The European Commission (EC) announced that it will support an initiative developed by the association of six film organisations from smaller European territories. In Cannes, the six will be again joining promotional efforts, under the "europeans in Cannes" banner.
The group consists of The Austrian Film Commission (AFC), Flanders Image, the Greek Film Center, Holland Film, the Instituto Portugues da Arte Cinematográfica e Audiovisual (IPACA), and Wallonie-Bruxelles-Images (WBI). Also joining are the promotional bodies from non-EU territories like Poland and Israel.
Co-ordinating the initiative is the AFC's Martin Schweighofer, who explained to Moving Pictures that the EC support will make it possible “to really join together, instead of just being located next to each other in one pavilion. The way I feel it is that we will be far more visible through developing joint activities.”
Located in one of the pavilions of the International Village behind the Palais des Festivals, the europeans in Cannes pavilion will offer a variety of services, including a business centre, joint screening facilities and an interactive website of the Virtual Film Festival. The initiative will also provide a consultation service for producers with international distributors. "It's important that we can go ahead, that we get something rolling," concluded Schweighofer.
- Franca Pelster's marketing agency for film, television, video and new media industries, The Marketplace, was selected by the EC's MEDIA Programme to organise the MEDIA Promotion Stand in Cannes.
The MEDIA stand will also be housed in the International Village, and will include a reception area, a message centre, viewing facilities, consultants, organised professional meetings and a press liaison. A limited number of small stands are available to producers and distributors. Co-ordinator is Claus Zschokke.
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