23/08/2005

The European Film Promotion (EFP) will launch a series of "Industry Screenings in New York" in November 2005 with the aim of introducing new European films to North American buyers.

This initiative, supported by the MEDIA Programme of the European Union, will feature one screening each of four new European films. The screenings will take place on November 14th and 15th at the Tribeca Film Center, and will be limited to invited members of the industry.
The world sales agents for the films will be actively involved in the marketing strategy and presentation of the films, and the directors will be invited to New York to introduce the films. There will be a reception following the screenings on both days. The decision to launch such a programme resulted from research and interviews with US professionals which the organization conducted in April this year. According to Claudia Landsberger, EFP PresidenT, "The industry screenings in New York further reinforce EFP’s mandate to work more closely with the industry in designing its programmes. By stepping out of EFP’s traditional structure of working within established festivals, the organisation is heading in a new direction in supporting the promotion and marketing of films worldwide".
The EFP members are in the process of selecting the films, which will be announced at the end of September. Following the four screenings in November, EFP will continue the series next year with screenings tentatively scheduled for March, June and October (in close proximity to the Berlin, Cannes and Toronto International Film Festivals).
Submission deadlines will be set each year by the EFP Board and communicated to the industry in a timely manner.