Cinema funding will undergo renewal, as announced by Weimer. - Cinema funding to be reallocated by Weimer
Germany to Boost Film Funding and Revitalize Cinema Industry
Germany is set to significantly increase its cinema and film funding starting from 2026, under the leadership of Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer. The federal government aims to nearly double funding for the German Federal Film Fund (DFFF) and the German Motion Picture Fund (GMPF) from around €133 million to €250 million annually. This increase is part of a total budget of around €310 million for film promotion in Germany that includes other cultural film funds and state production subsidies.
The boost in funding will be accompanied by an investment obligation for major international streaming providers such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney to invest in German film productions. Although exact amounts for this obligation are still being finalized, it aims to ensure these platforms contribute more substantially to the German film industry.
Wolfram Weimer emphasizes the need for more blockbuster films and hit series produced in Germany to strengthen the country's international competitiveness in the film market. He refers to these measures as the "soundtrack to a new beginning" in German film funding, positioning the industry for global competition.
The increased funding and obligatory streaming service investments are designed to expand production capacity, improve funding opportunities, and counterbalance concerns over media monopolies from American streaming giants. This initiative seeks to secure cultural autonomy and boost German-language film production.
Sven Lehmann, the chairman of the Culture Committee in the Bundestag, has called on the Culture Minister to make cinema funding a top priority. However, Lehmann criticized that cinemas are still left empty-handed in the allocation of additional funds, despite an increase in film funding.
The reform of the federal film funding will also modernize cinema funding. Weimer emphasized that the government plans to continue funding cinemas from the budget of the Culture Minister, but did not commit to whether the Zukunftsprogramm Kino could be continued. The Zukunftsprogramm Kino, which primarily supported cinemas in smaller towns with investments, received 10 million euros in 2024.
The cinema industry in Germany is struggling with a decline in ticket sales and revenues. Cinemas in Germany need to invest around 112 million euros annually, for example, for new projectors or screens. Lehmann warned that if the federal government does not act promptly, a cinema death is imminent in the coming years, with dramatic consequences for the film location Germany and cultural diversity.
The goal of the new funding is to strengthen programming work. A new reference funding with a cultural orientation has been designed. The goal is to abolish double funding structures and build an efficient cinema funding. The changes are in response to questions from Green culture politician Sven Lehmann. The specific sums available from 2026 have not been disclosed by Weimer.
In summary, under Weimer's leadership from 2026, Germany will almost double its film production funding, create mandatory investment rules for streaming platforms, and aim to produce more internationally competitive German cinema and series, thereby revitalizing and protecting the German film industry. The reform also aims to modernize cinema funding and create a more efficient system, addressing the struggles faced by the cinema industry in Germany.
- The revitalization of the German cinema industry will be supported by the updated employment policy, as Germany aims to increase funding for the German Federal Film Fund (DFFF) and the German Motion Picture Fund (GMPF), thereby creating job opportunities in the film sector.
- In line with the reformation of the federal film funding, the finance policy will be adjusted to include an investment obligation for major international streaming providers, ensuring pour-over of resources into the entertainment industry, promoting business growth and cultural autonomy in Germany.
