Just a few weeks before the Berlinale begins, the European Film Market (EFM) 2008 can report a positive trend: companies from 50 countries will participate in the first big industry event of the year (February 7 to 17, 2008) and present themselves at the exhibition venues in the Martin-Gropius-Bau and the "EFM Exhibitor Offices". More companies will be in attendance than in previous years. So far, 420 exhibitors are registered with the EFM including 44 new companies. (For the first time in 2008 the total includes 157 distributors, world sales companies and producers registered in the MEDIA programme of the European Union).
The majority of companies come from Germany, Great Britain, France and the USA. Besides the traditionally stronger showing of European firms, exhibitors from Asia and Eastern Europe are growing annually in significance. And for the first time, companies from Macedonia, Romania and Chile will participate in the EFM 2008.
The EFM is able to announce not only an increase in exhibitors but also in overall industry registration, which is up 10 percent from last year. 636 buyers have registered to date - including a rising number of buyers from Korea, as well as new companies from Argentina, Australia and the USA.
This year’s EFM includes approximately 700 films, of which about 75 percent of the films are market premieres.
For the initiative "Books at Berlinale", 36 publishers and literary agencies have been selected to exhibit at the Frankfurt Book Fair stand.
The "Latin American Works-in-Progress" section, which sees itself as a platform for new talents, is also celebrating a record: more than 100 movies from Latin America – many more than ever before - were submitted to "Revista Haciendo Cine", the EFM’s partner in this initiative. 11 projects from Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Columbia, Chile and Uruguay have been selected for presentation at the EFM in February.
"Freshness guaranteed" is the motto of the "Straight from Sundance" series. In conjunction with the Sundance Film Festival, about 45 films that will premiere at the renowned US independent cinema festival in January will be showcased at the Market.
The majority of companies come from Germany, Great Britain, France and the USA. Besides the traditionally stronger showing of European firms, exhibitors from Asia and Eastern Europe are growing annually in significance. And for the first time, companies from Macedonia, Romania and Chile will participate in the EFM 2008.
The EFM is able to announce not only an increase in exhibitors but also in overall industry registration, which is up 10 percent from last year. 636 buyers have registered to date - including a rising number of buyers from Korea, as well as new companies from Argentina, Australia and the USA.
This year’s EFM includes approximately 700 films, of which about 75 percent of the films are market premieres.
For the initiative "Books at Berlinale", 36 publishers and literary agencies have been selected to exhibit at the Frankfurt Book Fair stand.
The "Latin American Works-in-Progress" section, which sees itself as a platform for new talents, is also celebrating a record: more than 100 movies from Latin America – many more than ever before - were submitted to "Revista Haciendo Cine", the EFM’s partner in this initiative. 11 projects from Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Columbia, Chile and Uruguay have been selected for presentation at the EFM in February.
"Freshness guaranteed" is the motto of the "Straight from Sundance" series. In conjunction with the Sundance Film Festival, about 45 films that will premiere at the renowned US independent cinema festival in January will be showcased at the Market.
