Ref. Ares(2016)5428415 - 19/09/2016
Presence of Commissioner Oettinger at Venice Film Festival 2016
Saturday, 3 September 2016 to Sunday, 4 September 2016
___________________________________________
I. Scene setter
You will chair and attend several meetings and open the second day of our European Film Forum
Venice 2016 "Financing European works in the digital era" taking place in the margin of the
Venice Film Festival this year.
Agenda
Your schedule will be as follows:
Saturday, 3 September 2016
21:15
Welcome for Commissioner Günther H. Oettinger (from Watertaxi
disembarkment)
22:00
Dinner together with
of
Article 4(1)(b) the Biennale
, MEPs and high AV
Article 4(1)(b)
professionals. Venue: La Biennale’s private dining room in the Casino)
Sunday, 4 September 2016
10:00 – 10:15 Welcoming speech by Commissioner Günther H.Oettinger for the second
workshop of the European Film Forum on the future of cinemas. Venue: Spazio
Incontri at Hotel Excelsior.
10:30 – 11:00 Bilateral meeting between Commissioner Günther H.Oettinger and
the Biennale of Venice
at the
Article 4(1)(b) festival. Venue:
Article 4(1)(b)
(Pal
Article 4(1)(b)
azzo de la Biennale)
11:00 – 11:30 Press point of Commissioner Günther H. Oettinger and
Article 4(1)(b)
the
Biennale of Venice
. Venu
Article 4(1)(b)
e: Press area of the Venice Film Festival
(Palazzo de la Biennale)
11:30 – 13:00 Roundtable on online exploitation of European works in cooperation with the
EPC, to be introduced and attended by Commissioner Günther H. Oettinger.
Venue: Sala Torcello (Excelsior Hotel 3rd Floor)
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch of Commissioner Günther H. Oettinger and DG Roberto Viola with
MEPs and participants in the round table and European Film Forum event.
1
The main topic
For the second time the European Commission is organizing a conference during the Venice
Film Festival to present latest developments on the Digital Single Market proposals, and notably
the copyright package and seek feedback from AV stakeholders on the panned changes of the
Creative Europe MEDIA subprogramme, the EU's support programme for the audiovisual
industry.
The Venice International Film Festival is also an opportunity to celebrate the 25th anniversary of
the Creative Europe MEDIA programme and to discuss the recent update of EU audiovisual
rules as well as the upcoming proposals on the modernization of EU copyright rules to be
presented in the autumn. The forthcoming copyright package intends further increase the
circulation of European works across borders and supporting the adaptation of the audiovisual
sector in the digital shift.
You will be present at the second day of the European Film Forum on
What Future for
Cinemas? (in cooperation with the Biennale, UNIC and Europa Cinemas) and at the roundtable
on
online exploitation of European works in unsold territories.
II. Objectives
A) On the EFF and on the future of Cinemas
Show to the public, essentially composed of professionals of the audiovisual industry, that you
share the objective of cultural diversity and understand the current challenges and opportunities
for Cinemas:
Europe's strength lies in its
cultural and linguistic diversity and audiovisual works and
cinema express and foster this diversity; at the same time this means a fragmented
European audiovisual industry struggling to finance its production and to offer them
prominently on the market in an increasingly competitive online environment;
Cinemas play a key role the generation of economic value for European films, but need to
adapt to the digital shift as well as to changing consumer's behavior and taste. Besides,
Cinemas offer a special and incomparable social experience to cinema lovers.
The Commission encourages the exhibitors to embed innovation and experiment new
approaches to increase the value and dissemination of European films and reach out to
new audiences.
B) Roundtable on exploration of EU works
Inform and discuss with the participants the legislative and non-legislative proposals put
forward in the upcoming copyright package to foster the on-line access of culturally
diverse content across borders.
A specific briefing with LTT and defensives has been drafted for each individual meeting/event:
2
1) Briefing and speech of the second day of the European Film Forum Conference on the
future for Cinemas? (in cooperation with the Biennale of Architecture)
2) Bilateral meeting with
the Biennale of Venice
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(10(b)
3) Press point (to be completed based upon decision on content by the cabinet and SPP
team)
4) Roundtable with stakeholders on online exploitation of European works
In addition to the briefings following backgrounds are attached for your ease of reference:
Annexes
Status
- Cinemas in Europe
I
- Accompanying measures
II
- Cultural and Creative Sectors Guarantee Facility (CCSGF)
III
- Creative Europe MEDIA sub-programme
IV
- Level Playing Field’
V
- Italian AV industry
VI
- CE MEDIA support for the Italian AV industry (2015)
VII
- European Film Forum agenda
VIII
- CV & photos of the dinner participants
IX
- Fact sheet Italy - 25 years of MEDIA
X
Contact(s):
Article 4(1)(b)
DG CNECT, tel. Article 4(1)(b)
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Commissioner Oettinger at the
European Film Forum Venice 2016 - Day 2 - What future for Cinemas?
Sunday, 4 September 2016, 10:00
____________________________________________________________
I. Scene setter
For DG CONNECT: Roberto Viola, Director General, and
DG CNECT
Article 4(1)(b)
For the Cabinet: Anna HEROLD (Cabinet of Oettinger)
Estimated duration: 15 minutes
In the framework of the European Film Forum, the European Commission in cooperation with
the 73rd Venice International Film Festival and the Venice Production Bridge organises two
workshops on access to finance (3 September from 15.00 to 17.15 – Sala Stucchi) and on the
future of cinemas (4 September from 10.00 to 13.00 – Spazio Incontri) in the Hotel Excelsior,
Lungomare Marconi, Lido di Venezia.
The first event will be the occasion to discuss the new guarantee facility for the cultural and
creative sector recently launched with the European Investment Fund, as well as new modes of
investments. The second event, which will be opened by European Commissioner Oettinger, in
charge of the Digital Economy and Society, will focus on how cinemas can fully reap the
benefits of digital technologies.
Your keynote of max 15 min. will be in English and this will be followed by two moderated
panel discussions.
Agenda:
10:00 – 10:15h Speech of the Commissioner as opener of the second day of the European Film
Forum on the Future of Cinemas.
Objective(s):
Show that the Commission appreciates the role of the cinemas as distribution channel for films
but at the same time, wants to incentivize exhibitors to adapt and reap the opportunities brought
about by the digital shift.
Their Position
The conference gathers AV professionals from across the value chain, with a particular
focus on cinemas exhibitors. So a wide range of Cinema owners will be present
especially from associations like UNIC (International Union of Cinemas), CICAE
(Confédération Internationale des Cinémas d'Art et d'Essai) and Europa Cinemas.
4
Cinemas need to survive in competition with VoD platform and downloading of films.
Audiences nowadays have a myriad of entertainment offers available at the tip of their
fingers.
The exhibitors are gradually adapting their business models to the new market and
consumer realities. Cinema theatres sit firmly in this new experience paradigm, with
technology, services and design driving new possibilities in terms of attracting audiences
for international, European and local films.
The exhibitors industry is likely to argue that the European sector has quietly
consolidated its position as a key building block of the global industry, now representing
almost a quarter of World box office. 2015 was an extraordinary year for the industry in
Europe: audiences are increasing in Europe 6% as well as revenues 12.5 % compared to
the previous year. However, the increase in the box office was primarily driven by the
American blockbusters.
Our Position
The European Film Forum (EFF) was formally launched by you in February 2015 in
Berlin. Its aim is to develop a strategic policy agenda for the film sector with respect to
challenges and opportunities brought about by the digital revolution.
The Commission's Digital Single Market (DSM) Strategy aims to improve access to
digital and audiovisual content. It is essential to discuss how to enhance the
competitiveness, visibility and innovation in European audio-visual works and how to
ensure a sustainable financing of EU works.
We seek to support competitiveness and cultural diversity in Europe's' Cinemas
landscape. Cinema owners/operators are using new technologies, but a good allocation
throughout Europe has to be developed. Cinemas are more than places to screen films,
they are recreational spaces, where people dream, meet, exchange. This has to be part of
future Cinemas.
Line to Take
A strong, innovative and creative European film sector is important for the
competitiveness of our economy but it is fundamental for the preservation and promotion
of our shared European values and cultural diversity. Cinemas are a key player in this.
There is no hiding from a digital world and this digital world is transforming many
business and industries – Cinemas included. Consumers have more access to digital
content, whether it is at home or on mobile devices and even across borders.
One of the main Commission's priorities is the Digital Single Market strategy, which
involves modernising copyright rules in the light of this digital revolution. The goal is to
improve availability of creative and cultural content and we therefore want to support
Cinemas that are both competitive and attractive for the consumers.
This European Film Forum Venice 2016 is therefore important to us, as we listen and
learn how to support the European Cinema landscape for both the European AV industry
and the consumers.
5
II. Speech
Ladies and gentleman,
Introduction
I welcome the opportunity to debate, in the context of the Venice Film
Festival and the Biennale of Architecture, on what is needed to make
cinemas' future, a success story for the European audiovisual industry.
We Europeans can be considered the proud inventors of the cinema
theatre. The world's oldest movie theatre was the Eden in La Ciotat,
France. It was at the Eden that the Lumière brother screened their first
moving picture in 1899, which shows a steam train pulling into a station,
and passengers getting on and off. The legend says that, spectators were
so terrified at the image of a train moving towards them, that they left
their chairs in panic.
This is what cinema theatres were done for: to show the magical
collective experience of moving images on a big screen in the dark.
The challenges of cinemas theatres
And today more than ever, Cinema remains a special and incomparable
experience. That's what recent figures of the European Audiovisual
Observatory show us.
6
2015 was an exceptionally good year for European cinema theatres, with
an EU break gross box office record, which rocketed to around EUR 7.3
billion. This is 16% higher than the previous year and represents - the
highest level on record.
The phenomenal figures are due to a great extent to the sustained
investments made by cinema operators to embrace technological
innovation, improve the cinema experience, display a more diversified
programming and reach out to wider audiences.
Overall, 90% of the European cinemas have digitized their screens. But
this robust figure hides significant differences across EU Member States.
By the end of 2015 only total of 19 EU Member States had converted
90% or their screen base. We, on the political level, and you, as Cinema
operators and owners, have to work on the digitization in those countries
that haven't finished this process yet.
But we should not shy away: Box office growth was primarily driven by
US major studio titles. US films took a market share of around 64%. In
contrast, admissions for European films were declining. The European
market share in the EU dropped from its exceptional 2014 record level
of 33.5% to an estimated 26.1%, the lowest level in the past five years.
This shows that we need to work even more together, to make European
works more widely accessible, visible and prominent. This is essential to
foster our cultural diversity and promote our shared values. We would
like to see more European films on display in cinemas across the Union
and we would like Europeans to watch and enjoy them.
7
The digital challenge and the Digital Single Market
There is no hiding. We are living in a digital world. And this digital
world is transforming many business and industries. New companies
with different business models are challenging industry stalwarts which
would have thought it unimaginable just a few years ago.
Even the film business is facing a digital transformation. This is here to
stay. And this affects the modes of distribution of EU content. The
citizen may enjoy a connected lifestyle, where content can be accessed
and retrieved on different platforms and different legal environments.
The pace of innovation is relentless, consumer behaviour is changing
and this presents challenges but also tremendous opportunities for
industry. And this means, more than ever, that we have to do our best to
support European audiovisual works and European cultural diversity, to
be part of this game.
Within our Digital Single Market Strategy, we are working on various
proposals, notably to modernise copyright rules in the light of this digital
revolution. The goal is to improve availability and access of creative
content, taking a step by step, pragmatic and targeted approach rather
than a complete overhaul of the existing system.
In December last year, the Commission presented a first set of proposal
focusing on portability. The Commission will adopt on 23 September a
second package of legislative proposals to promote a wider access to
content across the Union, taking into account the need to ensure:
8
- a fair balance between creators and users wish to access content
more easily;
- a fair remuneration of those intervening in the creative process and
- a proper enforcement of copyright legislation.
We are aware of the importance of cultural diversity, diverse distribution
channels and the need to embrace audiences in a linguistically and
culturally relevant manner.
We have reflected these principles in our planned measures to
accompany the upcoming legislative proposals, for example, the
development and deployment of appropriate search tools as regards film
on offer, both in cinemas and in VoD platforms, or for promoting a more
efficient use and financing of subtitling.
Creative Europe
This year we are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the MEDIA
programme.
And Europa Cinemas, a unique cinemas network focusing on the
promotion and exhibition of non-national European films, is possibly
one of the most tangible and visible success stories of our programme.
The reach of the network is impressive: it covers 41 countries, 616
cities, more than 1,000 cinemas and 2,357 screens. We are proud to
partner with this vibrant community of cinema operators industry to
disseminate the best of European culture. It is supported by Creative
Europe MEDIA with an amount of 10.4 million Euros per year.
9
We know that many cinemas of the network have already embraced
innovative approaches and are reaping the benefits of digital to enlarge
their audiences.
And you are not alone in this endeavour. The Commission is fully
committed to support Europa Cinemas in the implementation an
ambitious innovation agenda.
As partners, we encourage to engage more strongly with younger
audiences and to achieve a greater presence in some parts of Europe,
notably Eastern Europe. But also, we would like to work hand in hand
with the community of cinema operators in the development of new
forms of promotion and distribution of European films.
In a digital world that is becoming more borderless, there are different
solutions enabling European films to maximize audience. Our
experience has shown that there is no one size fits all approach in this
area that works. It depends on the films themselves and on the rules on
the countries where they are distributed.
To fully reap the benefits of the digital transformation, collaboration
across the value chain, between producers, sales agents, distributors and
exhibitors is a must. Each actor remains dependent on the other for its
own success. This is why, within the framework of MEDIA, the
Commission will explore the development of collaborative partnerships
for the cross border distribution of a slate of films and for all the cross
border promotional and social media activities that this requires.
10
We see this as a good strategic move which will increase the access and
visibility of high quality European films across countries. We will of
course build on our strategic partnership with Europa Cinemas and also,
increase the visibility of EU films in important industry gatherings such
as CineEurope.
The cinema theatres themselves also need to adapt to make the big
screen experience as attractive as possible. We know that Cinema is a
complex structure – from a smoothly working ticket system to an
attractive programme. From a perfect sound to a great screen. From a
façade welcoming the audience to an interior design helping them,
helping us to dream, to live and love stories. Thus, architecture and
design are also important component for driving innovation in Cinemas.
For decades cinema's designs have defined the user's experience. Today,
technologies can provide to cinema-going public a unique, immersive
entertainment experience of the type that only a big screen in the dark
room can provide.
Conclusion
Before finishing my speech let me go back to La Ciotat and the Eden.
The theatre went through difficult times and had to close in 1995. But
after a refurbishment and facelift it reopened in October 2013 to become
a flourishing art house theatre. It has now an all-new life with thrilling
programming including heritage films and became a meeting place for
the city.
11
The future of theatres is clearly linked to digital and new technology.
But we also need intelligent and creative ideas allowing theatres to
maintain and enhance the magic of the cinematic experience and make
the most of a market with unparalleled diversity of languages, cultures
and film content.
I hope the discussion will be fruitful and help drive our common agenda
forward.
Author:
Article 4(1)(b)
, I.3 DG CNECT, tel. Article 4(1)(b)
12
III. Background
THE EUROPEAN FILM FORUM (EFF)
The EFF was launched by the Commission in its 2014 Communication on European Film in the
digital era. It provides a
platform for a structured dialogue between policy makers and
stakeholders in the audiovisual sector. Its aim is to develop a strategic policy agenda opening up
new perspectives to address the challenges and opportunities of the digital revolution.
It addresses a problem, which is well-known: "few European films are distributed outside their
production territories" and with time this gap between production and audiences is not
decreasing, to the contrary. The Commission has proposed a diagnosis in particular: structural
weaknesses of the European industry due its fragmentation, the shortcomings of financing, the
weak investment in development, promotion and distribution and the shortcomings in
entrepreneurial skills.
It has also proposed to join forces and address the problems identified through a comprehensive
strategy covering different areas:
review the financing environment: public funding including the issue of involvement of
newcomers in the value chain; access to private financing through financial instrument;
promote an innovative business environment: including adaptation of the copyright
framework, and of the AVMS Directive; promote the possibility of experimentation
notably with windows;
strengthen the creative environment through training and the development of new skills
notably in business;
work on strategies and tools to increase both the possibilities of access and the demand
for European films: visibility and discoverability, development of legal offers, work on
subtitling, film education.
Today, more than 2 years after its official announcement, the EFF is a reality: it was launched
last year in Berlin by Commissioner Oettinger in a debate with the audiovisual industry on
innovative business models.
It has been the frame of several public events:
• in festivals on different issues identified as crucial such as audience development, new business
models, talents and training, and on promotion, prominence and discoverability of European
works;
In 2015, dialogues were organised at 7 key venues and in 2016 in 4. More are coming this year
notably in:
- Venice on 3 – 4 Sept 2016
- San Sebastian on 16-24 September 2016
- Cinekids in October 2016 (dates for EFF tbc)
- MIPCOM on 17 - 20 October 2016 (dates for EFF tbc)
-Tallinn on 11 – 27 November (dates for EFF tbc)
- BOZAR on 1-2 December 2016
13
Beyond these events, we have
- developed a structured partnership with the Film agencies directors (EFADs): this is essential
since public support comes essentially from MSs and regions (2.1 bn per year; 3 bn if we count
tax incentives against 100 million from MEDIA);
- held informal meetings with stakeholders on a regular basis.
The EFF has also stimulated voluntary initiatives from the private sector (Working group of
producers, distributors, sales agents, cinemas, broadcasters and VoD services) who proposed
voluntarily to present solutions to improve the accessibility and circulation of films in Europe.
Finally, the EFF has also been the frame of policy discussions between the Commission,
especially Commissioner Oettinger and Vice President Ansip and the different segments of the
audiovisual industry including directors and film makers on regulatory issues i.e. the DSM, the
copyright reform and the AVMSD.
The European Film Forum is designed to lead, by the end of 2017, to concrete adaptations of
European funding systems and clear recommendations for Member-States and the industry. It
will also be used in the context of the review of the MEDIA sub-programme of the Creative
Europe programme.
, DG CNECT, I.3 tel.
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
14
Europa Cinemas
Founded in 1992 with funding from the MEDIA programme (Creative Europe) and from the
Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée (CNC), Europa Cinemas is the first film theatre
network focusing on European films.
It is supported by Creative Europe MEDIA with an amount of 10.4 million Euros per year.
Its objective is to provide operational and financial support to cinemas that commit themselves to
screen a significant number of European non-national films, to offer events and initiatives as
well as promotional activities targeted at Young Audiences.
Thanks to the support of Eurimages and the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the influence of
Europa Cinemas extends to Eastern European countries, to the Balkans and to Turkey.
Europa Cinemas also supports exhibition and distribution of European films in Asia, Latin
America and the southern Mediterranean countries within the scope of Europa Cinemas Mundus.
The network in figures
41 countries, 619 cities, 1,037 cinemas, 2,537 screens
MEDIA: 33 countries, 578 cities, 976 cinemas, 2,337 screens
EURIMAGES: 3 countries, 36 cities, 55 cinemas, 185 screens
MAE: 5 countries, 5 cities, 6 cinemas, 15 screens
15
IV. CVs of relevant participants during your presence
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
16
Commissioner OETTINGER: Bilateral meeting with Article 4(1)(b)
the
Biennale of Venice Article 4(1)(b)
at 10:30 – 11:000 on 4 September 2016
Article 4(1)(b)
(Palazzo de la Biennale)
________________________________________________________________
I. Scene setter
The Venice Biennale has for over a century been one of the most prestigious cultural institutions
in the world. Established in 1895, the Biennale has an attendance today of over 370,000 visitors
at the Art Exhibition. The Venice Film Festival founded in 1932 as the first film festival ever
organized worldwide and one of the "Big Three" along Cannes and Berlin.
La Biennale die Venezia is interested in reaching out to the future not only in bringing together
different sectors of art but also crossing boundaries for example for being the pioneer in short
listing Netflix's hugely discussed first feature film "Beasts of no nation" at the Venice Film
Festival 2015.
For DG CONNECT: DG Roberto Viola, Article 4(1)(b)
For the Cabinet: Anna Herold
Estimated duration: 25 minutes
Objective(s):
To thank for the cooperation and to already propose an exchange in the future.
To underline the Commissions approach in supporting innovation in the creative sector
encompassing both digital issues as well as innovative means of financing.
To that skills and innovative training are an important aspect and that you therefore
welcome the support of the Biennale College (skills programme of the Biennale) via
Creative Europe MEDIA.
Their position
La Biennale tries to balance quality (in an artistic sense) and market considerations.
Furthermore they were working on ideas how to reform the Venice Film Market to offer
the AV industry a modern and valuable support for access to market.
They think it is it is not so much the market of selling produced films that is of interest
but the financing of the production of films ('the last mile') and the to work on a larger
distribution (particularly for European films).
Our position
EC and la biennale have a common interest in further developing the links between the
art world and the technology world at large.
17
There room for deepening the collaboration. Thus, a brainstorming could be organised
between EC services and la Biennale to explore avenues for co-operation on areas of
common interest, covering audiovisual matters (DSM, copyright and the MEDIA
programme) but spanning to other activities linking art and technology in various way
(e.g. sustainable cities), digitalisation of arts works or Cultural and Creative industries.
18
II. Speaking points
Thank you for the good cooperation with the Biennale.
We are proud of our association with la Mostra, which is not only the
first film festival ever created, but, also one of the most renowned
worldwide and a leading European hub for the audiovisual industry.
Beyond audiovisual matters, we also interested in the Biennale's
approach to combine culture and technology, arts and industry, and
skills and innovation. We would like to explore possible avenues for
cooperation on these broader matters.
We have a heavy agenda in the coming weeks and months on issues
that will surely be of interest to you.
Adapting to the Digital Age will require a carefully balanced policy
toolbox, combining legislative and support measures, aimed to help
the AV industry adapt and thrive in the digital era.
On the legislative side, we will soon propose a number of legislative
proposals to ensure wider access to content across the EU, a number
of exceptions to digital and cross border environments p, achieve a
well-functioning market place for copyright and an effective
enforcement system.
A number of industry-led support measures aimed to support
enhanced availability and visibility of European content including
cross borders will accompany these legislative proposals.
Structured stakeholder dialogue is a cornerstone of our support
agenda. We have initiated a constructive dialogue on a number of
issues, from subtitling to promotion of European content. We will
soon expand this dialogue to cover licensing and other legal issues
hindering the distribution of woks on line.
We are celebrating 25 years of MEDIA our EU programme
supporting the audiovisual industry. This allows us to not only to take
stock, but also to look into the programme's future outlook and
19
strengthen its contribution to the Digital Single Market strategy
objectives
I am pleased that MEDIA is currently supporting the Venice
Production Bridge (former Venice Film Market) and will soon also
support the Biennale College.
I would like to discuss with you how we could help you strengthen
the synergies between the Festival, the Film Market and the Skills
programme activities, to consolidate Venice as one of the majors
European film hubs.
Author:
Article 4(1)(b)
, I.3 DG CNECT, tel. Article 4(1)(b)
20
III. Background
La Biennale di Venezia Cinema and Creative Europe MEDIA
The Venice Biennale has for over a century been one of the most prestigious cultural institutions
in the world. Established in 1895, the Biennale has an attendance today of over 370,000 visitors
at the Art Exhibition. The Venice Film Festival founded in 1932 as the first film festival ever
organized worldwide and one of the "Big Three" along Cannes and Berlin. The 72nd Venice
International Film Festival took place from 2 - 12 September 2015 and the Venice Film Market
(VFM) the 3 - 8 September 2015.
La Biennale die Venezia is interested in reaching out to the future not only in bringing together
different sectors of art but also crossing boundaries for example for being the pioneer in short
listing Netflix's hugely discussed first feature film "Beasts of no nation" at the Venice Film
Festival 2015. In this year's Festival 55 new feature films were screened in the Official Selection
and 16 new short films. In general 3193 film (1740 feature and 1453 short films) were viewed.
The VFM 2015 showed again a very positive increase in the number of professionals attending
the market, with more than 400 production companies and 200 distribution companies. In
addition, some 1,700 professionals, including producers, film commissions and institutions,
exhibitors, film festivals etc., attended the VFM.
I.6 started working with the Venice International Film Festival-La Mostra as part of La Biennale
in 2015. Within the framework of the European Film Forum, an event on "Cross Culture – a
driver for a Creative Europe" was held on 5 September 2015. In exchange with DG Roberto
Viola and the President of the Biennale Paolo Baratta on 9 Februar 2016 a stronger collaboration
was agreed. A result of this exchange is this year's EC event at the Venice Film Festival.
Creative Europe MEDIA at the 73nd Venice Film Festival
This year,
8 films supported by the MEDIA subprogramme will be screened at the Venice
Film Festival 2016, and some will compete, in the Festival's selections:
Official Selection - Venezia 73
o
Une Vie, by Stéphane Brizé, supported at the development and distribution stages
o
Frantz, by François Ozon, supported the distribution stage
o
Les Beaux Jours d'Aranjuez, by Wim Wenders, supported at the distribution stage
Official Selection - Out of Competition
o
The Journey, by Nick Hamm, supported at the distribution stage
o
Safari, y Ulrich Seidl, supported at the distribution stage
o
Planetarium, by Rebecca Zlotowski, supported at the distribution stage
Official Selection - Orizzonti
o
King of the Belgians, by Peter Brosens and Jessica Woodworth, supported at the
development stage
International Critics' Week
o
Le Ultime Cose, by Irene Dionisio, supported at the distribution stage
21
Activities supported by Creative Europe Media
The
Venice Production Bridge (former European GAP Financing Market / Venice Film
Market), a co-production and a co-financing market for European projects having secured at least
70% of their budget. The objectives of the European Gap Financing Market (EGFM) are first to
help European producers to complete their financing and then to create a networking opportunity
for both the producers on one side and the financiers (including the distributors, the sales agents
and the post-production companies) on the other side. As the projects have to have secured 70%
of their budget, they are more appealing to equity and financial investors and financiers as well
as the sales agents, distributors and post-production companies which are more and more
interested to act as co-producers.
CE MEDIA supports yearly 60.000€.
Biennale College CINEMA & Hybrid: The Biennale College - Hybrid is a programme
developed to navigate the most innovative and exciting technology of today - Virtual Reality. In
its approach to exploring the aesthetic and narrative opportunities offered by this new form
Hybrid provides filmmakers and creative professionals with the skills to prepare them to fully
engage with 360° interactive immersive future. The Biennale College – Cinema is a creative
community that explores the aesthetics of micro-budget feature length filmmaking (between
150.000€ and 250.000€) and the new integrated models of production which engage with an
audience
from
the
outset.
The decision on the call was just now met and CE MEDIA will support the two projects with
190.000€ in 2016.
Art Cinema = Action + Management training cinema managers, operators and programmers in
how to manage art house cinemas Grant. A training run by the Confédération Internationale des
Cinémas d'Art et d'Essai (CICAE). CE MEDIA supports yearly 145.000€.
Creative Europe Desk Media offices Italy
The Creative Europe Desk Italy MEDIA offices (the one stop shops for Creative Europe, which
exist in 38 countries) are present at the Venice Film Festival 2016 in the Italian pavilion to
advice and support the industry.
22
Biennale College − Cinema
The
73rd Venice Film Festival will screen
four feature films selected, developed and
produced at Biennale College – Cinema, a laboratory for advanced training dedicated to the
production of low cost films. The laboratory was created by the Biennale di Venezia in 2012 and
is open to young filmmakers from all over the world.
•
La Soledad by Jorge Thielen Armand (director, Venezuela),Adriana Herrera
(producer, Venezuela), Rodrigo Michelangeli (producer, Venezuela), Manon Ardisson
(co-producer, United Kingdon) (first feature); with José Dolores López, Marley
Alvillares, Adrializ López, Jorge Roque Thielen, María Agamez.
•
Mukti Bhawan (Hotel Salvation) by Shubhashish Bhutiani (director, India), Sanjay
Bhutiani, (producer, India), Sajida Sharma (producer, India) (first feature); with Adil
Hussain, Lalit Behl, Geetanjali Kulkarni, Palomi Ghosh, Navnindra Behl, Anil K.
Rastogi, Maya Alagh.
•
Orecchie by Alessandro Aronadio (director, Italy), Costanza Coldagelli (producer,
Italy) (second feature); with Daniele Parisi, Silvia D’Amico, Pamela Villoresi, Ivan
Franek, Rocco Papaleo, Milena Vukotic, Piera Degli Esposti, Massimo Wertmueller,
Andrea Purgatori, Sonia Gessner, Paolo Giovannucci, Niccolò Senni, Francesca
Antonelli, Re Salvador, Silvana Bosi, Masaria Colucci.
•
Una Hermana (One Sister) by Sofía Brockenshire (director and producer, Canada),
Verena Kuri, (director and producer, Germany), (first feature); with Sofía Palomino,
Adriana Ferrer, Saúl Simonet, Sebastián Carbone, Eugenia Alonso.
Biennale College – Cinema, organized by the
Biennale di Venezia and supported by the
Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities – Cinema Head Office. Academic collaboration
is provided to
Biennale College – Cinema by
New York’s IFP,
Torino FilmLab and the Busan
International Film Festival.
Alberto Barbera is the Director,
Savina Neirotti is the Head of
Programme.
July 1 marked the conclusion of the application period for the
fifth edition (2016-2017) of
Biennale College – Cinema. Applications were received from over 65 countries. In the
upcoming weeks, the selection process will be held to choose the next
12 projects and teams
which will be invited to participate in the first workshop in October, the initial stage of a
development process that will conclude at the 2017 Venice Film Festival with the projection of
three new low-cost films. The names of the 12 selected projects will be announced during the
Biennale College – Cinema press conference at the Lido on the 4th of September.
23
IV. CV of relevant participant
Article 4(1)(b)
24
Press Point of Commissioner OETTINGER and
the Biennale of
Article 4(1)(b)
Venice Article 4(1)(b)
at 11:00 – 11:30 on 4 September 2016
Press area in front of the Palazzo de la Biennale
_________________________________________________________________
I. Scene setter
Disclaimer:
To be completed based upon decision on the content by the Cabinet of GHO and SPP team and
in the light of the developments on the upcoming communication / announcement on copyright.
The participation of President of the Biennale of Venice Paolo Baratta will add value and
visibility to this event.
The short statement will be followed by a Q&A session with the invited international press (in
ENG).
For: DG CNECT
For DG CONNECT: Article 4(1)(b) (I.3 DG CNECT)
For the Cabinet: Anna Herold Article 4(1)(b)
Estimated duration: 30 minutes
Author: Article 4(1)(b)
, I.3 DG CNECT, tel. Article 4(1)(b)
25
III. Background
25 YEARS OF MEDIA
MEDIA has supported the European audiovisual industry for the last 25 years.
For the last 25 years it has provided co-financing in the fields of development (fiction, drama,
documentary), training for audiovisual industry, and promotion and distribution of European
works. By focusing on early-stage development as well as distribution, the programme has given
European film productions large competitive advantages over outside art-film productions.
MEDIA also has the aim of supporting access to finance for audiovisual companies, an objective
which is addressed with the launch of the Cultural and Creative Sectors Guarantee Facility
(CCSGF) earlier this year. Finally, MEDIA has an important role to play in European support for
film literacy and cultural heritage.
There is no doubt that the high profile of the programme is linked to the support of the best of
European film. Since 1991 MEDIA has co-financed some of the jewels of European cinema,
critically acclaimed at festivals such as Festival de Cannes. This year, no less than 9 films
supported by MEDIA will be competing in the Official Competition, out of 21 entries. In the past
25 years, 40 films cofinanced by the programme have been awarded the Palme d'Or, the Grand
Prix or the Prix de la mise en scène.
TV series co-funded by MEDIA are also doing very well. In particular, the "Nordic Noir" genre
is currently sweeping the television world. In videogames, MEDIA supported the development
of European games such as "Trine 3" and "The Witcher3: Wild Hunt".
At this very difficult period in the evolution of the European project, audiovisual works
supported by MEDIA can encourage citizens to engage with the big issues facing us all – the
challenges of migration so poignantly addressed in films like last year's Palme d'Or winning
"Dheepan"; international crime through series such as the MEDIA supported " Last Panthers"
and "The Team"; the challenges facing young people in a Europe of evolving value systems in
films like the Lux Prize winning "Mustang".
In Cannes, we launch the anniversary of MEDIA to celebrate European creativity,
competitiveness and diversity. The year-long campaign will pay tribute to European works
which drive our imagination. Our slogan is "we all love stories", and the European TV, video
game, and cinema industries are our providers. MEDIA will be active on social media and at
events and will provide content which puts our storytellers first. The celebration will be with two
full days of programme in Bozar, on 1 and 2 December 2016.
Article 4(1)(b)
, DG CNECT I.3, tel. Article 4(1)(b)
26
Roundtable discussion with stakeholders on online exploitation of European
works
4 September 2016, 11:30 - 13:00
Sala Torcello (Excelsior Hotel 3rd Floor)
_________________________________________________________________
I. Scene setter
This round table discussion will be held in the run up to the adoption of the second package of
copyright proposals scheduled on 21 September. The package includes also a set of support
measures intended to make European works more widely accessible. The round table will
provide an opportunity to discuss in particular how to enhance access to and availability of
European audiovisual works on video-on-demand (VoD) platforms.
The list of participating stakeholders (is attached together with photos and short bios as at the
delivery date of the briefing.)
Updates will be sent prior to the meeting in the light of the developments on the upcoming
communication / announcement on copyright and concerning participants.
For DG CONNECT: DG Roberto Viola and Article 4(1)(b)
For the Cabinet: Anna Herold
Estimated duration: 1h30 (11:30-13:00)
Agenda:
1. DG Viola - Opening remarks by Commissioner Oettinger as soon as you are arrived
2. Exchanges of views with the stakeholders: brief statements by each stakeholder followed by a
discussion on how to foster access for European works online
3. Closing of the meeting by Commissioner Oettinger
Objective(s):
The purpose of this roundtable is to have an informal exchange of views with a limited number
of audiovisual stakeholders on the measures aimed to foster the on-line dissemination of EU
works and, unblock VoD exploitation rights included in the upcoming copyright communication
of 21 September, and in particular on:
Promoting licensing hubs, i.e. online tools that allow the digital distribution of EU works
also in countries where they have not been released theatrically or where there is no
national distributor.
27
Seeking ways to incentivize stakeholders receiving support from MEDIA to be made
available in territories where no distribution agreement has been signed.
Discussing licensing and other legal issues hindering the exploitation of EU works in
VoD platforms. The Commission will propose in the upcoming copyright communication
a structured multiparty stakeholder dialogue to examine these legal issues. The dialogue
will complement the negotiation mechanism set out in the upcoming draft Directive on
Copyright in the Digital Single Market.
Through this stakeholder dialogue, we should see to:
Better ascertain the level of support or scepticism on the Commission proposals and in
particular on the negotiation mechanism, structured dialogue on licensing issues and
possible incentives under the MEDIA programme to enhance access and availability of
EU works on VoD platforms.
Understand stakeholders' concerns and getter back of legal issues that could be addressed
in the kick-off the structured dialogue on licensing issues scheduled before the end of
2016
Their Position
Most stakeholders welcome the copyright portability proposals but are unwilling to see
the European Commission moving further on cross-border access.
As regards the negotiation mechanism and stakeholder's dialogue, stakeholders are likely
to request clarification regarding their purpose and mandate. Some might even question
the usefulness and added value of such solutions.
As regards the financial support measures provided by MEDIA, most stakeholders are
likely to support the action and welcome any further increase on its budget. Stakeholders
are likely to ask clarifications about the precise scope of possible incentive measures to
encourage distributors to make available works receiving MEDIA support across border
under certain well-defined conditions.
Our Position
We encourage structured dialogue and engage with stakeholders to find suitable and
concrete ways to accompany the copyright reform and foster the access and availability
of EU works on line.
We wish to support the audivisual players to adapt to the digital shift, streamline
licensing practices and unblock VoD exploitation rights
Line to Take
Present the upcoming copyright package, focusing on the support measures aimed to
boost the exploitation of EU works in VoD platforms.
Underline the importance of the structured stakeholder dialogue on licensing issues along
the negotiation mechanism to make more audiovisual, work available on line and unlock
any potential licensing obstacles.
28
II. Speaking points
Welcome to this meeting, this takes place at a very timely moment.
In a couple of weeks' time, the commission will adopt a second
comprehensive copyright package. One of the objectives of these
proposals is to enhance the dissemination of European works on
VoD platforms.
A unified European marketplace of more than 500 million citizens
represents a compelling proposition on paper. But the reality of our
fragmented market is different.
Two-thirds of European viewers say that they would watch more
non-national films, if they were more readily available in their own
language.
We have to listen to them and we have to address the weakness of
European film circulation.
We do share a common interest in making European works easily
available across Europe. The benefits will be two-fold: consumers
will have easy online access to the content they search for and
industry players will have access to a wider audience and will be
able to experiment new solutions.
Adapting to the Digital Age will require a carefully balanced
policy toolbox, combining legislative and support measures, aimed
to help the AV industry adapt and thrive in the digital era.
On the legislative side, we will propose a negotiation mechanism
that will overcome licensing obstacles and facilitate the
29
conclusions of agreements to make more audiovisual works
available on VoD platforms.
On the support side, the Commission is proposing a set of
measures, including:
o a structured multiparty dialogue on licensing issues, which
will examine all legal and contractual issues hindering the
exploitation of EU works on line. The ultimate objective is to
streamline licensing practices and contribute to a more
sustained winds exploitation and wider availability of EU
works. Our partnership with stakeholders is crucial. We will
need to explore ways to incentivise rights holders make
works widely available;
o the creation of online tools that would allow the digital
distribution of European works also in countries where they
have not been released theatrically or where there is no
national distributor. These are the licencing hubs. In practice,
this could be done by enabling users to access content in
various ways through partner websites while remunerating
the rights holders automatically. Currently the MEDIA
programme supports a prototype of licensing hub, i.e. ICE
(International Cinema exchange) since 2015 (260.000 €) and
H2020 supports RDI (Rights data Integration).
DVD revenues have decreased, but VoD consumption is rising
sharply. The barrier faced by small producers is that VoD services
do not negotiate with individual producers. On one hand small
producers are cut off the VoD services, while on the other hand
30
consumers do not enjoy a diverse offer. A well curated, attractive
catalogue would bridge this gap. For this reason, we support the
creation of a ready to offer catalogue from different producers to
VoD services.
The roundtable today is a good opportunity to discuss these
different initiatives with you. I would be interested in hearing your
views on these proposals and in particular, on how your business
models could benefit from such initiatives.
I would like to invite all the participants to respect Chatham house
rules: you are free to use any information received. However,
neither the identity, nor the affiliation of the speakers, not that of
any other participants, can be disclosed.
31
III. Defensives
Why are ready to offer catalogues a priority for the Commission?
Understanding audience demand and media consumption habits has always been crucial, but
remains a weakness in Europe. Revenues from VoD multiplied by x6.2 since 2009 to €1.5bn in
2013, but do not balance physical video losses. Countries are maturing at different rates: in 2012,
the VoD market recorded a growth rate of 59% in Germany and 14.7% in France.
On one hand small producers are cut off the VoD services, while on the other hand consumers do
not enjoy a diverse offer. The catalogue would bridge this gap.
Why does film distribution need a new approach?
European films are less widely distributed, they are available online in fewer EU Member States
(2.8 EU Member States in average as opposed to 6.8 EU Member States for US films). 47% of
EU films released in EU cinemas between 2005 and 2014 are available on at least one VoD
service (5046 films out of 10.828), while 87% of US films released in the same period in EU
cinemas are available on at least one VoD service (2.404 films out of 2.748).
In cinemas, the gap between European films (2.6) and US films (9.7) is even wider.
Film distribution may face other problems. Why is the creation of licensing hubs a priority?
The shift of media consumption from push to pull is challenging the media chronology, while the
digital world is challenging physical borders. There are big differences between territories and
lack of connection with potential audiences, for instance young people. We need a broader
perspective, to better understand the audience and media consumption.
The so-called unsold territories, the countries where there is no national distributor, could be
compared to the internet white spots. If we try to offer internet coverage everywhere, we are also
keen on making European audio-visual works available everywhere.
Author: Article 4(1)(b)
, I.3 DG CNECT, tel. Article 4(1)(b)
32
IV. Background
Online exploitation of European works
Aiming to ensure wider access to European works across borders, the Copyright
Communication "Towards a modern, more European copyright framework" objectives to help
the European audiovisual sector increase the availability and visibility of works online and to
reach more audiences across borders.
Wider online dissemination of European works
What is the problem?
European films are produced by small production companies and are distributed territory by
territory. There is no legal access to the works in the territories for which no agreements have
been signed with local distributors.
How to tackle this missed opportunity?
By creating ready to offer catalogues of European works
The digital world is moving fast and creates new standards of speed and readiness. The world at
our fingertips is no longer a figure of speech; it is the reality of the virtual world. The readily
available catalogue is part of the efforts to keep the pace.
For small producers, it is impossible to negotiate individual deals with VoD services in countries
where their films have not been acquired by a local distributor. The reason is that VoD services
do not deal on an individual basis. To address this problem, we support the activity of
aggregation enabling to offer directly to VoD services different films coming from different
producers within a well curated coherent and attractive catalogue.
By developing licensing hubs
What is the goal?
Facilitate easy access to European audio-visual works.
Licencing hubs are online tools that would allow the digital distribution of European works also
in countries where they have not been released theatrically or where there is no national
distributor.
How does this translate in practice?
One way to do this is, for example, by enabling users to access content in various ways through
partner websites while remunerating the rights holders automatically.
Currently the MEDIA programme supports a prototype of licensing hub i.e. ICE (International
Cinema exchange) since 2015 (260.000 €) and H2020 supports RDI (Rights data Integration).
33
Together with stakeholders, the Commission will explore ways to incentivise rights holders to
make available works receiving support for distribution through the Creative Europe MEDIA
programme to also be made available in territories where no distribution agreement has been
signed.
By encouraging structured stakeholder dialogue on licensing issues
The Commission will launch and steer in 2016 a structured multi-party stakeholder dialogue to
examine licensing issues and related legal and contractual obstacles hindering the exploitation of
European audiovisual works on VoD services.
We have to engage with industry players across the value chain (producers, authors, sales agents,
distributors, broadcasters, aggregators, VoD platforms), who typically do not enter directly into
commercial agreements with each other.
These efforts will facilitate industry agreements for a more sustained exploitation and wider
availability of European works. This will contribute to streamline licensing practices and reach
industry agreements for a more sustained exploitation and wider availability of European works.
The benefits will be two-fold: consumers will have easy online access to the content they search
for and industry players will have access to a wider audience and will be able to experiment new
solutions. The Commission will report on the results of this structured dialogue by end of 2018.
With more efficient funding and use of subtitling/dubbing
Cross-border distribution of audiovisual works depends on availability of different language
versions. We are now exploring the possibility of innovative cost-effective ways to obtain
subtitling. Three projects were selected in 2015 and are now being implemented. Results will be
made public in 2017.
The Commission will also launch, by the end of 2016, a prototype of an online repository tool
for subtitling/dubbing in order to allow easy access to and reuse of existing subtitling/dubbing by
operators wherever they are established in the EU. This this make available all language versions
in any country.
Making search and access to European works online easier
European audiovisual works do not enjoy the same brand awareness as their American
counterparts. The small scale of releases and small promotion budgets largely contribute to this.
Finding platforms where European works can be accessed legally and finding the content they
want to watch is equally challenging.
How to enable users to easily find and access European audiovisual productions online?
By promoting the use of a common standard identifier
34
Unlike in the book sector where works are clearly identified by an identification number (ISBN),
the audiovisual sector suffers from the absence of a common identification number, which would
facilitate findability and licensing activities. Two main ISO standard identifiers coexist on the
market i.e. ISAN and EIDR, which are not interoperable.
This impacts on the licensing activities which are burdensome and cannot be easily automated.
The Commission is currently working with ISAN and EIDR to facilitate the deployment of
standard identifiers on the market and a more efficient rights management, exploitation and
research of European works.
By the end of 2016, the use of a common standard identifier should be one of the requirements
for the support through the Creative Europe MEDIA programme.
By developing online search tools and EU aggregator
An online search tool
would allow viewers to quickly find an online legal offer to watch the film
or audiovisual work they are seeking. Different solutions are emerging in several Member States
with or without public funding.
The European Union Intellectual property Office (EUIPO) is developing a search tool
(Agorateka - the European online content portal) as well as a toolkit for creating national search
tools, which will be fully operational by 2017.
Promoting legal offers and improving discoverability of European films are some of the main
concerns the Commission is tackling together with the European Film Directors Association
(EFADs) and the film industry.
The development of joint promotion strategies for European co-productions will be on the
agenda of the Commission and EFADs in 2017.
By seeking a more sustained exploitation of existing works
Film heritage institutions, national film funds, the European audiovisual industry and the
Commission share the aim of
an increased commercial use of existing audiovisual works on the
different channels of distribution available (cinema, VoD, catch-up TV, linear broadcasting).
Another key objective is a better exploitation of non-commercial rights in European films. These
cover use by educational organizations, like schools, public libraries and other non-theatrical
venues (e.g. hospitals).
Over time, these practices could create new demand for European films.
The Commission is exploring together with the EFADs and the audiovisual industry the
possibility of creating in 2017 a catalogue of European films for educational purposes.
35
V. Participants list and CVs plus photos
Participants list (as at 23/08/ 2016)
Name
Organism
U-TAD
EIDR
EPC
Apple Film Production,
Prezes Zarzadu/CEO
Article 4(1)(b)
EYZ Media GmbH
Zentropa International
Estonian Film institute
ISAN
Eurocinema
CNC
36
CVs of participants
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
37
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
38
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
39
Presence of Commissioner Oettinger at Venice Film Festival September 2016
ANNEX I Cinemas in Europe
The number of European screens grew by 1.57% on previous year to a
total of 37,335 in 2014, well in line with the 0.94% and 1.39% growth in
the United States and Japan respectively.
However, the number of screens slightly decreased in the European Union,
by 0.14% on 2013, down to 29,943. (EAO Yearbook 2015 – Key Trends)
With 33,916 digital screens in Europe (27,932 in the EU), 2014 saw digital
penetration reach a peak of 91% (93% in the EU). The evolution of digital
screens varies significantly from country to country:
18 EU countries examined by European Audiovisual Observatory recorded
digital penetration of 90% or above (LU, BG, CY, EE, FI, FR, UK, IE,
NL, DK, AT, BE, DE, SE, IT, HU, HR, RO), which means that the
digitisation process is finished or almost finished in those countries. 8
countries are between 60 and 90% of digital screens (ES, MT, PT, SI, PL,
SK, LV, CZ). Only 2 countries are below 60% (EL and LT) – according to
EAO data available from 2014.
Therefore, as visible in the table, the support for the digitisation of film
theatres decreased significantly in 2014 after peaking the previous year
when the digitisation process was still ongoing;
Presence of Commissioner Oettinger at the Venice Film Festival 2016
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Presence of Commissioner Oettinger at Venice Film Festival September 2016
2014 proved to be an exceptionally good year for European films as a
whole. Cumulatively selling about 302 million tickets in the 28 EU
member states, European films took an estimated record market share of
33.2%. This is well above the usual range of 26% to 29%.
Unlike 2014, admissions growth in the EU in 2015 seems to be driven by
the strong performance of primarily US blockbusters, therefore it seems
that the picture will look quite different in 2015.
Presence of Commissioner Oettinger at the Venice Film Festival 2016
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Presence of Commissioner Oettinger at Venice Film Festival September 2016
Magdalena DZBIK, DG CNECT I.3, tel. 56311
Presence of Commissioner Oettinger at the Venice Film Festival 2016
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Presence of Commissioner Oettinger at Venice Film Festival September 2016
ANNEX II. Accompanying measures
Accompanying measures to foster cross-border access to content: progress and
options
The Copyright Communication of December 2015 presented a series of new support
measures, mostly funded by the MEDIA programme, accompanying the regulatory
proposals. This note describes these measures, progress made so far and next steps.
Progress so far
We are implementing the measures and expect the first results by the end of the year.
The measures are grouped below according to their objectives, with a technical annex
providing more details.
I) Making films available in unsold territories
i) Ready to offer catalogues of European films. Films from many small producers are
being aggregated into catalogues for VoD platforms online. Good progress is being
made in delivering innovative and diverse catalogues. In 2015 with a budget of € 0.65
million 34 films were included in catalogues whilst in 2016 with a budget of 1.3
million, about 70 additional films will be included in VoD catalogues (as part of the
MEDIA Online distribution scheme). However the main challenge is for Member States
and industry to scale up their collaboration and support more catalogues.
ii) Develop licencing hubs. The purpose is to develop online tools allowing legal access
to content by viewers across borders. However, progress of this pilot project has been
slower than expected due to difficulties in raising agile seed funding. We are monitoring
closely the progress and considering the use of the H2020 fast track instrument to
increase funding for prototype development.
II) Promote a common system of identification of films
iii) Develop standard identifiers of works. The envisaged action is to promote either the
use of a common identifier or interoperability between existing ones at European level.
Good progress is being made as on 7 June industry stakeholders agreed an action plan
which aims to find a solution by the end of 2016. The two standard identifiers have
agreed to work together. The solution would be based on self-regulation and result in
an industry code of conduct. Incentives could be increased by making MEDIA funding
and national funding of content subject to use of the standard identifiers.
III) Make European films more findable and prominent
iv) Support the development of a European search tool. The search tool would enable
viewers to find legal offers for films online at European level. Good progress is being
made. CNECT is collaborating on the prototyping which is led by the
Office for
Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM), with a view to deployment by Q2
2017. Discussions with Member States continue on how to federate existing national
tools.
v) Promotion of legal offers, discoverability and findability. Investment needs to shift
from over-production of new works to promotion and marketing of online works and
services, in order to build audiences. Progress is uneven. One the one hand, a new
Presence of Commissioner Oettinger at the Venice Film Festival 2016
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Presence of Commissioner Oettinger at Venice Film Festival September 2016
Online distribution scheme will be set up under MEDIA as part of the 2017 Work
Programme with an increased budget of € 9.5 million from €5.7 million. However,
discussions with EFADs (the national films funds) have been inconclusive and overall
industry has been unable so far to develop collaborative models and pool resources for
promotion activities.
IV) Smart subtitling and dubbing
vi) More efficient funding and use of subtitling and dubbing. New tools and processes
are being developed, through two preparatory actions, for funding and sharing subtitling
and dubbing. Projects are exploring the use of digital platforms and crowdfunding for
production of subtitles, an online repository and supporting cross-border distribution
through subtitling. Good progress is being made as a number of innovative projects
have been selected from which we expect new insights This is an area where EU
intervention can clearly add value and trigger changes in industry and national funding.
The European Parliament clearly supports action in this policy area.
V) Promote new models for exploiting and financing films
(vii) Find ways for a more sustained exploitation of existing European films. Classic
European films are often not available and new business models need to be found to
create a sustainable market for them. This action is at an early stage. In 2016 policy
evidence is being gathered through an in depth study by the European Audiovisual
Observatory, due in July 2016. The conclusions could feed into the copyright legislative
proposals and into collaboration with industry on concrete measures.
viii) Develop alternative models of financing, production and distribution. Good
progress is being made with the launch of the Cultural and Creative Sectors Guarantee
Facility. Discussions have started with the EIF on possible frontloading and topping up
with EFSI funds. The Guarantee Facility could then be used as the main platform for
gathering other sources of financing. In particular the animation sector could be a good
test bed for new investment vehicles because it is more entrepreneurial and open
towards structured industry cooperation.
Conclusions
Overall, six months after the launching of the accompanying measures, the
implementation process is on track. First concrete and/or interim results will be
delivered by the end of the year, notably on the common standard identifier(s), the EU
aggregator, ready-to-offer catalogues of European films and subtitling. The Guarantee
Facility is ready to be launched and could be front loaded and topped up with EFSI
funds.
The accompanying measures also aim to trigger changes in business practices by
funding development of new technical tools as well as business models. Given the
budgetary constraints our focus has been on supporting pioneering, innovative projects
(e.g. Licencing hubs, aggregators). These need to be implemented efficiently and the
results need to be showcased widely. In parallel, the collaboration with Member States
and the industry is essential for these innovations to be scaled up and deployed at
European level.
Presence of Commissioner Oettinger at the Venice Film Festival 2016
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Presence of Commissioner Oettinger at Venice Film Festival September 2016
The overall success of the package depends on the engagement of the Member States
and industry. Their active participation and financial contribution will be important in
moving from pilot projects and other actions to deploying innovations at scale.
The co-operation with the EFADs has proved to be particularly valuable and helped to
bring industry on board. It is worth noting that the UK, FR and DE film funds are taking
the lead and strengthening coordination amongst themselves.
We now need to maintain momentum. As such, the Copyright package in September is
a valuable opportunity to increase the visibility of these measures and build support for
them. On this occasion, a joint statement from the Commission, EFADs and industry
about the progress made thus far and prospects for future collaboration could give a
strong positive signal. We could also announce at that moment a reinforced
collaboration with the EIF and the EIB to financially support the cultural and creative
sectors, building on the Guarantee Facility.
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Presence of Commissioner Oettinger at Venice Film Festival September 2016
ANNEX III. Access to finance
The European Commission and the European Investment Fund (EIF) launched a €121
million guarantee initiative to support SMEs in the cultural and creative sectors via
financial institutions on 30 June 2016. This scheme is expected to create more than
€600 million worth of bank loans over the next six years.
On 18th July,, the EIF published a call for expression of interest to which eligible
financial institutions (banks, guarantee institutions, leasing companies, etc.) will be able
to apply. After a thorough selection process, the EIF will select financial intermediaries
which can then make the new finance available to SMEs in the targeted sectors.
Financial intermediaries will report thoroughly on the financial products they will
propose to SMEs and their take-up.
This new initiative allows the EIF to provide guarantees and counter-guarantees, free of
charge, to selected financial intermediaries in order to enable them to provide more debt
finance to entrepreneurs in the cultural and creative arena. Guarantee institutions,
commercial and promotional banks as well as other financial intermediaries benefiting
from the €121 million guarantee will support more than ten thousand SMEs in a wide
range of sectors such as audiovisual (including film, television, animation, video games
and multimedia), festivals, music, literature, architecture, archives, libraries and
museums, artistic crafts, cultural heritage, design, performing arts, publishing, radio and
visual arts.
The financial instrument, set-up under Creative Europe– the main EU programme
dedicated to the cultural and creative sectors, will be managed by the EIF on behalf of
the European Commission. European SMEs should benefit from it as early as of the end
of this year.
Commissioner for the Digital Economy and Society Günther H. Oettinger welcomed the
initiative launched today: "Creative minds and companies need to experiment and take
risks to thrive, for our society and for our economy. We are helping them to get the
bank loans they would normally not get."
EIF Deputy Chief Executive, Roger Havenith, said: "Helping business to scale up and
access market-based financing solutions is high on the European Commission’s agenda.
Providing credit risk protection and capacity building for finance providers are two
essential ingredients in the recipe for support for SMEs in the cultural and creative
sectors. The Cultural and Creative Sectors Guarantee Facility which we are signing
today will help SMEs from the film to festival and music to museum arena across
Europe to start up and develop."
The creative and cultural sectors represent more than 7 million jobs in the EU and
account for 4.2% of the EU's GDP (source). Access to finance can be difficult for these
sectors, primarily due to the intangible nature of their assets and collateral, the limited
size of the market, demand uncertainty, and lack of financial intermediary expertise in
addressing sector specificities.
The new Cultural and Creative Sectors Guarantee Facility includes capacity building
activities for financial intermediaries, giving them specific expertise on key elements of
these sectors (e.g. specific business models and credit risk assessment in the sectors).
Capacity building would be provided by (a) capacity building provider(s) selected by
the EIF (e.g. a consultancy company specialised in the way the cultural and creative
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sectors work) following an open call for tenders. Such training will be free of charge for
financial intermediaries.
The creation of this sector-specific guarantee facility is part of the Commission's efforts
to support investment and make smarter use of new and existing financial resources,
which is the aim of the Investment Plan for Europe. It also complements the work done
under the Digital Single Market strategy to create the right environment for the cultural
and creative sectors, and in particular smaller businesses, to thrive in the digital era.
About the EIF
The European Investment Fund's (EIF) central mission is to support Europe's micro,
small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) by helping them to access finance. EIF
designs and develops venture and growth capital, guarantees and microfinance
instruments which specifically target this market segment. In this role, EIF fosters EU
objectives in support of innovation, research and development, entrepreneurship,
growth, and employment.
About the Cultural and Creative Sectors Guarantee Facility and Creative Europe
Set-up under the cross-sectoral strand of the Creative Europe programme, this new
financial instrument is the first which such a wide scope in the culture and creative
sectors. It pursues the same objective as the SME window of the European Fund for
Strategic Investments (EFSI), which drives the Investment Plan for Europe: increasing
lending to SMEs in order to scale up their activities.
Creative Europe is a 7-year programme (2014-2020) designed to support actors of the
creative and cultural fields. It has a budget of €1.46 billion for the whole duration of the
period. It is composed of the MEDIA programme helping the development and the
distribution of European audiovisual works, the Culture programme, which supports
culture sector initiatives promoting for example cross-border cooperation and literary
translation, and the cross-sectoral strand. The objective of Creative Europe is to promote
cultural diversity, encourage the circulation of European culture and creativity and
strengthen the competitiveness of the cultural and creative sectors.
, DG CNECT I.3, tel.
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
, DG CNECT I.3, tel.
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ANNEX IV. CREATIVE EUROPE MEDIA
When was the MEDIA programme born and what is the idea behind it?
The aim of the MEDIA programme is to increase the spread of European films, TV and
video productions around the world as well as to safeguard cultural diversity. The
MEDIA programme (
Mesures pour l'Encouragement et le Développement de l'Industrie
Audiovisuelle) was born in 1991. It aims improve the environment for European
audiovisual productions without intervening in productions themselves; for example, by
strengthening the national industries through the distribution of their productions within
the European market but also fostering cooperation between them by increasing their
access to the international market. It is an element of the EU's Creative Europe
programme.
The MEDIA programme kicked off in 1991 and coincided with the implementation of
the Television without frontiers Directive. It built on a joint declaration on
Audiovisual
Eureka, adopted by the representatives of 26 European states and the President of the
Commission in Paris on 2 October 1989. The original budget was 310 million ECU.
Today, 56% of the €1.46 billion Creative Europe programme budget is dedicated to its
Creative Europe MEDIA (2014-2020) sub-programme.
How does the MEDIA programme help the film, TV and video industry?
Since 1991, the MEDIA programme has invested €2.4 billion in European creativity,
creators and cultural diversity. Creation and creativity is left to artists, producers,
creators and film-makers; what the EU does is to broaden their exposure and give
Europe's creative industry the best chance to thrive.
The MEDIA programme has helped train more than 20,000 producers, directors, and
screenwriters and enabled them to adapt to new technologies. While creativity is a given
in this industry, business readiness varies between countries. MEDIA offers these
professionals the means to catch up and learn the 'ins and outs' of the audiovisual
business. In 2014, MEDIA supported 58 training initiatives, with long-standing
partnerships for some (e.g MEDIA has invested €5.74 million in European Audio-visual
Entrepreneurs - EAVE since 2005).
Each year, MEDIA invests in around 2,000 European films, television series and other
projects which are distributed digitally in cinemas, on television and through video on
demand services. The EU invests at an early stage of the development process, when
authors are developing concepts and writing scripts. MEDIA also encourages co-
productions, as co-produced films have 2-3 times higher circulation potential because
they are created and designed to appeal to several audiences
The EU invests in access to content, including business events, tools for distribution,
support to sales agents/ distributors and support to cinemas. While national films have a
natural appeal for national audiences, there is rising interest and curiosity in foreign
films, and we try to take advantage of this. Most of MEDIA programme funding (44%)
is allocated to non-national distribution and online distribution. We help distributors to
screen foreign films and provide funding for marketing, printing and advertising,
subtitling and dubbing etc.
MEDIA also supports support Europa Cinemas, a network of 962 cinemas across
Europe that are committed to screening European works. Some schemes in our
programme are highly selective, and this provides a quality label that helps to raise the
profile of some works, along with the financial support. For every €1 invested in the
Europa Cinemas network, an estimated €13 is generated through additional audience for
the audio-visual sector.
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Finally, the EU supports audience development to stimulate interest in European audio-
visual works, in particular through promotion, film literacy and festivals.
This work is supported nationally by a network of Creative Europe Desks throughout
the Member States and other countries which participate in the MEDIA programme,
with 79 offices to support potential applicants to MEDIA and promote the programme
locally.
Does MEDIA-funding lead to critical success?
Since its launch, MEDIA has co-financed some of the jewels of European cinema.
MEDIA has become expert in spotting promising works and help them scale up to
achieve international recognition. MEDIA-funded films such as
La Grande Bellezza,
Slumdog Millionaire and
Goodbye Lenin have received critical acclaim at festivals and
award ceremonies from the Festival de Cannes to the Academy Awards.
Since 1991, 40 MEDIA supported films have been awarded the Palme d'Or, the Grand
Prix or the Prix de la Mise en Scène at the Cannes Film Festival. This year in Cannes, 9
out of 21 films in the Official Competition alone are supported by MEDIA.
MEDIA supported films also been recognised at the Oscars. The last four Best Foreign
Language film Oscars were awarded to European films supported by MEDIA: Amour,
La Grande Bellezza/ The Great Beauty, Ida, Saul Fia/ Son of Saul. In 2016, 11 MEDIA-
supported films received 18 Oscar nominations. The films are: Son of Saul – which won
the Best Foreign Language Film award at the Golden Globes,
Carol, Youth, Brooklyn,
45 Years, Mustang, Krigen, The 100 Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and
Disappeared, The Look of Silence, Room, Amy and the delightful Shaun the Sheep – The
Movie.
Why are subtitling and dubbing important? How much EU funding is dedicated to
subtitling and dubbing?
According to a recent Eurobarometer survey, 62% of Europeans only watch films or
series that have either audio or subtitles in their country's language(s). Subtitling and
dubbing represent a major challenge for the circulation of audiovisual works within
Europe. It is, with promotion, one of the major costs covered by the Creative Europe
MEDIA programme for supporting the cross border distribution of European films. In
2014, Creative Europe MEDIA spent around €4 million on subtitling and dubbing,
helping some 500 films to reach new audiences. The Commission has recently increased
this support (around 4.3 million for 2015). It has also launched, with the support of the
European Parliament, two new projects, amounting to €4.5 million, to help with
subtitles (innovative solutions for subtitles, including crowdsourcing and new subtitled
versions for TV programmes).
What is the Cultural and creative sectors guarantee facility and will it do?
MEDIA supports access to finance for audiovisual companies through of the Cultural
and Creative Sectors Guarantee Facility launched in June 2016.
Between 2014-2020 the Creative Europe programme has earmarked €121 million for a
mechanism acting as insurance to financial intermediaries which offer financing for
cultural and creative initiatives. This is because access to finance can be difficult for the
cultural and creative sectors. Reasons are for example the intangible nature of their
assets and collaterals, the limited size of the market, the uncertainty of demand, the
perceived lack of business skills, and the lack of training – on the part of financial
intermediaries – to address the sectors’ specificities
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Estimates suggest that, without taking action, the financing gap in the sector for 2014-
20 could amount to €1.1-€1.9 billion per year. A lack of collateral alone may prevent
280,000-476,000 SMEs in the sector from obtaining financial intermediary loans.
The Cultural and Creative Sectors Guarantee Facility will have the potential to leverage
€600 million in loans and other financial products for SMEs and micro, small and
medium sized organisations in the cultural and creative sectors. The guarantee scheme
is managed by the European Investment Fund, on behalf of the European Commission.
What is the Commission doing to ensure wider access to content across the EU?
In December 2015, the Commission proposed new rules on cross-border portability. We
want Europeans who buy or subscribe to films, sports broadcasts, music, e-books and
games at home to be able to access them when they travel in other EU countries. The
Regulation will be adopted by European Parliament and the Member States this year in
order to be fully operational in the course of 2017.
Also in December, the Commission gave details of upcoming legislative measures
which will further improve cross-border access to creative content. These will include:
Enhancing
cross-border distribution of television and radio programmes
online, in light of the review of the Satellite and Cable Directive;
Supporting rights holders and distributors to reach agreement on
licences that
allow for cross-border access to content and on
cross-border requests by
interested users from other Member States. In this context, the role of
mediation, or similar alternative dispute resolution mechanisms can be
considered;
Facilitating the digitalisation of
out-of-commerce works and making them
available online, including across the EU.
Using its Creative Europe programme and other policy instruments, the Commission
will also:
Further promote tools to bring more European works into the single market,
including the creation of
ready-to-offer catalogues of European films in order
to help them reach online distributors, the development of
licensing hubs to
facilitate the licensing of works that are not yet available in a given Member
State, and a larger use of
standard identifiers of works. The use of common
identifiers will help find rights holders more easily and facilitate licensing;
Support the development of a European
aggregator of online search tools
which will be offered to internet users (i.e. an online indexation of available
legal offers), as well as promote
more efficient public funding to develop
subtitling and dubbing;
Intensify its
dialogue with the audiovisual sector to promote legal offers and
the discoverability and findability of films (in its future partnership with national
film funds), to find ways for a
more sustained use of existing European films
(with the help of the European Film Forum), and to explore alternative models
of financing, production and distribution in the
animation sector that are
scalable at European level (in a structured industry cooperation forum).
, DG CNECT I.3, tel.
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
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ANNEX V. Level Playing Field
On-going discussion in the ‘Level Playing Field’ working group of The Creative
Europe MEDIA Committee
The ‘Level Playing Field’
working group was established to reassess the measures
introduced in Creative Europe MEDIA Sub-programme to better take into account the
specificities of Low and Medium Production Capacity Countries, as there are deep
differences between market realities in audiovisual sectors between Member States of
the EU.
In January 2016 High Capacity Countries (FR, DE, IT, ES, UK) raised issues regarding
the implementation of the 'Level Playing Field' principle under the different MEDIA
schemes, which affects the operation of the MEDIA Sub-programme. Italy together
with other High Capacity Countries signed a letter addressed to the Commission,
highlighting impact of the latest changes in the system of
'automatic points' on the
projects coming from High Capacity Countries. At the same time, Low Capacity
Countries support current positive discrimination measures, which take into
consideration differences between markets in different countries. They highlight that the
current system has brought about real achievements.
The discussion in the ‘Level Playing Field’
working group concentrates on the system
of
'automatic points', which is an operational measure put forward by the Commission
to address structural weaknesses of countries with a restricted geographical or linguistic
area, in order to enable companies and projects from across the EU to compete at the
same level. However, it has to be underlined that MEDIA Sub-programme also provides
for different types of support to Low and Medium Capacity Countries across the
schemes (e.g. in award and eligibility criteria), automatic points being the most
highlighted, but not the only way of addressing 'Level Playing Field' principle.
Therefore, one of the main tasks of the current Working Group (which is scheduled to
meet again in the second part of 2016) will be to look at the outcomes and impact of the
existing arrangements to see whether and to what extent they have met the objectives
laid out in the legal basis. The conclusions will be reflected in the CE 2018 Work
Programme as well as in the mid-term evaluation report that the Commission has to
send to the EP and the Council in the second half of 2017.
, DG CNECT I.3, tel.
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
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ANNEX VI. Italian AV industry - Country profile
TV services
With 4h22mn per day in 2014, television viewing in Italy ranks among the highest in
Europe. The TV landscape is dominated by two groups:
Public Service Broadcaster RAI manages three main terrestrial channels (Rai
Uno, Rai Due and Rai Tre) and a portfolio of thematic channels. RAI accounts
for over 37% of the audience market share, down from 41% in 2010.
Private broadcasting group Mediaset gathers over 32% of the audience with its
three main terrestrial channels (Canale 5, Italia 1, Rete 4) and its portfolio of
thematic channels.
Other significant broadcasters include Cairo Communication (La Sette), US groups 21st
Century Fox, owner of the pay-TV satellite service Sky Italia, and Discovery
Communications.
A distinctive characteristic of the Italian audiovisual market is the large number of
terrestrial local and regional TV channels.
On demand audiovisual services
By the end of 2015, 51 pay video-on-demand services were available in Italy, a
relatively low number considering the size of the market. Among these pay VoD
services, 11 were established in Italy.
Major players in the VoD Italian market include national versions of iTunes, Google
Play, Wuaki TV Netflix, Viewster, Microsoft Store and Sony PlayStation Video.
National players include Telecom Italia Timvision, Mediaset Infinity and Chili TV.
Distribution
In 2014, TV reception is almost fully digitized, with 95.7% of the 23.6 million
households accessing digital TV.
DTT is by far the first TV reception network, serving close to 69% of the households
and includes pay-services delivered by Mediaset Premium.
DTT is complemented by satellite (with pay-service Sky Italia from News Corp, and
free service Tivù, from RAI, Mediaset and Telecom Italia) and, marginally, by IPTV
(Telecom Italia).
Cable TV is not available in Italy.
Funding
Advertising is the first source of funding for the audiovisual sector (46% in 2014, down
from 52% in 2010). TV captures 48% of all advertising expenditure, a significantly
higher share than the European Union average (32%)
Subscription revenues to pay-TV have regularly increased and represent 34% of total
funding, up from 30% in 2010. 30.2% of households subscribe to a pay-TV offer,
roughly two-thirds from satellite and one-third from DTT.
Public funding accounts for 19% of the sector’s total revenues, relatively stable over the
last years. On-demand revenues still only represent 1.4% of the audiovisual sector
revenues, due to the very limited development of IPTV and absence of cable networks.
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Public service broadcaster RAI is funded through a mix of public funding (61.3%, down
from 68.5% in 2013) and advertising and other commercial revenues.
Audiovisual regulation
The audiovisual sector is governed by the Decreto legislativo 15 marzo 2010 n. 44 –
Testo unico dei servizi audiovisivi e radiofonici.
Public service broadcaster RAI missions are also defined through a three year service
contract with the Italian Government.
The converged regulatory authority AGCOM has responsibility for the regulation of the
audiovisual sector.
Film
Italy produced 201 films in 2014 including minority co-productions (up from 141 in
2010 and 167 in 2013).
Admissions tended to decline, from 120.6 million in 2010 to 91.5m in 2014. Similarly
Box-office revenues decreased from EUR 772.8 million in 2010 to EUR 574.8 million
in 2014. The market share of national films of cinema admissions was 27.2% in 2014.
The main cinema distributors are the subsidiaries of the US studios, with the exception
of RAI 01 Distribution and Mediaset Medusa Films.
Source: THE YEARBOOK OF THE EUROPEAN AUDIOVISUAL OBSERVATORY
2015
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ANNEX VII. CE MEDIA support for the Italian AV industry (2015)
NUMBER OF SELECTED PROJECTS: 77 (+ 119 distribution projects for 26 Italian
films + award of an automatic generation to 16 Italian distributors)
TOTAL ALLOCATED AMOUNT: 6.687.164€ (+ 2.641.171€ for the distribution of
26 Italian films, + 3.368.226€ made available to Italian 16 distributors for future
reinvestments) = 12.696.561€
RESULTS BY SCHEME
Support to 5 Film Festivals: Total allocated amount € 205.000
SEDICICORTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
IL CINEMA RITROVATO
Festival dei Popoli - International Documentary Film Festival
TRIESTE FILM FESTIVAL 26th Edition
Bergamo Film Meeting 2016 - 34th Edition
Support to 3 Access to Markets events: Total allocated amount € 255.000
WHEN EAST MEETS WEST
European Gap Financing Market
The Business Street & New Cinema Network 2015
Support to 6 Training to audiovisual professionals initiatives: Total allocated
amount € 889.867
TorinoFilmLab 360° - A Multidisciplinary Lab & Market
Maia Workshops
European Social Documentary
"DigiTraining Plus: What do you do with digital now you've got it?"
The Film Garage
TIES THAT BIND
Support to 10 Development projects, out of which 2 are Slate funding supports and 8
Single Projects for a total amount of € 617.300
Development Slate Funding
VIVO FILM SRL
160.000
Development Slate Funding
GRAFFITIDOC SRL
117.300
Development Single Project Animation
SONNE FILM
60.000
Development Single Project Creative SCIARA S.R.L.
25.000
Documentary
Development Single Project Creative IL PAPAVERO
25.000
Documentary
Development Single Project Fiction
SHOWLAB SRL
50.000
Development Single Project Fiction
PARTNER
MEDIA 50.000
Development Single Project Fiction
INVES
BEN
TME
DICO NT
SRL
30.000
Development Single Project Fiction
CRISTALDI PICS SRL
50.000
Development Single Project Fiction
SOLARIA FILM SRL
50.000
Distribution automatic support to 16 Italian distributors: total allocated amount
€3.368.226
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BOLERO FILM SRL
BIM DISTRIBUZIONE SRL
ACADEMY TWO SRL
MOVIES INSPIRED SAS DI JACONO STEFANO GIOVANNI AND C
PARTHENOS SRL
EAGLE PICTURES SPA
TEODORA FILM DISTRIBUZIONE SRL
SATINE FILM DISTRIBUZIONE SRL
NOTORIOUS PICTURES
VIDEA SPA
OFFICINE UBU SRL
I WONDER S.R.L.
M2 PICTURES SRL
MEDUSA FILM SPA
TUCKER FILM SRL
LUCKY RED S.R.L.
Distribution selective support to 3 Italian films: total allocated amount €631.300
MIA MADRE
LA MERAVIGLIE
IL CAPITALE UMANO
Support to 1 TV Programming project: Total allocated amount € 45.000
B&B Film srl – La via della riconcliazione (Documentary)
Support to 1 Audience Development project: Total allocated amount € 170.000
Fondazione Cineteca di Bologna – ABCinema Plus (Film Literacy)
Project Description:
ABCinema PLUS is the follow-up of ABCinema, a project co-funded by Creative Europe in
2014 aimed at the broad young audience (3-25). After a first year of activity, the project still
aims to better coordinate and enhance the activities that, until one year ago, have been carried
out independently by several of the most important Cinémathèques/Film Institutions across
Europe. ABCinema PLUS wants to increase with 18 new titles the experimental online
catalogue of Film Literacy activities and films built in the first year of the project (12 titles
previously selected), allowing an exchange of best practice between peers and putting them
in common in 2 different training sessions, in which each member of the group will be
alternatively tutor or learner. The transferred skills, will continue to be tested in the field with
specific initiatives by each partner from Oct-Feb and Mar-Jun, in correspondence with the
school calendar of each country. External consultants will help the members during the
exchange of experiences, in order to increase their user base, improve teacher training and to
create groups of Film Literacy Ambassadors. Connections between partners and local
Universities will be established, in order to guarantee scientific validation of the activities.
The outcomes of ABCinema PLUS will be shared, analyzed and discussed during a final
conference to be held during Il Cinema Ritrovato Festival (Bologna, July 2016) after the
Annual FIAF Congress that in 2016 will be held in Bologna. This meeting intends to be an
occasion for Archives, international stakeholders and practitioners to discuss the state of the
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art of European Film Heritage Literacy, best practice, major problems and which objectives
Archives would like to achieve in the future in terms of Film Literacy initiatives and their
outcomes. ACE (Association des Cinémathèques Européennes) will organize the event
together with Cineteca di Bologna and will further disseminate the results.
Support to 1 International Coproduction fund: Total allocated amount € 170.000
MUSEO NAZIONALE DEL CINEMA - FONDAZIONE MARIA ADRIANA PROLO –
Torino Film Lab World Production&Distribution Fund
Project description:
TorinoFilmLab wants to initiate a TFL World Production Fund to complement the TFL
World Distribution Fund launched last year through this call. The TFL World Production
Fund will aim at supporting 4 projects (2 in 2015 and 2 in 2016) with a grant of 50.000€
each. Only first and second features with a specific focus on genre and/or a particular co-
production structure that foresees minority coproducers from outside Europe entering
European films will be accepted. The TFL World Distribution Fund will aim at supporting 3
projects with 40.000€ in 2016. Only projects that want to implement innovative audience
development strategies designed specifically to accompany the release of selected projects in
at least three territories will be accepted.These Funds will complete TFL’s 360° range of
activities of training, development and funding, both taking advantage of 2 established
TorinoFilmLab training programs: Framework (Production) and Audience Design
(Distribution). All awarded projects will not only be supported financially, but will be
developed through our advanced training schemes allowing them to be competitive in
reaching their audiences.
SUCCESS STORIES
Thanks to strong admissions of non-national European films
, Italian
distributors have generated the third highest fund, straight after France and
Germany. This fund is available to them for future reinvestments.
TorinoFilmLab (TFL) particularly distinguished itself as a strong talent
incubator. In 2016 out of the seven TFL-supported titles selected in
Cannes, five hit films have received many Awards in Un Certain Regard and at
the Critics' Week including the main prizes of the two sections.
COMMENTS
General comments on Italian TV Programming projects: the number of
applications coming from Italy is very low, in particular in comparison with
other high production capacity countries like France, Germany or UK. One of
the main problems related to the television industry is the fact that the Italian
broadcasters (RAI in particular but also commercial channels like SKY) tend to
maintain all exploitation rights in perpetuity when they are financing a
production. This is not compatible with the criteria of the call which requests
that the licence period allocated to the broadcasters is limited in time (7 or 10
years). This problems is existing since years and although it seems to change
recently, the process of accepting these rules is very slow.
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ANNEX VIII. European Film Forum agenda
European Film Forum Venice 2016
Saturday, 3 September 2016
15:00 - 17:15
European Film Forum Venice 2016 - Day 1
Workshop 1 - Access to finance for the creative industries
Moderator: Bruno Zambardino, Professor of Media & Entertainment at
Sapienza University and Director of Media Observatory I-Com (confirmed)
14:30 - 15:00
Participant arrival + Welcome coffee
15:00 - 15:15
Welcome Paolo Baratta, President La Biennale di Venezia and Introduction
by Roberto Viola, Director General DG CNECT (confirmed) &
Representative of the Biennale (confirmed)
15:15 - 15:30
Speech by Nicola BORRELLI, Director DG CINEMA, Ministry of
Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism, (confirmed)
15:30 - 16:00
Fire-side chat on the EIF instruments to support the scaling up of cultural
and creative initiatives.
Gianluca Massimi, EIF Italy (confirmed)
16:00 - 17:00
Panel with a
banking sectors and (potential) beneficiaries of financial
instruments in the cultural and creative sectors.
Hubert Cottogni, Deputy Director of the European Investment Fund
(confirmed)
Sarita Christensen, Copenhagen Bombay, DK (confirmed)
Mario la Torre, Professor Economics of Financial Intermediaries, La
Sapienza University (confirmed)
Marco Chimenz (President European Producers Club, EPC) (confirmed)
Martina Colombo, CDP, Italian National Promotional Institution with
experience in financial instruments (confirmed)
17:00 - 17:10
Q&A
17:10 - 17:15
Conclusions by Christian Ehler, Member of the European Parliament, Co-
Chair of the intergroup on "Creative Industries" (confirmed)
Venue: Sala Stucchi (Excelsior Hotel, Lungomare Guglielmo Marconi, 41, Lido
Venice, 3rd Floor)
Reception for the 25 years of MEDIA in cooperation with the Venice Film Market
/ Mostra di Venezia
17:45 - 17:50
Speech by Roberto Viola, Director General DG CNECT (confirmed)
17:50 - 17:55
Speech by Silvia Costa, Member of the European Parliament, Chair of
the Culture Committee (confirmed)
17:55 - 18:00
Speech by Paolo Baratta, President La Biennale di Venezia (confirmed)
18:00 – 18:10 Italian filmmakers/producers supported by Creative Europe MEDIA
(tbc)
Venue: Terrazza dei Fiori (Excelsior Hotel, Lungomare Guglielmo Marconi, 41, Lido
Venice, 3rd Floor)
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Sunday, 4 September 2016
10:00 - 13:00
European Film Forum Venice 2016 - Day 2
Workshop 2 - What future for Cinemas? (in cooperation with the
Biennale of Architecture)
With the support of Europa Cinemas, UNIC, CICAE
Moderator: Peter Cowie, Film historian and author (confirmed)
09:30 - 10:00
Participant arrival
10:00 - 10:15
Welcome speech by Commissioner Günther H. Oettinger (confirmed)
10:15 - 10:30
Speech by Nicola BORRELLI, Director DG CINEMA, Ministry of
Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism (confirmed)
10:30 -10:45
Keynote speech by Ira Deutchman, Columbia University School of
Arts (confirmed)
10:45 - 11:40
Panel 1:
Reaping the opportunities for cinemas in the digital era Panel discussion
Silvia Costa, Member of the European Parliament, Chair of the Culture
Committee (confirmed)
Rich Klubeck, Partner in the Motion Picture Department, UTA (tbc)
Phil Clapp, President of UNIC & CEO of UK Cinema Association
(confirmed)
Lionello Cerri, operator and producer Anteo Spazio/Lumière
(confirmed)
Agnès Salson, Tour d'Europe des cinemas and co-author of report
"New practices in cinema exhibition in Europe” (confirmed)
Q&A
11:40 - 11:55
Coffee break
11:55 - 12:50
Panel 2:
Designing cinemas for a broader audience Panel discussion
Thierry Decuypere, Agence V Plus (confirmed)
Martine Odillard, Chairman Cinémas Gaumont Pathé (about
importance of design for audience) (tbc)
Detlef Rossmann (CICAE) (confirmed)
Erwin Schmidt, Co-founder of Cinemathon (confirmed)
Q&A
12:50 - 13:00
Lessons learned – What's the way forward?
Interview with Luigi Morgano, Member of the European Parliament,
Co- Rapporteur EU policy for cultural and creative industries
(confirmed)
Venue: Spazio Incontri (Excelsior Hotel, Lungomare Guglielmo Marconi, 41, Lido
Venice, 3rd Floor)
13:00 - 14:00 Closing lunch reception
Venue: Terrazza Biennale (Lungomare Guglielmo Marconi, Lido Venice)
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ANNEX IX. List of attendees' dinner and CVs & photos
Participant list for the dinner on Saturday, 3 September 2016 (as at 23/08/ 2016)
1. Commissioner Günther H. Oettinger
2. Roberto Viola, Director General DG CNECT
3. Anna HEROLD (Cabinet of Oettinger)
4.
, DG
Article 4(1)(b) CNECT
5. Silvia Costa, Member of the European Parliament, Chair of the Culture
Committee
6. Christian Ehler, Member of the European Parliament, Co-Chair of the intergroup
on "Creative Industries"
7. Luigi Morgano, Member of the European Parliament, Co- Rapporteur EU policy
for cultural and creative industries
8.
9.
Biennale of Venice
Article 4(1)(b)
10.
Venice Film Festival
11.
Ministry of Economic Development
12. Nicola BORRELLI, Director DG CINEMA, Ministry of Cultural Heritage and
Activities and Tourism
13. Gianluca Massimi, EIF Italy
Article 4(1)(b)
14.
European Investment Fund
15. Martina Colombo, CDP, Italian National Promotional Institution with
experience in financial instruments
16. Sarita Christensen, Copenhagen Bombay
17. Phil Clapp, President of the International Union of Cinemas
18.
Article 4(1)(b)
19.
20.
VIPs attending the Venice Film Festival on suggestion by La Biennale
21. N.N., VIP Biennale
22. N.N., VIP Biennale
23. Reserve list:
, U
Article 4(1)(b) nit I.3 Article 4(1)(b)
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CVs & photos
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
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Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
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Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
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Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
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Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
Article 4(1)(b)
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25 years
of MEDIA
Ref. Ares(2016)5428415 - 19/09/2016
Factsheet
Italy
and the European audiovisual sector
MEDIA budget invested in Italia (2007-2015): €66.3 million
Since 1991, MEDIA has provided support to strengthen Europe’s audiovisual sector, including the film, TV and videogames industries,
so that it can creatively convey the breadth of Europe’s rich cultural diversity to audiences around the world. Over €2.4 billion has been
invested in enhancing the careers of audiovisual professionals and in giving new audiences access to Europe’s wealth of creative
and cultural achievements in cinemas, on TV and on digital platforms.
EXAMPLES
of success stories
Many Italian projects have benefited from the help of the MEDIA programme:
Torino Film Lab (2010-2015: €2,297,300) – Training and promotion
MIA-International Audiovisual Market (2008-2015: €897,000) – Promotion
Festival del cinema ritrovato (2007-2015: €441,000) – Film Festival
…
Caesar Must Die (2012)
Golden Bear for Best Film at Berlin
The Son’s Room (2001)
Life is Beautiful (1997)
International Film Festival
Palme d’Or at Cannes Festival
Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
The italian distribution company Lucky Red has been one of the main
Graffiti Doc received support for development Funding three times in
MEDIA beneficiaries in Italy since the launch of the MEDIA programme.
the last seven years. Without MEDIA support most of its documentaries
Thanks to support from the Selective Distribution scheme the company has
would not have seen the light of day. One of these works,
Europe for sale,
been able to invest more resources in promotion, while at the same time
received the Franco-German Journalism Prize also thanks to the MEDIA
the support from the Automatic Distribution scheme allowed them to invest
support which allowed Graffiti Doc to invest in research activities in over ten
more in pre-sales and co-productions of European films.
countries.
Mediterraneo
Miele / Honey
La meglio gioventù / The Best of Youth
IT / en
25 years
of MEDIA
FOCUS
Shooting Star -
MEDIA also
on Italy
supported the
career of young
European
Number of inhabitants: 60,795,612
talents such
Box-office in 2014 (€): 600,497,024
as Elio
Germano
Cinema admissions in 2014: 99,257,875
in 2008
Share of European films in admissions in 2014: 16,6%
© Eric Vernazobres
Share of national films in admissions in 2014: 27,2%
Number of feature films produced in 2014: 180 (100% IT)
Number of co-produced films in 2014: 21
Number of Europa Cinemas theatres in Italy*: 146
Number of available VoD services in Italy: National: 11 European non-national: 13 Total: 51
* Europa Cinemas, supported by Creative Europe MEDIA, is a network of cinemas committed to screen a majority of European content
MEDIA
throughout Europe
The EU has invested €2.4 billion in the past 25 years in the Audiovisual industry. Over €800 million has been earmarked to support the competitiveness
and the diversity of the industry for 2014-2020. In 2016, no less than €103 million are due to be invested in a number of actions, including:
• Training to audiovisual professionals
• Support to access markets
• Support for cinema networks
• Support for the development of TV series/drama
• Support for the development of films
• Support for International Co-production funds
• Support for non-national distribution of films
• Support for film festivals showing
• Support for audience development projects
• Support for the development of video games
European content
• Support to online distribution
The €121-million Cultural and Creative Industries Guarantee Facility will be
launched in 2016 with the objective of stimulating availability of loan financing
€1000 mln
Creative Europe MEDIA
to initiatives in these sectors; and aiming to increase the competitiveness
(2014-2020): €820 m
€800 mln
of these key European industries. The European Commission (responsible
MEDIA 2007
(2007-2013): €755 m
for strategy, budget, communication), the Education, Audiovisual and Culture
€600 mln
MEDIA Plus
Executive Agency (responsible for operational management of the funding
(2001-2006): €500 m
€400 mln
schemes) and the Creative Europe Desks (local information points in States
MEDIA II
(1996-2000): €310 m
€200 mln
taking part in the programme) work together on the implementation
MEDIA
of Creative Europe MEDIA actions.
€0 mln
(1991-1995): €200 m
MEDIA has contributed to innovation in the audiovisual industry in Italy, especially in the distribution and development sectors; furthermore
through MEDIA training and networking events Italian filmmakers and producers have become more skilled and international and co-productions
has now become an important reality.
By stimulating collaboration, co-production and non-national distribution, Creative Europe MEDIA greatly contributes to cultural diversity
on Europe’s screens.
For all questions on Creative Europe MEDIA programme opportunities, please contact your local desk:
xxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xx
xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xx
xxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xx
Document Outline