Panel Discussion: Under Pressure – Film Funding and Financing in Europe
With:
Ada Solomon (Producer Hi Film Productions, Micro Film; Romania) via Zoom, Katarzyna Siniarska (New Europe Film Sales; Poland) via Zoom, Sam Taylor (Producer Film and Music Entertainment; Ireland), Stephan Holl (Rapid Eye Movies), Bengt Toll (Film I Väst, producer, Sweden)
Host: Martin Hagemann (Film University Babelsberg Konrad Wolf, Producer zero fiction)
The current financing and re-financing models of cinema film production and the financial basis for the theatrical and the distribution sector with their respective business models are coming under pressure due to the changing media and, as a consequence, the changing reception habits of the audience.
In this situation we are seeking an exchange about the respective trends in market changes for cinema and feature films in various countries, the emerging responses of the respective sectors and national support schemes, or national policies to the changes taking place at a European level.
In this panel representatives from various European countries will discuss strengths and weaknesses of different film funding and financing models to develop solutions to common challenges. Which funding models allow for a large creative freedom and lead to a flourishing film landscape? And how can incentives for co-production compensate for the steadily decreasing public funding?
But most importantly: what kind of interaction between institutions, producers, world sales, distributors and cinemas could drive the European film (market) forward?
This panel will also be broadcast online:
YouTube: https://youtu.be/3-r2fN4MS4k
11 May 2022
17:30 h, CineStar Metropolis
More information
Duration | 90 min |
Language | Englisch |
Panel Participants:
Ada Solomon is a Romanian producer and founder of Hi Film Productions and Micro Film. The films she has produced have been presented and awarded at prestigious festivals such as Cannes, Berlin, Locarno, Venice and Sundance. Her successes include Bad Luck Banging Or Loony Porn (2021, Golden Bear Berlin) and Child's Pose (2013, Golden Bear Berlin). Ada has co-produced in over 15 European countries and released her films in over 50 countries. She is Executive President of the European Women's Audiovisual Network and a member of the Board of the European Film Academy. Her awards include the European Co-Production Award - Prix Eurimages at the 2013 European Film Awards.
Katarzyna Siniarska is a sales agent and producer. She is co-president of Europa International, the European sales agents associations in the current term (2022-2023). She graduated from University of Warsaw in Humanities and Wajda Film School’s Creative Producers Programme (2011). She is an alumna of EAVE Puentes (2014/2015) and Screen Leaders (2014). Since January 2013 she has been a part of Warsaw-based boutique world sales agency New Europe Film Sales; first as a sales executive then the head of sales and a partner at the company. New Europe works with international content and sells it to all rights, theatrical, TV and VOD buyers across the world. Films (like „Lamb“ or „Corpus Cristi“) regularly open at key festivals, such as Cannes, Berlinale, Venice, Toronto, Sundance, etc. and get worldwide distribution.
Sam Taylor has produced over 60 films over the past 20 years with her company Film and Music Entertainment Limited (F&ME). She has a long history of working with Europe's leading filmmakers. With 150 European partner:s, she has produced films totaling over $200 million. Sam Taylor's first film was the Academy Award-nominated Before the Rain (1994). Since then, she has worked with four-time Academy Award winner Stephen Daldry, Agnieszka Holland, Golden Bear winner Mark Dornford May, and many other filmmakers.
Stephan Holl is co-founder of Rapid Eye Movies, a German film label for distribution, production and music, together with his wife Antoinette Köster. Stephan has been distributing exceptional films since 1996. He helped Asian directors like Takeshi Kitano, Takashi Miike and Kim Ki-Duk to break through in Germany and popular Indian cinema in Europe. In addition to film distribution, he brings together filmmakers and artists such as Khavn de la Cruz, Ashim Ahluwahlia, SABU, Christopher Doyle, Stereo Total, Mario Lombardo and Alexander Kluge. As a producer, Stephan has been involved in films such as Orphea by Alexander Kluge & Khavn (2020), Shut Up & Play The Piano by Philipp Jedicke (2018) and Mr. Long by SABU (2017).
Bengt Toll (Producer and Writer) is a consultant specializing in strategic development within film, TV and other creative industries. 1986 he formed his own, still active, production company, Toll Film, working in film and television. 1990 Bengt Toll joined the Gothenburg International Film Festival as a programmer and became Chairman of the Festival in 1996 staying on for eight years. During the same eight years he was President of the Gothenburg Film Festival Film Fund and took an active part in forming the group of similar funds in Europe working for filmmakers from emerging economies. In 2004 he became Industry and International Executive at Film i Väst, responsible for the development of the funds international relations In 2006 Bengt Toll was appointed Chairman of Cine Regio, the European Network of regional film agencies. In 2009 Bengt Toll started working with the Swedish Film Institute in Stockholm, at first responsible for distribution and exhibition, was appointed Deputy CEO the same year and became CEO in 2010. Since leaving the Institute Bengt Toll has conducted several major studies, among others: On the future challenges for the Film Industries for the Swedish Government’s Counsel for Cultural and Creative Industries: On strategic policies in the field of film and television for the City of Gothenburg, Sweden: A study for the film and TV producers’ association in Sweden outlining strategies for the future and was a partner to the Olsberg/SPI evaluation of Eurimage. Bengt Toll was on the board of the Governmental agency the Swedish Arts Grants Committee where he also chaired the working group for Performing Arts and film between 2012 and 2019. Since 2020 he has been working with Film i Väst Analysis on the big European Study on Public Funding.
Martin Hagemann (Film University Babelsberg Konrad Wolf, Producer zero fiction) was born in 1958 in the Ruhr area and came to film during his studies (history, German studies). Since 1989 he has produced and co-produced numerous independent feature films and documentaries for the international market, including films by Hal Hartley, Bela Tarr, Alexandr Sokurov, Peter Bogdanovich, Ra'anan Alexandrowicz, Roger Spottiswoode, Eddie Berger, Susan Gluth and others. Since 2010 he has held the professorship "Film and TV Production" at the Film University Konrad Wolf in Potsdam-Babelsberg, where he is currently Vice President for International Affairs. Martin Hagemann is a member of the board of the German Film Academy and serves on various film funding commissions and supervisory bodies of the German film industry; he lives in Berlin.
(Presented by Brehm & Van Moers)
Congress Future German Cinema