News

Berlin / Potsdam – On May 27, MBB will gather the most important players from the media industry in the Capital Region at ON SCREEN during re:publica: Funded events from the games, XR, series, and tech sectors will curate high-level sessions with leading industry experts, workshops, and an interactive exhibition area showcasing the media hub of the future. In the evening, MBB invites attendees to the Sundowner – a networking event for policymakers and industry professionals.

At the intersection of different industries, technologies, and disciplines, ON SCREEN is purposefully focused on fostering new collaborations and fresh impulses. For the first time this year, the program special at re:publica 25 is being developed in close cooperation with Seriesly Berlin, MediaTech Hub Conference, Games Ground, A MAZE., and dokumentale.

+++ Films, series, games, XR – all on one screen! On the ON SCREEN stage, British producer Havana Marking (Afghan Star), Austrian filmmaker Friedrich Moser (A Good American), and director Franz Böhm (Dear Future Children) will discuss the documentary genre in terms of truth, risk, and ethics. A talk moderated by Maria Popov will explore the search for unifying, cross-generational media events between television and TikTok, featuring writer Sebastian Colley (How to Sell Drugs Online (Fast)), content creator Helge Mark, and Nina Etspüler (Head of Development, LEONINE Studios).
Also: How does storytelling in serial formats shape our ideas of utopias? Screenwriters and directors Alexander Lindh (Mapa, GZSZ) and Benjamin Gutsche (Cassandra, Netflix) will discuss. Additional sessions will cover topics such as video games and activism – exploring how games can drive social change – and a creative deep dive into AI-generated film production.

ON SCREEN and the media track of re:publica 25 are funded by Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg. ON SCREEN was initiated by Medienboard in close collaboration with re:publica.

+++ ON SCREEN: Session overview +++
+++ Press accreditation requests can be submitted via the online form until May 19 +++

Helge Jürgens, CEO of Medienboard:
“Focusing on films, series, games, and XR: the MBB-funded special ON SCREEN and the media track at re:publica set new impulses, explore current trends, and develop ideas for the future together. With contributions from Seriesly Berlin, MediaTech Hub Conference, Games Ground, A MAZE., and dokumentale, Berlin-Brandenburg is showcasing its creative and innovative power – now made tangible for the first time in the interactive exhibition area – innovative, inspiring, interdisciplinary!”

Andreas Gebhard, Co-Founder and CEO of re:publica:
“In times of great change, media hubs must dynamically evolve their platforms. The development of the Berlin-Brandenburg location is inseparably linked to its networking potential. That’s why I’m very pleased that with ON SCREEN, our new program special on the future of audiovisual media at re:publica 25, we’re presenting the most important and dynamic platforms in the industry.”

ON SCREEN: Program Highlights

Rethinking the Future:
The Seriesly Berlin festival poses the question of whether the future lies in saying goodbye to dystopian narratives and advocating for a “protopia.” Creatives, thought leaders, and storytellers will explore how serial storytelling shapes our perception of the future and influences our mindset:
How can we use imagination to design a better tomorrow? What impulses do new storytelling methods and technologies offer to create inspiring visions of the future? And how can collaboration across disciplines and generations foster innovative narratives?

The Gaming Revolution:
Video games shape our entire digital culture. In a session curated by Games Ground, we’ll explore how games are redefining interactions, media consumption, and even marketing strategies across generations. How is the gaming industry changing how we communicate and tell stories?

Art Meets Gaming:
Do games always have to be purely entertaining, or can they also take on social responsibility? A MAZE. will explore the intersection of games and art:
How are political and societal issues addressed in indie games? Do we need more daring arthouse games that make us think?

Shared Media Experiences:
In a fragmented media world, how can we create shared experiences again?
The MediaTech Hub Conference will tackle this pressing question. In an era where different generations use different platforms, experts from social media, TV, and content development will discuss cross-platform storytelling and forward-looking strategies for collective media experiences.

Truth in Focus:
What is the future of documentary film in times of disinformation and digital surveillance?
The panel curated by dokumentalebrings together international filmmakers to discuss the challenges of investigative work in the digital age. Central to the conversation are questions of protecting journalistic sources, maintaining credibility, and the potential of new technologies for innovative documentary storytelling.

re:publica Berlin 25: Generation XYZ | May 26–28, 2025 | STATION Berlin | #rp25
More information at re-publica.com.
Tickets for re:publica 25 are available at re-publica.com/tickets.
Press accreditation requests can be submitted via the online form until May 19.