Networking and a Fresh Breeze for Funding

Since the beginning of the year, Walid Nakschbandi has headed  Film- und Medienstiftung Nordrhein-Westfalen, one of the most important regional funding organisations for film and games in Germany. One topic on his agenda is networking, both between the various media sectors and with international players.

At the beginning of the year, Walid Nakschbandi took over the management of the Film- und Medienstiftung Nordrhein-Westfalen (NRW), one of the most important regional funding organisations for film and games. His predecessor, Petra Müller, is regarded as a pioneer in games funding, so it will be interesting to see what Nakschbandi, who has his roots in the film industry, will do in this area. In an interview (in German) with our sister magazine Blickpunkt:Film after his first 100 days in office, the new head of the Film- und Medienstiftung makes it clear that games will not be sidelined under his watch.

"NRW is the number one media state in Germany, and the Filmstiftung will continue to be one of the leading and most innovative funding institutions in Europe," says Nakschbandi. As someone who is passionate about competition, it is important to him that this position is maintained. "Equally important to me are innovation, the promotion of excellence and relevance, networking and a service mentality. My motto is: From good to great. We need to connect the fields of AI, film, gaming, VR, XR and audio with the best creatives." The aim is to open up access to new opportunities, markets and revenue streams for media makers in NRW.

"It is important to bring producers and filmmakers together with gamers, developers and scientists," explains the director of the Film- and Medienstiftung. "How many gaming elements can be found in today's feature films, and what role does animation play? In France, for example, this is already developing enormously, in Germany not yet, but here too Asia is the market leader in this segment. It's not just a question of exchanging content, but also of exchanging formats and genres, and of exchanging creators."

But Nakschbandi doesn't just want to promote networking within the industry. A department for "strategy, innovation, partnerships and international relations" is being set up. "We need to look at what intellectual property and ideas are in demand internationally and where the trend is going. We need networking and relationships with our neighbouring countries, as well as with Asia and the Americas. The African continent, such as Kenya and Ghana, is already playing an important role. This applies to digitalisation, gaming and mobile gaming. South Africa has come a long way. Some gaming festivals, including international ones, take place in Cape Town. It is important that we create a network for our producers, creatives and customers in these regions."

As for the core business of funding, he believes he runs one of the "best-established funding centres in the country". But Nakschbandi also wants to "bring a breath of fresh air to the work of the foundation and break new ground by listening, learning and making bold, pioneering decisions".

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