28/06/2017 - The association of independent film distributors will hold its annual conference at the Czech festival

For the third year in a row, Europa Distribution will hold its Annual Conference in the scope of Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. The event will take place from 2-6 July and will bring together 40 independent distributors, all members of the European network.

On Monday 3 July, from 09.30 am to 11.30 am, an open panel organised in partnership with the KVIFF and the LUX Prize will be entirely devoted to exploring this theme with experts from the field. The panel, entitled "The Constant Gardeners - What Role for Distributors in the New Film Industry Ecosystem?", will be an occasion for scholars, marketing experts and representatives of industry lobbies and public institutions to share their research and perspectives with distributors. What are the new trends in the market? How can the available data be interpreted? And what are the challenges faced by distributors today?

The confirmed panelists are Ben Johnson (GRUVI), Nikolas Moschakis (FIAD), Huw Jones (University of York) and Liesbeth Sträter (University of Antwerp). The panel will be moderated by Michael Gubbins (SampoMedia), and Bogdan Wenta, Member of the European Parliament, will give a keynote speech.

The panel will represent the starting point for a discussion that distributors will continue on Tuesday, during a private workshop. On this occasion, marketing and piracy experts Ben Johnson and Chris Anderson (MUSO) will address some of the newly available marketing tools and analyse the possibilities offered by piracy in terms of targeting audiences. Distributors will gather in smaller round tables, in the interest of exploring the topics further and sharing their individual experiences in the field.

Attending distributors will also participate in the festival activities, including works in progress, meetings and special screenings. The General Assembly will also provide an opportunity for members to discuss the activities of the Association.