02/02/2022 - The head of the EFM offers an overview of the market set to unspool from 10-17 February and shares his experience of organising this edition

(© EFM/Angela Regenbrecht)

Just a few days before the kick-off of his second edition as the head of the European Film Market (EFM), which will also run exclusively in the digital environment, Dennis Ruh offers an overview of the market set to unspool from 10-17 February and shares his experience of organising this edition.

Cineuropa: For the second year running, the EFM is going digital. How difficult was it to transform a market that was also ready to unspool in a physical environment into a digital-only one?
Dennis Ruh: The most difficult thing was to make the actual decision to switch once again from a physical to a digital market. After a successful online version in 2021, and with the feedback from our exhibitors and participants, we were able to resort to this experience in order to provide the EFM visitors with the best digital market possible. To recreate networking and matchmaking opportunities in the virtual space is probably one of the harder challenges. We all know that film is a people’s business, and meeting someone at a market booth differs from connecting on screen. Nevertheless, we have managed to set up various networking formats to connect our EFM participants.

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How different will this year be compared to the previous edition?
Last year, everything was new, as there had never been a virtual market before in the history of the EFM. As the 2021 edition was a successful one, we were able to build on this very positive experience. We learned a lot regarding what works very well, and what could be changed, adapted or added. The structure of the virtual market in general reflects the structure of the physical EFM: there are virtual stands, meeting and networking spaces, online screenings, and a comprehensive conference programme. In response to the feedback from last year’s participants, we were able to improve and further develop certain aspects of the virtual market – for example, the restructuring of the rights management for online screenings and enhancing usability, also for stand holders. We also reorganised our conference programme, the EFM Industry Sessions, introducing the four programme strands, “Producers”, “Distribution”, “Documentary” and “Series”, each of which is backed by large groups of participants in the EFM, as well as three core themes: future, diversity and inclusion, and sustainable development.

Could you give us some more details on the EFM Industry Sessions?
With the EFM Industry Sessions, we aim to make a call to action. We think it is important not only to react to the transformation that is taking place, but also to engage in shaping it – everyone individually, and collectively as an industry. Like last year, the EFM Industry Sessions comprise the EFM Startups initiative, presenting 12 hand-picked startups, as well as the Berlinale Series Market, exploring the latest trends in high-end, high-quality series, including a curated selection of commercially promising series projects under the Berlinale Series Market Selects label.

Have you also included any new sections?
A new offering for our documentary filmmakers are the Rough-Cut Presentations, where a selection of documentaries at the rough-cut stage will be presented. We want to provide a platform for documentary filmmakers to present, pitch and discuss excerpts from their films for buyers, festival programmers and sales agents. To further enhance inclusion, we have expanded our Toolbox programme, designed specifically to endow documentary and fiction creatives from marginalised and underrepresented groups with market intelligence, business tools and connections. We have also grown our (Online) Market Badge Inclusion Initiative, a programme aimed at underrepresented and marginalised film professionals from Europe and across the globe. These are just a few of the highlights.

How difficult is it to offer engaging content to an audience that is now more accustomed to a digital environment?
I think because people are already used to working remotely and to engaging digitally nowadays, it is actually easier to reach out to people in the virtual space than it was before. Everyone is used to it, the technical hurdles are much easier to overcome, and everyone is aware that it has to be done the digital way during these times. People also see the advantages, be it for sustainability reasons, as they don’t have to fly, be it for economic reasons, as they don’t need to spend money on travel or hotels, or be it for inclusion reasons, as people having difficulties obtaining visas or leaving their home countries also have the possibility to participate. Everyone needs his or her business to thrive and will adjust to the situation accordingly. That said, of course we are still working hard on offering engaging content, regardless of whether the market is digital or not. The EFM picks up current developments and trends, and offers a unique platform for innovation and change.

Last year, you were quite optimistic about the return of physical editions; do you still have the same belief in the post-pandemic era?
I actually think that the future format will be a hybrid one. I think the virtual format has shown that there are many advantages, as mentioned above, but meeting in person is something that people need, and it is something that won’t be cancelled altogether. For me, the future is both physical and digital, with a focus on physical gatherings.