About Us
What is the BErlin Film Community, e.v.?
Picture from 2017 in the early days of the BFC.
A Brief History
The main goal of this community is to have a space where filmmakers can grow. Where people who are interested in film, including people completely new to filmmaking, can feel at home. We were all beginners once, and this community is exactly what we would have wanted when we were coming up. This is an extremely warm and inviting group and we make sure that people who may feel intimidated by the equipment, the process, and their lack of knowledge are welcome.
Networking shouldn’t be simply shaking hands and sharing contacts. Filmmakers should get in a room and discuss ideas, plans, and find collaborators to make films together. This was what led to the foundation of Pitch & Planning, a networking event with purpose. Once those filmmakers had collaborated and made their films, they needed a place to show their work. That brought about Drink.Watch.Talk., our film night where we show short films, with a focus on getting Berlin-based directors to host their film and have a Q&A with the audience. The last step was to help educate those looking to learn or those who simply wanted to make a film and that started our diverse range of workshops.
We are now in our next evolution. We have done all the paperwork to become a government recognized club (a Verein). This allows us to strengthen the community we have built, offer new benefits, and expand what we are capable of doing.
As a Verein we can now:
- Be a truly member-driven club
- Offer exclusive seminars and educational discounts
- Get funding from governmental and private entities that we make available for members
- Offer exclusive discounts with partners such as 25p
- With more to come!
From the early days of just a few people to now over 20,000 people and full events with lots of participation, we are very proud of our amazing second family and we love leading both the real-world, as well as virtual community and we are proud to see it continually grow and evolve.
The board of the BFC
The Berlin Film Community is a dynamic, non-profit association driven by the power of filmmaking, people and collective creativity. We believe that film education should be accessible, inclusive, and affordable. Our mission is to foster an environment where emerging, underrepresented filmmakers, and film enthusiasts can thrive, while creating a vibrant space for the public to engage with diverse stories and perspectives.
Rooted in community, yet fiercely professional, we offer workshops, seminars, mentorships, and collaborative projects that sharpen skills and inspire innovation. Our platform amplifies new and diverse voices alongside established filmmaking, encourages intercultural dialogue through international collaborations, and champions ethical, sustainable filmmaking practices.
Over the last 10 years and more than 100 workshops, we have built a community where learning, creating, and challenging norms come together—forming a network that is as much about social transformation as it is about artistic excellence. The Berlin Film Community educational platform is your space for collective growth and transformative storytelling.
Reach Out
Our community is thriving and we are looking to make it ever greater by adding new members and being open to new ideas about what we can do, where the community should be going, and how we can best serve our members. If this sounds like something you would like to be a part of join our Verein, come to our events, and reach out to us.
