Mastercard Enablement Programme
Dedicated to doing well by doing good, the Talents Footprints Mastercard Enablement Programme provides three selected fellows with mentoring, financial support and public awareness for their film-related initiatives, networks or platforms that contribute to their local communities in an inclusive and impactful way.
The next call is open between 3 September and 15 October 2021. Following the selection process, the fellows will be announced in February 2022.
Who can apply?
Initiators of and activists with film-related social initiatives, who participated as officially invited Talents at our 2020 or 2021 edition. Berlinale Talents alumni from other years can run for a limited number of wild cards upon individual request.
What kind of project can I submit?
You can apply with a film-related social initiative focusing on inclusive, innovative and impactful solutions in one of the following four key domains: Gender Equality and Diversity; Quality Education and Work; Peace, Justice and Understanding; Environmental Awareness and Climate Action. This can be for example a stakeholder group with film-related social goals, training institution, lab or hub, community film venue, festival or distribution platform, or environmental initiative. The development, production or post-production of singular film projects is not fundable.
What’s the structure?
Selected fellows receive 5,000 Euro financial support for project-related investments and practical support action, as well as the equivalent in mentorship. A personalised mentorship support package is developed with each fellow at the beginning of the programme. Once goals have been identified through the individual plans, the Berlinale Talents team will help each fellow to reach the aim of their social initiative. In order to increase sustainability beyond the duration of the programme, the fellows can apply for additional support along with their final reports.
What will I take away?
This is an opportunity to develop your initiative based on the tutorship of dedicated mentors, public awareness and financial support. The aim of the Mastercard Enablement Programme is to allow you to take your project to the next step, improve your personal and professional capacities, and help to create sustainable change in the Talents community and beyond.
How do I apply?
Alumni of the Berlinale Talents 2020 and 2021 editions can directly apply through their existing online profiles, from 3 September until 15 October 2021. If you have questions or like to present your project to apply for a wild card, please contact us at talentsfootprints@berlinale.de.
Master Enablement Programme 2020
In 2020 a jury consisting of Wim Wenders, Jeannette Liendo and Dominga Ortúzar evaluated over 50 applications from around the globe and selected the following three projects. In addition, Wim Wenders offered insights and encouragement to all 250 participants during Berlinale Talents 2020.
Documentary Association of Pakistan
A pilot mentorship and training scheme in the city of Quetta that will work with ten emerging documentary makers from the Hazara, Baloch and Pashtun ethnic communities to overcome sectarian and ethnic division in an otherwise vibrant cultural centre of Pakistan.
“The fellowship is a major recognition for our work and will open many doors, I believe, for partnership and support. Financial stability is the biggest challenge. Division of labour also becomes challenging in a unstructured, non hierarchical, volunteer based collective.”
The Seeds Project
An educational project for indigenous children in the Andes. Through screenings and classes at rural schools, protagonists from the documentary “Mothers of the Land” will pass on their knowledge of traditional organic farming practices and pride in their Quechua heritage.
“We would like to work with professionals from Peru or the Latin American region who know the social, agricultural context and the difficulties in accessing places. We want to contact NGOs that work with schools, as well as the schools directly, and build up an online platform.”
Sunshine Cinema
A solar-powered cinema network with screenings in rural communities. Young people are provided with mobile kits called ‘The Sunbox’ and are trained to become media facilitators, sparking conversation in their communities inspired by the power of African films.
“We want to build a long-term business model and partnerships in a way that would allow us to really expand sustainably. We would also like to patent the prototype of the Sunbox, and thirdly we need to have a stronger footprint in the distribution and international sales space.”
