Nearly 400 professionals, exhibitors and distributors from 32 European countries, including 15 in Central and Eastern Europe, met at the 10th Annual Europa Cinemas Conference in Budapest (17-20 November 2005), which was inaugurated by the two filmmakers Claude Miller and Kornél Mundruczó.

Several topical issues were at the heart of the discussions, particularly:

- the drop in attendance and the outlook for European exhibition.
Powerpoint presentations of the speakers.

- digital cinema and the implementation of economic models for distributors and exhibitors.
Powerpoint presentations of the speakers.

- the placement of European films in film theatres by distributors and exhibitors and raising awareness among young viewers.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONFERENCE

The exhibitors and distributors present showed great concern at the threats facing the priority release of films at film theatres, particularly as a result of renewed discussion of the regulations on the chronology of methods of exhibition, and the economic consequences of piracy on attendance at European films.

Discussions on digital cinema focused principally on the need to develop, over the next few months, an acceptable economic model for distributors and exhibitors so as to reinforce the presence and the visibility of European films at theatres.

This 10th event was marked by the prestigious presence of Jeanne Moreau who, alongside Claude Miller, presented Europa Cinemas awards to 3 European network exhibitors:

- Award for Best Programming: Müvész (5 screens), Puskin (3 screens) and Szindbád (2 screens) cinemas in Budapest, managed by Ferenc Port (Budapest Film).
- Award for Best Young Audiences' Activities: Kino Sõprus (1 screen) in Tallinn (Estonia), managed by Katrin Rajasaare (AS TallinnFilm).
- Award for Best Entrepreneur: Utopia (Anne-Marie Faucon and Michel Malacarnet) with 5 cinemas and 22 screens in France.

The Europa Cinemas Awards presentation, that took place at the cinema Urania, was followed by the screening of the film Stesti (Something like Happiness) by Bohdan Slama.

9 other European films were screened on the first day of the Conference.
European Film Previews Program.