•    The renowned professional training on documentary formats starts in October
•    Masterclass projects can currently be seen in cinemas

The 9th year of the »Masterclass Non-Fiction« at the ifs Internationale Filmschule Köln starts on October 25. The ifs has once again been able to attract high-profile partners for the coming year: Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland, Westdeutscher Rundfunk and the production companies Gruppe 5 Filmproduktion and Zeitsprung Pictures.

Journalists and filmmakers develop documentary narratives - from feature films to TV documentaries or web series - in this occupational training programme. A team of renowned mentors and lecturers supervise the participants and their projects for a year until it is ready for financing and production - under the direction of Prof. Uwe Kersken, initiator and head of content of the »Masterclass Non-Fiction«, freelance producer and developer (G5fiction). With a glance to the German and international market, the participants present their exposés and treatments to an industry audience at the end of the course.

The success of the previous eight years shows how well this concept works: The documentary film and festival success »Die Kinder aus Korntal« by Julia Charakter, which was developed in the Masterclass Non-Fiction and has already been awarded the DEFA Prize 2023 at DOK Leipzig, will soon be released in cinemas. The masterclass project »Hinter guten Türen« by Julia Beerhold is also currently still on tour in Germany. Another feature film - »Der dritte Bruder« by Kathrin Jahrreiß - will be released in cinemas in autumn. The documentary »Venezuelas Tafelberge – Expedition ins Haus der Götter«, which was developed by Lars Abromeit in the Masterclass, has just been nominated for two awards: the Green Planet Movie Award at the Film Festival della Lessinia in Italy (August 23 to September 1) and the German Nature Film Award 2024, which will be presented on October 6.
Numerous other master class projects - including, for example, »Der große Bluff. Wie man mit Kunst kassiert« or »Die Romika-Story« - were produced and successfully screened on TV or in cinemas or are currently being developed further and realised with the support of broadcasters. Some projects have received funding, while others have been honored with German and international awards and nominations - including the feature film »Die schöne Krista«, the series »Frauen und Ozeane«, the cinema and web series project »Heimatkino« and the documentary »DNA Cooking«.

Incidentally, many of the graduates have gained access to production companies and broadcasters through the »Masterclass Non-Fiction«, for whom they are now developing and realising long-term projects.

Professor Uwe Kersken: "I would like to thank our partners for the trust they place in the 'Masterclass Non-Fiction'. This fruitful collaboration - which has often existed for many years - not only shows that the 'Masterclass Non-Fiction' with its promising graduates has successfully established itself in the industry, but also that the Masterclass succeeds in anticipating and taking into account the changing demands on documentary content and formats - and at a high level."

Nadja Radojevic, Chief Executive Director of the ifs: "The support from broadcasters and producers is great. There is an ongoing interest in diverse documentary formats and innovative material. The 'Masterclass Non-Fiction' offers the space to work out and further develop the innovative potential of a material."

Created on 10.07.2024