Much of that criticism was overblown, as German filmmakers were positively represented across the wider festival programme.
Chief among them wasLamin Leroy Gibba, who was one of the buzziest names at the festival.
The 31-year-old is the showrunner behindBlack Fruit(Schwarze Fruchte), the breakout series of 2024 in Germany.
‘Black Fruit’ZDF Studios
The show is currently screening at theBFIFlare Film Festival in London.
ZDF Studios is handling international distribution rights.
Alongside his ambitious best friend Karla, Lalo strives to define his identity amidst societal pressures and personal struggles.
Im looking forward to all the conversations.
Gibba stars in the series alongside his showrunning duties.
Elisha Smith-Leverock and David Uzochukwu directed the eight-episode series.
I do think politically, we were at a different time.
It was after 2020, and there was a different kind of awareness, Gibba says.
DEADLINE: Lamin, how did you get here as a young showrunner with your own series?
I read somewhere that you studied acting in New York?
LAMIN LEROY GIBBA:Ive been acting and writing since I was young.
I couldnt write, act, and direct at the same time.
So I did a lot of theater and studied acting.
At that time, I was already in contact with other Black actors and people working here in Germany.
I saw how hard it was for them to find any opportunities here to make a career.
So I decided to leave the country.
I thought about the UK and the U.S..
I was 18 or 19.
I have an aunt in New York, so I just thought Id give it a try.
I got a scholarship to study and stayed there for five years.
I left Germany thinking I wouldnt return.
I thought Id continue to work and live in the U.S.
I wrote my first feature when I was in College.
The story was completely American.
All the characters were American.
So I decided my energy would be better invested in coming back to Germany and trying to work here.
DEADLINE: What was New York like for a young German creative?
GIBBA:It was amazing.
I loved being in New York.
I learned so much as an artist.
I did a bunch of projects with fellow students independently of the university.
We would just write and perform.
We made short films with like $10.
It was a creative time, specifically in terms of thinking about Black stories where Black characters are centered.
That was something I couldnt imagine, but it was just something I hadnt seen close up.
I was empowered by that experience.
DEADLINE: What did you find when you returned to Germany?
GIBBA:When I first came back, it was like freshman year of college.
I joined the Black Filmmakers Collective, the BIPOC Film Society, and other similar groups.
I met a lot of people and we started working together.
It was a very exciting time.
But it was still challenging to find access to the actual industry.
DEADLINE: So tell me, how did you get from there to making Black Fruit?
GIBBA:It was a whole process.
I first met Junglinge Film, which was the first production company that got on board.
We then applied to the film fund in Hamburg.
So we got independent funding before a online grid was attached.
They funded the first writers room.
So we had episodes with descriptions and created a big 50-page package.
But to start the process of making that into scripts, I wanted to write with a writers room.
I found my writers through social media.
I did a call out and found all these people from very different backgrounds.
Some of them were journalists, others worked in prose or theater.
We then partnered with Studio Zentral, the big production company connected to ZDF Studios.
They helped with infrastructure and building the production.
But this is very much a Junglinge production, with their political style and stance.
This show has a real connection to other Junglinge productions.
DEADLINE: What was the timescale for this?
GIBBA:We had our writers room in February 2021.
And then we started pitching it to networks.
We eventually partnered with ARD.
They had just made their new streamer.
You could have one episode be 10 minutes and another be 30 minutes.
So we had a lot of freedom.
DEADLINE: The show looks great.
It has that very elevated visual style.
How did you put together your technical collaborators?
GIBBA:It was an incredibly talented team.
For example, neither of our directors had done a feature film before.
They had worked on shorts and music videos.
But there was so much trust.
As soon as I met them, I knew they were perfect for the show.
We had a good budget.
Everyone went above and beyond.
GIBBA:The release was great because we did a bunch of collaborations with organizations all over Germany.
We went to Cologne and worked with the Afrika Film Festival there.
We went to Munich.
We were in Hamburg.
It was a very cool rollout.
We were able to find the audience and have direct responses from them, which was beautiful.
DEADLINE: Beyond your scripts being great, why do you think the studio gave you such autonomy?
GIBBA:I dont fully know why.
I asked the connection the same question a few weeks ago.
I had to be very clear about everything.
But there was an openness to listen.
It was just the right collaborators.
DEADLINE: So much has changed politically in Germany and around the world since 2021.
Do you think a show like Black Fruit would be possible now?
GIBBA:I do think politically, we were at a different time.
It was after 2020, and there was a different kind of awareness.
I do think we are past that moment now.
I hope institutions have a go at continue the progress we made.
It takes real courage and leadership, and clarity for people to make those calls.
I think they can.
But I do think politically, its very hard.
DEADLINE: What do you want to do next?
Will you continue to work in Germany?
I want to continue to travel with my work.
Im open to everything.
