European Film Market (Berlinale 2024) will focus on Italy

The 74th edition of Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) will host the market meeting again European Film Market (February 15-21, 2024), which will feature Italy as “Country In Focus”.

The official agreement has been signed within the framework of the 76th edition of the Cannes Film Festival by the general director of the Berlinale, Mariette Rissenbeek, y Roberto Stabile, head of special projects of the general directorate of cinema and audiovisual of the Ministry of Culture (DGCA-MiC) in Cinecittà. Dennis Ruh, Director of EFM, and Nicola Borrelli, Director General of the General Directorate of Cinema and Audiovisual of the Italian Ministry of Culture (MiC), also attended the signing ceremony and press conference.

This initiative will result in the presence of a important Italian delegation at the next Berlinale in order to promote the Italian audiovisual system as a whole in all sections of the European Film Market, with in-depth sessions and activities in which all the different categories of the industry will participate. The objective will be to present new incentives and encourage co-production agreements with Italy, as well as promote the development of film projects, networking, financing, production and distribution.

Stable considers that this agreement represents a “key opportunity” to strengthen the relations of Italian cultural agents “with our foreign partners and illustrate to them all the measures available for the internationalization of our industry.” Borrelli shares his colleague's vision: “The European Film Market will be the ideal platform to promote the latest national film products, give a voice to industry representatives from associations and will serve above all producers and distributors to present the Italian system in this important showcase.”

"Italy, as a cinematic nation with outstanding filmmakers, has enriched the Berlinale for many years. Honorary Golden Bears have been awarded to Sophia Loren, Claudia Cardinale, Francesco Rosi and Milena Canonero, among others. Numerous Italian filmmakers have premiered their films at the Berlinale, thus joining a long and continuing list of Italian guests. More recently, in 2016, the Golden Bear for Best Film went to Italy: Fire in the Sea, by Gianfranco Rosi. I am delighted that Italy now also occupies a place of honor at the European Film Market and that we can learn even better about the diversity of the Italian film industry in the next edition” she concluded. Mariette Rissenbeek, general director of the Berlinale.