THE FILM VERDICT. What is EFP’s mission and objectives this year at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)?
CORNELIA KLIMKEIT. Since its first participation in 1997, EFP has steadily engaged in shining a light on European films to strengthen their visibility across this continent. TIFF is one of European Film Promotion’s (EFP) longest-standing partners and alongside Sundance, one of the flagship festivals in North America to promote European cinema. Our main objective is to highlight the rich diversity of European cinema. This year, more than 130 European films have been selected for TIFF’s official programme. Among them, EFP is placing special emphasis on 13 titles, including three Nordic Oscar submissions: Trier’s Sentimental Value (Norway), Saleh’s Eagles of the Republic (Sweden), and Pálmason’s The Love That Remains (Iceland).
It has always been important for EFP to demonstrate presence onsite, so with the EUROPE! Hub, located at the festival’s Industry Centre at the Hyatt ,we provide a vibrant networking space and central meeting point for the European film industry. The initiative is made possible thanks to the support of the Creative Europe MEDIA Programme, EFP’s member organizations, as well as Eurimages, whose representatives will also be on site.
TFV. From your very diverse experience in the film industry, what challenges and changes have you observed for sales agents today?
KLIMKEIT. Although there has been a slight recovery since the pandemic, the situation for sales agents attending film festivals remains challenging. Rising costs are colliding with declining audience numbers for European films, in particular in countries outside of Europe. Independent distributors have been cautious for a long time now, concentrating on fewer titles from Europe, typically those screening in the main sections of renowned international film festivals or those that have won awards. This means less risk for them and a focus on titles that are more likely to achieve a commercial success, leaving little room for new discoveries from Europe. It is therefore EFP’s mission to also give a helping hand to European films that might not be discovered and don’t get a chance to have a well-deserved career. As things stand these days, sales agents think twice about which festivals and markets to attend in terms of what business they can generate.
TFV. Digi Mercado del Cine Europeo is a very interesting project that EFP has launched. Can you explain how this came about?
KLIMKEIT. The Digi Mercado del Cine Europeo is a fully online initiative building on earlier networking events between European sales companies and Latin American distributors. First launched in 2020, in collaboration with Unifrance and the Miami Film Festival as an in-person event, EFP – in consultation with sales agents and distributors – decided to continue with an online version, establishing the Digi Mercado as a smart, effective, cost-efficient, and sustainable alternative. The goal remains to bring more European films to Latin America and to strengthen ties with distributors across the region. Over the course of two consecutive days, European world sales companies meet with Latin American buyers in a series of dynamic 10-minute speed meetings, presenting their latest and upcoming European titles.
TFV. Please talk about Film Sales Support and how it works.
KLIMKEIT. Film Sales Support (FSS) helps EFP-associated European world sales companies promote and sell European films outside of Europe. FSS offers grants of up to €5,000 – or €5,500 including an Inclusion Top-Up Grant which have to be matched by the sales companies – to bolster international promotion campaigns at selected international film festivals and markets, such as Toronto, Sundance, Tokyo, the European Film Market, the Marché du Cannes and the AFM, just to name aa few of the events.
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) was among the very first festivals to be included in FSS back in 2005. Since then, the scheme has developed into a vital financial instrument for European world sales companies to strengthen visibility for European cinema and secure its global distribution.
Backed by Creative Europe MEDIA since 2004, Film Sales Support (FSS) now works with almost 90 European sales companies, all of which are presented with detailed profiles in the newly published Sales Guide. (https://efp-online.com/sales-support-guide/)
TFV. You are very involved in Asia with Busan and FILMART , traditionally challenging markets for European sales – has that changed?
KLIMKEIT. Alongside Toronto, the Busan International Film Festival is one of EFP’s earliest partners in Asia. The key festival for premieres of Asian cinema, is known for their strong commitment to European films. EFP hosts EUROPE! Hubs for European world sales companies at the Asian Contents and Film Market (ACFM) in Busan and at the FILMART in Hong Kong. As Asian buyers attend European festivals and markets less frequently, the on-site presence of European sales companies in Asia is essential for sales to Asian countries. However, audience numbers are also declining in Asia. Buyers are likewise focusing on commercially viable films from Europe with strong casts, with the exception of genre films and animation which continue to attract interest. We therefore offer a targeted online showcase of these films for Asian distributors ahead of our physical presence at the ACFM.
TFV. EFP continues to support European film sales efforts. Are you planning any new initiatives you can share with TFV?
KLIMKEIT. Demands, challenges and constraints are increasing all over the world which makes it more difficult to capture the attention of buyers. In response to this situation, we regularly consult with the world sales companies to analyze which approaches, festivals and markets are conducive to their promotional work. We have always been flexible in adjusting our scheme based on the feedback we receive from the industry. So far, the structure and the customized grants of FSS have worked well over the years.
We recently added the Fantastic Fest in Austin to pay tribute to the growing importance of genre films. In addition, the FSS Inclusion funding scheme for films dealing with topics such as gender equality, equal opportunities, and inclusion has been adapted. We now offer FSS Inclusion Top-Up Grants for films selected and sold at all FSS-eligible festivals and markets. With this step, we want to encourage world sales companies to invest more strongly in the promotion of inclusive films.
