Tuesday February 8, 2011

8:30 am
Registration Opens
                                                                                                                  

9:15 - 9:30 am
Opening Remarks by Conference Chair

9:30 - 10:45 am
Panel "The 21st Century Festival: Diversity in genre, culture & media"

As we push on into the 21st century, festivals must continue to adapt to the types of films their audiences watch, shifts in types of audiences and the manner in which they view films.  This also creates opportunities to expand programming, reach new audiences and incorporate new art forms into a festival.  This group of experienced panelists will share strategies for incorporating new media, genres, and cultures into festivals to attract the modern cinephile.

Moderator: Bruno Chatelin, COO, filmfestivals.com and fest21.com

Stacey Donen, Artistic Director,  Whistler Film Festival
Marina Fabri, Co-director, Courmayeur Noir in Festival
Bonnie Voland, International Marketing & Publicity, IM Global
Despina Mouzaki, Director, Thessaloniki Film Festival

10:45 - 11:30 am
Morning Break

11:30 am - 12:15 pm
Keynote Presentation

Dieter Kosslick
Festival Director
Berlinale (invited)

12:15 pm- 1:45 pm
Break for Lunch

1:45 pm - 2:45 pm
Interactive Session"The Unconference"

An unconference is a meeting where the participants drive the activity. There's no set agenda and no set presentations, but a discussion that people leave and join as they see fit.

Don't miss this guided open forum to engage your colleagues and gain insight to the most pressing issues you and your festival are facing. This session will provide attendees an opportunity to both, ask questions and get answers on specific issues facing their film festival.

Come prepared to engage one another and share pearls of wisdom that have been learned over the years. At the close of each day attendees will have the chance to revisit pressing issues and share in this interactive environment.

2:45-3:30pm

Presentation "Festivals, Markets, & Distribution"

The international film festival business, companies, individuals, travels the world annually to see new feature films, to meet, to buy and sell movies.  The events can be film festivals which are sometimes accompanied by larger and/or smaller Markets.  There are now also just stand alone Markets without any associated Festival.  We'll discuss the annual events, large and small, their timing and analyze what goes on when the professionals meet.

Peter Belsito
Co-Founder
Film Finders

3:30 - 4:15 pm
Afternoon Networking & Coffee Break on Exhibit Floor

4:15 - 5:15 pm
Panel "War and Peace in Festivals: The value of collaboration"

All festivals exist in the sphere of influence of other festivals, whether in the same town or overseas.  In a recessed economy, competition is tighter than ever for sponsor dollars and audience attendance - and there is always the issue of having premier status for your marquee films.  So why would anyone want to share ideas or resources with the enemy?  Many festivals actively engage in alliances, partnerships, associations and other relationships with their festival brethren. 

This session will discuss the complexity and varying opportunities of those relationships, provide perspectives on the pros and cons of engagement and isolationism, and give examples of their own experiences on the subject.

Moderator: Scott Roxborough, German Bureau Chief, The Hollywood Reporter

Tiina Lokk, Director, Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival
Michelangelo Messina, Director & Founder, Ischia Film Festival
Basil Tsiokos, Festival Director, Shoreline Entertainment
Deborah Young, Festival Director, Taormina Film Festival 
Krystof Mucha, Executive Director, Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (invited)

5:15 pm - 6:15 pm
Cocktail Reception

After a full day of presentations, interactive panel discussions and networking events take the edge off with a cocktail and toast an end to the second day of this year's summit.  Take a tour of the exhibit hall and discover the products and services that can help take your festival to the next level!