➤ Who can apply for the mentoring program of the Film Network Berlin?

The mentoring program is open to members of the Film Network Berlin. Therefore, it is necessary that you have joined the network or apply for a membership here.

The program is aimed primarily at directors, writers, cinematographers and producers who are at the beginning of their careers and wish to establish themselves permanently. We cannot accept actors for our mentoring program.

➤ Which documents do I need to submit with my application?

• Curriculum vitae with filmography
• Letter of motivation (1-2 pages)
• Only for applications with a project: project outline (max. 2 pages), which shows the current state of the project

Please send these documents by email as a merged PDF to info@filmnetzwerk-berlin.de.

➤ What should the motivation letter express?

• Why do you want to receive mentoring for yourself and / or your film project?
• Which career or project goal do you want to achieve with the help of the mentoring program?
• How could a mentor support you in this?
• For orientation, please name two possible mentors (preferably living in Berlin)

➤ Who can I name as my preferred mentor?

We do not have a fixed list of mentors, since we always select them individually and in consultation with our mentees. The naming of a mentor is intended as a guide for us, so that we have an idea of what you are looking for. Ideally, these are filmmakers who you find inspiring and motivating because of their work, their attitude and/or their career, who live at least partially in Berlin, and who might have time for becoming a mentor. If you are selected as a mentee, we will try to match you with your desired mentors or look for another suitable person.

➤ Can I submit more than one project?

Unfortunately not, but you can apply for support for a career step (see below).

➤ How can I apply without a project?

One of the unique qualities of our mentoring program is that you can apply with or without a film project. If you apply without a project, the mentoring is intended to support you as a filmmaker in developing your profession or in reaching a certain career goal. In this case, the project outline is not required as part of the application. Instead, we ask you to describe your professional situation and goals as concretely as possible in your letter of motivation. You can use the following questions as a guide: Where do I stand at the moment? What do I want to achieve? What do I need for that?

➤ Can I submit my application in English language?

Yes, we also accept applications in English language.

➤ What criteria are used to select the mentees?

When selecting mentees, particular attention is paid to the quality of the application (creativity, motivation, clarity), to artistic quality (originality, skill, depth) and to criteria relating to diversity and social relevance.

➤ Can I re-apply for the mentoring program after a rejection?

Yes, a re-application during another round of our mentoring program is possible if the new application is different from the previous one (new project, new goal, etc.).

➤ When will I know if I have been accepted for the mentoring program?

A pre-selection of applicants will be invited to individual interviews with our jury within two to three weeks following the application deadline. A notification about the jury’s decision on the candidates accepted as mentees in the mentoring program will be sent within a week after the interviews.

➤ What do I gain from participating in the program?

During the program, an experienced mentor from your field of work will support you with professional knowledge and skills to help you deal with specific professional or project-related questions. Your mentor will be your coach and consultant. The goal is to develop creative solutions for you and your project at eye level.

During and after the program, you will be named as a mentee on the Film Network website. In addition, you will have the opportunity to network further with your colleagues via the channels of the mentoring program. In April of the following year you will have the chance to pitch your project at our Film Network Berlin Pitch during the achtung berlin – new berlin film award.

➤ What is the duration of the mentoring program?

The mentoring program has a duration of three to six months. During the kickoff meeting, concrete goals are set and will be worked towards within the course of this time. During the mentoring, three personal meetings are scheduled and email contact with the mentor is always possible. At the end, there will be a final meeting where you will give us an insight into your progress or the results and feedback on the program.

➤ Is there also financial support?

No, the mentoring program of Film Network Berlin is a non-monetary support.