An industry forum for change and ideas
© Diagonale/Miriam Raneburger
At the Diagonale Film Meeting, as in previous years, it is not only the festival that sets the topics; the industry also determines the content. As a point of contact for the most current film policy questions and as a platform for focus topics and brief updates from the industry, the first day of the Film Meeting will once again take place in the Diagonale Forum in the Heimatsaal of the Volkskundemuseum, and under the new leadership of Michael Zeindlinger, it will remain a space for exchange, discussions, and ideas. The second day will provide an opportunity for focused and detailed development of ideas and potential measures through closed think tank groups.
Friday, March 28: Updates
The first day begins with a presentation of current news and updates from the industry. Various topics will be in focus, including the latest results, open calls, and upcoming events from Creative Europe MEDIA. Additionally, the 2024 annual report from #we_do! will be presented, along with the new #we_do! Ombudsstelle for Film and Television. Another agenda item is the work with intimacy coordination. The topic of job sharing, as well as a guide to credits for screenwriters, will also be discussed.
Afterwards, the focus will be on inclusion and removing barriers, moderated by Yuria Knoll.
Eva Egerman will present the aesthetics of access and inclusive production using the project C-TV (When I tell you I like you…). Stefan Wolner will remember Martin Habacher and the Mabacher Award, which was initiated in 2022 by Stefan Wolner and Hannah Wahl to preserve the memory of the inclusion activist. Hannah Wahl will then provide insights on the topics of radical inclusion, social responsibility, and allyship. Cornelia Ohnmacht will explore the topic of disability in film and the search for inclusion under the title “Masked Reality.”
In the afternoon, the focus will shift to “Cinema as a Social Space”. In a keynote, Can Sungu will discuss cinema as a social and transnational space of possibilities.
The day will end with a panel discussion on film and funding policy, addressing the complex issues between prestige and precariousness, as well as the tension between incentive models and submission deadlines.
Saturday, March 29: Think Tanks
On the second day, the Diagonale Film Meeting will become a think tank and networking space for the industry: Ideas and concerns will be discussed in closed groups, workshops will be held, and treatments will be pitched.
Personal invitations to participate in the think tanks were sent out in advance.
We look forward to your visit and the exchange with you!
Michael Zeindlinger
Organizer of Diagonale Film Meeting 2025
