ACE Producers Think Tank Discussion
How can a “European brand” of cinema be cultivated to survive
and thrive in current markets: Practical and Ideological considerations
Monday 25 September 14:30 – 17:00h
Boothstraat — Bovenkamer
Earlier this year, the European Film Agency Directors (EFADs) released a whitepaper highlighting the need to better promote European films and increase exports outside the continent. The paper, which includes a 10-point action plan, addresses many of the concerns that the filmmaking community has with regards to the future of European cinema.
Arguably, recent industry reactions to the demands of a rapidly changing market have been to double down on entrenched positions. How far does the European filmmaking community have to go in order to proactively fashion its place in the global market? Does the auteur system create an inevitable gap between creative output and audience desires? This series of think tank sessions aims to address the idea of a functioning European cinema exploring both practical issues and the aesthetic considerations.
They will take place at the Netherlands Film Festival, Thessaloniki International Film Festival and International Film Festival Rotterdam after which findings will be collated and presented to ACE and international industry professionals.
Part One: Practicalities
Issues discussed at the Holland Film Meeting:
Co-production
How can we better negotiate the challenge of co-producing with European partners — spending regulations, legals, copyright laws, recoupment. If two producers are raising different types of funding – public funds and commercial funds — how can we negotiate the inevitable conflict of interest?
Financing
Are the required spending obligations from various European territories stifling creativity and commercial advantage on co-productions? Are there enough types of funding available to Europeans to cover the spectrum of filmmaking? Will more aggressive funds — gap, mezzanine — create a push towards more market savvy projects?
Legislation and Policy
Challenges often occur with multiple partners trying to implement legislation on regional, national and international levels. Is there a need for pan-European legislation and standards to avoid the complexities of a “Europudding”? What would this streamlined organisation look like and is there a will and desire to create one?
