News
CineLink, Industry Terrace and Regional Forum opens
The business of film is the focus of the second half of the Sarajevo Film Festival, and starting today the regional and international film industry hits the town for four days of extensive networking and professional diverse activities. Over the past decade the industry section has become a major hub for film professionals and played a crucial role in the development of co-production in Southeast Europe.
CineLink, the festival's co-production market presents the most promising feature projects in development and financing stage, including two guest projects from the Middle East in collaboratino with the Doha Film Institute and The Arab Fund for Arts & Culture. CineLink Work in Progress showcases six new, exciting titles in post production to selected international festival programmers and sales agents. CineLink is one of the most successful developing and financing platforms in Europe, and it offers an awards fund of over 160.000 Euros in cash and services. This year's CineLink Partner Country is Germany, and the theme for the partnership is Next Generation German Producers.
For its 5th edition, the Sarajevo Film Festival's Regional Forum returns in a new shape, all with the aim of enhancing business and the exchange of knowledge. The Forum brings together over 100 key professionals from 15 regional countries, from both the private and public sector, to discuss the burning issues in the industry, advocate for and shape up public policies, and network with each other.
Moderated by Marko Pavlovic, Business Correspondent at Al Jazeera Balkans, the sessions will feature leading international experts, speaking on the following topics:
Aug 22: Film finance: Streamlining the public funding for coproduction in former Yugoslavia
Which are the lessons to be learned from the past deaced of co-productions, and how can the cooperation be improved during the years to come?
Aug 23: Cultural policy: How to boost the impact of creative industries on local societies and economies?
Large scale cultural events are a driving force in the economy of the creative industries. This session will offer a framework for exploring the private/public sector nexus and how creative industries can be used as a tool of economic regeneration.
Aug 24: Business models: Film industry between new legislations and new technologies
The sway of digital technologies has absolutely undermined the existing business models in content creating industries. How can piracy be fought, while at the same time including the new players in the film value chain?
To enhance networking and business opportunities during the Forum, the festival has created the Industry Terrace, which will be offering individual meetings and moderated sessions for professionals working in the fields of film rights, service productions and equipment. Some of the companies scheduled to participate are HBO, HRT, The Post Republic, Film Factory Sarajevo, Living Pictures, Al Jazeera Balkans and MAX TV.
More information can be found on the Industry pages.