THE MISSION
Berlin Sci-fi Filmfest is now in its 4th Year and we offer a platform for Independent Sci-fi Filmmakers to present their work on the big screen and to a live audience in one of the most beautiful and world-famous cinemas in Berlin – The Babylon, where Metropolis was first screened in 1927. We are looking to expand the horizons of the festival to make it more interesting, more international and more film-maker friendly.
Over the last three years, we have shown over 300 films from 38 different countries.
Our festival was the first genre-specific Sci-fi film festival in Germany. We are passionate about film making and are interested in all things Sci-fi from geek interest, documentary, web-series, narrative, animation, music, experimental, fan-films, in fact, all things Science Fiction.
Our festival is evolving, we are adding more events and attractions as we go. We are pleased to host our regular Cosplayers and are looking to extend our events with workshops, Q&A sessions with filmmakers and book readings and exhibitions. It is a Sci-fi fun-fest that takes place over Friday and Saturday on the last weekend of November. We believe we have something for every science fiction fan.
LOCATION
Our first festival launched on the 17th and 18th November 2017 at the Babylon Cinema. The cinema first opened in 1929 for silent movies, it had an orchestra pit and a cinema organ which is still used today. It has three screening areas. The main theatre for 500 people and the smaller Salle 2 and 3 for 70 and 45 respectively.
Currently due to the new COVID-19 restrictions, the 2020 festival at the Babylon has had to be postponed. Feel free to contact us and drop us a line below.
FESTIVAL TEAM
Alexander Pfander – Festival Director
I am a scriptwriter, director & creator of films and series, with a strong interest in storytelling and new world creating. My media experience includes editing and post-production. I am the creator of the award-winning Sci-fi Web series, Mission Backup Earth. I’m always looking for new adventures in the media world and as a Sci-fi fan, I want to connect filmmakers and audiences by showcasing work from around the world that celebrates the Sci-fi genre. WEBSITE
Anthony Straeger – Festival Director
I’ve been in the business for over 30 years, both as an actor, filmmaker and writer. With a passion for horror and Sci-fi, I’ve written many short and feature scripts including: Between the Walls, (optioned in the UK) and The Kamenka Experiment, which has won four screen writing awards. I recent co-wrote Fotoautomat Man, which premiered in June 2020. It’s a joy to be part of Berlin Sci-fi Filmfest, and I really believe we are building something for the future. WEBSITE
Isabella Hermann – Festival Director
Isabella Hermann is a political scientist by training and a science-fiction fan by passion. She holds a PhD in International Relations and talks and writes about how science-fiction interacts with world politics and mirrors societal challenges. In this sense, science-fiction shows us not only alternative futures but makes us think about what kind of future we want to live in. Isabella works as scientific coordinator of an interdisciplinary research group on artificial intelligence at Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities at Popular Political Science. WEBSITE
BERLIN SCI-FI JURY
We are delighted and honoured to have a great team of jurists.
Rene von Bodisco:
Was born in 1974, his cinematic work starting early in the 90s. He’s worked on many productions like ALPHA 0.7 (Sci-fi series ARD) & Emmy award-winning GENERATION WAR/ UNSERE MÜTTER, UNSERE VÄTER. Joaquin Phoenix, Ed Harris, Anna Paquin are a few names he’s worked with. In 1998 he produced/directed/VFX’d his Star Trek Fan Feature film, ‘BORG WAR 3 – ATLANTIS. When he was allowed to shoot in the Command Center of ESA (Darmstadt). He also writes for the Official German Star Trek website. Conducting interviews with the creators of the Star Trek Picard series and Star Trek Discovery.
Rick McLeod:
Rick McLeod is a director, writer, producer and sometimes actor, depending on his mood. He is also a BAFTA crew registered director of photography and cinematography and is currently attached to 2 independent European features along with his current productions in development. Rick has no genres specific preferences but is looking forward to viewing and being part of the berlin Sci-fi Filmfest Jury. Rick enjoys the creativity of film making with his company Celtic Storm Films.
Judith Mercer:
Iwan Romanow:
Hails from the Ukraine, but has now resided in Berlin for several years. He has studied media and met Alex Pfander on the set of Mission Backup Earth where he was involved in the sound department and then subsequently worked with Anthony Straeger on his production of Fotoautomat Man. Iwan said: I love science fiction. Whether pure science fiction or fantasy, it is always one more book, one more film and as a science fiction addiction, it is a wonderful way to relax.
Florian Kaposi:
Is a production designer based in Berlin. His love for the genre is shown through his career in movies. Such as Iron Sky – the coming race, the Austrian Attack of the Lederhosen-Zombies. Opposite these crazy projects, he is also known for his work on projects with a high political/historic interest, as his latest work on the adventures of a mathematician about the invention of the hydrogen bomb, or the Emmy winning documentary War of lies about the BND-informant named Curveball, who’s false-information was used as justification for the Iraq war. WEBSITE
