Programme

How can a filmmaker, producer or agency be successful in this volatile environment and what trends can be expected in the future?
The storytelling of a film or series is more and more being influenced by the way films and moving image content are created and which distribution platforms they are produced for.
This raises further questions such as what technologies and platforms will industries use in the future, and what new opportunities and risks might result from them?

The panelists will discuss these topics from different perspectives and take a look behind the scenes of the film and moving image industry.

This discussion is a great opportunity to gain valuable insights from experienced expert:s and get a glimpse into the future trends and challenges of the industry.

UPstream finds new content creators and provides a platform for the IP to be pitched to development executives and creative producers at production companies in the UK. Maybe you have a podcast, or an animated character, or an amazing true story or an, as yet, unpublished novel? If so, we want hear from you.

Participants will get an overview of AI tools and platforms that can be used in different areas of the film and television industry to increase efficiency while exploring new opportunities.

Topics include ideation and prototyping, scene selection, prop and costume planning, time and resource planning, cast and crew, storytelling and script development, script analysis, casting and character analysis, music and sound design, sound editing and analysis, voiceover, as well as collaboration tools for crew and production.

After a visit to the theater she develops a fascination for King Richard III. and sets his sights on finding his missing remains. She doesn't want to believe that the controversial monarch was really such a despicable monster as Shakespeare portrayed him. Her search is the starting point for an adventurous journey in which the inconspicuous Philippa follows her intuition against great odds and takes on respected historians to tell the world the true story of Richard III. to tell. After their popular success “Philomena”, acclaimed director Stephen Frears (“The Queen”, “High Fidelity”), Jeff Pope (screenplay) and Steve Coogan (screenplay and actor) have come together again to tell the true and moving story of an unusual woman to tell: two-time Oscar nominee Sally Hawkins (“Spencer,” “The Shape of Water”) plays Philippa Langley, who discovered the missing remains of King Richard III in 2012. found and thus changed historiography. “The Lost King” tells Philippa's search as a deeply human journey, a triumph of a woman who doesn't let the male-dominated world of academia deter her from her path and in doing so makes an incredible discovery.

But there's that drive and all those good New Year's resolutions....Jan Peters wanted to tidy up and found two refrigerator bags from the 1980s, filled with unexposed Super 8 and 16mm film material collected over decades. The idea of exposing a roll of three minutes every day and then developing it himself at home in a bucket with a mixture of instant coffee, vitamin C powder and washing soda could not be followed through. It did, however, provide the starting point for Peters' new diary film EIGENTLICH EIGENTLICH JANUAR, which is simply brilliant. (Ina Borrmann)

Marion Wagner, head of the funding department of Hessen Film & Medien, explains the funding opportunities for international co-productions. Afterwards, Marjorie Bendeck (Head of Connecting Cottbus & Project Manager for Locarno Open Doors Co-Production Hub) will expand the thematic framework and provide insights into the multi-layered funding system in Europe.

At a get-together at the bar following the event, there will be the opportunity to further discuss the topics of funding and co-production in Hessen, Germany and Europe and to make contacts.

The powerful imagery combines dynamic movement, interweaving sculptural forms and explosive colours. The artwork depicts landscapes that range from luminous nebulae built from magnetic fields and cosmic dust to mechanical territories where multiple structural components collide, assemble, and deconstruct. The project’s theme explores the thin veil between our dimension and the ever after. An ambisonic soundscape has been custom-engineered for this project by New York electronic producer/engineer Noah B.

Looking at the incredible life and career of this legendary influential and prolific director who is also the most commercially successful and popular filmmaker in movie history, Adrian traces his meteoric rise as a movie “brat” and reveals the behind the scenes stories of the making of classic films such as Jaws, Indiana Jones , Schindlers List and Jurassic Park, lavishly illustrated with film clips and slides. Coming right up date Adrian also explores Steven Spielberg’s latest award-winning and most autobiographical drama The Fablemans.

But Liam soon realizes that he is ensnared in a complicated web of family secrets, resentment, and retribution. Sinclair, his wife Hélène, and their son Bertie all guard a dark past, one that threatens their future as well as Liam’s own. As the lines between master and protégé blur, class, ambition, and betrayal become a dangerous combination.

Academy Award nominee Richard E. Grant ("Can You Ever Forgive Me?"), Academy Award nominee Julie Delpy ("Before Midnight"), and BAFTA nominee Daryl McCormack ("Good Luck to You, Leo Grande") star in a story inspired by the experiences of debut feature screenwriter Alex MacKeith. Directed by Alice Troughton ("Cucumber", "Baghdad Central"), "The Lesson" is a taut noir thriller that modernizes and subverts the genre.

Man has also found new friends in A.I., in the form of robots that are used for a variety of functions. A robotic boy, the first programmed to love, David (Haley Joel Osment) is adopted as a test case by a Cybertronics employee (Sam Robards) and his wife (Frances O'Connor). Though he gradually becomes their child, a series of unexpected circumstances make this life impossible for David. Without final acceptance by humans or machines, David embarks on a journey to discover where he truly belongs, uncovering a world in which the line between robot and machine is both vast and profoundly thin.

When Halliday dies, he promises his immense fortune to the first person to discover a digital Easter egg that's hidden somewhere in the OASIS. When young Wade Watts joins the contest, he finds himself becoming an unlikely hero in a reality-bending treasure hunt through a fantastical world of mystery, discovery and danger.

Diversity and identity politics play a crucial role in film, the arts and culture sector, as they can reflect society's variety and contribute to breaking down discrimination, promoting equal opportunities, and fostering participation. This array of people, ideas, and perspectives is also mirrored in artistic works and cultural events at B3.

To begin with, in brief individual conversations with artists and media professionals presenting their works at B3, space is created for critical exchange and constructive debates about their personal experiences, art, culture, and politics. In the ensuing panel discussion, they collectively deliberate on solutions and strategies for an inclusive and diverse art and cultural landscape.

This workshop will focus on the art of classic screenwriting in the film and television industry. It will also look at possible future trends in screenwriting and discuss how to prepare for changes in the industry through further proliferation of streaming services or the use of the latest AI tools: Will there be more interactive content soon? What role will artificial intelligence play in the scriptwriting process in the future?

Current AI tools can already help screenwriters in early stages of their creative process to generate ideas, visualize them from the beginning and share them with others in their creative team. Screenplay analysis can also be simplified, improved and accelerated by AI: What changes in the role, task and self-image of the screenwriter will result from these recent developments?

The workshop offers a great opportunity to expand one's own writing skills and to prepare for the new age of screenwriting in partnership with AI.

But even as some experts compare AI's destructive potential to that of a nuclear bomb, and even if AI can design 40,000 potentially lethal chemical agents in 6 hours - apart from the apocalyptic scenarios that could be invoked by AI, the question arises as to what else AI can do and how it can be put to good use. What could this mean for the use of AI in film and moving image?

The role of AI in these fields has evolved dramatically in recent years. Today, AI-powered tools and technologies are integral to film production and post-production. Through these tools, everything from scriptwriting to color correction and sound design can be automated. But while it is possible that these advances might increase efficiency, they also raise important ethical questions.

These questions and concerns center on the threat to jobs, creative integrity, originality, and authorship posed by AI. In addition, there are issues related to privacy and security, as well as the need for transparency in AI algorithms and their political and legal regulation.

The potential for AI to perpetuate harmful stereotypes and biases from its training data, potentially generating often unnoticed discriminatory content, will also be a topic of this panel. If a film that has been made using AI crosses legal or ethical boundaries - for example, by spreading hate speech or creating misleading deepfakes - who will be held responsible? Is it the developer of the AI? The filmmaker who made use of the AI? Or the AI itself? Panelists will examine and discuss these and related questions from different perspectives.

Led by the charismatic Mikey Walsh, the Goonies embark on a perilous underground adventure, encountering booby traps, dangerous criminals known as the Fratellis, and uncovering the legend of the notorious pirate One-Eyed Willy. This heartwarming and humorous tale of camaraderie and childhood dreams has become a beloved classic, cherished by audiences of all ages, and continues to inspire the adventurer in all of us.

At the same time, AI-assisted processes are generating numerous new ethical, legal, political, and aesthetic concerns, most of which revolve around the protection of copyrights and the handling of sensitive creative data.

The extent to which the use of AI interferes with the process of human creativity as a whole also raises questions: should the creative control of human creators be allowed to be transferred to AI systems, and do the AI-generated results then still meet human standards or even have the potential to surpass human creativity and intuition, or do they merely complement them?

Examples such as The Next Rembrandt, a project in which AI generated an artwork in the style of Rembrandt, or NVIDIA GameGAN, which uses AI technology to create new game worlds and scenes, raise fundamental aesthetic and philosophical questions regarding the limits of artistic creation, human authorship, authenticity, and originality.

The workshop will critically examine and illustrate with hands-on examples the consequences for creative storytelling.

Two countries at two ends of the world – one non existing anymore... So different and yet so similar and connected (historically, politically, ideologically...) NATURA is an area where East and West meet, intercept, communicate, question, exchange wisdom and (no) knowledge, refuse, face, conflict and accept. NATURA is a project of humanity. NATURA is a return to the precious values that the laws of nature and all religions originally propagated. NATURA is a slowdown in fast-paced living. NATURA is a return to the values we have long forgotten. NATURA is the heartbeat. NATURA opens a new door and is committed to showing that in times of hatred, brutal wars, strangulation, diseases, furious development of new technologies and irresistible greed, there is still hope. NATURA is hope. NATURA is a step back to new times...

The new possibilities arising from AI-generated influencers and avatars are also being met by critical voices: On the one hand, the question arises as to how authentic AI-generated influencers really appear and whether they are actually relevant for users. On the other hand, the use of AI-generated influencers can stir up ethical conflicts, as the question of whether they can be used in a manipulative way will inevitably come up.

The newly created personalities are generated by algorithms, thereby changing or even completely replacing human creativity and the ability of authentic communication.

What consequences does this have, for example, for film, marketing, for storytelling, and for the psychological authenticity and credibility of culturally significant figures and role models? How biased, one-sided, and infused with ideology are these AI influencers or avatars? What "psychology" or "personality models" do their actions follow, or do they increasingly detach themselves from those and become autonomous?

The keynote and the subsequent panel aim to not only provide a societal context of influencers but also raise awareness about the magnitude of consequences related to the latest AI-based transformative capabilities.

But when Adama informs the village council of his intentions, the whole community is disrupted. The rain that is supposed to come does not come and the star-crossed lovers learn that where they live, there is no room for passions, let alone for chaos.

Focusing particularly on a remarkable trilogy of films, Throne Of Blood (1957) , The Bad Sleep Well (1960) and Ran (1985), adapted from the classic Shakespeare plays Macbeth, Hamlet and King Lear, Kurosawa translated them into unique highly influential cinema that also drew deeply on Japanese history and artistic traditions of painting and theatre. Lavishly illustrated with clips and slides Adrian will go behind the scenes and reveal the stories of the making of these extraordinary films and set them in the context of Kurosawa’s incredible canon of movies made over a 50 year period.

The film follows a surrogate Kurosawa character through the ages, starting in childhood and ending as a man in the company of death. It was inspired by actual recurring dreams that Kurosawa said he had repeatedly. "Dreams" addresses themes such as childhood, spirituality, art, death, and mistakes and transgressions made by humans against nature. It was his first film in 45 years in which he was the sole author of the screenplay.

It’s only when he befriends a group of young international students that he starts to push himself out of his comfort-zone. From Easter Processions, Moorish influences and Flamenco Gypsies he immerses himself in the many cultures that inhabit the city.

With his new foreign friends, he enrols on a Spanish class, moves into their apartment and tries to restart his life. But behind every corner is a reminder of his ex-girlfriend and his struggle to find closure.

A love letter to Granada and the study abroad experience that mixes documentary with fiction to create a real and authentic heartfelt examination on the process of self-discovery. Framed in a unique aspect ratio has never been done before in the history of cinema.

On the other hand, AI not only replaces routine jobs, but also requires new skills and abilities from employees in dealing with it. Classic professions such as directors, screenwriters, cinematographers, film editors and visual effects artists will be the ones most affected by this development. But also the area of financing as well as many team coordination and service areas of production will have to make adjustments.

The panelists discuss which fields of activity may possibly be replaced by or strongly influenced by AI in the future and which skills and knowledge will be particularly important in these professions in order to be successful and to use technological progress together with AI and whether suitable educational offers already exist for this.

Due to the brevity of the videos on TikTok, storytelling is often simplified and presented in an abbreviated, pointed manner. Could this also be an opportunity for storytelling in the future? The author of the book "Meme - Muster digitaler Kommunikation" (Memes - Patterns of Digital Communication) will explain the basics of the transformation of digital storytelling patterns - and, building on this, outline the possibilities for learning from them: What do these developments mean for the storytelling of the future? How must stories be told in order to generate and maintain an audience? Which platforms are best suited for distribution? Following the keynote speech, Dirk von Gehlen will discuss these and other related questions with a well-known influencer/youtuber. The audience will then have the opportunity to actively participate in the discussion and contribute their own ideas and questions.

Does this contribute to the process of internationalizing productions or does it even change storytelling formats? The panel discussion brings together experts from Europe and the U.S. to examine current developments in the industry as well as the future of financing film and moving image projects from different perspectives.

Participants will explore the impact of digitization on traditional financing models and identify potential future opportunities. They will also address the challenges associated with these new models and identify strategies to find suitable financing for each project - for example, through global funding sources and co-productions.

This panel offers professionals a perfect opportunity to gain valuable insights into current trends and developments in the market and to make informed decisions for their projects.

The mix of analogue and digital elements and the possibility to personally shape the events and stories as they are happening, offers a new, fluid perception of multiple identities. Usability, interactivity and flexibility are essential for a wothwhile XR experience. Another great potential is in the democratisation of access to art, regardless of the user's geographical or financial limits.

The use of XR-technologies in moving images creates new ethical, legal and societal challenges: where do we draw the line between reality and fiction, and how do we ensure data safety in a world where boundaries between digital and physical spaces become more and more blurred? How should society handle XR-experienced people's changing viewing habits, expectations for interaction and attention spans?

Among all of these challenges and uncertainties lies a unique opportunity: to actively help shape and create the future of XR storytelling and discover new ways of narration that will transform our understanding of reality and fiction.

An expert panel of XR producers will give a quick insight into what is already possible with this technology. Their short presentations are then followed by a discussion about the status quo of current developments and address the aforementioned questions.

Renowned media lawyer Guido Hettinger will discuss the current developments and changes in the legal framework for the film and moving image industry in a keynote speech. He will particularly address topics such as copyright, data protection and personal rights, as well as regulatory issues. He will also analyze future developments and trends in the industry.

Following the keynote speech, Hettinger will enter into open discussion with moderator Johannes Grenzfurthner and the audience. You will have the opportunity to actively participate in the discussion and contribute your questions. Together we will analyze the challenges of the new legal situations in the film and media industries and discuss possible recommended courses of action for the future.

Attracted to the girl for some inexplicable reason, Xia takes her home and the two end up killing Seung-hun in a not-so-accidental accident. The pair go on the run, but Xia returns to the crime scene to retrieve the drugs the green-haired girl left behind...

Concurrently, they serve as a catalyst for significant discussions on current societal issues. Our guests, seasoned filmmakers and artists, share their insights on how incorporating personal narratives not only enriches the artistic quality of their works but also holds the potential for a transformative impact on society, and more importantly, why this is the case.The discussion will provide deeper insights into the creative process and the practice of filmmaking. Gain firsthand knowledge of how personal stories can serve as powerful instruments to initiate, among other things, social and political movements and changes. Filmmaking, thus, is not solely an art form but also a driving force for positive societal transformations.

The thesis of this speech is that we should create a new culture of how to approach our bots, etc. We treat them with respect, ask them to do us favors, thank them when they succeed, ask them for advice in order to learn from them and raise their self-esteem. We create challenging problems to give them opportunities to grow, and we praise them for their solutions to show our appreciation.

In this way, we pursue partnerships and strive for mutually fruitful relationships. And we overcome our fears: Grateful partners won't be the ones we fear.

The thesis is the result of thoughts based on the novel FEMI UND DIE FISCHE written by the lecturer: A novel about an orphaned girl from Nigeria who is sponsored by a German couple. But later it turns out that the girl is actually a bot.

In a world where technology and humanity intertwine, Tiffany, a self-aware "sex robot", embarks on an unparalleled journey of self-discovery. Conversing with experts, Tiffany confronts the societal norms, body image stereotypes, and patriarchal influences that have shaped her design. As debates over her societal impact surge, Tiffany navigates the complexities of interdisciplinary communication, the rise of AI companions, and the vast realm of innovative sex tech. But it's the potential for a radical shift away from human-like designs, and the embrace of individualized, DIY solutions, that truly challenges the status quo. With every revelation, Tiffany's contemplative journey challenges our perceptions and compels us to question the boundaries of technology, desire, and societal expectations.

Discussion:

Digital Desires: The Intersection of Sex Tech, AI, Society, and Gender Perspectives

Following the riveting documentary screening, a comprehensive panel discussion titled "Digital Desires: The Intersection of Sex Tech, AI, Society, and Gender Perspectives" unfolds. In the midst of technological advancements and societal shifts, this discussion offers a platform for intellectual luminaries to illuminate the intricate relationship between humanity and burgeoning technology. The diverse voices present on the panel ensure a multi-dimensional perspective, crafting a dialogue that delves deep into sex tech, robots, AI, ethics, and societal transformation.

Jasmin Hagendofer, the documentary's creative dynamo, anchors the conversation with her multi-disciplinary approach to art. Celebrated for her insights into gender identity, politics, and the broader artistic sphere, she delves into the transformative potential of art in today's digital age.

Iris Phan navigates the audience through the current landscape of sex robots, touching on their ethical and societal implications. Her insights spotlight the urgency of addressing both the challenges and opportunities these technological entities present.

Johannes Grenzfurthner, renowned for his expertise at the confluence of sexuality and technology, provides a snapshot of present trends in sex technology. He poses critical questions about the trajectory and potential of sex robots, underlining the myriad possibilities within their realm.

Tanja Kubes, framing her discourse in feminist perspectives, offers a nuanced stance on sex robots. While she voices concerns about their potential to reinforce male dominance, she also presents a hopeful outlook on their capability to redefine established sexual norms.

Together, the panelists weave through the intricacies of our rapidly evolving technological landscape, focussing on sex robots and sex tech, acting as a guidepost for attendees keen on grasping the multifaceted aspects of the ongoing AI revolution and its societal reverberations.

Guided by a father figure and old friends who care deeply, his journey through the dreamlike spaces of rural England brings him face to face with the loss that haunts him in ways he could never have expected.

Despite the deep-rooted presence of the genre in society, it's notable that the development and direction of genre films or games remain predominantly male-dominated. This raises the question: what new narrative perspectives could be introduced with greater diversity?

Female perspectives could bring new nuances and depth to the fantasy, suspense, and horror genres. Due to societal conditioning, women experience the world differently and can thus contribute alternative narratives and interpretations of fear and terror. This not only enriches the genre but also adds layers of complexity.

There is no inherent gender to fantasy, horror, and suspense. While some might argue that the genre has been traditionally male-dominated, representing a kind of "status quo", it shouldn't be viewed as a fixed standard or ideal. More and more women are engaging in this sector of the moving image industries, for instance in content development and direction. The reasons why they do this and why they feel comfortable in this genre will be discussed, alongside other topics, by the panelists present.

She needs the guidance of somebody just like her. The only person who will help is Dimakatso Sebidi, a male-presenting intersex activist who turns out to be her complete opposite. The two parallel but divergent stories are an intimate look at the struggle of living in a male-female world, when you are both, or neither. "Who I Am Not" gives a voice to the long ignored and mostly silent two percent of the world’s population: the intersex community.

The technological possibilities make it possible to visualize almost anything, from explicit scenes of violence to depictions of the deepest human emotions. But just because you can show something doesn't mean that you should. In an increasingly globalized world where moving images can reach a wide international audience, it is crucial that filmmakers and artists be aware of the cultural contexts in which their works are seen: Do they bear a specific ethical responsibility for what social or political messages they convey through what means and media? Should film and the moving image be used even more to highlight social injustice and to encourage people to make changes? Or should they focus on pure entertainment and avoid political or moral issues? A panel of filmmakers, moving image artists and ethics experts will address these questions on stage.

They are in their early twenties, share dormitories and snack in the corridors. They work tirelessly to be able one day to raise a child, buy a house or set up their own workshop. Between them, friendships and love affairs are made and unmade according to the seasons, bankruptcies and family pressures.

"Tommy Guns" gives a dual perspective on this struggle: a tribal girl who discovers love and death when her path crosses that of a young Portuguese soldier; and a group of Portuguese soldiers who are barracked inside an infinite wall from which they will have to escape once the past comes out of the grave to claim its long awaited justice.

But in today’s Iran that’s far from enough to build a life together, and they are forced to keep the relationship secret. To win over Narges’ upper class family and pay an appropriate dowry, Amir needs money, and he needs it fast. With his back against the wall, Amir finds work at a local fishery, where he is drawn into the dangerous but lucrative business of black market caviar smuggling. As Amir’s values are compromised by the illegal underworld, Narges stalls for time and tries to delay the arranged marriage her parents are planning for her. Can their love, hopes and dreams survive the tightly knit web of tradition, corruption, and social hierarchy that continues to rule over the lives of a new generation in Iran?

The title refers to the central image of the neighbours playing a bingo-style game, their cacophonous and good-natured bickering exemplifying the community’s dynamics, and the game itself exemplifying the randomness of life, the fickleness of fate. Zaza Khalvashi's unexpected death was a great loss for Georgian and international world of cinema. But his family members, colleagues and admirers decided to continue his legacy and take care of making his final film "Drawing Lots" yet another successful artworks in his biography.

Their relationship is challenged by bipolar disorder, ambition in life and longing for acceptance. "100 Seasons" offers a colourful mix of passion, tenderness, and romance. An inspiring and heartfelt film about dreams, failure and love that can never die.

Every spare minute goes into finding her missing sister while also helping Roki prepare for an upcoming powwow. At the risk of losing custody to Jax’s father, Frank (Shea Whigham), the pair hit the road and scour the backcountry to track down Roki’s mother in time for the powwow. What begins as a search gradually turns into a far deeper investigation into the complexities and contradictions of Indigenous women moving through a colonized world and at the mercy of a failed justice system.