The Berlinale European Film Market (EFM) this year spotlights the artistry of Italian filmmakers and will offer industry participants opportunities to network with a variety of Italian producers, distributors, investors and experts.
The 2024 EFM kicks off February 15 during the 74th Berlin International Film Festival and will wrap up on February 21.
According to Roberto Stabile of the Italian Ministry of Culture at Rome’s Cinecitta’ studios: “The event will be an important moment to focus on our industry in a period of momentous change and growth.” Stabile, who heads Special Projects of the Directorate General for Cinema and Audiovisual at the Italian Ministry of Culture added that the EFM will “provide key opportunities to reinforce relations with our foreign partners and illustrate the many measures available for the internationalization of the film industry.” Stabile pointed beyond showcasing Italy as an ideal location to shoot audiovisual projects, stressing that Italy is also “a reliable and prestigious partner to co-produce and provide content.” Stabile said Italy’s coproduction capability has increased thanks to the Italian Film Distribution Fund which was “recently renewed and strengthened.”
“Italy In Focus” is this year’s “Country in Focus” at the Berlinale. That international focus program was launched in 2017 but saw a two-year hiatus from 2021-2022 due to the global pandemic.
Despite this interruption, EFM Director Dennis Ruh affirmed “The Italian film and media industry is a permanent fixture at the EFM.” Ruh said “This year, we will be taking a closer look at this exciting, traditional, as well as modern and diverse production and distribution country, thus expanding opportunities for cooperation.”
Beyond the selected Italian films at the 2024 Berlinale, a diverse collection of market premiers and festival favorites from Italy will also be presented in the EFM Market Screenings that features upcoming films as well as special screenings.
At last year’s EFM event, Italy had more than 1,000 accredited participants from Italy, over 60 exhibiting Italian companies, and about 80 films in market screenings. “This puts Italy in a leading position,” EFM director Ruh concluded.
Despite the two-year hiatus, resumption of the EFM in 2023 saw record numbers of more than 11,500 trade visitors, more than 600 exhibiting companies and over 1,500 market screenings.
At the 2023 signing ceremony announcing Italy as the 2024 Country In Focus, Nicola Borrelli, Director General of the Directorate General for Cinema and Audiovisual at Italy’s Ministry of Culture, stressed how the EFM is “the ideal platform to promote Italian films, to give voice to industry representatives, and above all, to serve producers and distributors who represent the Italian industry in this important showcase.”
Also during that signing ceremony in the Italian Pavilion at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, Berlinale Managing Director Mariette Rissenbeek underscored how Italy “as a film nation with outstanding filmmakers has enriched the Berlinale for many years.” She pointed to the numerous Italian films that have premiered at the Berlinale and expressed “delight that Italy will take a place of honor at the 2024 European Film Market,” adding “It will provide an opportunity “to get to know the diversity of the Italian film industry even better.”
An updated schedule of events that focus on Italian cinema at this year’s Berlinale can be viewed at www.italianpavilion.it
–Wil McCaughey
