Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival

Will Europe stay in the global game in the time of changing media windows, and what will the future of its audiovisual industries look like? These are two major topics on the agenda of the European Film Forum, the European Commission's flagship conference which for the second consecutive year will be held at Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event.

Titled "Breaking Windows - Tackling Convergence in the European Media Landscape", the Forum is a full-day executive level public debate and showcase conference on Monday 21 November, tackling this year's dramatic changes in the European media landscape and debating new initiatives from the creative and tech fields. International content and digital industry leaders will be sharing the stage, including speakers from Sony Pictures Entertainment, Rovio, BitTorrent, Electronic Merchants Association, MTV Networks, NHK, Trust Nordisk, TV2 Denmark and others.

The European Film Forum (EFF) was proposed by the European Commission in its 2014 Communication on European Film in the digital era, and the events aim to help develop a strategic policy agenda in the framework of the proposed Digital Single Market. The Film Forum in Tallinn focuses on the intersection between film, content, technology and startup sectors, drawing from Estonia's unique background in spearheading digital society developments in Europe. This year's edition follows up the highly regarded first edition held in 2015 that saw Vice President, Digital Single Market, Andrus Ansip meeting the industry alongside debates on the various aspects of the single market proposal.

Lucia Recalde, Head of MEDIA Unit, DG Connect, European Commission, said: 
“Black Nights Film Festival, and notably Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event, are putting in the spotlight the innovations that are shaping the audiovisual industry world at the European and global scale. The feedback from the industry allows the European Commission to offer support programmes fit for making the European film and media production and distribution more successful worldwide.”

Sten-Kristian Saluveer, Curator of EFFT16 and Head of Development & Special projects Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event added:
“We are proud and happy to again partner with the European Commission to organize this conference especially in the light of the 25th birthday of the MEDIA Programme. The drastic changes we have witnessed this year and the increasing fragmentation of audiences has not only impacted the film industry but also television, cable, streaming and games, calling for increased collaboration and not competition to figure out new standards and business structures. The Black Nights Film Festival, with tech in our DNA, is a perfect location to debate and brainstorm how to ensure that Europe will not be left behind in the digital race.”

PROGRAMME - read more on www.europeanfilmforumtallinn.com

Monday 21 November, Nordic Hotel Forum Tallinn Sirius

10.00 - 10.10  CONFERENCE KICKOFF
Sten-Kristian Saluveer / EFFT16 Curator

10. 10 - 10.30 OPENING KEYNOTE
Lucia Recalde, Head of MEDIA Unit, DG Connect, European Commission

10.30 - 11.30 SESSION 1: BREAKING THE WINDOWS: TO COMPETE OR TO COLLABORATE IN THE DIGITAL SHAKEUP?

How has the rapidly increasing role of global streaming providers, OTT's, telecoms and digital content delivery platforms impacted the film industry with its long established sales & marketing windows, festival and awards calendar? Is the competition for audiences and markets escalating or are new possibilities opening up for everybody?

Speakers: Mitch Mallon - Chair, Entertainment Merchants Association, USA; Susan Wendt - President, Europa International; Head of Sales, Trust Nordisk, Denmark; Laura Anne Edwards – Resident, TED; Missy Laney - Director of Creative Initiatives at BitTorrent, USA; Moderator: Sten-Kristian Saluveer, Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event

11.30 - 11.45 POWER SPEECH: HOW TO REDEFINE USER-COMPANY RELATIONSHIPS IN THE DIGITAL ECONOMY?

Maks Giordano - Founder & Managing Partner, Kreait; WIRED Consulting; Germany

How are technology driven leading brands, startups and global companies redefining the relationship between their products and users? 

11.45 - 12.45 SESSION 2.   DIVERSITY VS. MASS AT THE TIME OF GLOBAL MARKETS?
How are television executives and policymakers  from Europe, USA and Asia embracing the digital change and how has it impacted their programming and productions?

Speakers: Nusrat Durrani - Senior Vice President, MTV Networks, USA; Yoichiro Takahashi -Producer, NHK Enterprises, Japan; Anders Leifer - Acquisitions Consultant, TV2, Denmark Jennifer Jao - Director, Taipei Film Commission, Taiwan. Moderator: Michael Gubbins, Sampomedia, UK

12.45 - 13.00 POWER SPEECH: SELLFY - EARN A LIVING SELLING YOUR PRODUCTS DIGITALLY

Maris Dagis - CEO, Sellfy

Maris Dagis, the founder and CEO of Latvian startup Sellfy, presents a case study of their success of engaging more than 100 000 users, and offers some tips for the film industry along the way.

13.00- 14.00 MEET AND TALK LUNCH

14.00 - 14.15 POWER SPEECH: MARKETING CONTENT VIA PROGRAMMATIC ADVERTISING

Arno Schäfer - CEO, Platform 161, Germany

Arno Schäfer, the CEO of Europe's leading programmatic marketing provider Platform 165 gives a behind the scenes look to the business and technology behind this future advertising and marketing tool of the trade.

14.15 - 15.30 CLOSING FIRESIDE DEBATE: LEFT BEHIND OR LEADING AHEAD - WHO IS WINNING AND WHO IS LOSING IN THE DIGITAL RACE?

Does Europe as a market for digital contents still stay in the global game? This exclusive fireside brings together leaders from different sectors to debate the latest in policy, marketing and games & licensing in the age of big data and exponential growth - and what potential Europe has to offer in the digital race.

Speakers: Milissa Douponce - Vice President, Sony Pictures Entertainment, USA; Phil Clapp - President, UNIC, United Kingdom; Jörgen Gren - Advisor to VP Andrus Ansip, Digital Single Market, European Commission, Sweden; Ville Heijari - Chief Marketing Officer, Games, Rovio, Finland. Moderator: Colin Brown - Editor, Slated, USA / UK

15.30 - 15.45 CLOSING THOUGHTS & CONFERENCE WRAP
Indrek Ibrus - Head & Senior Researcher, Medit / Tallinn, Estonia

20.00 - EFFT16 & FILM FUND LUXEMBOURG DINNER @ KULTUURIKATEL

EFFT2015: Matt Mueller (Screen International), Andrus Ansip (Euroopa Komisjon)

EFFT2015