The coming edition of the San Sebastian Festival’s European Film Forum, running on Tuesday, September 22 from 15h.-16h45 and broadcast live on the Festival website, will reflect on the challenges and opportunities faced by the European audiovisual industry in the context triggered by Covid-19. It will also make an in depth analysis of how this situation is affecting the European audiovisual sector, which was already undergoing a process of transformation in its business models and structure due to the digital revolution.

The initial paralysis of the sector, with the interruption of film shootings, the closure of film theatres and the cancellation of events and festivals, has subsequently translated into the reaction of institutions and professionals with the result of a series of measures to support the sector in order to be able to overcome the situation and pick up activity once again.

During this period, there has also been an exponential rise in public demand for audiovisual content on streaming platforms, a phenomenon which is currently undergoing analysis in the framework of the process of transforming the business model of the European audiovisual sector and of its ability to compete in digital environments.

In this context, the European Commission has reacted by launching the Next Generation EU Recovery Plan, particularly focused on the EU countries to have suffered the greatest economic impact due to Covid-19. The audiovisual sector is one of the areas that will benefit from the implementation of Next Generation EU, which envisages funds and loans for the different European countries depending on the National Reform Plans they present.

The European Film Forum will also address the main lines of transformation faced by the European industrial fabric in this new period, such as adaptation of the public policies providing support to the audiovisual sector to the new business models; the promotion of talent; empowerment of the audiovisual industry; reformulation of the legal and fiscal framework in order to adapt to the new agents, and resolute commitment to technological development in order to generate models and content which are more sustainable and adapted to the digital ecosystem.

In this line, the new edition of the European Film Forum in San Sebastian will consist of a day of analysis, uniting representatives of national and European regulatory institutions and funds, associations, streamers and independent professionals, who will explain their point of view and analyse potential measures for recovering the sector, as well as future business and collaborative solutions.  

The event will be rounded off with the Zinemaldia & Technology conference, the San Sebastian Festival space dedicated to technological and audiovisual innovation which enjoys the backing of Creative Europe-MEDIA on September 25. The programme will consist of presentation of the projects selected for the European competition Zinemaldia Startup Challenge and of the masterclass to be announced shortly.  

INTRODUCTION AND MODERATION

• AC Coppens. Founder and CEO of The Catalysts (Germany)

PRESENTATION – THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON THE EUROPEAN A/V SECTOR

• Gilles Fontaine, Head of the Department for Market Information at the European Audiovisual Observatory (France)

PRESENTATION - NEXT GENERATION EU, THE EUROPEAN RECOVERY PLAN. A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE A/V SECTOR

• Miguel Gil Tertre, Former Head of Unit of Strategic Investments & Cohesion, Secretariat-General, European Commission (Belgium)

PANEL 1: INCENTIVES AND MEASURES FOR RECOVERY

Speakers:

• Lucía Recalde, Head of Unit Audiovisual Industry and Media Support Programmes, European Commission, (Belgium)
• Peter Dinges,  CEO FFA – German Federal Film Board (Germany)
• Beatriz Navas, Director of the Spanish Institute of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts - ICAA (Spain)

+ Q&A

PANEL 2: TOWARDS A TRANSFORMATION OF THE EUROPEAN INDUSTRY

Speakers:

• Álvaro Longoria, President of the European Producers Club. Producer and member of Morena Films. (Spain)
• François Yon, Partner and Head of Sales and Business Development of the Playtime Group (France)
• Álex Martínez Roig, Content Manager at Movistar+ (Spain)

+ Q&A

FINAL CONCLUSIONS