Entrepreneurship Summit 2024: Keynote speech by Dr Michael Kötz

Summary

In his keynote speech ‘A film festival as a business – more profitability, less subsidy’, Dr Michael Kötz describes the founding and development of the Festival of German Film in Ludwigshafen. He recounts how he and his wife Daniela set up an almost entirely self-financed film festival 20 years ago – independent of public subsidies, which are otherwise common in the cultural scene. Through creativity, customer focus, courage and the right timing (‘kairos’), they were able to establish a unique format: a festival that appeals not only to professionals but above all to ordinary viewers, and is economically successful at the same time. He emphasises the importance of humanity, honesty and closeness to employees and audiences as key success factors.

Key insights for founders

1. Courage to take risks & seize opportunities:
New ideas require daring, improvisation and the ability to seize opportunities immediately – as Dr Michael Kötz and his wife demonstrated at the festival.

2. Independence & creativity:
Successful ventures often arise outside existing structures – subsidies or norms should not be a barrier.

3. Audience orientation & customer focus:
Success depends on understanding real needs and offering a unique experience.

4. Continuous adaptation & growth:
Projects must be developed flexibly – stagnation leads to a loss of relevance.

5. Human dimension:
Honesty, appreciation and closeness to employees and customers create lasting commitment.

About the speaker

Dr Michael Kötz is the founder and managing director of the Festival of German Film in Ludwigshafen. Together with his wife Daniela, he established a film festival 20 years ago that is largely self-financed and is now the second largest German film festival after the Berlinale. Dr Kötz combines entrepreneurial thinking with a deep understanding of culture and audiences, and focuses on humanity, honesty and customer-oriented innovation. With his approach, he is considered a pioneer of economic activity in the cultural scene and an example of successful, independent festival founding.