The European Film Market, which is part of the Berlin Film Festival, has revealed that spaces for exhibitors at the EFM's various venues are fully booked. The EFM, which runs Feb. 13-19, also announced this week it has introduced an award for distributors and created what it calls an Innovation Hub as part of an on-going revamp of the event.
Market screenings at CinemaxX will once again begin on Feb. 12, one day before the market kicks off. The University of Applied Sciences, located close to the EFM's central building, Gropius Bau, has been added as a new EFM screening location. Other key venues include the Documentation Centre for Displacement, Expulsion and Reconciliation as the conference venue, as well as the Marriott Hotel, Berliner Freiheit, DFFB, Arsenal and the Mirror Tent.
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The EFM Distributor Award will be presented for the first time on Feb. 12, as part of the market's kick-off event. The award recognizes "the significance of European arthouse distribution and its central contribution to cultural diversity," the EFM said.
A cash prize of 7,500 euros will be awarded by a jury of industry representatives to "underscore industry-wide appreciation of these key players in the value chain."
The Innovation Hub will be spread across an entire floor of Gropius Bau. It will be devoted to "creativity and pioneering developments in the international production sector," with a focus on "cutting-edge technologies and AI-based solutions from screenwriting to distribution."
The Innovation Hub features a "technology-centered exhibitor area, interactive panels and practice-oriented workshops for producers led by renowned experts," the EFM said.
EFM chief Tanja Meissner said: "The main focus lies in providing EFM participants with a highly efficient infrastructure and on creating opportunities for business and networking. I see ourselves as ambassadors and facilitators for the industry to emerge stronger from a dynamic market. While our costs have risen, it was imperative to keep competitive prices for our clients who also work on reduced budgets.
"While the marketplace for licensing, packaging and distribution is central, we also need to explore sustainable business models, enhanced communication, and the power of community-building to promote diversity, emerging talent and knowledge sharing. Specifically for this purpose we have created daily networking formats, such as the new 'Breakfast Club' and the 'Happy Innovation Hour' on the second floor of the Gropius Bau."
Berlinale director Tricia Tuttle said: "I'm so excited about the work that Tanja and her team are doing to make it easier for people to do business in Berlin. A strong Berlinale means getting the market and the audience festival to work more closely in tandem and we are fully committed to developing these synergies over the next years."
In May, Tuttle brought four Berlinale institutions - the EFM, Berlinale Talents, the Berlinale Co-Production Market and the World Cinema Fund - together to form a new body, Berlinale Pro*. Meissner was appointed as the director of Berlinale Pro*.
Meissner's reshaped role encompasses the directorship of the EFM and the strategic development of the Berlinale Pro* consortium, working with the heads of the Berlinale Co-Production Market, Berlinale Talents and World Cinema Fund.