structural development

Görlitz strengthens its role as a film location: Saxon Film Academy set up with a new structure.

The Saxon Film Academy in Görlitz has reorganized itself with a new shareholder structure and will be run as a GmbH in the future. The cover photo shows those present at the founding (from left to right): Christoph Matthias Duscha (Chancellor of Zittau/Görlitz University), Octavian Ursu , Björn Böhning , Grit Wißkirchen , Conrad Clemens , Prof. Dr. Alexander Kratzsch , André Naumann , Eva Wittig (Managing Director Europastadt Görlitz/Zgorzelec GmbH) .

With this venture, Görlitz is intended to be established as a leading location for the training and further education of skilled workers in the film industry and thus strengthen the region and the film country of Saxony in national and international competition.

The Film Academy was founded at the Zittau/Görlitz University Through the founding of the Sächsische Filmakademie GmbH , which is run by the Alliance of German Producers - Film and Television eV . (Production Alliance), the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences and the Europastadt GörlitzZgorzelec GmbH , the academy is intended to play a decisive role in combating the shortage of skilled workers in the film industry. The first courses, each with 10 to 15 participants, will start at the beginning of 2025. Grit Wißkirchen , who has been managing director of the academy since August 1, 2024, emphasizes the uniqueness of the competence network, which is complemented producers Saxonia Media and Looks Film GmbH

“We will train film-loving students and professionals in specialized areas in order to meet the urgent need for skilled workers and sustainably strengthen Görlitz film region Mayor Octavian Ursu sees the academy's new structure as a milestone for the city: “Görlitz has made a name for itself through numerous film productions over the past decades. With the Saxon Film Academy, this reputation will be further consolidated and the region will be enhanced nationally and internationally as a film location.”

The Saxon Film Academy is part of a larger strategic plan to reform the film industry in Germany and make it competitive again. Björn Böhning , CEO of the Production Alliance, emphasizes that the academy is important not only for the region, but for Germany as a whole: “With the new structure, we are creating the conditions to train the urgently needed skilled workers and strengthen Germany as a location.”

2022: Founding photo! The Saxon Film Academy in Görlitz is starting. Congratulating: Octavian Ursu , Mayor of the City of Görlitz (1st from left), Bernd Hölsken , Coordinator of the Saxon Film Academy (middle), Prof. Dr.-Ing. Alexander Kratzsch , Rector of the Zittau/Görlitz University (1st from right) and Dr. Franz Schnekenburger from the Saxon State Chancellery (3rd from right).

Since the 1950s, Görlitz has offered support for local production teams its own film office and an extensive online database This infrastructure should be further expanded through the work of the film academy and the attractiveness of Görlitz as a film city should be increased. With the founding of the Sächsische Filmakademie GmbH, a new era begins for Görlitz, which is intended to establish the city as a “lighthouse project” alongside established film locations such as Berlin, Cologne and Munich. The close cooperation between the film industry, educational institutions and local politicians creates a strong network that will also help drive structural change in the region in the long term. Members of the Supervisory Board of the Sächsische Filmakademie GmbH are: Jennifer Stahl (Managing Director of PAIQ) , Yvonne Abele (Managing Director Looks Film GmbH) , Gunnar Dedio (Managing Director Saxonia Media GmbH) , Prof. Dr.-Ing. Alexander Kratzsch (Rector of the Zittau/Görlitz University) and Kerstin Gosewisch (Film Office Europastadt GörlitzZgorzelec) . With these new structures and the upcoming training offerings, the Saxon Film Academy is sending a strong signal for the future of the film industry in Germany.

Photos: HSZG