SOFA

Between all my film festivals and heading to @festivaldecannes soon, I allowed myself a weekend full of ART 😍 As many of you know, I spent most of my childhood with my parents in museums—I’m fortunately quite influenced by that—and I even studied art history before fully dedicating myself to film 🙏 Yes, we all know that cinema is the 7th and perhaps most lovable art of them all. But as the maestro painter from #1 said in an incredible masterclass, which was just so brilliant and should serve all young artists (including filmmakers) in how they should talk about their art, work, and especially position. He also reminds us how young our medium is and what all came before it. So, I checked out the @galleryweekendberlin —and yes, also stopped by the @sellerie_weekend 👍 After three full days of an incredible art marathon (almost 99 galleries and museums, and according to my app, well over 50 km) and one very special cinema screening (guessing the cinema gives double points, of course), I feel highly energized and inspired. I want to share the following pictures with you with a slightly different intention. This is, of course, only a small selection of the works I saw that impressed me—there were many more. To keep things playful, for a little while I won’t mention the names of the artists, curators, galleries, or museums you’ll be seeing, but instead let you guess. Most of them are modern classics, but there are also newcomers. Whoever gets the most right will win something special from my Beijing trip that I still have in my suitcase. Each time someone recognizes a person, place, artwork, or artist, I will, of course, reveal it, so it stays exciting. #1 is surely super easy. Also, you’ll immediately recognize the great artist I’m paying tribute to, who sadly passed away only recently. Let the game begin 😊 P.S. A huge thanks to Eka Eloshvili, who took most of the photos of me and mapped out our route, and to all the other old and new friends and art lovers who joined along the way. Solution: 16 @beeple_crap

“A Rose is a rose is a rose” – we all know that wonderful line by Gertrude Stein. And Sandra is Sandra and will always be Sandra – whether in Requiem twenty years ago, in the Oscar winner Thea Zone of Interest, or in my new favorite blockbuster Project Hail Mary. But “Rose” is special: an extraordinary work of art—pure cinema. I’m so happy that, twenty years after our Berlinale memories. I still vividly remember the energy of those celebrations… As we all know, cinema is teamwork. This Bear for Sandra reflects not only her brilliance, but also the achievements of everyone involved. Pic 4 shows me with brilliant co-star @godehardgiese one of our finest actors. The magic of this striking black-and-white film is the result of so many talents coming together, crafted with immense care, precision, and vision by DoP @geraldkerkletz ! And of course, my dear friend, editor @hansjoerg_weissbrich Weißbrich, who gave the images their perfect rhythm 👏 There are outstanding departments involved everyone deserves praise. And above all: to director @markusschleinzer who held it all together so masterfully! “Rose” is today opening in German cinemas👍 Also in the picture: one of Austria’s finest exports —former @european_shooting_stars of @europeanfilmpromotion & @tatort Kommissarin @franziskaweisz_ Markus was actually the one who first introduced Franziska to film. Back then, she was still an (allegedly!) unsuccessful model at a small casting, and recommended to Ulrich Seidl - the rest is history. And it’s worth mentioning: “Rose” was not the only Austrian success at the past Berlinale. There were 12 Austrian films, mainly due to the amazing work of @austrianfilms and their wonderful CEO @annelaurentdelage1711 pictured left. I know the sun is shining, Gallery Weekend is also tempting, but please go and see “Rose” this first weekend, and tell all your friends about it. As we all know, that opening weekend is crucial for a film’s theatrical success: Rose is exactly this movie that demands to be experienced on the big screen! Vielen Dank an @piffl_medien (German distribution) & @thematchfactory (worldsales) 🙏 Dancing into May is wonderful, but watching “Rose” is even better 😉

Back from Beijing, here’s the highlight of my trip you’ve all been waiting for: the GREAT WALL ❤️ And yes - the Great Wall of China is officially recognized as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. And yes, it’s even far, far, and one more far impressive in real life than the movie “The Great Wall”, directed by Zhang Yimou and starring our dear Matt Damon. And of course many more films short there like „If You Are the One II“ by Feng Xiaogang (pic #10)👌 And yes, you’re seeing that right! All my workouts and running routines have clearly paid off - I was able to run up and down without losing my breath, unlike many of the millions of tourists there… and even got myself a medal for it :-) And yes, since my Chinese zodiac sign is the Tiger, I couldn’t resist channeling my inner Rocky Balboa. In Rocky, he famously trains on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art - better known as the Rocky Steps. Well… I decided to upgrade that scene and turn them into the “WALL Steps” this time 😉 Please check out the video - pic #15! And before you say it, yes - of course the song you hear “Eye of the Tiger” is from “Rocky III.” Even though many international headlines during my stay claimed that humanoid robots were outperforming humans in endurance marathon in Beijing, don’t worry - I didn’t see anything convincing enough to suggest AI is taking over just yet. Our jobs are safe… at least for now 😉 And here I go again - initially, I just wanted to say how impressed I was by the Wall, that no words can describe it. But now I’m rambling again. So I’ll stop here and let you enjoy the photos and my favorite running song… But I can’t end without a huge “thank you / 谢谢 - xièxie” to my new friends @harry_chi_1 and @rasha_hosny4 for sharing this outstanding experience - most of the photos are theirs 🙏 Harry, Rasha and I already miss you being in Cairo & Berlin 😉 Your wonderful colleagues from the @beijing_intl_film_festival were so fantastic hosts – we’ll keep this trip forever in our hearts😍 Next destination for me is the 26th @goeastff in beautiful Wiesbaden - which will be a real home-coming – more on that soon 😉Have a great & sunny weekend everybody 😎

Dear Community, after many kind messages following my posts about my first days at @beijing_intl_film_festival and our time in China, some of you asked for more content from our panel —so here it is: At the International Lounge, I was part of the “Programmers’ Salon: From Selection to Creative Trends,” where I had the pleasure of joining the main stage of the Market, together with fantastic and highly respected colleagues, and speaking about our fantastic @tallinnblacknightsff and my curatorial work there. Among them were @scoiatollo from @iffr ; my long-time collaborator and idol, Jacob Wong, with whom I worked at the @berlinale and who is the Director of the @hkiffs Industry Office; and my wonderful new friend @rasha_hosny4 , programmer at @cairofilms 😍 Our lively and insightful discussion lasted well over two hours and engaged local professionals in the audience. There were so many thoughtful perspectives and practical insights from my fellow panelists that it’s impossible to capture everything here—if you’re interested, I recommend checking with the festival for a recording👌 While I wouldn’t claim to be the ultimate expert on Chinese-language cinema, I do enjoy a great conversation and, as you know, can put on a good show when talking about my most passionate topic—the love of cinema and how to succeed on the film festival circuit. Judging by the reactions, the exchange resonated! I’m sharing a few impressions from the panel (and afterwards), including some unexpected “celebrity moments” with selfie requests—usually, I’m the one asking 😉😂🤩 This was followed by quite many interviews—OMG, do I love my job on days like this♥️ All in all, it was a truly memorable experience. My thanks go to the entire International Lounge team and the many new colleagues and friends I had the chance to meet—some of whom you’ll spot in the photos - including Anke Redl from @germanfilms 👌 Kristina, Rasha, and I all agreed that Jacob probably had the final word of wisdom. When asked what advice he would give young filmmakers, he said: “Do you want to make a movie, or do you want to be a director?” 👍🙏😍

After a hard day of work full of fruitful meetings for our @tallinnblacknightsff and an amazing networking lunch with very dear colleagues (more about that later) at the fantastic 16th @beijing_intl_film_festival I followed today my dear longtime friend and now colleague in the Advisory Board on Film Festivals, Film Institutions, and Film Culture Projects for the Bundesministerium für Wohnen, Kunst, Kultur, Medien und Sport (BMWKMS) @kunstkulturministerium , Andreas Ungerböck, and went to experience his recommendation, the Lama Palace (Yonghegong). While I was running SCHNITT he founded and was responsible for the outstanding Austrian film magazine @ray_filmmag , and he is one of the biggest experts on Chinese and Asian cinema I know! I was joined by my new friend and dearest colleague @rasha_hosny4 who is the programmer for Asia-Pacific Films of the @cairofilm and guided by our local hero @harry_chi_1 😍👍The beautiful pictures are either mine or done by Rasha or Harry 🙏 I know a picture tells more than 1000 words—especially in this case it’s true, and you can guess what I was praying for at the different places. Each of them stands for something different, like the Yonge Temple, where you pay for success in work, study, and career growth, or the Wanfu Pavilion (Ten Thousand Happiness Pavilion) with a huge Buddha statue inside that is carved from one sandalwood tree and a true highlight and the highest in the temple, where you pray for good luck, happiness, and a new start👌🤞 Tomorrow morning after some meetings, Rasha and I will sit on our panel talking about our work entitled "Programmers’ Salon: From Selection to Creative Trends" where we will be joined by dear @scoiatollo from @iffr and my long-time collaborator Jacob Wong, with whom I worked for decades at the @berlinale and who is now the Director of the @hkiffs Industry Office 🤩 Stay tuned for more impressions, and yes, of course the biggest landmark of China in terms of sightseeing is also coming up 😉

Touched ground in Beijing at the 16th Beijing International Film Festival @beijing_intl_film_festival to be an honorary guest representing @tallinnblacknightsff at the International Lounge 🙏 So you already see me in full action in picture one, and the following one is from an amazing welcome dinner hosted by my dearest Junjin Mo @smilejinjin with my wonderful colleague Kristina Aschenbrennerova @scoiatollo from @iffr.nl reuniting after our fabulous jury experience last year in Mongolia 😍 Please find already some visual impressions from fascinating and beautiful Beijing. More pictures will follow as I’m looking forward to wonderful meetings with local professionals, some unforgettable Chinese impressions, and especially my upcoming panel participations… Stay tuned—I think I can make it big in China 😉

Last month, I found myself exactly where stories want to begin—inside @yaratcontemporaryartspace in the luminous heartbeat of Baku ❤️ I arrived to teach. I left inspired. This spark was lit by @auteurcat - @sofafilmadvancement alum, force of nature, and a builder of futures. With bold vision and relentless care, he founded @arka.culture.az and now a one-year film school that feels less like a program and more like a promise! Rufat is exactly why SOFA once existed—and why it mattered. For over a decade, we believed in people who don’t wait for doors to open—they build them. His journey is not an exception. It’s a signal. A reminder that when you invest deeply in minds and courage, the echo travels far. Even now, after closing that chapter, the resonance remains—messages, gratitude, quiet proof that something lasting was set in motion. More stories will follow… 😉 And none of it—none—would have happened without the fierce, generous brilliance of our team. Carrying all of that spirit in one name: our managing director @misa.mogorovic ! Thank you—for the backbone, the belief, the fire 🙏 And then—YARAT. A room full of sharp, restless, luminous filmmakers—some emerging, some already carving their place. We spoke about international distribution, about navigating careers, about staying human in an industry that often forgets to be. But truthfully? It didn’t feel like teaching. It felt like ignition. Being the first international guest lecturer in this space was an honor that landed deeply. So did the conversations, the curiosity, the laughter—in multiple languages, all alive and dancing🥳 And outside those walls—Baku. A city that doesn’t whisper, it glows. A place where friendships are rekindled, and time stretches just enough to remind you why you fell in love with this industry in the first place. To the participants—a selection of the incredible talents: @hansagham @joshgunsuleymanov.art @elnarazimova @mv_mit @orkhaniskandarli @vahabphoto @lilit_mara @ne_aziat @_faridaliyeva_ @izijabarli @naraanja @niksalien @zeynalovcom @rvn.mv @e1nurrza Keep going! Stay bold🤞Stay impossible to ignore. I’ll be watching—along with the rest of the festival circuit. ✨

I’ve just returned from a few truly glorious, sun-soaked days in Prague❤️ I had the pleasure of teaching at the wonderful @filmovka_official , thanks to an invitation from my buddy Richard Němec 🙏 Richard—díky—, and the same heartfelt thanks to Jana Ptackova for being such a generous, and all-around fantastic host. You both made it feel less like a visit and more like a homecoming 🥳 You may already know FAMO—especially after their remarkable achievement at the Student Academy Awards in 2024, where „The Compatriot“ by @sykyntosh and @mr_horacio took home the Gold Medal 🥇 An extraordinary accomplishment, and a testament to the talent and dedication coming out of this school 👏 So, if you’re considering where to study film I can wholeheartedly recommend this academy. One of the highlights of my course was watching the official announcement of the @festivaldecannes lineup together. It felt wonderfully communal—students, anticipation, cinema in the air. Iris Knobloch opened with a thoughtful and much-needed address, and @thierry.fremaux unveiled an exciting selection of films. Naturally, this only heightened my anticipation for two weeks on the Croisette this May for the @cannes.2026 🤩 After the announcement, we dove straight into my lecture on festival distribution and market strategies. I was genuinely impressed by the engagement of the students, including @klarajureck @_marina_malysh_ @jakublevy.cz , @frantisekneutral and @_d_a_b_e_ —names I suspect we’ll hear again 🤞 And, of course, it wasn’t all work. I managed to steal a bit of time to wander through Prague’s streets—arguably among the most beautiful in the world. To top it all off, Jana and Richard treated me to a fantastic dinner. Truly unforgettable—velké díky for that 👍 🙏

I just returned from a beautiful, sun-filled stay in Vienna, where we held an inspiring session of the Advisory Board on Film Festival for the Bundesministerium für Wohnen, Kunst, Kultur, Medien und Sport (BMWKMS) @kunstkulturministerium 😆 My sincere thanks to @peter_schernhuber Michael Ledolter, @eckstein.theresa and Nela Nakovski from BMWKMS for their warm hospitality, as well as to my outstanding fellow board members Samira Saad-Zenagui and Andreas Ungerböck for such thoughtful, constructive, and forward-looking discussions 🙏 Beyond the meeting and some walks in this terrific city (see all the pics), it was a joy to reconnect with dear friends @anna__ceeh and @leninfilms and to spend time with the exceptionally talented Ukrainian director @myroslav.slaboshpytskiy now based in Vienna ❤️ It was a true privilege to have curated two of his remarkable early short films at the @berlinale before he rose to international prominence with his groundbreaking debut, The Tribe(Plemya) - who dedicated world sales was @alpha_violet which earned major acclaim, including top honors at Cannes @semaine_de_la_critique in 2014 🥳 His latest project, “Animal at War,” features @seanpenn whose unwavering support for Ukraine continues to inspire. Dear Mirek, I can’t wait to see your next film very soon 🤞

„DJ Ahmet“ is everything I crave from cinema right now. It sweeps you away into the breathtaking landscapes and vibrant spirit of North Macedonia, delivering a story that feels both deeply original and irresistibly entertaining 😍 The cast is simply outstanding—one of the most captivating ensembles I’ve seen in a long time. The two young brothers, played by non-professional actors @arifjakupp and Agush Agushev, are nothing short of extraordinary—raw, authentic, and unforgettable 👍 Director @georgiunko is a talent to watch! With remarkable finesse, he crafts a deeply local story that resonates on a global level, balancing heartfelt emotion with genuine humor—the kind we all need a little more of these days. It’s no surprise this cinematic gem, beautifully shot by longtime collaborator @naumdoksevski tool home both the Jury and Audience Awards at @sundanceorg Film Festival 🥳 Thanks to @neue_visionen this hidden gem is now lighting up cinemas across Germany—and soon, the world—after being picked up by fantastic distributors worldwide. Huge shoutout to @filmsboutique for bringing it to global audiences - was great seeing you lieber @julienraza 🙏 A big thank you to @torstenfrehse for the premiere invitation at @hackesche.hoefe.kino.berlin and the fun afterparty at wonderful @bar.bunuel and to my longtime friend @m_y_c_h_a_e_l__b_e_r_g for the great company and fun moments 😆 I’m also incredibly proud to see this film supported by amazing producers including my dearest friend @jecamitrovic (Bas Celik) and @sofafilmadvancement alumna Michal Kráčmer, and backed by the @filmagency.northmacedonia led by @sashkopotter and @filmskicentarsrbije 👏 If you’re looking for a joyful, moving, and thought-provoking night out with friends or family—go see @djahmet.film this weekend. It might just restore your faith in the world and that it can be a better place ❤️ And if you don’t laugh or tear up… I’ll personally reimburse you 😉

What a truly inspiring 98th Academy Awards last night! A celebration that created so many memorable and deeply meaningful moments for the global film community 🥳🎬 Congratulations to all the happy and well-deserved winners, and also to those who spoke so openly and courageously. A special shout-out to the amazing team behind @mr.nobodyagainstputin — congratulations to our Danish, UK, German, and Czech friends who brought this important film to life, especially @sibrtradovan & Danielle Turkov Wilson 👏 The evening was brilliantly guided by the fantastic and witty host @conan_obrien_ @teamcoco who brought great energy and humor to the ceremony 👌A special mention to @jimmykimmel who delivered a wonderful speech that was both thoughtful and entertaining 😉 I was also delighted to see the outstanding cinematic achievement „One Battle After the Other“ by PTA receive so many awards. One of the absolute highlights of this year’s ceremony for me was seeing our dear and exceptional director and screenwriter Joachim Trier win Best International Film for the masterpiece @sentimentalvaluefilm 😍 After receiving numerous @europeanfilmacademy Awards, this Oscar truly felt like the perfect cherry on top 🥳 The Norwegian production (@merfilm - @mariaekerhovd & Andrea Berentsen Ottmar), „Sentimental Value“, is a wonderful European co-production with Berlin-based @komplizenfilm and a @zdf.de / @arte.tv co-production, supported by @medienboard @eurimagescoe @filmivast and many other European partners 👍The film was brought to the United States thanks to @neonrated and is distributed worldwide by @mk2 🤞 On a personal note, I had the honor of studying with Komplizen Film co-owner @jonasdornbach back in 2007 at @eave_producers 🥰 The picture actually shows Joachim and me not only discussing the film’s #Oscars chances after its many European awards, but also talking about something much more personal — our birthdays. As some of you know, mine is coming up in just two days during @festivaldecannes de while @nobledanceroslo celebrated his just two weeks ago! So this is surely the best belated birthday present for Joachim ever 😉🎉

What an emotional @berlinale closing night ❤️ How wonderful that, 22 years after Fatih’s masterpiece HEAD ON, another German film won the Golden Bear with Ilker Çatak’s (front with my Kottiwood pal Anne Ratte-Polle, lead in İlker’s “I Was, I Am, I Will Be,” & ROSE editor @hansjoerg_weissbrich which was also a big winner with our Sandra Hüller getting Silver) & @ingo_fliess brilliant @yellowlettersfilm 😃 Thanks to @alamodefilm in German cinemas from March 5🤞World sales @be_for_films 👌 We’re all so happy for the amazing crew between Germany & Turkey - especially honored that Ingo (pic 2 before award ceremony & later that evening with @franziskaweisz_ ), accepted our jury invitation to @tallinnblacknightsff last year 🙏Also, congrats to dear @helgealbers from @moinfilmfoerderung a main funder, with our buddy @uligaulke Gaulke & impressions from that amazing night - Danke Wim, Ewa @ all friends ♥️ My heartfelt congrats to Tricia Tanja @floweghorn @michaelstuetz @jlyanga @filmmernundrauschen @gerritsen.heleen @martinableis @niki.joetze @tpausinger @sacinad @deckbar & all wonderful colleagues 🙏 I’m very grateful to İlker that he dedicated the bear to dearest friend Seyfi Teoman, whom I met with @nadir_operli & eniskos the Turkish co-producers of @gelbebriefederfilm 🥰Enis also co-wrote the script with Ayda Meryem Çatak & İlker. As if it wasn’t enough that our Nadir won Gold, he also produced @film_salvation directed by @eminalperofficial (pic 3—with Enis but missing Nadir) who won Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize. What united us all that night was the euphoric happiness about 2 main awards, but also the emotional loss & love for our dearly missed Seyfi, who magically connected us. I really got to know Seyfi when we met in @palicfilmfestival where I programmed his SUMMERBOOK in 2008. We reunited during @zurichfilmfestival where I curated his OUR GRAND DESPAIR in 2011 (pic 4 from 27.11.2011), & we had an amazing jury experience in 2009 at @crossingeurope 🥳 After his tragic passing in 2012, we dedicated a special award together with Nadir & Co in Palić in his name in 2013 – Seyfi you will always be with us!!!