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Adriana Chiesa • Vice-President of the European Film Export Association

European cinema gets organised

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- The 2002 meeting in Cannes has reached a happy conlusion: the European Film Export Association has now become reality. Meeting in Berlin with EFEA's Vice-President Adriana Chiesa.

The idea of an European Film Export Association was born in 2002 in Cannes, during an informal lunch between several European exporters. It has now become reality : the EFEA, based in Paris, is up and working. Adriana Chiesa Di Palma, head of Medusa and Adriana Chiesa Enterprises, is also the Vice-President of the EFEA. When we met her in Berlin, she told us how she saw this association as the union of many exporters’ strengths to defend and promote European cinema.

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Cineuropa: What is the European Film Export Association (EFEA) about ?
Adriana Chiesa Di Palma : This organisation was created by Jacques Eric Strauss to encourage cooperation between exporters from all over Europe. It officially started working two months ago with 20 members, but this number should double very soon. For the moment, we deal with practical things, like answering our members’ technical questions about arbitration, markets, proceedings, and so on. But our real purpose is to encourage the circulation of European films within Europe but also outside Europe, of course. Independant exporters are also the most exposed ; they have to be defended. We want to collaborate with European structures such as the European Film Academy, of which I am a member. We want to multiply partnerships, ensure good visibility for our cinema. We aim at promoting our activity and help all operators to save our interests. We hope that eventually, the European Union will make up for the current lack of policies. I think it was the right moment to create the EFEA.

What reform would you particularly like to see implemented?
TV is important in the carrier of our films. But TV channels buy very few European movies, although not all of them are private. This applies also to the numerous state-owned channels.

Why do you say it was the right moment to create the EFEA ?
Europe has reached an interesting stage in its history: its existence in the world has become crucial, and it is getting stronger. Its cinema too. The European market has been very active, coproductions multiply...We make quality cinema, and this type of films attracts more and more interests. In any case, we must keep spreading the news that this cinema exists. National TV channels, for instance, seem not to realise it. This is obvious here at the European Film Market in Berlin.

What do you think of this year’s market in Berlin ?
I am really enthusiastic. Many films were sold within Europe of course, but also outside Europe, especially in Asia. Us members of the EFEA met and discussed our respective problems to discover they were similar and that uniting really makes sense. It is very promising for the future to see we can already share our expectations and desires, and enjoy our friendship.

How is Italian cinema doing ?
Very good! La vita que vorrei [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
was very successful here in Berlin, and the film we presented in the KinderfilmFestival section, Saimir also convinced many buyers. However, there is a new generation of talented directors and actors waiting in the dark. Something is missing in our cinematic art. We need to restore it and help the new generation emerge in Europe and everywhere alse. That is why the EFEA has been created for.

EFEA – List of members

Belgium
Brussels Avenue Jochen D.Girsch, Marie-Do De La Patelliere

Denmark
Trust Film Sales Annakarin Strom, Tine Klint
Nordisk Film International Sales Susan Wendt

Sweden
NonStop Sales Michael Werner

Germany
Atlas International Film Dieter Menz, Stefan Menz, Christl Blum
Bavaria Film International Thorsten Schaumann

Italy
Adriana Chiesa Enterprises Adriana Chiesa Di Palma
Filmexport Group Roberto Di Girolamo
Intramovies Paola Corvino, Jeff Nuyts
Variety Communications SRL Mariella Tu Ccio
Movie Time Stefano Libassi

Spain
Sogepaq Sogecine Simon De Santiago Areizaga, Sophie de Mac Mahon
KWA - Kevin Williams Assoc. Kevin Williams

UK
Renaissance Films Claire Taylor, Angus Finney

FRANCE
Les Films 26 Jean-Paul De Vidas
Gaumont Philippe De Chaisemartin
Onoma Pascal Diot
Orly Films Alain Vannier
Plaza Production International Jacques Eric Strauss
Roissy Films Raphaël Berdugo

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