Mathijs Wouter Knol – European Film Market #Berlinale2020

PODCAST | Chiara Nicoletti interviews Mathijs Wouter Knol, director of EFM – European Film Market.

The EFM – European Film Market is over and it’s time to talk about numbers and results. The EFM Director Mathijs Wouter Knol is happy to state that this year the market reached a new record: more than 11.000 visitors attended despite the sanitary measures anti-coronavirus which prevented industry professionals from China to visit Berlinale. This year’s Country in Focus was Chile and the decision was awarded with a great energy considering the active participation of chilean fimmakers, professionals and of course Cinema Chile which is always first in line to promote its country’s audiovisual industry. After spending virtually this year in Chile, Knol declares it’s time to go back to Europe so the Country in Focus for the 2021’s edition will be Italy. “It all starts here” is the EFM’s logline and that includes, according to Knol, the market’s commitment to investing in promoting both diversity and sustainability in all its activities such as the Sustainability program at the EFM Horizon or 5050 – a roadmap to the future.

The European Film Market is one of the top three meeting places of the international film and media industries. Its close links with the Berlinale as a public film festival, and its position at the heart of Berlin’s vivid creative economy, are defining characteristics of the Berlinale’s film market. Yet the EFM is more than just an agile marketplace for trading film and audiovisual content – it has also positioned itself as a platform for innovation and change. Over a period of eight days, around 10,000 representatives of the international film and media industries – primarily producers, buyers and sales agents, distributors and financiers – come together to network, exchange, inform themselves and do business. As the first major film market of the year, the EFM is in a strong position and serves as a compass, barometer and pacesetter for the new film year: new productions and developments, future-proof business models, contacts and contracts – it all starts here.
The EFM’s varied locations range from the beautiful Gropius Bau to elegant Marriott Hotel, modern Berliner Freiheit or the historic Zoo Palast. A professional infrastructure for exhibitors, state-of-the-art cinemas, numerous market premieres and outstanding service via close customer and partner relationships distinguish the film market as a first class trading platform. The EFM serves the diversity and breadth of requirements for its different participant groups, focusing on networking, exchange, information and the constant integration of new players. Our goal is to help you make the right connections. Together with our partners, we are building on the success of our networking initiatives that promote collaborations and provide platforms for productions in development. Whether you are a first-time filmmaker or a seasoned industry professional, our series of events, panels, screenings and talks make connecting at the market both relaxed and rewarding.

To discover more about the EFM – European Film Market, click here.