FAQ
To be able to apply, you must fulfill two main eligibility requirements:
1) Be a citizen and a permanent resident of the country for which the call for application is open. If you are from the country but live in the diaspora, you are unfortunately not eligible.
2) Have a track record as a filmmaker. This means that we require that you have released at least one fictional or nonfiction production either internationally or locally (e.g., theatrical release, screening in a national or international festival, TV broadcast, digital third-party broadcast, streaming/VOD). This can also be a short film
Before a film can get made, it needs to go through the „development phase“. This phase is the first step of every film production and includes developing/elaborating the idea of the film, writing a treatment and screenplay, acquiring financing, contracting rights, etc.
Development activities that can be funded with the DW Akademie Film Development Fund include, but are not limited to: Work on your treatment and screenplay, research (travel), production of a mood reel or trailer, participation in labs (lab fees), acquire financing for production (work on further funding applications), travel to festivals, etc., location or character scouting, etc.
The development costs you can apply for include:
- research costs associated with the project
- script editor fees
- writer fees
- travel expenses associated with the project
- lab, conference, market fees
- production costs for a mood trailer
- general costs (project-related stationery, telephone, office rent, etc.)
- rights acquisition fees
- legal consulting
- Application form (online)
- Summary of the proposed project (max. 2 pages)
- Activity schedule: list and time schedule of the activities planned for the one-year period leading to predefined outcomes
- Budget for the planned development activities that you want to undertake with the grant (10.000 €)
Applicants whose projects get shortlisted will be asked to submit a treatment (max. 8 pages).
DW Akademie will contact you in case your project gets shortlisted. This will take place about four weeks after the application deadline.
Filmmakers from the diaspora are unfortunately not eligible. Only applicants who permanently live and work in the call for applications country can apply.
We ask you to apply in English. If you include documents with your application that are in another language, please include an English translation.
For us to provide a tailor-made and individualized training program, we need detailed information on the fields of work in which training would help you to best implement your project and enhance your professional skills.
No, a consultation with DW Akademie is not mandatory, but we highly recommend you take part in an online Q&A session held shortly after the call for applications opens. The meeting will provide you with information on the application procedure and you will also be able to pose questions directly to DW Akademie. The meeting date will be announced on the website.
In the summary you should clearly and briefly describe the story of your film in present tense: What happens in your film? What is the core story of your film?
You should mention the main characters, the premise of the story as well as the conflicts: What does the character(s)/protagonist want to achieve? What is the character/protagonist’s goal?
Please submit a maximum of 2 pages
Please note: These are merely examples of a logline, for reference only. They are intended to show how a logline might be constructed. We would like to stress that the logline examples are in no way intended to serve as suggestions for the content of projects submitted by the applicants.
- „After a spectacular bank robbery, the thieves begin to suspect a police informant among them.“
- „A young woman disappointed by her family casts aside her life in the country for the big city. But it’s there that she discovers where her roots truly lie.“
- „Two school friends with very different professional ambitions meet again and again at significant turning points in their lives until they realize that they love each other.“
- „Focusing on three young female protagonists from different backgrounds, the documentary exposes social structures that lead to violence against women.“
- „In order to provide for his economically challenged family, a 16-year-old teenager gives up his dream of becoming a successful soccer player – only to be discovered as a great soccer talent.“
A treatment is written before the screenplay. It is a condensed narrative of the film’s story. A treatment is shorter than a screenplay and usually doesn’t contain detailed dialog. It should read like a short story, told in the present tense. In your treatment you should clearly indicate the main character and what they are seeking to achieve. Also address the emotional development of your character. You can add specific scenes to your treatment that underline the development of the character and the dramaturgy of your film.
A treatment of a documentary should as well indicate the main subject or protagonists of the film as well as the protagonist’s “journey” that you want to follow in your film and the challenge(s) that you want to focus on. A documentary treatment also reflects on your visual approach. You could e.g. address if you, the filmmaker, will be heard or seen in the film. If you have already visited your protagonist or the subject of your film and may have even done (test) shoots, you can describe these scenes in your treatment. If you didn’t have the chance to shoot yet, you can describe the overall look and feel of your film based on your research.
If your project gets pre-selected, you will need to submit a maximum of 8 pages. Please file the treatment in English.
You will receive a fellowship contract for the period of one year. The program consists of financial support of 10.000 €, a yearlong mentorship program and additional training and networking sessions.
The funds will be paid out in four installments of 2,500 € each. The first installment will be paid out after the contract is signed. You will be asked to file interim reports on the progress you have made before the transfer of the next installment. We will ask you to deliver a final report at the end of the project period.
The funding period is for one year and starts on April 1st, 2023.
It is not possible to participate in another yearlong fellowship program, where you are also being accompanied by a mentor. However, labs and residencies can be attended. We advise you to discuss possibilities of participation with your mentor at the beginning of the program. If you are unsure whether participation in a particular program is possible or not, please contact us at dw-akademie.film-fund@dw.com.
If you are selected, you will be paired with an international mentor that will guide you through the development process of your project.
In addition, DW Akademie will offer tailor-made training and networking opportunities in different formats and on various subjects. There will be 2-3 training sessions that will take place on site in the country that you live in.
In addition, DW Akademie might invite you to online sessions and networking events. At the beginning of the funding period, you will receive an overview of the training and networking opportunities that are planned for the following 12 months.
You will be sent a confirmation saying that we have received your application and that your submission is complete. Please do not contact our office to confirm your application. If you didn’t receive a confirmation e-mail please check your spam folder.
Yes, we will contact you if your project has been shortlisted.
We will inform you by email if the jury has selected your project and let you know as soon as the decision has been made. Please note that this will be approximately two months after the application deadline has expired.