“Football is a community game underlining team spirit and capable of promoting exchange, understanding and social cohesion. This makes football and cinema a good match – films are created collectively and cinemas are also places of encounter and exchange, places that help awaken empathy and understanding. Berlinale Meets Fußball is a project by and with young people. Young footballers from all over Germany are the protagonists of short documentary films made by students of the HFF Munich under the artistic direction of Benedetta Films. The resulting compilation will premiere at the festival in February. The young people will also take part in workshops on the socio-political aspects of football and film-related topics. We are very much looking forward to this very special project,” say the Berlinale directors Mariëtte Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian.

Germany is hosting the UEFA EURO 2024 and is using this as an opportunity to offer additional cultural events. Thanks to funding from the Stiftung Fußball & Kultur Euro2024 this cultural programme can be realised before and during the European Championship.

Film ProjectBerlinale Meets Fußball

With this film project, the Berlinale would like to promote young football enthusiasts’ creative expression by involving them in a creative process. In addition, the short films should convey diversity, sustainability and inclusion as important aspects of football’s identity.

UEFA EURO 2024 tournament director Philipp Lahm and UEFA EURO 2024 ambassador and DFB vice-president Celia Šašić will be the patrons of Berlinale Meets Fußball: 

“The Berlinale Meets Fußball project stands for participation and togetherness in the ideal sense. Students from the University of Television and Film in Munich will meet young people and cooperate creatively and professionally to make some impressive short films about clubs where children and young people play football, in which a lot of volunteers make club life and the resulting social cohesion possible with their deep commitment. This initiative and project show what is conceivable when people support one another. Berlinale Meets Fußball also stands for diversity and sustainability, inclusion and integration. As a project, therefore, it offers a role model for society and embodies the values and goals of UEFA EURO 2024 in Germany,” comments Philipp Lahm.

And Celia Šašić adds: “People often find self-realisation in sport and art, living out their interests and creativity, and developing a real sense of community. The football pitch and the cinema are important meeting places: intercultural meeting places that offer a shared space to completely different people from totally different backgrounds and so create connections. We are delighted that the premiere of the short films will take place at the Berlinale, as this will give the protagonists, the films, and Berlinale Meets Fußball the attention they deserve. A clear message will be sent: Togetherness makes us stronger!”

Together with the Philipp Lahm-Stiftung and Benedetta Films, the Berlinale has selected eleven clubs with very diverse backgrounds for Berlinale Meets Fußball. The clubs are located all over Germany, play in different age groups, and with very different perspectives: 

Türkiyemspor Berlin 1978 e.V. – Females under 17s 

FC Internationale Berlin 1980 e.V. – Females under 13s

ISC Al Hilal Bonn – Females under 15s

SG Crostwitz 1981 e.V. – Males under 17s

Athletic Sonnenberg e.V. – Males under 19s/under 17s

KS Polonia Hamburg e.V. 1988 – Males under 13s

SV 67 Weinberg e.V. – Females under 17s

FC Ingolstadt 04 – Inclusion team (football for the blind)

FC Español München e.V. – Inclusion team

TSV Maccabi München e.V. – Males under 17s

FFC Wacker München 99 e.V. – Females under 15s

The short films were produced as part of a seminar at the University of Television and Film (HFF) in Munich. Eleven teams, each consisting of two HFF students (directing and cinematography), researched the associations in order to make a short film.

The shorts will celebrate their world premiere as a compilation film, the Berlinale acting as producer, as part of the Berlinale Special at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele (HBFS) on February 21, 2024. The young people involved will be invited to the Berlinale to attend the film premiere and take part in workshops.

Football enthusiasts from the film industry will be recruited as mentors for each short film. These mentors will discuss the shorts with the young people at an in-person workshop and attend the premiere. After the Berlinale, the compilation film will go on tour and be shown in cinemas in the respective home towns of the participating clubs.

Workshops for Berlinale Meets Fußball

During the Berlinale, the young people will take part in two workshops along with experts from the fields of football and film, examining issues of community, diversity and inclusion.

The Berlin International Film Festival is taking part in the projects of the Stiftung Fußball & Kultur Euro2024with Berlinale Meets Fußball. 

The short film compilation is a Berlinale cooperation with the University of Television and Film Munich (HFF), under the artistic direction of Benedetta Films and with support from the Philipp Lahm-Stiftung.