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Filmland Saxony-Anhalt:

A Bright Future for Telling History

One only sees what one knows. But one also only knows what one has seen. When history is told through film and touches its viewers, it sparks an engagement with one's own biography and the biography of a country. By understanding each other through history, we can develop a sense of what history does to us. And, moreover, how we can shape it ourselves. This is precisely what Filmland Saxony-Anhalt embodies, as few others in Europe. It stands as a creative oasis of ideas, as well as a cluster of closely located production facilities, with numerous historical filming locations and people who understand their craft and see the world through different eyes. It’s worth zooming in on Saxony-Anhalt.

An Ideal Location for Historical Productions

For Saxony-Anhalt in particular, it holds true that culture can only flourish and push boundaries in the presence of a vibrant cultural scene. For over 500 years, Saxony-Anhalt has been a true world heritage site. It is the region with the highest density of UNESCO World Heritage sites in Germany: the Bauhaus in Dessau, the Luther cities of Eisleben and Wittenberg, the Wörlitz Castle Park, the historic old town of Quedlinburg, and the Naumburg Cathedral. For film productions, Saxony-Anhalt resembles a film set in Babelsberg – but it’s real!

World History – Made in Saxony-Anhalt

Saxony-Anhalt boasts a rich and distinctive cultural history. Martin Luther, its native son, not only nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg but also had a decisive influence on the German language. In Dessau, the Bauhaus revolutionized the visual language of architecture and design – without this inspiration from Saxony-Anhalt, Manhattan would surely look different today. Likewise, the lawyer and politician Otto von Guericke gained worldwide fame through his experiments on air pressure with the now-famous Magdeburg hemispheres. In short, Saxony-Anhalt is one of the birthplaces of modernity.

Due to its prominent role in the Middle Ages, a film-ready backdrop of castles, palaces, and other architectural wonders still exists today. It is little wonder, then, that Saxony-Anhalt has long served as the perfect film studio. Among many others, the films "The Physician," "Pope Joan," and George Clooney's "The Monuments Men" were all shot in Saxony-Anhalt. In 2016, Wernigerode became the backdrop for François Ozon's award-winning French-German film "Frantz" – a cinematic masterpiece that portrays history as a grand epic of emotions.

No Future Without Heritage

Yet, what is possible today has a cinematic backstory that spans nearly four decades. As early as 1954, the DEFA Studio (Deutsche Film AG) began filming historical material in Quedlinburg in what is now Saxony-Anhalt. While the DEFA had primarily produced industrial films to that point, here they dared to adapt Theodor Storm's novel, "Pole Poppenspäler," for the screen. This marked the birth of the DEFA as an architect of exceptional literary adaptations. One film that nearly every citizen of the former East Germany has seen is "The Adventures of Werner Holt," based on Dieter Noll's novel, and in 1979, the Russian adaptation of "Baron Munchausen" was filmed in Wernigerode Castle.

The Right Rhythm for the Perfect Production

Saxony-Anhalt may not be a hidden gem among filmmakers, but its open secret is the foundation for exceptional films. In Halle and Magdeburg, you'll find outstanding film productions, talented casting professionals, and filmmakers from every imaginable field. This reputation didn't happen by chance. The driving force behind it all is the Mitteldeutsche Filmförderung, which transforms film and media projects into promising productions. We also hold a deep commitment to the education and development of filmmakers, as well as fostering exchange through festivals such as the Professional Media Masterclass by Worklights Media Production GmbH, the Werkleitz Festival 2022 by Werkleitz Gesellschaft e.V. in Hettstedt, continuing education programs by the International Academy of Media and Arts e.V., the 5th “SILBERSALZ” Science & Media Festival, and the 15th Film Music Days Saxony-Anhalt, all held in Halle, establishing Saxony-Anhalt as a film and cultural hub par excellence.