Flashback to the Inspiration Session - Beyond Borders in Mannheim

Borders are both a demarcation point and a point of contact. They are a powerful symbol, a setting for moments in life that can sometimes be emotionally charged. But above all, they are a fundamental theme that connects our territories. The Inspiration Session – Beyond Borders, which took place on 12 November 2024, explored the theme of borders through a series of meetings with experts and contemporary witnesses who addressed topics such as the work of customs, historical and geopolitical contexts, as well as their personal journeys, especially those related to flight and refuge.

The visit provided a real forum for discussion, allowing us to approach the subject from different angles. All in all, it was a perfect day for us storytellers and our inspiration. Thank you so much for this great opportunity!

– A participant of the session

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Programme of the session

• Meeting with Alina Holm, customs officer
• Meeting with several contributors to the book No single stories about women who have fled their country, a project of the International Rescue Committee Germany
• Meeting with Hiram Kümper, historian at the University of Mannheim
• Screening of La mer au loin (FR), a feature film by Saïd Hamich + Q&A session at the end

This inspiration session was organised as part of the CinEuro Film Lab in cooperation with the Mannheim-Heidelberg International Film Festival and the MFG Baden-Württemberg, with the kind support of the FilmCommission Nordbaden.

What’s next?

In addition to these Inspiration Sessions, screenwriters will be supported in the development of their projects through writing workshops, before presenting them at public pitch sessions at film festivals or markets.

Access to the writing workshops will be prioritized for professionals who have already taken part in the inspiration visits.

About CinEuro

CinEuro is a cross-border cooperation project in the film and audiovisual sector. Its partnership brings together the main organizations responsible for implementing film and audiovisual policies in the regions of the Grand Est, northern Switzerland, Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Luxembourg, Brussels and Wallonia.

In 2023, the project partners launched the “CinEuro Film Lab”, a new program to develop films or series dealing with stories, characters or settings that reflect the links between the partner territories in all their dimensions (economic, political, geographical, societal, cultural, etc.).

To achieve this, the CinEuro Film Lab is divided into 3 phases: an initial inspiration phase to identify new subjects likely to inspire filmmakers, a second writing phase, and a third phase to support the production of the projects developed through pitch sessions at film festivals and markets, networking sessions, professional meetings, etc.

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