11/10/2011

Hengameh Panahi (President of international sales company Celluloid Dreams and founder of the VOD Mubi platform), Véronique Cayla (President of Arte France), Clare Binns (Director General of City Screen, the most important network of independent cinemas in Britain), Régine Hatchondo (Director general of Unifrance), Jakub Duszynski (in charge of acquisitions for Polish distribution company Gutek Films and co-president of Europa Distribution) and Philippe Brunet (Head of Cabinet of the European Commissioner responsible for education, culture, multilingualism and youth): The ARP (Association of Authors, Directors and Producers) assembled a high-profile cast for the first of five debates organised within the framework of the Dijon Film Meetings (from October 20-22, 2011 - see the article) which will be presided by director Michel Hazanavicius and producer Thomas Langmann.

Chaired by filmmaker Tonie Marshall, the debate, Towards an improvement in showcasing European cinema aims to explore new solutions to ensure that the wealth and diversity of European cinema are better promoted in the EU and beyond its borders. What are the risks or the advantages of cinemas' switch to digital for the promotion of European cinema? Do audiovisual media services respect the distribution quotas in Europe? Why not have a chain of European cinemas? How should we strengthen the circulation of films? Would granting licences that span across territories represent an appropriate solution or a last-ditch resort to advance the services provided by leaders in VOD on a European level and promoting European cinema? Are intellectual property rights applying brakes to the circulation of works in Europe? Many defining questions, which will be explored in Dijon under the watchful eye of Cineuropa.

(Translated from French)