Considered to be one of the most important innovations of the Berlinale, the Berlin International Film Festival, under Dieter Kosslick’s reign, the Talent Campus is expanding again. Organized for young film makers with a demonstrated track record of awards and nominations, the Talent Campus is now adding to the “Working Campus” sessions the ‘Documentary Clinic” where selected film makers can develop their ideas with experienced documentary experts. Other sections of the Working Campus are Talent Movie of the Week, Script Clinic, Talent Project Market, Talent Press, the Berlin Today Award, and the Volkswagen Score competition. Between 20 and 25 young film professionals are selected for each of the Working Campus sessions.

Financed by German federal and state agencies, Volkswagen, and other private sponsors with additional support from the UK Film Council, the Berlinale Talent Campus was established in 2002 and has been emulated by numerous other film festivals. Each year grants are provided to several hundred film makers from all over the world covering most of their travel and lodging expenses. Next year the Talent Campus is held from February 12 – 17, 2005 during the Berlinale in Berlin’s House of Culture, close to Potsdamer Platz, venue of the Berlinale.

Postmarked application deadline for the Berlinale Talent Campus is November 1, 2004 and November 22, for individual sections of the “Working Campus’. Music composers and sound designers interested in the Volkswagen Score competition have to file by January 11, 2005. Application forms can be downloaded from
http://www.berlinale-talentcampus.de/app/tandc.phpi

Claus Mueller, New York Correspondent
cmueller@hunter.cuny.edu