Courage – Change – Excellence: Film- und Medienstiftung NRW Launches New Funding Programs
The Film and Media Foundation NRW is strategically expanding its funding instruments and, with its 2026 Funding Strategy, is providing targeted impetus for the future of North Rhine-Westphalia as a media hub. Amid a period of profound transformation in the audiovisual industry, the Film and Media Foundation NRW will continue to passionately support the film and cinema industries and will further focus its funding on the areas of development, serial content, AI and technology-driven innovations, and distribution.
With this new strategy, the Film and Media Foundation NRW is responding to changing market conditions: development processes are becoming more complex, international competition is growing, new technologies are shaping everyday production, and decisions regarding market opportunities are being made earlier and earlier in the production process.
Walid Nakschbandi, Executive Director of the Film and Media Foundation NRW, explains: “North Rhine-Westphalia is leading the way in the development of new content and formats. Today, development determines the quality and market viability of projects. This is precisely where our new funding strategy comes into play. We are establishing clear priorities, enhancing planning certainty, and opening up new prospects for our producers and writers from NRW in the face of national and international competition.”
From Idea to Impact: Six New Programs
“Made in NRW,” a development initiative by the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW in collaboration with WDR, launched on March 23. The program, with a total budget of 300,000 euros per year, is aimed at producers based or operating in North Rhine-Westphalia who are developing fictional or non-fictional projects in collaboration with talent from NRW. By involving a strong public broadcaster early on, concrete distribution prospects are factored in from the very beginning.
Now, two additional programs are being launched: a new series pilot funding initiative and a new funding line for entertainment and variety formats.
Development as the Key to Competitiveness
At the heart of the new funding strategy is the targeted strengthening of the early development phase of projects. Today, development increasingly determines whether a project is competitive both nationally and internationally and finds its way to broadcasters, streaming platforms, or theaters.
The Film- und Medienstiftung NRW is therefore investing more heavily in the phase during which content is conceptually refined, formats are strategically developed, and partnerships are established. This approach combines artistic ambition with economic viability and strengthens the global competitiveness of producers and screenwriters from North Rhine-Westphalia.
Focus on Series and Entertainment
With its new series pilot funding program, the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW is responding to the ongoing dynamism of the series market. Funding is provided for the production of pilot episodes for series with the potential to hold their own in national and international competition. The goal is to support producers—particularly those from North Rhine-Westphalia—in developing high-quality series formats and presenting them compellingly to broadcasters, platforms, and co-production partners.
In Germany’s leading media hub, the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW is also establishing a dedicated funding line for entertainment and variety formats. In doing so, it recognizes the growing importance of non-fictional content and strengthens a segment that remains crucial for reach, audience engagement, and the economic stability of the region.
Later in 2026, distribution funding and a new funding program for AI- and technology-driven innovations will be introduced. All funding is intended as grants and is designed to revitalize the market and provide new impetus.