07/11/2003

"Emerging European Filmmakers" is the name of the competition for young director from the 25 countries of the enlarged European Union, which will be taking place at MIFED, the international market of cinema and multimedia products being held in Milan from November 9 to 13, 2003.
The aim of the initiative is to promote youth cinema, offering an opportunity to 114 works and their authors born after 1972 to have direct contact with the world film market.
This is the 70th edition of MIFED, which is one of the most important events of its kind for the audiovisual sector on a worldwide scale. It’s the third largest market after Los Angeles and Cannes, with 8,500 square metres of exhibition space and cinemas, all located inside one building.

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Carlo Bassi, the director of MIFED, has taken on the challenge posed by the American Film Market in Los Angeles, (which has decided to hold it’s 2004 edition at the same time as the Milanese market), and he has announced that 240 companies will be attending this year’s event, including the American Majors HBO and Miramax. There’s been a rise in the number of buyers pre-registering (+18%) and an increase in the number of the films being represented (from 487 to 495) and the market premieres (+10%). There’s also a significant rise in the number of companies from Asia and the Mediterranean basin, prior to the planned enlargement of the European Union.
MIFED has recently signed a letter of intention with the Venice Biennale and Cinecittà Holding to set up a company (50% of which will be controlled by Fiera Milano) to take charge of the running of MIFED and the Venice Film Festival market, as well as overseeing the promotion of Italian cinema abroad.

(Translated from Italian)