Press Release #9

FMX 2023
Film & Media Exchange
On Site April 25-27, 2023
Online April 28, 2023

Stuttgart, May 2, 2023. The 27th edition of FMX - Film & Media Exchange ended successfully on April 28. In total, more than 3,500 participants attended the more than 160 presentations, discussions, workshops and masterclasses brought to the FMX audience by over 300 speakers from April 25 to 28 on site in Stuttgart as well as online.

After three days on site and an exclusive online day, FMX Project Manager Mario Müller draws a thoroughly positive balance: "From the tickets to all the exhibition rooms, FMX was sold out again for the first time since the pandemic hit. While the attendees, speakers and exhibitors filled the venue with wisdom, inspiration and excitement, the central theme about sustainability and the tracks on diversity, equity and inclusion were heavily discussed. FMX 2023 made a smooth return to its former level - we could not be happier!"

An important aspect of FMX, which was certified as a climate-friendly event for the first time this year, was the topic of sustainability. Not only did sustainability-themed content move into the limelight, including BAFTA Games Award winner ENDLING - EXTINCTION IS FOREVER - production and working conditions were also reexamined in the light of sustainability. One panel, for example, took a self-critical look at the technical perfectionism of the entertainment industry, delved into the possibilities for institutions and companies to minimize their own ecological footprint and proposed to think about sustainability with the start of every content conceptualization process.

For Arne Braun, State Secretary in the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, Research and Arts, FMX has thus again proven its importance for the region: "FMX is not only one of the world's most important trade conferences for film and media production, but is also a significant event in our state. After all, animation has been strongly tied to Baden-Württemberg for more than three decades now. The securing and strengthening of the field in our region is crucial for the state government, and the creative industries are a key focus for our future. I am particularly pleased that this year's conference focused on sustainability – a priority for us – and that FMX itself could be organized as a climate-friendly event."

As the focus on sustainability showed, this year's specialist conference was not only dedicated to the latest productions from the fields of animation, VFX, interactive and immersive media, but also provided important contributions on hot topics for society as a whole. Julie Ann Crommett, founder and CEO of Collective Moxie, curated the 'Cultivating Inclusion' track that revolved around diversity and equal opportunity - another important matter of debate. She sums up her take-aways: "To cultivate inclusion it takes day to day intention, strategic operational design, deep empathy, and consistent accountability. In order for the global VFX and animation industries to continue to exist and to thrive creatively and economically, it is necessary to treat DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) not as a check list but rather as an essential, deep cultural shift that values people of all backgrounds equitably and insists on disrupting the biases that have impeded the industry from being the best it can be."

27th FMX: The Highlights

In addition to talks on diversity and sustainability, another hot topic of debate, artificial intelligence, was the center of attention of presentations and discussions. One of them was a panel of artists and thinkers laying out the various risks that artificial intelligence poses, including a reliance on tools that create meaningless content which gets mistaken for art or creativity.

For Michael Kleiner, Ministerial Director at the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism of Baden-Württemberg, it is important that the region also receives new input for economic developments by way of events such as FMX: "The competencies in the field of film and media production are a decisive key for the digital transformation of our economy. Through FMX, our companies receive new impetuses and the opportunity to network on a global scale. At the same time, we have managed to focus on important topics for society within the framework of FMX as well".

In keeping with its tradition of featuring renowned and award-winning productions from the region, Germany, and around the world, FMX highlights included the four-time Oscar winner ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT, the fascinating VFX worlds of Oscar winner AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER, as well as the HBO hit THE LAST OF US. As a special highlight, the FMX audience was treated to exclusive and extremely lively insights into the making of Netflix' fantasy animated series ONI: THUNDER GOD'S TALE, which is inspired by Japanese mythology.

Much of this content will also be made available among FMX's approximately 120 on-demand talks, presentations and workshops, which will be ready for on-demand viewing following the conference until May 31, 2023.

The 28th edition of FMX will take place April 23 to 26, 2024.