Sehsüchte International Student Film Festival

Let children discover the art of animation in the “Cut-Out Animation Workshop for Kids.” In this hands-on experience, paper and cardboard characters come to life frame by frame. 🎬 Under the guidance of Anastasia Veretennikova (Sehsüchte, Team Future), children will design their own paper figure and create a short animation, learning how animated films are made. 🧑🎨 👉 Explore the full program: https://sehsuechte.de/ Filmuniversität Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF #Sehsuechte2026 #FilmFestival #Workshop #Animation #KidsWorkshop

Following the funding reform, the Kuratorium junger deutscher Film now has €8 million available for talent films. What does this mean for emerging filmmakers? And how can the transition from film school into the industry be improved? These questions will be discussed in the panel “The New (Talent) Film Funding: The Kuratorium junger deutscher Film” by Producer Alexandra Krampe (PROG Producers of Germany e.V. (vormals Produzent*innenverband), JULEX FILM), Alfred Holighaus (Managing Director of the Kuratorium junger deutscher Film), Prof. Dr. Susanne Stürmer (President of the Filmuniversität Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF), and Henning Beckhoff (M.A. Directing graduate of the Filmuniversität Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF). The panel will be moderated by Prof. Anna de Paoli. “The New (Talent) Film Funding: The Kuratorium junger deutscher Film” is part of the International Student Film Festival Sehsüchte, taking place from April 22 to 26 – Europe’s largest, student-organised film festival. This year, it will be held at Waschhaus in Potsdam. 👉 Explore the program: https://sehsuechte.de/ #talentfoerderung #talentfilm #filmfestival #sehsuechte2026

What does sustainability mean beyond “green production”? This panel shifts the focus to storytelling itself: Which narratives shape our visions of the future, and how can film develop responsible, forward-looking stories? Joining the discussion are film dramaturg Ron Kellermann, sustainability manager in film Katja Schwarz, and Sabrina Reis (M.A. Film and Television Production graduate of the Filmuniversität Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF and member of Initiative Grün). The panel will be moderated by Oskar Eberhard. “Sustainable Stories: Narrative Responsibility in Film” is part of the International Student Film Festival Sehsüchte, taking place from April 22 to 26 – Europe’s largest, student-organised film festival. This year, it will be held at Waschhaus in Potsdam. 👉 Explore the program:  https://sehsuechte.de/ #panel #impactfilm #filmfestival #sehsuechte2026

Networking at events – we know the struggle. In the workshop “Pitch Perfect: The Right Words for the Right People”, you’ll learn how to start conversations with ease, exit them confidently, and draw attention to yourself and your project in a targeted way. The workshop is led by Jörn Krug, Head of the Startup Center Film University Babelsberg (Gründungsservice Filmuniversität Babelsberg) & MOVE2startup at the Filmuniversität Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF. “Pitch Perfect: Saying the Right Things to the Right People” is part of the International Student Film Festival Sehsüchte, taking place from April 22 to 26 – Europe’s largest, student-organised film festival. This year, it will be held at Waschhaus in Potsdam. 👉 Explore the program: https://sehsuechte.de/ #workshop #networking #sehsuechte2026

Right-wing extremism and political polarization are reshaping the cultural landscape. What does this mean for filmmakers and funding structures? Film directors Joana Georgi and Maximilian Ahrens, Junior Producer Ayse Eser, Konstantin Fiedler (Filmmaker & Advisor for Political Communication in the Deutscher Bundestag), and Hanne Homrighausen (Network for Film & Democracy, Board Member of QueerScope and Festival Organizer of the International Queer Film Festival Hamburg) discuss how the industry is responding and how artistic freedom can be defended. The panel will be moderated by Gustav Nowak. “Right-Wing Pressure in the German Film Industry: How Do We Defend Artistic Freedom?” is part of the International Student Film Festival Sehsüchte, taking place from April 22 to 26 – Europe’s largest, student-organised film festival. This year, it will be held at Waschhaus in Potsdam. 👉 Explore the program: https://sehsuechte.de/ Filmuniversität Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF #panel #filmfestival #sehsuechte2026

How can successfully distributed short films serve as a stepping stone to a feature film debut? The workshop, led by the founders of shortlisted. – Jannis Alexander Kiefer and Frithjof Stückemann – explores what matters in festival distribution in order to fully unlock the potential of short films, including their financial potential. “Short First, Feature Next - A Successful Short Film Release as a Bridge to the Debut Feature” is part of the International Student Film Festival Sehsüchte, taking place from April 22 to 26 – Europe’s largest, student-organised film festival. This year, it will be held at Waschhaus in Potsdam. 👉 Explore the program: https://sehsuechte.de/ Filmuniversität Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF #workshop #shortfilm #distribution #sehsuechte2026

How does a film create impact? This panel explores the impact journey of a film – from impact producing and campaign strategies to the role of festivals – and takes a look at funding structures in Germany in an international context. Joining the discussion are Judith Frahm (Producer & Co-Founder of Frahm Sisters), Lillian Rosa (Impact Producer), Saskia Vömel (Managing Director of AG Verleih and JETZT & MORGEN GbR), and Lydia Spiesberger (Head of the Human Rights Film Festival Berlin). The panel will be moderated by Prof. Susanne Binninger. “Impact Film: A Catalyst for Social Change” is part of the International Student Film Festival Sehsüchte, taking place from April 22 to 26 – Europe’s largest, student-organised film festival. This year, it will be held at Waschhaus in Potsdam. 👉 Explore the program: https://sehsuechte.de/ Filmuniversität Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF #panel #impactfilm #filmfestival #sehsuechte2026

AI and virtual production are transforming film production. What will collaboration between new technologies and film studios look like in the future? In this panel, experts – Joerg Bachmaier (CEO of Studio Babelsberg AG), Fabian Gasmia (Producer and CEO of Seven Elephants), Neele Siemann (VFX/ Virtual Production Generalist), and Jonathan Ho (Virtual Production Supervisor at ARKANUM PICTURES and CEO of Wavery) – will discuss new tools and workflows, offering insights into productions such as ATHOS 2643 and GUTE ZEITEN, SCHLECHTE ZEITEN. The panel will be moderated by Prof. Dr. Lena Gieseke. “Film Studios in the Age of AI and Virtual Production” is part of the International Student Film Festival Sehsüchte, taking place from April 22 to 26 – Europe’s largest, student-organised film festival. This year, it will be held at Waschhaus in Potsdam. 👉 Explore the program: https://sehsuechte.de/ Filmuniversität Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF #panel #AI #filmstudios #virtualproduction #filmfestival #sehsuechte2026

Film University – and then what? In “What’s Next? – A Conversation with Film University Alumni”, alumni of the Filmuniversität Babelsberg will share their experiences: Lena Sophie Daun (M.A. Film and Television Production graduate, now Sales & Festival Coordinator at Films Boutique), Dr. Anna Luise Kiss (M.A. Media Studies graduate, now President of Hochschule für Schauspielkunst Ernst Busch), Manuel Tanner (M.A. Media Studies graduate, now Senior Commissioning Editor at ARTE / Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (rbb)), and Dieu Hao Do (M.A. Directing graduate, now screenwriter, director, and community organizer at BAFNET). They will talk about their career paths, share their experiences, and offer valuable advice for students starting their careers. The panel will be moderated by Lisa Plumeier. “What’s Next? – A Conversation with Film University Alumni” is part of the International Student Film Festival Sehsüchte, taking place from April 22 to 26 – Europe’s largest, student-organised film festival. This year, it will be held at Waschhaus in Potsdam. 👉 Explore the program: https://sehsuechte.de/ Filmuniversität Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF #panel #filmfestival #sehsuechte2026

How is the market for XR productions evolving? What opportunities exist for filmmakers – and what new stories can be told? In the panel “XRBB x Sehschte: The Current Market Situation of XR Productions”, Rocco Pucci (Key Account Manager, Epson Deutschland GmbH), Viviana Hochstätter (Producer, Reynard Films GmbH), Emilia Gozzano (Film Director and VR Artist), and Ilija Brunck (Partner and CEO, Woodblock) will discuss structures, distribution, and opportunities for new immersive projects. The panel will be moderated by Finn Kortenbrede (Managing Director, XRBB - Extended Reality Berlin-Brandenburg e.V.). “XRBB x Sehsüchte: The Current Market for XR Productions” is part of the International Student Film Festival Sehsüchte, taking place from April 22 to 26 – Europe’s largest, student-organised film festival. This year, it will be held at Waschhaus in Potsdam. 👉 Explore the program: https://sehsuechte.de/ Filmuniversität Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF #panel #XR #VR #AR #MR #XRBB #filmfestival #sehsuechte2026