Salzburg, 26 July 2025 – by Alion Çaçi
Some 200 filmmakers, producers, executives, and policymakers gathered at Schloss Leopoldskron, Salzburg, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Salzburg Media Summit on Saturday. The event provided a platform for forward-looking discussions on the future of the Austrian film and television industry.
Initiated by producer and composer Hannes M. Schalle and organized in cooperation with Innovation Salzburg, the summit featured workshops, expert panels, and a fireside conversation that reflected the state and potential of Austria’s media sector. Schalle emphasized the region’s ability to adapt to global shifts, pointing to the steady increase in national and international productions choosing Salzburg as a location. He also referenced a recent study that shows Salzburg’s regional funding has had a significantly stronger economic impact than previously estimated.
One of the highlights of the day was the presentation of the “Treasure of European Film Culture” award to Salzburg’s Felsenreitschule, a baroque theatre famously featured in international film classics. The award was accepted on behalf of the city by councilwoman Sade Soyoye.
State governor Karoline Edtstadler sent a congratulatory video message, acknowledging the summit’s role in positioning Salzburg as a center of media innovation.
The morning featured workshops focusing on funding programs that attracted many small and mid-sized production companies. Michael Paul from Paul & Collegen delivered a keynote summarizing current European film subsidy models and their long-term relevance.
A media policy roundtable moderated by Doris Priesching of Der Standard featured contributions from Sylvia Vana (BMWET), Sandra Fössl (Fernsehfonds Austria), and René Tritscher (Austrian Business Agency). Ralf Hillebrand of Salzburger Nachrichten led a follow-up panel on investment and innovation with speakers from Allegro Film, Moonlake Entertainment, Network Movie, and Netflix.
In a candid fireside discussion with Schalle, media executive Gerhard Zeiler, President of Warner Bros. Discovery International, reflected on Europe’s struggle in the streaming sector. “Everything has changed,” Zeiler said. “Only RTL in Germany and Videoland in the Netherlands have managed to adapt successfully. The rest have failed.”
Among the attendees were ORF Director-General Roland Weissmann, ServusTV Program Director Ferdinand Wegscheider, Disney’s Magdalena Steffenhagen, Michael Kolz of Warner Bros. Discovery, Andreas Steffenhagen of Bavaria Studios, and ÖFI Director Roland Teichmann. Caroline Pospischil of ServusTV led the day’s moderation.
