The Munich International Film Festival's CineCoPro Conference, to be held from 1-4 July, will feature Canada as its guest country. Organised for the third consecutive year with support from the Bavarian Film Fund/FFF Bayern, the conference will welcome a delegation of 20 Canadian producers, providing them with a unique opportunity to engage with their German counterparts. This year's partners include Telefilm Canada, the Canadian Embassy in Berlin and Creative Europe Desk München.

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Christoph Gröner, festival director, and Julia Weigl, artistic co-director of the Munich International Film Festival, emphasised the importance of this international collaboration: “Since the introduction of the CineCoPro Award in 2019, the Munich International Film Festival has further underlined its commitment to international co-productions. With the first CineCoPro Conference in 2022, which took place in cooperation with the British Film Institute and the Bavarian Film Fund, this was further emphasised by establishing a new industry platform. From now on, the focus will be on a different region or country each year. After Great Britain and Southeast Europe, we will now focus on Canada.”

The CineCoPro Conference will spotlight eight key Canadian and German projects ripe for co-production, fostering connections between the film industries of both countries. The programme includes a panel on the importance of international co-productions amid rising production costs and economic challenges, with a keynote by Steve Saltzman, of Fieldfisher, offering insights from a US and a UK perspective. This will be followed by a panel discussion moderated by Martin Diesbach. Additionally, a case study on the successful German-Canadian co-production Rumours [+leggi anche:
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The festival also hosts the Beergarden Convention from 28 June-3 July, a signature event blending formal industry sessions with informal networking opportunities. Set in the garden of the Amerikahaus, the Beergarden Convention features keynotes, panels, conferences and workshops, creating a relaxed yet dynamic environment for industry professionals to connect, exchange ideas and inspire new projects.

Highlights of the programme include “The Power of the Collective – Focus on the Writers’ Room”, organised by Deutscher Drehbuchverband eV, which explores the effectiveness of the German writers’ room model compared to its US counterpart. Another key event, “We Are Not Young Enough!?”, organised by the Deutsche Akademie für Fernsehen eV, will debate the future of German public broadcasting amidst competition from streaming services. Additionally, “AI and the Acting Profession – How Can Trade Unions Actively Shape Change?”, organised by Bundesverband Schauspiel eV (BFFS), will address the impact of generative AI on the acting profession, discussing risks, changes and the role of unions in this technological shift.

Other notable panels at the Beergarden Convention include “Out of the Niche: How Much Queerness Can the Mainstream Tolerate?” by Queer Media Society, which explores the mainstream acceptance of queer films and series, and “Best Practice: ‘Dangerous Truth’” by OneGate Media GmbH, focusing on strategic partnerships and innovative financing for German high-end series. Additionally, “The Desire of Others – A Master Class on Diverse Storytelling” by Creative Europe Desk Munich discusses modern dramaturgy and the integration of diversity in storytelling. Lastly, “Navigating the Legal Side of AI in Film” by Blauer Panther and XPLR: MEDIA in Bavaria delves into the legal challenges and opportunities that AI presents in film production, with insights from industry experts and legal professionals.

The Beergarden Convention will also feature several notable presentations, including a pitching event organised by Ukrainian film collective Babylon'13, supported by the International Renaissance Foundation and EU Moving Forward Together, showcasing five Ukrainian projects in development seeking German and international co-producers and industry partners. Additionally, the University for Television and Film Munich will host the MUNICHFILMUP! Pitching Session, where six feature-film debut projects by MunichFilmUp participants will be presented, culminating in the 2024 Kirch Foundation Award ceremony. Lastly, the “Book Meets Film” event, organised by the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels and the Verband Druck und Medien Bayern, will afford 12 publishers the chance to present books with film-adaptation potential to over 150 producers, directors and screenwriters.