Germany

[DE] Federal film funding budget to be increased to record level in 2026

IRIS 2025-8:1/20

Christina Meese

Institute of European Media Law

The federal government’s cabinet draft for the 2026 federal budget, which was adopted on 30 July 2025, provides for EUR 2.5 billion to be made available to the Minister of State for Culture and Media. Alongside other measures to strengthen the cultural sector, EUR 250 million would be channelled into the Deutsche Filmförderfonds (German Federal Film Fund — DFFF) and the German Motion Picture Fund (GMPF), almost doubling their current funding levels.

Film and media promotion in Germany is organised at many different levels (federal and state) and by various funds and players. The DFFF, which is provided by the Minister of State for Culture and Media and offers incentive subsidies in the form of grants, is by far the most important fund for film promotion in Germany. This funding is aimed at producers of national and international (co-)productions (DFFF I) as well as production service providers whose film projects are wholly or partly implemented in Germany (DFFF II). Grants for both types of funding were increased to a flat 30% of eligible German production costs in 2025. A total of EUR 160 million of the funding budget is to go to the DFFF in 2026, of which EUR 70 million will go to DFFF I and EUR 90 million to DFFF II projects.

The GMPF, on the other hand, supports the production of high-budget series and films that are not exploited in cinemas. This funding is aimed at (co-)producers with a registered office in Germany who have already produced a film or series in the last seven years. Since 2025, it has been awarded as a non-repayable grant of up to 30% of eligible German costs if all eligibility requirements are met. EUR 90 million has been earmarked in the budget for the GMPF in 2026.

The increase in the funding budget is intended to ensure an attractive incentive system that offers German and international producers long-term planning security. In view of the increased costs in the production sector, this is certainly to be welcomed. The expansion of funding is also intended to make Germany a more competitive film location at international level. However, the government’s draft for the 2026 federal budget is subject to further preparatory work, in particular the parliamentary budget preparation process. Its first reading in the German Bundestag is scheduled for 22 to 26 September.