1. October 2018 | redaktion The first edition of the European Work in Progress Cologne 2018 is a very impressive one. Around 250 buyers and industry delegates confirmed their participation (including world distributors such as The Match Factory, Memento Films International, WIDE, Picture Tree International, UDI – Urban Distribution International, Fortissimo Films, ARRI Media International and Charade as well as festival programmers from Berlinale, Locarno Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, International Film Festival Rotterdam and many more). From over 100 submissions across Europe, 22 promising film projects have now been selected to present themselves to the industry and this year’s international jury (Jonas Dornbach, Olimpia Pont Cháfer, Aistė Račaitytė and Pernille Munk Skydsgaard). In addition, in collaboration with Creative Europe Desks Germany and EAVE, supporting industry programmes, e.g. on alternative distribution and marketing strategies, will frame the newly initiated EWIP event: The panel “Case Studies: Best Practice – Distribution and Marketing Strategies for European Arthouse Cinema” offers concrete case studies on how to break new ground in film release. The release strategies of European arthouse cinema productions are often completely different for the same film in different countries. Classic approaches and new ideas in digital marketing are usually combined with different local campaigns. Experts will present best practise experiences from the two European films Foxtrot (2018) and Loving Vincent (2017) and discuss them with the participants. Our guests are the producer Michael Weber (The Match Factory, Germany) and distributor Michel Zana (Sophie Dulac Distribution, France) for Foxtrot as well as producer and director Hugh Welchman (UK) and distributor Katharina Günther (Weltkino, Germany) for Loving Vincent. EAVE-Exchange discusses effective exploitation strategies for European arthouse cinema productions and is primarily aimed at producers. The right and most effective exploitation strategy is becoming increasingly important for European cinema productions. At what point do I address world-sales as a producer? When and how do I place the films at the appropriate festivals? And how do I help the film to take off as best as possible? Our panel guests include Tanja Meissner (Memento Films International), Bero Beyer (International Film Festival Rotterdam), Jan Naszewski (New Europe Film Sales) and Jonas Weydemann (Weydemann Bros.). The Case Studies and EAVE-Exchange will take place on Wednesday, October 10th, 2018. There will also be a roundtable discussion on the new MEDIA Distribution Schemes on Thursday, October 11th, 2018. Björn Hoffmann, CEO of AG Verleih, is looking forward to a strong first year: “We are of course delighted with the great interest in our first edition of European Work in Progress in Cologne. More than 100 submitted projects and the many top-class European trade visitors clearly show that there is a need and that our event obviously hits a nerve to strengthen arthouse cinema. We thank our partners, above all the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, and look forward to exciting projects and successful days in Cologne at the beginning of October”. European Work in Progress Cologne will take place from October 9th to 11th, 2018 during the Film Festival Cologne. EWIP is an initiative by AG Verleih, the association of German independent distributors and supported by the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, one of Germany’s leading film funding institutions. The industry event aims to create opportunities to collaborate with experienced sales agents, distributors, producers, commissioning editors, financiers, festival representatives as well as other complementary partners.
