Fabian_Massah_courtesy Filmfest Hamburg

Source: Courtesy of Filmfest Hamburg

Fabian Massah

Filmfest Hamburg has expanded its industry activities for the 2025 edition, appointing German producer Fabian Massah of Berlin-based Endorphine Production to organise this year’s programme.

Industry Days, running from September 29 to October 2, has brought together the European Work in Progress (EWIP) market and the International Film Distribution Summit (IFDS) conference under one roof with the Explorer Konferenz and further events.

Massah, who has been head of European Film Market Startups since November 2024 and is a co-founder of the African-European Distribution Academy, talks to Screen about what this year’s programme will be offering local and visiting international film professionals.

What can we expect from Industry Days on your watch?

As a producer, I’ve always been curious about innovation so I jumped at the chance to help to create an industry event with all of the partners. I want to see where we can come together and discuss what can be done to meet the challenges facing the film business.

One of our goals is to promote more of an exchange between production and distribution and look at issues such as how distribution business models function and how producers weigh up the risks when developing their projects. There’s still a lot of gaps in knowledge and myths on both sides that we could help clear up.

What were the challenges you faced?

From an organisational point of view, it was a case of integrating various organisations’ stand-alone events with their own brands and audiences into the industry programme, but we listened to what expectations they had of being part of the Industry Days to also give their audiences opportunities to break out of their bubbles and discover something new and inspiring to take away.

It was a challenge to find additional venues near CinemaxX but we found them in the Mozartsäle ballroom, the Cafe Schöne Aussichten and the Coda Club so that we can create a campus-like feeling.

In addition to Made in Germany, the Explorer Konferenz, EWIP and IFDS, there are delegations of filmmakers coming to Hamburg for their own programmes of events and activities during the Industry Days.

Yes, 30 Nordic producers will be meeting 30 of their German counterparts for networking and a masterclass as the kickoff event of the new Nordic NEST script development programme, while 10 former European Film Promotion Producers on the Move will meet with 10 colleagues from northern Germany to discuss the potential for new collaborations and have one-to-one speed meetings.

This will be the second year participants of the African-European Distribution Academy begin their five-week residency in Germany at the Filmfest where they will be able to attend the Industry Days events as well as meeting such local industry figures as festival director Malika Rabahallah and Anne Jagemann of the Kurzfilmagentur through their own dedicated programme.

The next generation of filmmakers are also in the spotlight with the Encourage Film Talents initiative returning for the second year running on 30 September, and #Atelier 25, a programme in collaboration with the Cannes Film Festival’s Critics’ Week will be hosting 16 nominees from this year’s First Steps Awards.

Alongside the Berlinale, Filmfest Hamburg is becoming one of the most important B2B events for the film industry in Germany.

What has the reaction of the local Hamburg film scene been to this year’s Industry Days?

It’s had a very warm welcome from the local industry. It’s a really good sign and very inspiring that they want to play their role in making Hamburg even more attractive as a film hub.

 

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