Fairy tale film in focus: Symposium in Annaberg-Buchholz inspires experts!

Fairy tale film in focus: Symposium in Annaberg-Buchholz inspires experts!

On August 24, 2025, the 4th International Fairy Tale Film Festival Fabulix® took place in the town hall of Annaberg-Buchholz, which offers recognizability not only for its dreamlike stories, but also for the networking of filmmakers. In an accompanying symposium entitled "The Fairy Tale Film - Championships, opportunities and risks of a film genre in today's Europe" producers, directors and managers from Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Switzerland met to discuss the future of fairy tale film. Annaberg-Buchholz reports that the exchange about the past, presence and future of this fascinating genre was of central importance.

Mayor Rolf Schmidt put the importance of the festival for international film culture. "We want to preserve the classic fairy tales for a young audience and at the same time develop new stories," said Schmidt in his opening speech. Festival Director Filip Albrecht also reflected on the development of the fairytale film from his beginnings to today. Originally intended for adults, the genre has geared towards children since the 1930s.

exciting discussions under experts

The event offered space for stimulating discussions in which representatives of ARD, ZDF and independent producers presented new projects and spoke about the narrative style of old fabrics without losing the core of the stories. Such conversations are essential in a competition with American blockbusters and the falling TV productions in Germany.

The Czech and Slovak filmmakers examined the tradition and current productions in the fairytale film. A central topic was artificial intelligence in the film, which significantly influenced new viewing habits of young spectators.

Financing and future of the fairytale film

dr. Markus Görsch and Jens Susa reported on financing options for exciting projects. They emphasized that ensuring demand and passion for narrative art is essential to ensure the future of the fairytale film. The final round of the symposium brought all participants to a consensus: this important film genre can still remain only through common commitment and creative ideas.

"International participation shows us that the fairy tale film is more than just a niche product. The festival, which has existed since 2017, not only attracts families and filmmakers, but also creates a forum that stimulates cultural exchange.