2024 marked the beginning of something special: Our first Good Media Lab and Good Media Pitch. Soon, we will widen our little impact family and start into the second round of projects we will work with in 2025 - but before, let’s have a look at what we did in our Good Media Lab & Pitch 2024, which successes our films teams celebrated so far and what 2025 holds for them! 

A Little Recap of last year’s Projects

In June 2024, we launched the first Good Media Lab, a three-day workshop designed to equip six selected film teams with the tools and connections to maximize their films' societal impact. More than just storytelling, documentary filmmaking has the power to spark conversations, challenge perceptions, and drive real change. To harness this potential, we brought together filmmakers and experts from various fields, fostering in-depth discussions on how their films can serve as catalysts for social transformation.

But the journey doesn’t end there. This groundwork set the stage for the Good Media Pitch in, where the teams presented their projects to potential partners from media, business, politics, and civil society. The goal: to establish long-term collaborations, secure funding, and find the right allies to help bring their impact strategies to life.

Additionally, the participating projects had the opportunity to apply for the Good Media Fund, a financial boost awarded to support the execution of their impact campaigns.

Diverse in themes and approaches, each one of the selected films tackles some of today’s most pressing social issues—ranging from climate change and extractivism to feminism, empowerment, and social justice. Each project embodies the essence of impactful storytelling, proving that films can be much more than just stories; they can be movements.

Let’s take a closer look at these remarkable projects and what they have achieved so far!

The Family Approach

 by Daniel Abma 

Raising children, shift by shift: Amidst parental love, bureaucracy, and youth welfare services, three youth workers do everything they can to create a temporary home for children.

Following its participation in the Good Media Lab & Pitch 2024, The Family Approach has made incredible strides in expanding its reach and impact. The film premiered at DOK Leipzig, winning three prestigious awards.

Through the Lab, the team built a strong network of partners and secured funding to push their impact campaign forward. Over the past months, they have launched school screenings, created educational materials, and established key collaborations with youth welfare organizations and activists.

Looking ahead, they are organizing two Braintrusts with key stakeholders in Berlin and Leipzig, preparing for impact screenings and discussions across Germany, and ensuring a strong presence at major events like the Deutscher Kinder- und Jugendhilfetag.

The journey continues as The Family Approach heads to German cinemas on June 5, 2025— don’t miss out on this heartwarming film!

Sisterqueens 

by Clara Stella Hüneke

Three young girls explore justice, self-determination, and identity, using rap to challenge norms and redefine feminism – one verse at a time.

After participating in the Good Media Lab & Pitch 2024, Sisterqueens has built a strong and engaged network to amplify its impact - online and offline. The film has already reached over 30 schools, sparking discussions with young audiences about justice, self-determination, and feminism. Beyond the screen, the team has actively supported the film’s protagonists and the cultural project “SISTERQUEENS” who are suffering massively from the cuts within Berlin's cultural sector - ensuring their voices continue to be heard. 

Looking ahead, the team is further strengthening their social media campaign, where they have already collaborated with influencers and rappers, sharing the messages of the film. Furthermore they are preparing impact screenings across Germany, engaging political and cultural leaders. Sisterqueens continues to challenge norms—one verse, one screening, one conversation at a time.

Abseits – Eichi und der FC Pio 

by Loraine Blumenthal

It’s never too late to question and change your path! Eichi trains a football team of mainly refugees. As they struggle with acceptance and their past, Eichi also confronts his own history as a former right-wing extremist.

Eichi was one of the projects still in production, but we are excited for its planned completion in March. From there, the film will embark on a festival tour, always with a strong focus on impact. The project aims to organize 50 Impact Screenings in schools, football clubs, and community spaces to highlight the crucial role of youth workers in rural areas & advocate for better funding and support. Racism awareness trainings for youth club employees and football coaches will combine film screenings with expert-led workshops, fostering deeper understanding and concrete action. The goal is to shift the conversation from abstract debates to real, actionable issues, raising awareness and supporting exit programs for those leaving right-wing extremism.

Ice Builders 

by Francesco Clerici

In an isolated valley of Zanskar, far from the clichés about global warming, locals ingeniously combat the melting of their glacier through an ancestral practice that directly addresses the climate emergency.

The film team of Ice Builders has made significant progress in expanding its impact campaign. The lab provided a valuable opportunity to focus on the project’s goals, refining the impact plan with new insights and ideas. Key connections were established, leading to collaborations with impact producers to extend the campaign beyond Italy to the rest of Europe. With the support of funding, two successful events were already organized, featuring documentary screenings, expert discussions, and a photo exhibition.

Upcoming initiatives include a major events worldwide with impactful partners to discuss the effects of glacier loss on mountain communities and indigenous knowledge to fight the climate crisis. 

The Children of Korntal 

by Julia Charakter

Korntal, a small town in southern Germany, is the scene of the greatest abuse scandal ever to shake the Protestant Church. An estimated 150 former children from Pietist Brotherhood-run homes have finally broken their silence.

This moving documentary is still in the cinemas, paired with impact screenings focusing on sparking conversations and giving survivors a platform to share their stories. The team has furthermore started a social media campaign to broaden support and raise awareness through the media and public. Additional special screenings are planned with political decision-makers, aiming to inspire lasting change and spark a broader conversation that can shift both policy and public perception.

All We Have Is Us

by Aline Juárez & Juan Francisco Donoso

All We Have Is Us captures the fight against lithium mining in Chile and Serbia, as communities unite globally to protect their land, culture, and livelihoods from corporate exploitation.

All We Have Is Us team is still working on the final touches of the film - we can’t wait to see the final result!

The Impact Lab has been invaluable in helping the team refine their impact strategy, providing crucial feedback, and facilitating connections with key partners.
It guided them in reshaping their campaign, from the film's name to its distribution approach. Moving forward, they plan to continue building partnerships, and organize screening events at political institutions. Furthermore, they plan to train educators & environmental enthusiasts in conservation and electromobility and focus on reaching the right target audiences to drive transformation, particularly in Germany, Serbia, Chile, and Portugal.

What’s next?

The Good Media Lab 2024 was a huge success, and we can’t wait to kick off the next round in 2025! These incredible projects have already made significant strides, and there is so much more to come. Stay tuned as these impact campaigns continue to grow, inspire, and drive meaningful change!

Are you ready for the next round? Let’s create more impact together!