The Deutscher Filmförderfonds I (DFFF I) is the federal government's production incentive for producers of feature-length theatrical films. Its legal basis is the Richtlinie (funding guideline) issued by the BKM (the federal government commissioner for culture and the media) and administered by the Filmförderungsanstalt (FFA). At present the FFA is accepting no applications: intake has been closed since 20 August 2026 — neither through the FFA-Serviceportal nor by e-mail is a submission possible. For projects shooting in 2027, applying is expected to be possible again from November 2026; the FFA has not named a date. The e-mail route was in any case only foreseen until 31 August 2026 and is effectively over with the closure — when intake reopens, the FFA-Serviceportal is the only route (FFA, 22 July 2026). The scheme supports fiction features, documentaries, and animated films and part-animated works made wholly or partly in Germany for which a binding theatrical release in Germany has been secured. Producers resident or with their registered office in another EU member state, another EEA state or Switzerland are expressly eligible to apply (§ 7 (2)).
DFFF I is not an entry-level scheme, and that is settled before any of the detail. The applicant is the production company, not the director, and it must already have produced a feature-length theatrical film within the past ten years that was released on at least 20 prints (at least 4 for documentaries); student graduation films expressly do not count. Where the applicant is a project company set up solely to make this one film, the reference film of a company affiliated with it under company law is sufficient; for the producer's first work an already awarded grant from the BKM, the FFA or a Land (federal state) film fund is sufficient, and the FFA board may waive the reference film altogether in an individual case (§ 7 (5)). On top of that come hard entry thresholds on total production costs — at least €1m for a fiction feature, €200,000 for a documentary, €2m for animation (§ 8 (2)) — a distributor giving a binding commitment who itself meets the track-record test of § 9a (4), and 45% of the financing already backed by binding evidence at the point of applying. Anyone who has already started shooting is excluded in any case (§ 17 (2)). Under the Richtlinie an application may be approved only once the applying producer has glaubhaft gemacht (credibly demonstrated) that 65% of total production costs are financed (§ 18 (2)) — the FFA in practice asks for more: its FAQ state that before the Zuwendungsbescheid all required documents must be in place and at least 65% of the financing must be closed and evidenced, and that excluding the DFFF grant (ffa.de/dfff-i.html).
The grant is up to 30% of the production costs spent in Germany, capped at €5m per film — calculated, however, on the anerkennungsfähige deutsche Herstellungskosten (ADHK, the eligible German costs after the deductions in § 16 (3)), so the actual grant is noticeably lower. The €5m is a cap, not the norm: in 2025 the average was roughly €0.6m per project. It is a non-repayable grant, not a loan, but in principle it is paid out only after the Nullkopie (first answer print) is finished and the final costs are audited. On a reasoned request, instalments of up to 33% each at the start of shooting, at the mid-point of the shoot and at rough cut are available, together no more than 75% of the grant and only once the total financing is evidenced as secured, with a completion bond or bank guarantee also required for grants above €2m (§ 19 (6)); the remainder has to be bridge-financed. There is neither a jury nor a fixed deadline: the application must be filed at the latest six weeks before the start of principal photography, and the FFA approves in the order in which complete applications arrive, within the available budget. There is no legal entitlement to funding.
The situation is currently tight. After the rate was raised to a uniform 30% and the cap to €5m in early 2025, demand hit record levels: in 2025 DFFF I, DFFF II and the German Motion Picture Fund (GMPF) together approved €183m for 140 productions, of which DFFF I alone accounted for 107 projects and €65.4m. On 11 August 2026 the FFA tightened its application requirements, and on 20 August 2026 it closed intake for 2026 shoots altogether. For 2027 the FFA cites just over €200m, some €50m less than the €250m the federal government provided for 2026; at the same time 111 already submitted projects remain in processing, some of which will only be decided in 2027. Only the BKM's DFFF-Richtlinie in its currently valid version and the FFA's own statements are binding. The version in force expires on 31 December 2026 (§ 38 (1)), and its entry thresholds apply expressly only to applications complete during its term (§ 8 (2) sentence 2); no successor version has been published. For applications already accepted with an approved vorzeitiger Maßnahmenbeginn (early start of work), the FFA did at least state on 20 August 2026 that if they do not become complete this year they “können 2027 nach den derzeit geltenden Regularien beschieden werden” (may be decided in 2027 under the rules currently in force) — a “können” (may), and one that covers only that group. What the expiry means for newly filed applications from the November window that only become complete, or only get decided, in 2027 remains open, and belongs in the Antragsgespräch. This summary replaces neither the Richtlinie nor the advisory call with the FFA.
Not a confirmed date. The 1 November 2026 shown here is not a submission start published by the FFA — it is only the earliest possible day of the month the FFA named, and no shooting schedule should be planned around it. On 11 August 2026 the FFA states that intake for projects shooting in 2027 will open “frühestens ab November 2026” (at the earliest from November 2026) and will be “announced by the FFA in good time”; on 20 August 2026 it says submissions are “voraussichtlich ab November” (expected from November) via the FFA-Serviceportal, and that “the FFA will provide information on the 2027 submission procedure as soon as possible”.
No date has been published — the FFA's own Einreich- und Sitzungstermine (submission and committee dates) page does not list the DFFF at all. Closed: since 20 August 2026 the FFA has accepted no applications at all — neither through the FFA-Serviceportal nor by e-mail. What had been reached was the last remaining application volume of €30m, on top of €151m already committed to 103 projects (DFFF I, DFFF II and GMPF combined).
Submissions for projects shooting in 2027 are expected to be possible again from November 2026, then exclusively through the FFA-Serviceportal; the FFA has published no date. The DFFF-Richtlinie now in force is limited to 31 December 2026 (§ 38 (1)), its entry thresholds apply expressly only to applications that are complete at the FFA during its term (§ 8 (2) sentence 2), and as at 23 August 2026 no successor version has been published. For one group of applicants the FFA has already answered this: the 20 August 2026 update on ffa.de/dfff-i.html says that “angenommene Anträge mit vorzeitigem Maßnahmenbeginn, die in diesem Jahr nicht mehr vollständig werden, können 2027 nach den derzeit geltenden Regularien beschieden werden” (accepted applications with an approved early start of work that do not become complete this year may be decided in 2027 under the rules currently in force).
So a producer already accepted and holding an approved vorzeitiger Maßnahmenbeginn need not expect to be decided under different rules in 2027 — though it is a “können” (may), and it covers only that group expressly. What remains open is the position for applications filed once intake reopens: which version governs an application newly filed in November or December 2026 that only becomes complete, or only comes to a decision, in 2027 is not expressly regulated — the transitional rule in § 37 covers only applications received before this Richtlinie came into force. Whether the rate, the cap and the entry thresholds carry over unchanged for such new applications is an open question to raise in the Antragsgespräch.
For the restricted 2026 intake the FFA additionally required, from 11 August 2026, a prior Antragsgespräch (advisory call with a funding officer), financing secured to at least 45% by binding evidence, and at least one binding letter of commitment from a distributor meeting the track-record requirements of § 9a (4) (the FFA's Verleihliste); none of these three requirements appears in the Richtlinie, and it is not confirmed whether they will carry over into the 2027 submission procedure.
Rolling submission with no cut-off date, but only inside an annual application window: while the window is open a project may be submitted at any time; once the year's application volume is reached the FFA closes intake — currently closed, with reopening for projects shooting in 2027 expected from November 2026, no date published. The application must be filed at the latest six weeks before Drehbeginn (the first day of principal photography) under § 17 (2); applying after shooting has started is excluded. It does not have to be complete at that point — the FFA states expressly that the financing need not yet be evidenced as 65% secured then, and recommends financing secured to between 40% and 50% (FFA FAQ).
What governs the order of approval is completeness instead: the day on which the application is complete with all required documents (§ 17 (4), § 18 (1)). Anyone who has to supplement an application rejoins the queue with the date and time of that supplement, and once the application volume is exhausted even incomplete applications already submitted can no longer be accepted. The FFA board may allow deviations from the six-week deadline in justified exceptional cases.
The grant is up to 30% of the deutsche Herstellungskosten (the production costs incurred in Germany), but no more than €5m per film; the calculation base is those German production costs, capped at 80% of total production costs (§ 16 (1) and (2) DFFF-Richtlinie, version of 1 January 2026). What is actually measured is not the full German cost total (DHK) but the eligible part of it, the anerkennungsfähige deutsche Herstellungskosten (ADHK). What is deducted includes, among others, general pre-production costs, the cost of underlying rights, legal and tax advice, insurance, financing costs, travel and transport costs for actors, Handlungskosten (overheads), actors' fees above 15% of the DHK, the contingency reserve, and Beistellungen (contributions in kind), deferred fees for the services of those involved in making the film and deferred Handlungskosten.
What is not deducted: screenplay fees up to 3% of the DHK, capped at €150,000, and, for documentaries, archive material up to 30% of the DHK (§ 16 (3); FFA FAQ). The actual grant is therefore noticeably below 30% of what is spent in Germany — a financing plan built on 30% of the DHK is set too high. It is a non-repayable Zuschuss (grant) paid as Anteilfinanzierung (a fixed percentage share of the eligible costs, so the grant falls if the costs fall) under § 2 (1) and (2), not a loan.
Payout in principle follows only after completion of the Nullkopie (the first answer print), submission of the Verwendungsnachweis (the final accounting proof) and the audit of final costs (§ 19 (1)). On a reasoned request, however, payment in instalments tracking production progress is available: as needed, up to 33% each at Drehbeginn (the start of principal photography), at the mid-point of the shoot and on completion of the rough cut, but no more than 75% of the grant in total; the final instalment follows § 19 (1). Before the first instalment the producer must evidence that the total financing is secured; for grants above €2m a completion bond or bank guarantee for the amount to be paid out must also be provided, and a guarantee under § 85 FFG is excluded; funds drawn must be spent within six weeks at the latest (§ 19 (6)).
So without instalments the whole grant has to be bridge-financed, and with them at least the remaining quarter. The aid intensity of all funding for one project is in principle limited to 50% of total production costs, or 60% for cross-border projects financed by more than one EU member state; difficult audiovisual works — which under § 4 (7) include first and second films by a director and documentaries — and co-productions involving countries on the OECD DAC list are exempt from those ceilings (§ 16 (8)). The €5m is a cap, not the norm: in 2025, 107 DFFF I projects shared €65.4m between them, an average of roughly €0.6m per project.
Incentive scheme with no jury and no legal entitlement: the FFA decides in the proper exercise of its discretion (pflichtgemäßes Ermessen) within the available budget, in the order in which complete applications arrive (§ 1 (1), § 17 (4), § 18 (1) DFFF-Richtlinie).
01Hard entry thresholds on total production costs: at least €1m for fiction features, at least €200,000 for documentaries, at least €2m for animated films and part-animated works — in each case excluding Beistellungen (contributions in kind), deferred fees for the services of those involved in making the film, and deferred Handlungskosten (deferred overheads). So if fees or overheads are budgeted as deferrals, the threshold is computed without those amounts. Below those figures you cannot apply. The thresholds apply only to applications that are complete at the FFA during the term of this Richtlinie (§ 8 (2)).
02Referenzfilm (a prior qualifying film): within the ten years before applying, the producer must have made at least one feature-length theatrical film, or a film or series meeting the requirements of the GMPF-Richtlinie. Where the applicant is a project company set up solely to make this one film, the reference film of a company affiliated with it under company law is sufficient. A theatrical reference film must have been released commercially in cinemas in Germany on at least 20 prints, or at least 10 prints where the reference film's total production costs were up to €2m, or at least 4 prints for documentaries — so a German theatrical release of the reference film is required of EU, EEA and Swiss applicants too. On request the FFA board may waive those requirements in specially justified exceptional cases, in particular where force majeure or comparable circumstances made a release on that scale impossible. Student graduation films released in cinemas, and films below the entry thresholds of § 8 (2), do not count as a reference film. For the producer's first work — meaning the production company's first film, not the director's — a funding award from the BKM, the FFA or a Land (federal state) film fund is sufficient. In exceptional cases the FFA board may waive the reference film altogether where the producer's professional competence is beyond doubt (§ 7 (5)).
03A theatrical release in Germany is mandatory, evidenced by a legally binding and unconditional distribution contract that must be submitted by the time of payout at the latest; it must provide for at least 20 prints, at least 10 prints where the grant is below €320,000, and at least 4 prints for documentaries (§ 9 (1), § 9a (1)). Prints here means simultaneous cinema copies — a commitment to a release of that scale, not a lab order. Those figures are not absolute: on a joint application by the producer and the distributor, the FFA board may allow an exception to the print counts in paragraph 1 (§ 9a (1) sentence 2), and in specially justified exceptional cases, again on a joint application, to the print counts in paragraphs 1 and 2 (§ 9a (3)). A release plan below the standard counts is therefore not hopeless from the outset, but it turns on the board's discretion.
01An Antragsgespräch (advisory call) with a DFFF funding officer before submission. Request a slot by e-mail to dfff@ffa.de, attaching the financing plan and stating the planned start of principal photography; slots are allocated in the order requests come in. The FFA gives no indication of how long the wait is — request one as early as possible. The FFA made this a mandatory precondition on 11 August 2026 for the restricted 2026 intake; it does not appear in the Richtlinie.
02No submission is possible at present: intake has been closed since 20 August 2026 — neither through the FFA-Serviceportal nor by e-mail. For projects shooting in 2027, submissions are expected to be possible again from November 2026, then exclusively as a complete electronic application via the FFA-Serviceportal (§ 17 (1)); the FFA has not named a date. The e-mail route was in any case only foreseen until 31 August 2026 and is effectively over with the closure (FFA, 22 July 2026). The company must be registered beforehand; activating a new account takes a few working days — that can be done now.
03The following documents are listed by the FFA in its “Liste aller für die Antragsannahme erforderlichen Unterlagen” (list of all documents required for an application to be accepted) at ffa.de/dfff-i.html, as at 20 August 2026. If one is missing, the application is not accepted. Note: the “Antragstellung” section of the same page additionally names a missing “Referenz des Antragstellers” (applicant's track-record evidence) as a formal ground for rejection, although the updated document list contains no such item; this should be clarified in the Antragsgespräch.
04A short synopsis and a logline.
05Contracts covering acquisition of the film rights.
Since 20 August 2026Intake closed for 2026 shootsThe last remaining application volume of €30m — on top of €151m already committed to 103 projects — has been reached; the FFA no longer accepts applications for projects with principal photography in 2026, neither through the Serviceportal nor by e-mail. According to the FFA, projects that planned to shoot at the end of 2026 and have not yet applied will probably only be able to submit for 2027; an early start would not be possible in 2026.
Moot since 20 August 2026E-mail route closedFor DFFF I the e-mail route was only foreseen until 31 August 2026, with the FFA-Serviceportal to be the sole route from 1 September 2026 (DFFF II continues by e-mail). With intake closing on 20 August 2026 the e-mail route is effectively over; when intake reopens, only the Serviceportal will count in any case. Anyone not yet registered should do so now — activation takes a few working days (FFA, 22 July 2026).
At the earliest from November 2026, date openSubmission opens for projects shooting in 2027On 11 August 2026 the FFA stated that intake for 2027 shoots would open “at the earliest from November 2026” and would be announced in good time; on 20 August 2026 it said submissions were “expected from November” via the FFA-Serviceportal and that it would provide information on the 2027 procedure as soon as possible. As at 23 August 2026 no specific date has been published. The wait can still be used: register on the Serviceportal, request the Antragsgespräch, get the financing evidenced to 45%. Note, though, that the Richtlinie in force expires on 31 December 2026 (§ 38 (1)) and that its entry thresholds apply expressly only to applications complete during its term (§ 8 (2) sentence 2); no successor version has been published. For applications already accepted with an approved vorzeitiger Maßnahmenbeginn (early start of work), the FFA stated on 20 August 2026 that if they do not become complete this year they “können 2027 nach den derzeit geltenden Regularien beschieden werden” (may be decided in 2027 under the rules currently in force) (ffa.de/dfff-i.html); that is a “können” (may) and it expressly covers only that group. How an application newly filed in November or December that only becomes complete in 2027 will be treated, by contrast, is open — a question for the Antragsgespräch.
In July 2025 the federal government announced €250m a year for DFFF and GMPF from 2026 — close to a doubling from €130m — and the culture minister Weimer and the finance minister Klingbeil agreed that this funding volume would continue beyond 2026. For 2027, however, the FFA stated on 11 August 2026 that “just over €200m” is available for approvals, subject to the ongoing federal budget procedure; that is some €50m less than for 2026, so the promised continuation is not being kept. The FFA itself still describes the envelope as “considerably more robust than in past legislative terms”.
On top of that: as at 11 August 2026, €151m had already been committed to 103 projects this year, a further 111 submitted projects were in processing, and according to the FFA some accepted applications will only be approved in early 2027 — so part of the 2027 money is already earmarked. On 20 August 2026 the remaining €30m of application volume was exhausted as well. For comparison, the previous year: in 2025 DFFF I, DFFF II and GMPF together awarded €183m to 140 productions; of that, DFFF I accounted for 107 projects and €65.4m (an average of roughly €0.6m per project), DFFF II for seven projects and €56.8m, and the GMPF for 26 projects and €60.8m.
Raising the rate to 30% and the cap to €5m on 1 February 2025 sharply increased demand. On 11 August 2026 the FFA spoke of an all-time high in applications and shooting starts and tightened its application requirements; nine days later the year's volume was exhausted. What decides the race is completeness, not speed: if an application has to be supplemented, it rejoins the queue with the date and time of that supplement — the FFA states plainly that “submitting an application without all the required annexes or without evidence for 45% of the financing therefore confers no advantage in timing!” Once the maximum application volume is reached, even incomplete applications already submitted can no longer be accepted.
Produktionsallianz, AG DOK, Deutsche Filmakademie and PROG Producers of Germany publicly criticised the move as a loss of planning reliability and called it a “declaration of bankruptcy by film policy”; the culture minister Weimer, by contrast, framed the intake stop as a “successful year for federal film funding” (DWDL, 21 August 2026).
DFFF II is aimed at production service providers (up to €25m per film, § 27 (1)), while the German Motion Picture Fund (GMPF) covers high-end series and films for television and streaming. Both are also administered by the FFA from the same budget line; DFFF I and DFFF II are mutually exclusive (§ 8 (3)).
These notes stay in German on purpose: they quote the conflicting sources word for word, and a caveat is the first thing lost in translation.
01Kein veröffentlichtes Datum für den Einreichstart 2027. Die FFA schreibt am 11.08.2026 „frühestens ab November 2026“ und am 20.08.2026 „voraussichtlich ab November“; die Seite „Einreich- und Sitzungstermine“ der FFA führt den DFFF überhaupt nicht auf. Der Datensatz trägt deshalb den 01.11.2026 als frühestmöglichen Tag des genannten Monats mit confidence „expected“ und weist in beiden Sprachen an erster Stelle des Labels aus, dass dies kein bestätigter Termin ist. Sobald die FFA einen Termin nennt, ist das Datum zu ersetzen.
02Die geltende DFFF-Richtlinie (Stand 01.01.2026) ist nach § 38 Abs. 1 bis zum 31.12.2026 befristet; eine Nachfolgefassung für 2027 ist am 23.08.2026 weder auf ffa.de/dfff-richtlinie.html noch beim BKM veröffentlicht. Fördersatz (30 %), Kappungsgrenze (5 Mio. €) und die Einstiegsschwellen gelten für 2027 daher nicht als gesichert – § 8 Abs. 2 Satz 2 bindet die Schwellen ausdrücklich an die Laufzeit dieser Richtlinie. Für angenommene Anträge mit vorzeitigem Maßnahmenbeginn hat die FFA am 20.08.2026 eine Fortgeltung der derzeitigen Regularien für eine Bescheidung 2027 in Aussicht gestellt (siehe folgender Punkt); für das Einreichverfahren 2027 selbst ist damit nichts gesagt.
03Anwendbares Recht für neu gestellte Anträge aus dem Fenster November/Dezember 2026: Welche Fassung der Richtlinie für einen dann gestellten Antrag gilt, der erst 2027 vollständig wird oder erst 2027 beschieden wird, ist nicht ausdrücklich geregelt. Die Übergangsregelung des § 37 hilft nicht weiter – sie betrifft ausschließlich Anträge, die vor Inkrafttreten dieser Richtlinie, also vor dem 01.01.2026, bei der FFA eingegangen sind. Teilweise beantwortet ist die Frage dagegen für den bereits bestehenden Antragsbestand: Die FFA schreibt im Update vom 20.08.2026 auf ffa.de/dfff-i.html (Tier 2), „angenommene Anträge mit vorzeitigem Maßnahmenbeginn, die in diesem Jahr nicht mehr vollständig werden, können 2027 nach den derzeit geltenden Regularien beschieden werden“. Diese Aussage ist als „können“ formuliert, betrifft ausdrücklich nur angenommene Anträge mit vorzeitigem Maßnahmenbeginn und trifft keine Aussage über die Bedingungen des Einreichverfahrens 2027. Der Datensatz gibt sie deshalb wörtlich und mit dieser Einschränkung wieder und behält die offene Frage für neue Anträge bei; sichtbar in deadline.statusDe/En, summaryDe/En[3] und timeline[2].
04The distributor must itself meet a track-record requirement: in the 24 months before the application, at least three feature-length films released theatrically for one week on at least 10 prints, or, for documentaries and children's films, 5 days of one exhibition week on at least 8 prints. The FFA maintains a Verleihliste (a list of qualifying distributors) for this purpose. In specially justified exceptional cases the FFA board may on request waive this track-record requirement where force majeure or comparable circumstances made a regular theatrical première impossible nationwide for a non-negligible period (§ 9a (4)).
05The applicant must be the Hersteller (the producer responsible for making the film — in practice a production company) and expressly not only a German one: the applying producer must be resident or have their registered office in Germany, another EU member state, another state party to the EEA Agreement, or Switzerland. If not based in Germany, a German branch only has to be evidenced by the time of payout (§ 7 (1) and (2)). The FFA's programme page states in shortened form that applicants are “Hersteller mit Sitz in Deutschland” (producers with their seat in Germany); the wording of the Richtlinie governs.
06Companies with their registered office outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland — since Brexit this includes UK companies — can apply only through a German subsidiary or branch, and all approval conditions must then be met by that entity (§ 7 (3)).
07Shooting or animation work may only begin after the Zuwendungsbescheid (the formal funding decision) has been issued; anyone already shooting can no longer apply. The FFA may permit an early start only in exceptional cases, and that request must be filed at the latest one week before work begins (§ 8 (7) DFFF-Richtlinie; applying after principal photography has begun is excluded by § 17 (2); the one-week rule is not in the Richtlinie but in the FFA FAQ at ffa.de/dfff-i.html).
08Excluded are undertakings that have not complied with a European Commission recovery order, and undertakings in difficulty (§ 7 (7)); the FFA publishes a separate guidance note on this.
09Content exclusions and a quality reservation: films with unconstitutional or unlawful content, films with a pornographic or violence-glorifying focus, and films that manifestly offend religious feelings gravely and inappropriately are not eligible. Nor are films that — judged on dramatic structure, screenplay, design, acting, animation, camerawork or editing — are of low quality on an overall impression. The FFA board decides whether those conditions are met, which makes this a ground for refusal that does not turn on any figure (§ 8 (6)).
10If the application is incomplete the FFA may set a deadline to complete it; if that deadline is missed the application is rejected. The same applicant may re-apply for the same project at most twice (§ 17 (5)).
11The film must be feature-length, meaning a running time of at least 79 minutes, or 59 minutes for children's films. For animated films the FFA board may allow a shorter minimum running time in justified exceptional cases (§ 4 (6)).
12German production costs must amount to at least 25% of total production costs; where total production costs exceed €20m, 20% is sufficient (§ 12).
13The producer must carry an appropriate Eigenanteil (own contribution to the financing) of at least 5% of the recognised total production costs; for international co-productions the German financing share is the calculation base (§ 11).
14The kultureller Eigenschaftstest (the cultural eligibility test, which scores the film's cultural characteristics on a points scale): fiction features must score at least 48 points, documentaries 27 and animated films 42; in addition, fiction features must meet at least four and documentaries and animated films at least two criteria from the “Kultureller Inhalt” (cultural content) block. The documentary or animation test applies where the majority of the running time consists of documentary or animated scenes, otherwise the fiction test applies (§ 13 (1) to (3)).
15Where there is an additional multi-part release: if the theatrical film is also to be released as a Mehrteiler (multi-part version) on television or a platform, and that version is at least 20% longer than the theatrical film, the distribution contract must provide for at least 100 prints for fiction and animated films and at least 15 prints for documentaries (§ 9a (2)). Here too the FFA board may allow an exception in specially justified exceptional cases, on a joint application by the producer and the distributor (§ 9a (3)).
16At least one final version in German — a German-subtitled version suffices — and one accessible version with German subtitles and audio description must be produced; the accessible version may be departed from in justified exceptional cases on the producer's request, with the FFA board deciding (§ 8 (5) sentences 3 and 4). During production the ökologische Standards must be observed, a binding set of rules with a mandatory registration and reference number in the FFA-Serviceportal (§ 8 (4), (5) and (8)).
17Hinweispflichten (credit and publicity obligations): the DFFF logo in its current version must be placed in the opening or closing credits of the funded film and on all advertising material. It should be reproduced at the same size as other funders' logos; where it is used on websites it must be hyperlinked to the DFFF's own site (§ 15a). This is not a condition of applying but an obligation on the grantee — worth building into title design and publicity materials early.
18Television rights must revert: the producer must evidence that any exploitation contract with a public-service broadcaster or a private television broadcaster provides for the television rights to transfer back to them in full after five years at the most; up to seven years is possible in an individual case, in particular where the broadcaster's financing share is unusually high. This does not apply where the producer has granted the television rights for the German-language licence territory to a distributor against a corresponding distribution guarantee. Anyone negotiating a broadcaster deal should negotiate that clause in early (§ 10 (2)).
19Exterior shooting abroad counts only within limits: costs of exteriors shot abroad count as German production costs only where compelling dramaturgical requirements in the screenplay make them necessary and shooting in Germany would be impossible or disproportionately expensive. A ceiling of 40% of total shooting applies; for documentaries there is no such ceiling. Costs recognised this way are also left out of the calculation of the minimum German production costs under § 12. The “Antrag auf Anerkennung der Außendreharbeiten im Ausland” (application for recognition of exterior shooting abroad) must be filed for this (§ 16 (5)).
20The eligibility window for costs: costs are generally only recognised in so far as they fall within the Bewilligungszeitraum (the funding period the FFA sets in the Zuwendungsbescheid). Costs arising from the year before the application up to the start of that period are eligible only in so far as they were necessary for making the application (§ 16 (4)).
21Cost overruns fall on the producer: a later increase over the German production costs stated and recognised at the point of application is in principle not taken into account. Only where force majeure or comparable circumstances are the cause may the FFA board, in agreement with the BKM, approve a Nachbewilligung (a subsequent increase in the grant) on request, capped at 30% of the grant originally awarded; the request must be made in writing as early as possible and with reasons (§ 16 (6)).
22For international co-productions the applying producer must contribute at least 20% of total production costs; where total production costs exceed €25m, a contribution of €5m is sufficient. The FFA's programme page spells out what the Richtlinie leaves open: “der deutsche Finanzierungsanteil (inkl. DFFF I) muss mindestens 20 Prozent betragen” (the German financing share, including DFFF I, must be at least 20%) — so the DFFF I grant itself counts towards the 20% (ffa.de/dfff-i.html; that qualification does not appear in the Richtlinie). For minority co-productions this decides whether an application is possible at all. A purely financial participation is not enough — the German party must be co-responsible for the content and actively involved. Where a producer from a third country outside the EEA is involved, the reference film must have been made by the applicant alone or as a majority co-producer; the FFA board may waive the majority-participation requirement in exceptional cases where the applying producer's professional competence is beyond doubt (§ 14).
23Demarcation from DFFF II: no DFFF I grant for films that, at the time of the decision, meet the project-related requirements for production service providers; exceeding the DFFF II minimum total production costs by up to 10% may be disregarded where DFFF I is preferred (§ 8 (3)).
06The screenwriting contract.
07Where applicable: contracts covering pre-existing rights, for example for a novel adaptation.
08The screenplay.
09The completed kultureller Eigenschaftstest (cultural eligibility test) — Annex 3 (fiction), Annex 4 (documentary) or Annex 5 (animation); for co-productions under the Europäisches Übereinkommen (the European Convention on cinematographic co-production), that Convention's points system or Annexes 6 and 7 apply.
10Explanatory notes on the Eigenschaftstest — for every point claimed.
11For a co-production: the co-production contract, at minimum a Deal Memo (a short signed pre-contract).
12For projects that satisfy only the Eigenschaftstest under the Europäisches Übereinkommen: the provisional project certificate from the BAFA (the Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control).
13The budget, including the calculation of the deutsche Herstellungskosten (DHK, production costs incurred in Germany), the calculation of the eligible German production costs (anerkennungsfähige deutsche Herstellungskosten, ADHK — the DHK less the items deducted under § 16 (3), and the figure the funding rate is actually applied to), the calculation of the production costs actually spent in Germany, and details of budgeted Eigenleistungen (the producer's own services costed into the budget) and of services from affiliated companies.
14The financing plan.
15Evidence of financing for at least 45% of the total financing. The FFA introduced this threshold on 11 August 2026 for the 2026 intake; the Richtlinie itself only requires that, at the time of approval, the applying producer has credibly demonstrated (glaubhaft gemacht) that 65% of total production costs are financed (§ 18 (2)). The stricter formulation — “mindestens 65 Prozent der Finanzierung geschlossen und nachgewiesen […] (ohne den DFFF-Zuschuss)” (at least 65% of the financing closed and evidenced, excluding the DFFF grant) — comes from the FFA FAQ, not from the Richtlinie.
16“Binding” means, per the FFA: for public funding, an official letter from the funding body, or for FFA Referenzmittel (reference funds) the printed receipt of the payout request; for minimum guarantees from distributors and world sales agents, at least a binding Letter of Commitment (LOC) naming the amount, the intended terms and a binding release commitment; for German and for foreign co-producers, and for co-financing partners, at least a Deal Memo in each case; for cash, a bank confirmation or a project-account statement showing the cash has arrived (account balances are not accepted); for a broadcaster share, the Rechte- und Eckdatenpapier (the rights and key-terms sheet) or the Kalkulationsprotokoll (the agreed budget minutes); for deferrals and contributions in kind, a signed declaration.
17The Eigenanteil calculation — computed automatically when submitting through the FFA-Serviceportal.
18A distribution commitment, at minimum a Letter of Commitment with binding wording on the theatrical release in Germany. Where no distribution contract exists yet, the FFA FAQ accept a binding Letter of Commitment or a Deal Memo; a mere Letter of Intent is not accepted.
19A current shooting schedule.
20Where German costs for shooting abroad are budgeted into the ADHK: the application for recognition of exterior shooting abroad — only what the screenplay makes dramaturgically compulsory is recognised, and at most 40% of total shooting, with no such ceiling for documentaries (§ 16 (5)).
21A current cast and crew list stating places of residence or nationalities (§ 4 (5)).
22Where German production costs for foreign crew and cast working in Germany are budgeted: a list of the people concerned who work in Germany and are subject to limited tax liability there.
23The reference number from registering for compliance with the ökologische Standards, generated through the digital tool in the FFA-Serviceportal (§ 8 (8) requires the standards themselves; the registration and reference number are FFA procedural practice, ffa.de/dfff-i.html).
Before every submissionAntragsgespräch (advisory call) with the FFASince 11 August 2026 a prior advisory call with a funding officer has been a mandatory precondition for submission. Request it by e-mail to dfff@ffa.de with the financing plan and the planned start of principal photography; slots are allocated in the order requests come in, and the FFA gives no indication of how long the wait is. This requirement does not appear in the Richtlinie.
At the latest six weeks before principal photographyApplication filed with the FFAThe application must be filed by this point; it does not yet have to be complete (§ 17 (2); FFA FAQ: the financing need not yet be evidenced as 65% secured then, and 40% to 50% is recommended). What governs the order of approval, by contrast, is the day on which the application is complete with all required documents (§ 17 (4), § 18 (1)); anyone who has to supplement rejoins the queue with the date and time of that supplement. Applying after shooting has started is excluded; the FFA board may allow deviations from the six-week deadline in justified exceptional cases.
Usually 2 to 3 months after the application is completeZuwendungsbescheid (funding decision)According to the FFA, a first response usually follows within 4 to 6 weeks of receipt, and the decision usually after 2 to 3 months, depending on application volume and completeness. Two standards have to be kept apart here: the Richtlinie permits approval only once the applying producer has glaubhaft gemacht (credibly demonstrated) that 65% of total production costs are financed (§ 18 (2)); § 294 ZPO applies to that demonstration, and the actual evidence may be filed up to the time of payout (§ 17 (3)). The FFA applies a stricter standard before it issues the decision: its FAQ state that all required documents must be in place and at least 65% of the financing must be closed and evidenced — excluding the DFFF grant (ffa.de/dfff-i.html). For planning purposes it is the stricter FFA standard that counts.
After the funding decision is servedClose the financing and start shootingThe total financing must be evidenced within five months of the decision being served, and shooting or animation work must begin within six months. The FFA can extend both only on a reasoned request and only to a limited degree: the five-month deadline once, by one month, and the six-month deadline once. Any further extension requires force majeure or comparable circumstances and agreement with the BKM. No shooting may take place before the decision has been issued (§ 18 (5) and (6), § 8 (7)).
After the Nullkopie is finished — on request in instalments from the start of shootingPayout and bridge financingIn principle payout follows only after completion of the Nullkopie (the first answer print), submission of the Verwendungsnachweis (the final accounting proof) and the audit of final costs (§ 19 (1)) — in that case the grant is not available as liquidity during production and has to be bridge-financed in full. On a reasoned request, however, payment in instalments tracking production progress is available: as needed, up to 33% each at the start of principal photography, at the mid-point of the shoot and on completion of the rough cut, but no more than 75% of the grant in total; the final instalment follows § 19 (1). Before the first instalment the producer must evidence that the total financing is secured; for grants above €2m a completion bond or bank guarantee for the amount to be paid out must also be provided — a guarantee under § 85 FFG is excluded — and funds drawn must be spent within six weeks at the latest (§ 19 (6)). The instalment request is worth the effort: it cuts the amount to be bridge-financed to a quarter. Still to be budgeted are the cost of the bridge financing and the cost of the final cost audit — the FFA appoints the auditor, and the applying producer pays for it (§ 19 (3)).
Within one year of completing the NullkopieProof of the theatrical releaseThe theatrical release in Germany — at least seven consecutive days, or 5 days within one exhibition week for documentaries and children's films — must be evidenced within one year; the FFA board may extend this in justified exceptional cases (§ 9 (1) and (6), § 19 (1)).
Twelve months after the first public screeningArchive copy to the BundesarchivA technically sound analogue or uncompressed digital copy of the film in an archivable format must be transferred to the Bundesarchiv Filmarchiv (the federal film archive) free of charge — as must the accessible version, where one had to be produced. If the theatrical release runs longer than twelve months, the period runs from the end of that release; where the obligation already exists on another basis or has been met, it falls away. The Bundesarchiv's own rules govern the detail (§ 15).
04Fortgeltung der Sonderanforderungen vom 11.08.2026 (vorheriges Antragsgespräch, mindestens 45 % verbindlich belegte Finanzierung, verbindlicher Letter of Commitment eines Verleihs mit Referenz nach § 9a Abs. 4). Sie stehen nicht in der Richtlinie, sondern wurden von der FFA für die eingeschränkte Antragsannahme mit Drehbeginn 2026 eingeführt. Ob sie für das Einreichverfahren 2027 fortgelten, ist nicht bestätigt.
05Verkürzte Darstellung der Antragsberechtigung auf der FFA-Programmseite: ffa.de/dfff-i.html (Tier 2) schreibt einleitend „Antragsberechtigt im Sinne der Richtlinie sind Hersteller mit Sitz in Deutschland“, während § 7 Abs. 2 der Richtlinie (Tier 1) Wohn- oder Geschäftssitz in Deutschland, einem anderen EU-Mitgliedstaat, einem anderen EWR-Vertragsstaat oder der Schweiz zulässt. Ein Praxisunterschied ist daraus nicht abzuleiten: Die FAQ derselben Seite behandeln den Fall ausdrücklich („Falls das antragstellende Unternehmen seinen Sitz nicht in Deutschland hat […] muss der Nachweis der deutschen Niederlassung spätestens zum Zeitpunkt der Auszahlung […] erfolgen“) und stimmen damit mit § 7 Abs. 2 überein. Der Datensatz folgt der Richtlinie; die Einleitung der Programmseite ist als Verkürzung zu lesen. Bei Gelegenheit gegen eine aktualisierte Programmseite prüfen.
06Interne Widersprüche auf ffa.de/dfff-i.html (Tier 2): Der Abschnitt „Antragstellung“ beschreibt weiterhin die Einreichung per E-Mail samt Zusendung eines Antragsformulars und nennt eine fehlende „Referenz des Antragstellers“ als formalen Zurückweisungsgrund, während die weiter oben stehende, am 20.08.2026 aktualisierte „Liste aller für die Antragsannahme erforderlichen Unterlagen“ keinen Referenznachweis führt. Der Datensatz folgt der aktualisierten Liste und der Pressemitteilung vom 22.07.2026 und weist den Widerspruch für die Lesenden in requirementsDe/En[2] aus.
07Haushaltsmittel 2027: Die FFA nennt „gut 200 Mio. Euro“ ausdrücklich „vorbehaltlich des weiteren Aufstellungsverfahrens zum Haushalt“; die Zahl ist damit nicht endgültig. Wie viel davon durch die 111 zum 11.08.2026 in Bearbeitung befindlichen Projekte bereits gebunden ist und wie sich der Betrag auf DFFF I, DFFF II und GMPF verteilt, ist nicht veröffentlicht.
08Durchführungsbestimmungen der FFA: § 36 stellt ihren Erlass ausdrücklich in das Ermessen der FFA („kann“), ihr Fehlen ist also nicht zwingend eine Lücke; § 17 Abs. 3 verweist für die einzureichenden Angaben und Unterlagen gleichwohl auf sie. Ein eigenständiges Dokument ist auf ffa.de nicht auffindbar; die Unterlagenliste im Datensatz stützt sich deshalb auf die von der FFA veröffentlichte Liste auf ffa.de/dfff-i.html.
09Größenordnung des Abzugs von DHK auf ADHK: Dass der Fördersatz auf die anerkennungsfähigen deutschen Herstellungskosten nach den Abzügen des § 16 Abs. 3 gerechnet wird, ist belegt (FFA-FAQ). Wie weit die ADHK typischerweise hinter den DHK zurückbleiben, veröffentlicht die FFA nicht – der Datensatz nennt deshalb keine Quote, sondern nur die Richtung.
10Schreibweise des Programmnamens: Der Datensatz führt „Deutscher Filmförderfonds I (DFFF I)“. Die Richtlinie selbst heißt „Richtlinie Deutscher Filmförderfonds (DFFF)“; „I“ und „II“ bezeichnen die Förderstränge. Gegen die Selbstbezeichnung der FFA zu prüfen und gegebenenfalls auf „Deutscher Filmförderfonds (DFFF I)“ zu ändern.
Only the funder's guideline in its currently valid version and the institution's own statements are binding. This page summarises; it replaces neither the guideline nor the advisory call.