The inaugural pair of workshops will focus on promotion and sales, and sponsorship and fundraising, and will be hosted in early December in Wrocław

A SMART7 event held during the Transilvania International Film Festival

SMART7, the alliance of European film festivals sharing common goals and backed by Creative Europe – MEDIA, is set to conduct its inaugural workshops on 5 and 6 December in Poland. These workshops welcome the participation of festival organisers throughout Europe.

SMART7 boasts a diverse membership, representing seven distinct countries: Poland (New Horizons IFF), Iceland (Reykjavik IFF), Portugal (IndieLisboa), Romania (Transilvania IFF), Spain (FILMADRID), Greece (Thessaloniki IFF) and Lithuania (Vilnius IFF Kino Pavasaris). Its primary mission is to foster connections among festivals that share common goals and visions, despite hailing from various cultural and geopolitical regions across Europe (see the news).

Each year, SMART7 hosts a pair of workshops designed to capitalise on the unique strengths of each member while fostering collaborative learning, confidential knowledge exchange and team unity among the festival organisers. The two initial workshops are slated for 5 and 6 December, during which all SMART7 festival members will gather in Wrocław, Poland, to facilitate discussions and offer expertise on the subjects of promotion and sales, and sponsorship and fundraising.

Specifically, during the first day of the workshops, representatives from New Horizons and IndieLisboa will be sharing a collection of experiences, including tales of both triumph and challenges related to the topic of promotion and sales. This will kickstart a dialogue on best practices and strategies for anticipating and effectively preparing for future challenges.

On the subsequent day, reps from the Thessaloniki International Film Festival and the Transilvania International Film Festival will delve into the subject of sponsorship and fundraising, providing insights based on their experiences and perspectives. These topics are integral to the foundation of any cultural event. Additionally, guest speakers from prominent festivals across Europe will contribute their expertise and experiences so as to enrich the discussion.

Both workshops extend a warm invitation to international film festivals from outside the network to join these exclusive, practical sessions behind closed doors. These events promise to foster valuable exchanges among influential figures in the international film-festival arena. This initiative is genuinely one of a kind and is greatly appreciated in an industry where there is a shortage of training opportunities for festival staff.

To ensure an intimate and productive environment, external participation is limited to ten film festivals. Festival representatives interested in taking part can express their interest by emailing submissions@nowehoryzonty.pl until 27 October. Registration comes at no cost, although participants will be responsible for covering their transportation and accommodation expenses.

SMART7 represents an alliance of seven European film festivals, jointly supported by Creative Europe – MEDIA. The primary mission of this network is to establish a versatile platform for members to exchange experiences and facilitate communication. This is achieved through the organisation of four workshops addressing current and crucial subjects – namely, programming and audience development, sponsorship and fundraising, promotion and sales, and sustainability and green practices.