Reflection
Where is the journey actually heading? What still matters and genuinely reaches people? We take a critical look and open up the conversation.
presented by
One evening. A historic cinema and the whole film scene in one room.
About WHAT THE FILM
One Evening.
One stage for film today.
WHAT THE FILM is a curated stage for today’s film, commercials and content. An evening that shows what’s happening right now and where the industry is heading. And amid all the AI slop: offline and together. Away from day-to-day business, pitch rooms and Zoom calls.
Short films, commercials and content on the big screen, made and presented by the people behind them. A stage for films, their makers and the region’s creative work, joined by speakers and voices from the scene, with plenty of room for conversation.
This talent and expertise deserve a bigger stage than a smartphone screen.
At a Glance
The key facts
- Date
- Wednesday,
November 4, 2026 - Venue
- Atelier-Kino im Savoy
Graf-Adolf-Straße 47, 40210 Düsseldorf - Time
- 6:00 to 10:00 PM
- Format
- Insights & speaker event
- Program
- 3 commercials, 3 short films
- Guests
- 189 seats
- Audience
- Production companies, marketing, agencies
- Host
- TWIST Filmproduktion
Speakers
The people behind the images
Why Now
Two editions have proven it: culture and creativity need a new stage.
Networking
Filmmakers, agencies, clients and production companies often work side by side without knowing each other. WHAT THE FILM brings them together.
Location
A strong creative location strengthens the city’s economy and the scene that shapes it. A stage for local film has an impact far beyond the evening itself.
Immersive Cinema
Rediscovering an old new world
The Cinema
The cinema is a place of attention, a stage that does justice to film as an art form.
Face-to-Face
From the finished film back to the people who made it. Filmmakers share exclusive insights into their creative process.
Chatham House Rules
A place to meet, to share what we love and to talk openly with each other.
The Evening
Six chapters, one evening
-
01
Reception
Doors open at the club. Time to arrive and start talking.
-
02
Welcome
Official opening with statements on the location and its culture, setting the scene for the evening.
-
03
Screening I
Commercials, followed by a conversation with the makers.
-
04
Break
A short breather: drinks, conversations, reflection.
-
05
Screening II
An inspirational talk, short films with their makers and the world premiere of Madre Tierra.
-
06
Networking
The evening winds down into encounters and next steps.
Film production today
What the film?!
How do you reach people?
Moving images are an essential part of today’s media landscape and of local creative culture. Yet attention is fading amid endless choice and the “slop” that comes with it.
WHAT THE FILM offers exclusive insights into how today’s films are made, whether with AI or live action, and into the ideas, craft and stories behind the images: what makes them stand out, what to watch out for, and how and why relevant advertising still works.
World premiere
Madre
Tierra
A TWISTED STORIES film
The world premiere of Madre Tierra, a film about Marga, who invites us into her life. She cooks for the children of an orphanage in La Paz, Bolivia – but there is far more to her than cooking. A film about compassion, spirituality and the circle of life.
Madre Tierra celebrates its world premiere at WHAT THE FILM, made possible entirely by supporters from the region.
The Venue
Atelier-Kino im Savoy · Graf-Adolf-Straße 47 · 40210 Düsseldorf
Your host for the evening. Film production from Düsseldorf.
TWIST stands for emotional, high-quality storytelling with impact: commercials, brand content and documentary formats for clients such as L’Oréal, NFL, Kerrygold and Burlington.
TWIST initiated WHAT THE FILM, but the evening belongs to the whole industry. We see ourselves as hosts who open the doors, so that together we achieve more than anyone could alone. It’s more than an event: we create visibility, exchange and space for the art of film.
The event is made possible by the kind support of the City of Düsseldorf and Stadtsparkasse Düsseldorf.
Who’s Coming
The people behind and in front of the camera.
Agencies & Clients
Marketing leads, creative directors and brand teams – the people who commission the films.
Productions
Düsseldorf production companies, freelance producers and young studios – the local scene in one room.
Influencers & Press
Magazines, newspapers, social media and creators.
Filmmakers
Directing, camera, editing, sound – the people wrapping up their next production right now.
Impressions
WHAT THE FILM started in 2024 as a small in-house event.
Partners
Made possible by partners from the region
Presented by
Supported by
Venue
Partner
Host
Friends & Supporters
See you
at the movies.
189 seats at the Atelier-Kino im Savoy. Get your free ticket on Eventbrite – or simply scan the code with your phone.
