Building skills, building futures
In many Global Majority countries, filmmakers face a similar problem. Talented filmmakers struggle not due to a lack of creativity, but a lack of access to training, mentorship and business knowhow. Fill those gaps and doors open: to markets, funding and audiences.
That’s why one of the primary focus areas of DW Akademie’s engagement with film has been on building training programs that lead to lasting change. Strong film sectors aren’t built on funding alone. They grow from people — creators with the skills, networks and confidence to turn ideas into careers.
DW Akademie and its partners overcame those barriers through various initiatives, focusing on development, mentorship and the building of solid business skills.
Animation workshops in Addis Ababa built a new creative community where almost no infrastructure existed. The Future Mentors Programme cultivated local mentors, strengthening South–South exchanges and peer learning. The Business Lab gave filmmakers management and financial skills to run successful creative companies.
Established and aspiring filmmakers from Accra to Tashkent also benefitted from new training opportunities, many in places where formal training was rare or out of reach. Ghana’s Digital Film School Africa went online, offering instruction in three different film disciplines. The Tashkent Film School created breathing room for Central Asian cinema, bringing female filmmakers together with mentors and offering a safe space for LGBTQ+ creators. Lebanon’s Series Lab showed screenwriters how episodic storytelling can drive social change even in a country in crisis. And in Nigeria, Ladima built the country’s first film school for women.
The initiatives have supported shifts toward a film landscape where talent can find more room to develop, becoming less dependent on location or connections. They allow regional expertise to guide regional voices. And they give filmmakers the knowledge and skills to transform their creative vision into careers that make meaningful contributions to the places they live.
Free expression, frame by frame
When Michael Berhanu launched Addis Ababa Animated (aaa!) through his studio ARMA, his goal was to build what he himself never had: a place to learn, connect, and create. “There aren’t many schools or structures that can guide you to becoming an animator,” he says. “Most of us were self-taught, figuring it out alone.”
But with support from DW Akademie, aaa! became Ethiopia’s first structured animation training. Calls went out for introductory and intermediate workshops and over 2,300 people applied for 45 spots.
For Michael, the appeal of animation is both artistic and social. “Animation gives you the freedom to create what you want, how you want.” In Ethiopia, live-action filmmaking faces big obstacles, and resources for cameras and crews are rare. “With animation, you just need a computer, software, and an idea,” he adds.
Animation also provides something rare in Ethiopia’s tightly monitored media space: safety to tell sensitive stories. “People here are careful about what they say, especially on camera,” Michael explains. “With animation, you can use metaphor and offer anonymity when needed.”
Trainees have used that creative distance to explore difficult themes —from gender inequality to social pressure and migration. One trainee, Rufuel Anteneh, says the experience changed how he thinks about storytelling. “With animation, you can say things that would be hard to say otherwise,” he explains. “You can talk about social issues, about dreams, about change.”
The program has also inspired collaboration. A 1,000 member-strong Telegram group allows people to stay in touch and get help from others.
Now Rufuel is helping produce Ethiopia’s first animated feature film. He grins when asked what it means to him: “It’s going to be the Toy Story of Ethiopia.”
