Kerstin Polte

For me, filmmaking is definitely more than just work—it is passion and vulnerability. It is the way I express my deepest thoughts, fears, and emotions, with the hope of touching people and perhaps (...) shifting, even just a little, how they see the world and those who live in it. At the heart of my stories—always infused with humor and hope—stand unusual, resilient characters, relationships, and dramaturgies that cast new light on our society and invite us to question it. Many of my protagonists come from marginalized communities, often FLINTA, because I believe in telling stories that are too rarely seen on screen. In doing so, I strive to break clichés and to create diversity within diversity—across genres, across formats, and across the layers of identity that shape who we are. For me, diversity, understood in all its intersections, both in front of and behind the camera, is the key to a new, active practice of listening and co-creative collaboration. This practice allows us to explore and deepen our emotional understanding of one another—especially in times when divisions seem to grow deeper. My goal is to ensure visibility, representation, and participation for all throughout the entire filmmaking process, creating and celebrating true diversity on and off screen.