DFFB (German Film and Television Academy Berlin)

Overview

The Deutsche Film- und Fernsehakademie Berlin (DFFB) is a publicly funded film school near Potsdamer Platz in Berlin. Founded in 1966, it is owned by the Berlin government and operates as a non-profit GmbH. The school admits a maximum of 8 students per specialisation per academic year, across five disciplines: Directing, Cinematography, Producing, Screenwriting, and Editing & Sound. That means roughly 30 to 40 new students enter each year.

There is no tuition. Students pay an annual registration and equipment insurance fee of EUR 225 and approximately EUR 208.80 per semester for the Deutschland semester ticket (nationwide public transport). The application processing fee is EUR 30. For the 2026/27 academic year, applications opened on September 16, 2025, with registration closing November 17, 2025, and full application submissions due December 8, 2025. Entrance exams take place on-site in Berlin in March and April 2026.

If you are a filmmaker who wants a tuition-free, auteur-driven education in one of Europe's largest production hubs, DFFB is designed for you. The school does not award bachelor's or master's degrees. Students receive a diploma upon completion. The standard study period is 12 semesters for Directing, Cinematography, Producing, and Editing & Sound, and 7 semesters for Screenwriting. Review the official application page for current deadlines and requirements.

Programs Offered

The DFFB offers five specialisations, all at the diploma level. There is no undergraduate or graduate distinction. The first year is a foundational generalist curriculum where all students study screenwriting, directing, producing, cinematography, and editing together, regardless of their intended specialisation. The first year culminates in a short film.

• Directing - Narrative and documentary filmmaking with a focus on artistic authorship. The standard study period is 12 semesters.
• Cinematography - Camera, lighting, and visual storytelling. Students work with 16mm film during basic studies before moving to digital cinema cameras. 12 semesters.
• Producing - Creative producing, financing, and project development. 12 semesters.
• Screenwriting - Feature-length screenplay development. The shortest program at 7 semesters. Screenwriting students participate in project development for basic studies films and complete their basic studies with a feature-length screenplay.
• Editing & Sound - Post-production, sound design, and picture editing. 12 semesters.

After the basic studies phase (5 semesters), students enter the main studies phase (semesters 6 onward), which includes practical and theoretical seminars, masterclasses, individual film realisation, and the development and production of a graduation project. Students choose their own seminars during this phase and are encouraged to take an interdisciplinary approach.

Facilities and Equipment

The DFFB campus is located near Potsdamer Platz, in the centre of Berlin's media district. The school provides equipment for student productions, including 16mm ARRI SR3 cameras for basic studies, and digital cinema cameras for advanced projects. Post-production facilities include editing suites and sound mixing rooms. The school funds student productions directly, covering equipment, post-production, and technical support.

The DFFB Monday forum is a weekly internal event where students and lecturers screen and discuss every film produced at the academy. Students must present their films at the forum before they can screen them outside the DFFB. The weekly film history seminar covers international cinema from early to contemporary works, presented non-chronologically to create thematic connections across eras.

What Students Should Know

Language requirements: Studying at the DFFB requires good written and spoken German. International applicants must present a Goethe Certificate B2 (or equivalent) at the start of their studies. English is the second language at the DFFB, and a number of seminars are taught in English by international teachers. Applicants must also have good English skills. The written application may be submitted in English, and the oral and practical entrance exam may be conducted in English if the applicant's German is not yet sufficient, but the B2 certificate must be presented before enrolment.

Age and experience: Applicants must be at least 21 years old at the beginning of their studies. Practical experience or academic degrees in related fields are not required but improve admission chances. An applicant can apply to the DFFB a maximum of two times, regardless of specialisation.

Admissions process: The entrance exam has two stages. First, a pre-selection based on submitted portfolio materials (photos, film exercises, texts, and other creative work). Second, an on-site exam week in Berlin with oral, written, and practical components. The exam week tests artistic aptitude, not technical skill. The jury selects a shortlist from the pre-selection phase and invites those candidates to Berlin. For the 2026/27 cycle, exam weeks run in March and April 2026.

Cost of living in Berlin: Berlin's cost of living is lower than London, Paris, or Los Angeles. A single student can expect to spend approximately EUR 900 to EUR 1,200 per month on rent, food, and basic expenses, depending on lifestyle and neighbourhood. The Deutschland semester ticket covers nationwide public transport, which eliminates commuting costs.

Industry access: Berlin is home to the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) and the European Film Market, both of which take place in February. DFFB students have direct access to these events. The city is also a major production hub for German and international film and television, with studios including Studio Babelsberg located nearby in Potsdam.

Standout Faculty

DFFB's faculty are working German and international filmmakers who teach within an auteur-driven conservatory model. The school's Berlin School tradition is reflected in its directing faculty.

• Andres Veiel - Lecturer in Directing. German documentary filmmaker and director. Credits include Black Box BRD (2001), The Kick (2006), If Not Us, Who? (2011), Beuys (2017), and Riefenstahl (2024). Teaches directing and documentary filmmaking.
• Valeska Grisebach - Lecturer in Directing. German director associated with the Berlin School. Credits include Be My Star (2001, FIPRESCI Prize Toronto), Longing (2006, Berlinale Competition), and Western (2017, Cannes Un Certain Regard). Teaches directing and script consultation.
• Christiane Lilge - Senior Lecturer in Screenwriting. Teaches screenwriting and script development.
• Michael Baute - Lecturer in Film Theory. Teaches film theory and film history.
• Wolf Plesmann - Managing Director. Oversees administrative leadership and the school's industry partnerships.

Notable Alumni

DFFB graduates include Wolfgang Petersen (Das Boot, The NeverEnding Story), who attended from 1966 to 1970 and received Academy Award nominations for Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay. Christian Petzold (Phoenix, Transit, Afire) studied at the DFFB from 1988 to 1994 under Harun Farocki and Hartmut Bitomsky, and won the Silver Bear for Best Director at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival for Barbara (2012). His 2023 film Afire (Roter Himmel) won the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at Berlin.

Maren Ade (Toni Erdmann, 2016) is one of the most internationally recognised DFFB graduates. Angela Schanelec (I Was at Home, But...) and Valeska Grisebach (Western, Longing) are also graduates, and along with Petzold and Thomas Arslan, are associated with the Berlin School film movement. The DFFB has produced filmmakers who consistently work within European art cinema rather than commercial studio structures.

Student Film Examples

DFFB student films screen at the school's weekly Monday forum, where every film produced at the academy is discussed by students and lecturers before it can be shown externally. Recent student projects include Last Call Blue, Icebergs, The Call, and Ladida. DFFB student films are primarily hosted on the school's internal platform and Vimeo rather than publicly on YouTube.

See Also

For understanding the European film industry and its financing structures, see International Film Markets. To explore visual storytelling fundamentals, use the Depth of Field Calculator. To model the budget for a student short film production in Berlin, use the Production Budget Calculator.