Editor

French-born Catherine Buresi became the new Deputy Director of the Berlinale’s European Film Market (EFM) on September 1, 2008. She succeeds Karen Arikian, who became Executive Director of the Hamptons International Film Festival in March 2008.

“I am happy to welcome Catherine Buresi to the EFM team and continuing to develop the EFM together with her”, comments EFM Director Beki Probst.

Catherine Buresi has been working in the international media and film industry for almost 20 years. From 1991 to 2001, she assisted the City of Strasbourg in developing the region’s audio-visual structure; from 2002 to 2005, she was Chief Executive at EAVE (European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs) in Brussels. Since 2005 she has worked as an independent expert for different institutions and film festivals. As team leader of the “Euromed Audiovisual” programme from 2006 to 2008, she was responsible for developing the partnership between Europe and MEDA countries (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, the Palestinian Territories, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey). In addition she has operated as “matchmaker” and programme consultant for the Berlinale Co-Production Market, the Producers Network at the Marché du Film in Cannes and for the Dubai Film Connection of the Dubai Film Festival.

"With Catherine Buresi, we are gaining a prominent expert on the international film industry for our rapidly expanding film market,” Berlinale Director Dieter Kosslick says in welcoming this new colleague to the staff.