35 years of inspiring film, media and games: The Film- und Medienstiftung NRW celebrates its birthday

With the start of the Berlinale 2026, the industry looks back on 35 years of the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW. Since its establishment on 27 February 1991 by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and WDR, it has shaped the media landscape in Germany and internationally as one of the most important funding bodies in Europe. Today, the average funding volume is 35 million euros. With the appointment of Managing Director Walid Nakschbandi, the foundation moved its headquarters to Cologne.

Since its foundation, the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW has supported 10,705 projects with more than one billion euros. These include 1,850 feature films, 394 series, 574 radio plays and podcasts, and 191 graduation films. The productions have won awards worldwide, including one Oscar, 16 Oscar nominations, 52 European Film Awards, 201 German Film Awards, two International Emmys, 57 Grimme Awards and 33 German Television Awards. The Film and Media Foundation is also committed to promoting young talent: it awards the Wim Wenders Scholarship for innovative filmmaking, the Gerd Ruge Scholarship for documentary filmmakers and the Baumi Script Development Award.

From film to IP: new approaches to funding

By expanding its funding spectrum to include games and digital media, strengthening sustainable production methods and introducing new programme approaches, the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW is actively shaping the structural change in the industry and providing early impetus for new production and funding standards. For example, the Filmstiftung was the first funding institution to introduce its own series funding programme. The newly established audio funding programme is receiving a lot of attention, and IP is also becoming a greater focus.

Walid Nakschbandi, CEO of the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW:

"Quality, relevance, success and reliability: this is what the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW has stood for for 35 years. We are constantly breaking new ground in funding, opening up programmes, establishing new formats, responding courageously to the needs of the industry and strengthening innovative funding formats in audio, entertainment, games, series, TV, film, distribution and short content. This success is made possible by the reliable commitment of our shareholders – the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, WDR, ZDF and RTL – who provide us with enormous support and enable the Film and Media Foundation to continuously develop and remain fit for the future in times of change. My thanks go to them and, of course, to the former managing directors Dieter Kosslick, Michael Schmid-Ospach and Petra Müller – all three of whom have made a significant contribution. Our goal remains the same: to provide the best possible support to creative professionals and to keep North Rhine-Westphalia at the top of the media rankings."

Promoting talent. Connecting industries

Productions from North Rhine-Westphalia are regularly represented at major international festivals – from the Berlinale to Cannes, Venice, Locarno and Toronto to the International Emmys in New York. In addition to project funding, the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW sees itself as a platform for exchange and networking. Its own formats, such as Match Me, the NRW reception at the Berlinale together with the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, and the presentation at gamescom, provide space for exchange. The FMS was also present at gamescom latam in São Paulo and Africa Games Week in Cape Town, for example. A special focus is placed on promoting talent, opening up funding structures and continuously developing programmes.

State of North Rhine-Westphalia, WDR, ZDF and RTL: The shareholders congratulate

Hendrik Wüst, Minister President of North Rhine-Westphalia: "North Rhine-Westphalia is Germany’s leading film region and an important film and media location. We offer modern studios, excellent infrastructure and technical film departments with internationally recognised precision and reliability. For over three decades, the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW has been a central pillar of our success. North Rhine-Westphalia demonstrates that diversity, innovative strength and a reliable funding policy are the basis for sustainable success. In recent years, the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW has enabled numerous audiovisual projects and strategically strengthened our film and media location, raising its international profile. At the same time, it is a strong supporter of young talent whose creative, passionate and innovative work shapes the cultural landscape beyond our country. North Rhine-Westphalia has everything it takes to remain an attractive, reliable and forward-looking partner and filming location in the future."

Dr. Katrin Vernau, Director General of WDR: "The work of the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW is a success story without which not only the German but also the international film and cinema landscape would be greatly impoverished. We at WDR have a long and intensive working relationship with the foundation, which has resulted in numerous outstanding productions – from “Run Lola Run” and “Good Bye, Lenin!” to “The Buddenbrooks” and “Babylon Berlin” to “Hundertdreizehn” and “Riefenstahl”. We look forward to continuing this successful partnership and to supporting the creative minds in North Rhine-Westphalia in the future."

Dr. Norbert Himmler, Director General of ZDF: "Fiction thrives on creative minds – and they need the right framework to realise their ideas. The Film- und Medienstiftung NRW has been making a significant contribution to this for decades by promoting talent and supporting innovative film and series projects. For ZDF, as a shareholder in the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, it is a strong and reliable partner that keeps an eye on both creative excellence and sustainable development."

Stephan Schmitter, CEO of RTL Germany: "The 35 years of the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW represent an impressive success story. For us, this anniversary year is not only an occasion to look back, but above all an important opportunity to further strengthen the strengths of North Rhine-Westphalia as a film and media location in the future. Since its foundation, the foundation has been a key driving force for the industry – together, the FMS NRW and RTL are intensively committed to realising major productions such as “Euphoria” and opening up opportunities for new talent with “Storytellers” and making bold ideas visible. With this shared ambition, we want to continue telling powerful stories in the future and expand the TV, streaming and cinema location."

An overview of the anniversary year

2026 ist bereits vielversprechend gestartet: mit der Vergabe einer der höchsten Fördersummen in der Geschichte der Stiftung, einer internationalen Delegationsreise nach Göteborg und elf geförderten Produkti­onen auf der Berlinale – vom Wettbewerb bis zum Berlinale Series Market. Weitere Auftritte in Cannes, beim Seriencamp und auf der gamescom folgen. Damit unterstreicht die Film- und Medienstiftung NRW ihren Anspruch, wichtigste Impulsgeberin für Film, Medien und Games zu bleiben.