Hessen Talents

Hessen Talents: From university to the Berlinale

In 2027, Hessen Talents will once again bring selected emerging filmmakers from universities in Hessen to the Berlinale. The selection is made from among the films nominated by students for screening at the Hessian University Film Festival (HHFT), a project of Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences, Kunsthochschule Kassel, the University of Art and Design Offenbach, and Rhein-Main University of Applied Sciences as part of the Kassel Dokfest. The Hessen Talents program turns student filmmaking into an opportunity to make initial contacts in the film industry and get to know Germany’s largest film festival.

More Than a Festival Visit

Hessen Talents serves as a bridge between academic studies and the international film industry. For students, participation offers an important shift in perspective: they experience how films are perceived outside the university context, learn about the structures and key players of the international film market, and have the opportunity to present their own work to the industry. At the same time, they can meet experienced filmmakers, exchange ideas with other students, and begin building their first international professional network.

What does the hFMA offer?

The selected Hessen Talents not only receive accreditation, a travel allowance, and access to the “Encourage Film Talents” initiative’s get-together, but also an exclusive two-part program at the Berlinale:

1. Industry Showcase: Films presented to an international industry audience

In addition to the festival, the European Film Market (EFM)—one of the world’s most important trade fairs—is a central component of the Berlinale—and for first-time visitors, it can be an intimidating and overwhelming experience. To gain initial insights into this international film market, Hessen Talents are given guided tours of the market at the Gropius-Bau, allowing them to get their bearings and understand what to expect. They also receive a platform for their films: These will be screened on-site at the EFM in the CinemaxX for an industry audience of industry representatives and festival curators, and will also be made available as online screenings. This allows Hessen Talents to be discovered by producers, distributors, festival organizers, and other filmmakers, and to establish contacts within the industry.

2. Talent Lab: The Berlinale as a Space for Learning and Experience

In addition to the Industry Showcase, Hessen Talents can look forward to a Talent Lab program:

Through the Get Together organized by Encourage Film Talents—a networking initiative for emerging filmmakers from the DACH region—Hessen Talents gain access to pitches, panels, screenings, and events. The two-day program provides an accessible platform for exchange with students from German film academies and industry representatives.

A special feature of the Talent Lab is the group visit to selected events at the Berlinale HUB, which offers film talks with international directors, producers, screenwriters, and other filmmakers associated with current festival productions—including filmmakers whose films are in competition for the Bears. Selected program events are attended jointly by the Hessen Talents and discussed in reflection sessions. In the afternoons and evenings, the HUB becomes the central meeting place for accredited industry professionals and thus an important venue for informal networking.

Our goal:

Through the program at the Berlinale, we aim to offer Hessen Talents the opportunity to gain experience that could be crucial for their future professional development: They present their projects and their own artistic work to industry professionals, network with potential collaborators, and gain insights into the workings of the film market. Last but not least, Hessen Talents will present themselves to representatives from the film industry and politics at the reception hosted by the Hessian State Representation.

In short: Hessen Talents brings young filmmakers from Hesse to the very place where films are created, discussed, curated, and brought to the world.

Archive: Some Insights Into Previous Rounds of Hessen Talents

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HESSEN TALENTS Pressefotos 2026