On October 2, 2025, the EXPLORER KONFERENZ, part of the FILMFEST HAMBURG INDUSTRY DAYS, once again brings together international experts from the fields of creative industries, finance, and innovation. In times of relentless transformation, this cross-industry conference explores the success factors of leadership and creativity in the digital age – while also addressing the practical applications of AI.

 

What defines strong leadership? In the opening keynote Navigating Through the Storm: New Approaches in Leadership, executive coach Nolwenn Bernache-Assollant examines how leaders can remain focused and effective in the face of complex challenges such as AI disruption, geopolitical instability, and economic uncertainty. Offering fresh perspectives on leadership, her approach combines insights from archaeology, anthropology, and screenwriting to identify and harness natural group dynamics.

The session Storytelling in Games and Film investigates how immersive technologies are transforming narrative in games and audiovisual media, evolving audience experiences, and shifting the boundaries of storytelling. Jeanne Marchalot (StoryLab) presents new approaches at the intersection of fiction, animation, documentary, and interactivity. As a driving force in XR innovation, StoryLab has been pioneering projects in virtual, augmented, and mixed reality as well as AI-driven content production. Works such as Impulse: Playing with Reality (winner of the 2024 Venice Immersive Achievement Prize) demonstrate how immersive storytelling can spark empathy and engagement with pressing contemporary issues.

 

What will the audiovisual industry look like in 2030? In his keynote Scenario 2030: AI in The Film Industry, Arne Totz (27KM) offers a speculative yet well-grounded simulation of the near-future media landscape. The producer of the much-discussed OpenAI film I Thought of You Again explores the creative, economic, and cultural upheavals that will shape tomorrow’s content ecosystem.

 

Further perspectives on artificial intelligence are offered in the session AI and History: Recreating the Past, Reframing the Truth. Doclights Managing Director Michaela Hummel explores the artistic and ethical boundaries of using AI in non-fiction television, drawing on her work on Roadtrip 1945 for ZDF Terra X History. From cutting-edge tools to creative collaboration, the case study raises pressing questions about responsibility, manipulation, and the fragile line between documentation and dramatization. Can AI change the way we see history?

The Deep Dive on Equity Investment with Marie Garrett (XYZ Films), Sarah Nagel, and Isabell Wiegand will be further enriched by Ruby Walden. The producer of Academy Award winner The Brutalist shares insights and discusses the latest innovations.

 

In the panel Co-Producing with Germany – Fresh Insights, New Opportunities and Developments, MOIN Film Fund CEO Helge Albers will discuss with guests the latest developments and new instruments designed to incentivize international co-productions with German partners.

Building on one of last year’s most talked-about EXPLORER KONFERENZ sessions, curator Jennifer Sabbah-Immagine – also part of an EAVE think tank on the topic – will host the Deep Dive Equitable Coproduction: From Principles to Practice. Together with producer Yanis Gaye and African-European Distribution Academy (AEDA) participant Ivi Muiruri, she will explore how economic disparities in co-productions can be addressed and balanced more fairly.

 

The program is also complemented by additional case studies from the film and television industry: Adolescence producer Peter Carlton talks about his successful Netflix series and joins fellow producers to discuss opportunities and requirements for successful co-productions with the United Kingdom. Eva Ries, longtime music manager for artists including Nirvana and the Wu-Tang Clan, provides insights into her decades of experience in international artist management and sheds light on the growing intersections between music and film, new business models, and cross-industry innovations.

 

KICK-OFF AND NETWORKING

To strengthen the connection between EXPLORER KONFERENZ, its participants, and the wider FILMFEST HAMBURG INDUSTRY DAYS program, a joint film policy panel will already take place on Monday, September 29, 2025, in cooperation with European Work in Progress (EWIP) and the International Film Distribution Summit (IFDS).

 

On Wednesday, October 1, 2025, two additional pre-events will follow: Casting for European vs. US Films – Strategic Apprioaches for Production and Distribution on the relevance of casting for creativity, production, and marketing with Florent Lamy (Elev8on), and The Stats: Tracking Trends, Meaning & Marketing with marketing expert Rémi Tereszkiewicz (BetaSeries SAS).

 

ACCREDITATION

 

Participation in the EXPLORER KONFERENZ is available to industry professionals attending the FILMFEST HAMBURG INDUSTRY DAYS with an Industry Accreditation PLUS. It is available online at the Early Bird rate of 130 euros (regular price of 180 euros starting September 10). In addition to access to the EXPLORER KONFERENZ, it also grants admission to accredited screenings, public film screenings, the MADE IN GERMANY series, and the International Film Distribution Summit (IFDS). Single tickets for the conference are not available.

 

ABOUT EXPLORER KONFERENZ

The EXPLORER KONFERENZ, part of the FILMFEST HAMBURG INDUSTRY DAYS, offers current insights into technology and innovation in film, streaming, and TV production – presented by inspiring national and international speakers. This annual industry event for the film and media sector is organized by FILMFEST HAMBURG in partnership with PROG Producers of Germany and MOIN Film Fund Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein.