Berlinale shapes up as key test of global movie business (Feature)

By Andrew McCathie Feb 6, 2011, 2:06 GMT

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Berlin (dpa) - It might be the stars, the glamorous premieres and the race for the top prizes that will capture the headlines at next week's Berlin Film Festival.

But it is behind the scenes in the Berlinale's business hub, the European Film Market (EFM), which is where the motion picture industry gets down to the tough talking and hard bargaining over movie sales.

As the first major film market of the year, the EFM also represents a chance to take the pulse of the global movie business as it gears up for the coming 12 months.

This year's EFM comes amid signs that the motion picture business has entered the new year in a more confident frame of mind compared with 12 months ago when it was struggling to emerge from the recession that resulted in mass layoffs and bankruptcies.

Preliminary data drawn up by the EFM point to a likely pickup in numbers attending this year with more 700 films to be screened during the course of the market, which normally runs for about one week.

'The market has remained stable in recent years and we are pleased that the trend is up again,' said EFM chief Beki Probst.

While the total number of movie companies expected in Berlin for the festival appears likely to remain at close to last year's levels, the number of nations setting up shop in the film market has risen to 89.

This comes after Albania, Namibia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates registered to attend the Berlinale, which is one of the world's top three film festivals.

At the same time, the total number of participants expected to make their way round the EFM's normally bustling corridors is likely to jump from 6,450 last year to about 6,700 this year.

Crucially, the contingent of film buyers expected in Berlin for the market is also projected to grow from 1,365 last year to 1,421 this year.

The Berlinale gives the film industry the chance to showcase movies for the key European market while at the same time launching moves at the start of the new year to piece together new pan-European financing deals.

Indeed, Berlinale organizers have in recent years moved to take advantage of the Berlin Film Festival's position as coming ahead of rival festivals in Cannes and Venice as well as the American Film Market, which is mounted in Los Angeles in November.

With this in mind, the EFM has forged links over the last eight years with the Sundance Film Festival, which is mounted each January in the US state of Utah. This year 57 movies from Sundance are to be presented in the EFM.

A major independent film festival, Sundance films are also screened in the Berlinale's main program.

As part of the Berlin Film Festival's co-operation with the Sundance, the Berlinale will screen in its main competition The Future, a German-US co-production from American director Miranda July.

The Future, which premiered in Sundance, is about a young couple's whose lives are thrown off course after they adopt a cat.

The EFM also includes a vibrant co-production market, which brings together about 450 international producers, sales agents and distributers.

Now in its eighth year, the co-production market includes 38 projects from more than 620 entries gleaned from 25 nations. This includes films from Germany, Spain, Turkey, Argentina, Italy, Israel and Hungary.

Considering the tough battle faced by filmmakers to bring their movies to the screen, the Berlinale's co-production market has a relatively impressive record.

About 40 per cent of the projects selected to join the co-production market since it was established have been realized. This represents more than 100 films.

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