Michael Harbauer
In 1996, Michael Harbauer initiated the SCHLiNGEL International Film Festival for Children and Young Audiences. What originally started as a film week with no more than twelve films is now one of the most comprehensive platforms for international and national children's and youth film in Europe and also worldwide.
As director of the SCHLiNGEL Festival, Michael Harbauer also organizes support measures for the participation of German films in international film festivals, especially outside Europe, with the SCHLiNGEL International program, as well as independent tours (e.g. Russia, China, Canada, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Uzbekistan, Vietnam) regularly in cooperation with the local Goethe Institutes. In addition to directing the SCHLiNGEL film festival, Michael Harbauer is chairman of the non-profit association "Saxon Children's and Youth Film Service", which is committed to the theoretical and practical film education of children and young people. Successful international SCHLiNGEL films are integrated into this educational work. In addition, Michael Harbauer is and has been a film commissioner for the important regulatory institutions and advisory boards for film, cinema and television in Germany.