14/03/2012 - Pascal Diot will lead the new market, established to increase the opportunity to see and buy the films on offer

France’s Pascal Diot, who has experience in co-productions, international sales and distribution, and in organising film markets, will lead the new Venice Film Market of Venice’s International Film Festival. The BoD of Venice’s Biennale took this decision yesterday, on the suggestion of the Festival’s new artistic director, Alberto Barbera.

The Film Market, which will add itself to the Industry Office and will be active from the next edition of the Festival (August 29 – September 8, 2012), will be concentrated in the first few days, from Thursday August 30 to Monday September 3, and will be set up in allocated spaces of the Hotel Excelsior.

The aim of the new Market is to increase the opportunity for buyers, starting from this year, to see and buy the film offered by vendors, other than those seen at the Festival. In order to attract professionals from the world over, the Market’s areas in the Hotel Excelsior will be set out in a new three-part structure, including a Digital Video Library, a Business Center and an Industry Club.

The Digital Video Library will be equipped with 40 video stations and will also be open to vendors whose films have not been selected to the Festival. The Business Center will host professionals and be a point of information and registration for access to the Digital Video Library, with an answering service, computers and Wi-Fi. The Industry Club will serve as a meeting point for buyers, vendors, producers and distributors attending, to give them the opportunity to talk and conduct business.

Specific activities useful for professionals will be organised within the framework of the Market: Special promo-reel screenings, conferences, panel discussions, networking events. There will also be a new specific catering service with the Lido’s premises offering the appropriate facilities.

(Translated from Italian)