Source: www.filmfestival-goeast.de

For the third time, goEast is proud to present the Young Filmmakers for Peace project, organised in co-operation with the Robert Bosch Stiftung.
Young Filmmakers for Peace aims to bring together up-and-coming filmmakers from war-torn conflict and post-conflict regions in Eastern Europe and Germany during the festival week at goEast. In particular, the program gives participants from Russia and Ukraine the opportunity to step out of environments affected by acute conflict and take part with the other guests in lectures, workshops and panel discussions that explore the subject of filmmaking in times of conflict and its potential for promoting peace and democratisation. Young Filmmakers for Peace is equally focussed on the making of films under the conditions of violent conflict and the making of films about such conflicts. 
The project intends to create a space for participants hailing from regions torn by war and other conflicts, one in which they can reflect critically on their own work and the influences that conflict or post-conflict situations have had on it. In this space, participants can also get to know concrete artistic and aesthetic strategies for approaching themes of conflict and peace in their work. The project intends to create a deeper awareness of the socio-political relevance of film and the positive influence that film can have on the perception and resolution of instances of social, political and humanitarian conflict. Coming together to learn with others is already a significant step out of isolation and “being cut off”. Equipped with new insight, participants can return to their societies as agents of change. Their works can thus become multipliers of messages promoting peace and democracy.

The selection of the participants takes place in a first step through a call for applications and nominations from mentors from the respective countries, who will themselves lead several events at Young Filmmakers for Peace. These filmmakers, producers and scriptwriters, who possess considerable experience in making films in or on situations of conflict, have dedicated themselves to passing on this knowledge and experience to the next generation. In a second step, a jury will decide on the final allotment of places in the program. Aside from the learning opportunities already mentioned, participants will also have the opportunity in the scope of a project development module to ask questions regarding their own film projects that are currently in development or to develop their ideas further under the direction of their mentors. In addition, participants also have the possibility to take part in individual events of the East-West Talent Lab, which also runs during the festival week, in order to be able to make further connections to young filmmakers from Central and Eastern Europe and Germany and extend their professional networks.

CALL FOR ENTRIES

The "Call for Applications is open until March, 3rd. You can find more information and the entry form here.