Panel Growing Through Lenses

Panel discussion with Karina Griffith, Yergalem Taffere and Enoka Ayemba, moderated by Sheri Hagen.

Film is more than a cultural product – it is a social space. This panel examines the relationship between film, community and festival: how do films bring people together, and how do communities in turn shape the medium? Drawing on grassroots and international A-festival perspectives, the conversation asks how communities influence programming and formats – and how Community Spirit can be strengthened without becoming a marketing gesture.

Karina Griffith is an artist, curator and Professor of Intersectional Image and Media Theory at the UdK Berlin, and has been part of the curatorial team of the Berlinale's Forum Expanded section since 2021.

Yergalem »Yagi« Taffere is a Berlin-based Eritrean-born filmmaker, photographer and performer whose work centres the narratives of Black women and girls.

Enoka Ayemba is an independent film curator, film critic, and festival consultant, as well as a member of the selection committee for the Pan-African Film Festival (FESPACO).