Stürmer, President of the Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF

• Merle Grimme, director and author

• Yelyzaveta (Lisa) Davydenko, student of animation/effects producing at FABW´s Animationsinstitut

• Sinem Gökser, diversity and inclusion officer at art colleges in southern Bavaria

The merger of the universities and the support provided by Netflix have advanced diversity work in important ways and enabled it to become more professional. One example is the development and implementation of a cross-university continuing education program on diversity that is specifically tailored to the intersection of film and teaching. If diversity-oriented perspectives and working methods are taught as a matter of course during training, students are more likely to take them with them into the industry as standards. Committed teachers from all six universities are participating, and the feedback has been positive.

The discussion made it clear that diversity is not an optional extra, but an essential part of film education and production. Participants emphasized the need to create sustainable standards and structures so that responsibility for diversity does not fall solely on individuals.

The “Boosting the Next Generation” project is a prime example of how diversity and anti-discrimination work can be effective when it is structurally thought out and tackled jointly. The discussion ended with a call for the industry, funding institutions, and political decision-makers to take targeted action to anchor diversity and anti-discrimination as binding standards. There was also some positive news: the participating film schools will continue their collaboration to further promote diversity in a targeted manner.

Susanne Stürmer, President of the Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF, succinctly summarized the core idea of the project: “Together we are stronger – this applies to the solidarity shown by German film schools on gender and diversity issues, to the fantastic support for our activities from Netflix and the MaLisa Foundation, and to the work carried out every day in universities on gender equality, diversity, and tolerance. Film schools are also doing important work in this field for the future of the industry and society.”

Maria Furtwängler, actress, producer, and co-founder of the MaLisa Foundation, explained: “It is more important than ever to promote gender equality in the audiovisual media. I am delighted that this successful collaboration between film schools is continuing.”

Conclusion and outlook
The event gave the audience an insight into the important steps that the industry and film schools have already taken to strengthen diversity – and the steps that still need to be taken. The “Boosting the Next Generation” project has shown that change is possible when universities and industry pull together. Against this backdrop, the participating universities, including the Hamburg Media School (HMS), have agreed to continue their joint work in order to further strengthen the momentum that has been created and enable long-term change. In doing so, they are not only sending an important signal, but also making an effective contribution to ensuring that initial momentum is followed by sustainable change.

Photo: Bojan Ritan