Potsdam – the first UNESCO Creative City of Film in Germany

On 30 October 2019, Potsdam was designated a UNESCO Creative City of Film and has since been a member city in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN). This network includes 246 cities and aims at strengthening international exchange and collaboration amongst its members in the areas of culture and creativity. It plays an important role in the implementation of the 2030 United Nations Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The UCCN consists of seven sub-networks, each dedicated to a creative field. Potsdam successfully applied for membership in the Film-network and is now Germany`s first and only Creative City of Film and one of a total of 18 UNESCO creative film cities worldwide.

Cradle of Film

Creativity in connection with the topic „Film“ is abundant in Potsdam. Since 1911, Potsdam has developed into an important film city. This applies to the continuous production of films for more than a 100 years in the old Babelsberg Studios, but also to the City itself as a film setting in various feature films and TV-productions.

In Potsdam, many national and international filmstars and director legends have left their mark. “Der Blaue Engel” (“The Blue Angel”) with Marlene Dietrich was shot here, so was Fritz Lang´s “Metropolis”. The very first film production in Babelsberg in 1912 was called “Totentanz” (“The Dance of Death”). One year before that, in 1911, the company “Bioscop” opended up the first film studio here. No other city in Germany accounts for more feature film and TV productions, series, documentaries or advertising productions than Potsdam-Babelsberg. Every year, the City of Potsdam issues around 150 permits for filming within its city boundaries. Today, the film studios are among the most lucrative large-scale film studios for motion pictures in Europe. Very well known contemporary film directors show a liking to producing in Babelsberg – recent references include the Oscar winning productions „Inglourious Basterds“, „The Reader“ and „The Grand Budapest Hotel“.

Potsdam - Media Tech Hub and attractive business location for the media sector

When scouting for suitable locations, filming permits and equipment, national and international filmmakers get professional assistance at the Berlin Brandenburg Film Commission (bbfc). In addition, Potsdam features an excellent infrastructure, skilled film professionals and a broad mix of experienced and innovative companies in the areas of film, TV and the media sector - synergies that enable efficient film productions.

130 film related companies offer their services: VFX, costume-designers, make-up artists, scenographers, film set builders, film musicians and composers etc. Many actors and actresses live in the city or close by. Large production companies, post production companies and the famous German Film Orchestra Babelsberg reside in Potsdam. Many investments and projects contribute to the ongoing film focus in Potsdam and aim at making the Creative City of Film internationally better known. The Metropolitan Backlot Neue Berliner Straße – one of Europe`s most extensive and modern backlots for feature film, TV and commercial productions – was opened in 2016. This gigantic project of Studio Babelsberg was realised in cooperation with the company Art Department.

In 2017, the Federal Ministry of Economics designated Potsdam as one of 12 Digital Hubs in Germany. It is a Media Tech Hub and as such Germany's only official competence centre in the area of media technology. This project serves as a role model on an international level. The first volumetric studio on the European mainland - Volucap - which opened in Potsdam in 2018, was the first flagship project of the Media Tech Hub.

Film tourism and festival culture

Film also plays a growing role in Potsdam`s sector of tourism. The Film Museum located in the former horse stables of the Prussian kings, reflects a hundred years of German film history. In 1993, Filmpark Babelsberg, a film based theme-park, opened its gates. Metropolis Halle is part of the park. Every year, the park is visited by several hundred thousand people, mainly families.

Film enthusiasts from Germany and other countries are drawn to Potsdam by the city`s film festival culture. The international Film Festival Sehsüchte has developed into Europe`s largest student film festival. Other film festivals include the Moving History Festival (of historical films), the Jewish Film Festival Berlin-Brandenburg and the Festival of Environmental and Nature Films. In total, more than 10000 visitors p.a. are attracted to Potsdam to attend the festivals.

Film and Media studies

In Potsdam, film history and current media technologies are the subject of research in several educational institutions. The city is an excellent science base for the studies of film practice, film cultural heritage and new film technologies. Focal point is the internationally renowned Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF, the oldest film high school in Germany, with its scientific, technological and artistic research focus. Here, young talents are studying all aspects of filmmaking. There is also the Brandenburg Centre for Media Studies (ZeM), a joint research facility of eight universities of the state of Brandenburg. Even the very young are able to start learning about film: there is a film kindergarten and a secondary school with a film focus. The Film University offers workshops for children.

Key projects of the Film city Potsdam

The investments in the expansion of the Media City in Potsdam-Babelsberg are an important sign for the strengthening of the film and media location. Examples are the planned new show depository of the collections of the Film Museum Potsdam and the new building for the costume collection of the Film Park Babelsberg.

Further objectives over the next years are the research into image building factors of film cities, and the implementation of measures to increase the visibility of the film related cultural heritage in the inner city, e.g. by creating a Boulevard of Film in the pedestrian zone. The goal is to increase the public awareness of Potsdam as a city of film.

Another focus area is sustainability in film production and film tourism. Based on Potsdam`s “Masterplan 100 % Climate Protection”, the aim is to create a plan on how to realise “green” film production and climate neutral film -based offers for tourists.

For further information please contact:

Lisa Nawrocki – Head of UNESCO Creative City of Film Potsdam Office
creativecityoffilm@potsdam.de

Dr. Sigrid Sommer – Head of Marketing, Landeshauptstadt Potsdam
marketing@rathaus.potsdam.de

Stefan Frerichs – Head of Business Development, Landeshauptstadt Potsdam
wirtschaftsfoerderung@rathaus.potsdam.de