by Marinell Haegelin

The designated 2024 FFHH director, Malika Rabahallah, is a native of France. She studied business administration in Paris and honed film production studies/skills before assuming the position of project manager for the Cologne Film Festival. Rabahallah changed direction moving into film production, and with over ten years’ experience as a producer, co-writer, and co-director, Rabahallah began working for MOIN Filmförderung in 2011 as a consultant.

In 2015 Rabahallah became the head of MOIN Filmförderung’s funding department, taking a key role in growing Hamburg’s potential as a filming location. Malika said, “It is a great honour for me to follow into his footsteps and to be able to further evolve this festival with my own ideas. … [B]e a meeting point for the industry and an audience festival with international appeal that celebrates the diversity and creativity of the local, national and international film industry. … Personally, the topics of diversity and sustainability are very close to my heart. I also want the festival to reflect on new challenges such as disruptive technological changes.”

When the announcement was made in May 2023, Wiederspiel was very glad, saying “Malika Rabahallah is an inspiring personality with excellent contacts all over the world. Her energy is catching… [T]hat the new director of Filmfest Hamburg will continue to have a migration background is a great credit to the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg. After 20 years of Jewish humour, it's finally time for a different colour, which I, as a first, am already very much looking forward to.” In 2024, when Filmfest Hamburg hosts its 32nd film festival it should be fun discovering what’s new, what’s not and how so.