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Sofia Lab / 18-21 March 2020

Making films stand out through cooperation across the value chain

06/01/2020
Sofia Lab / 18-21 March 2020

Join this lab to meet international practitioners from across the film value chain and share perspectives on developing the market for films, particularly European titles, at the cinema and beyond. 

The focus is on making films stand out through closer collaboration across the film value chain; whether that's sharing market and audience insights, exchanging perspectives on current challenges and opportunities or creating more effective marketing and programme models that respond to the shifts in audience consumption of films.

Led by Madeleine Probst (Vice-President of Europa Cinemas and Managing Producer, Watershed, Bristol, United Kingdom) together with Jure Maticic (Programmer, Mestni Kino Domzale, Slovenia), it is a great opportunity to share approaches and find practical solutions to some of the big questions facing the film sector such as: how can we make European films more visible across platforms in a context of shrinking resources and abundance of content? How can we get better market and audience insights ? And with rising concerns about our impact on the environment, is there an opportunity for the film sector to come together to find more sustainable solutions?

Topics include:

  • Sharing market and audience insights across the value chain 
  • Developing joint digital and grassroot marketing campaigns
  • Creating effective programme strategies 
  • Building networked practice with other exhibitors
  • Bridging the gap between cinemas and with the rest of the value chain from producers and sales agents to distributors and streaming platforms
  • Negotiating terms and agreements that are fit for purpose
  • Sharing best practice in alternative models of distribution 
  • Finding more sustainable solutions across the film value chain

Bring your ideas and issues to the Lab, step back from the day to day and spend time with practitioners from a diverse range of national contexts to reflect on your practice, exchange expertise and find practical solutions.

IMPORTANT

This lab is open to all European exhibitors, members of Europa Cinemas network or not. The number of participants is limited to 35 people. Applications will be considered in the order they are received. However, priority will be given to exhibitors who never attended a Europa Cinemas Lab before and to exhibitors from Central and Eastern Europe and Balkan countries.

APPLICATION

Please fill in the online application form.

Please note that the application deadline has been extended until the 7th February 2020.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

1. TRAVEL: all travel costs to and from Sofia are at your charge. When booking, please try to arrive before 2.30 pm on Wednesday 18th of March and to leave on Sunday 21st morning. Please do not make any reservation until your participation is officially confirmed by Europa Cinemas.

2. ACCOMMODATION: you need to be there from Wednesday 18th to Sunday 21st March morning (4 nights). Europa Cinemas and the Sofia International Film Festival will cover the cost of 3 nights (single room incl. breakfast) for one person per exhibition company, the fourth night being at your charge.

3. ACCREDITATION: the Sofia International Film Festival will provide a festival accreditation (free of charge) which will give you access to all festival screenings.

4. LANGUAGE: the discussions will be held in English over the whole lab.

For more information on the seminar, do not hesitate to contact:

Fatima Djoumer, Head of International Relations and Events

Tel. +49 30 61 40 22 00, e-mail: fatim@djoumer.de

Sonia Ragone, Italy & Malta Coordinator

Tel. +33 (0)1 42 71 12 43, e-mail: sragone@europa-cinemas.org

Alexandre Tchernookov, Central and Eastern Europe Coordinator

Tel. +33 (0)1 42 71 83 62, e-mail: atchernookov@europa-cinemas.org

More information about the Sofia Lab 2019 here