War in Ukraine: Quote by FFC Team and Coco

Like the whole world, we makers of the FilmFestival Cottbus and its co-production market connecting cottbus are deeply shocked by the war of aggression of the Russian state under the leadership of President Vladimir Putin on Ukraine. We condemn this war in the strongest possible terms!

In their more than 30-year history, the FilmFestival Cottbus and connecting cottbus have always seen themselves as a platform for dialogue, as a cultural bridge that contributes to intercultural dialogue, to breaking down prejudices and clichés, to bi- and multilateral understanding and thus to peaceful coexistence. Film undoubtedly has the ability to move masses and to tell stories between the lines. With loud and sometimes very quiet tones.

The focus of our interest has always been the films, the stories and the people who tell these stories. For us, culture and especially film will always remain a means of dialogue beyond politics and a way to promote civil society engagement and peaceful coexistence. The latter is something we must support with all our might, also and especially in this day and age.

on behalf of the entire team:
Doreen Goethe and Andreas Stein (Management)
Bernd Buder (Programme Director)
Joshua Jadi (Deputy Programme Director)
Marjorie Bendeck (Director connecting cottbus)