Wim Wenders Grant launched by Film- und Medienstiftung NRW

The Wim Wenders Grant is being launched for the first time by the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW in collaboration with the Wim Wenders Foundation which was established in 2012. The goal is to support young film-makers for them to tell stories with new means and enrich the visual language. The allocation of the total annual budget of 100,000 Euros will be decided by a jury chaired by Wim Wenders. At the NRW Reception during the 64th Berlinale, Wenders, who is currently shooting in Canada, fired the starting shot for the initiative via a video message.

"It has long been my great desire to actively encourage young film artists to point film language in new directions. I am happy and very grateful that we can now realize this together with the Filmstiftung," the Foundation’s initiator Wim Wenders said. "I am looking forward to many imaginative and, above all, courageous submissions."

"Creating spaces for new ideas, supporting of innovative film-making and encouraging young film-makers are among the foremost goals of a film funder," added Petra Müller, CEO of the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, "We are really excited that we are able to work with Wim Wenders and his Foundation on this."

The twice Oscar-nominated director and his wife Donata Wenders established the Wim Wenders Foundation in Dusseldorf in 2012 with support from the Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia, the City of Duesseldorf, the Film- und Medienstiftung and private donors. Apart from preserving Wim Wenders' artistic oeuvre, the Foundation also intends to serve as a platform for exchange and research in the areas of film, art and media and, with the help of the Grant, will support innovative narrative art of young film-makers and video artists.

Applications for the first Grant can be submitted to the Filmstiftung until 2 April, 2014. A consultation by telephone or in person is obligatory before submitting the application. The contact persons at the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW are Susanna Felgener ( ) and Sven Ilgner ( ). All information and documents on the Wim Wenders Grant can now be found  at www.filmstiftung.de.