Berlin

The 64^th Berlin International Film Festival European Film Market (EFM) is set to go for 2014, with exhibit spaces fully booked at Martin-Gropius-Bau and the Marriott Hotel on Potsdamer Platz. The EFM is one of the most important platforms for international trade in film distribution rights and audiovisual content. Taking place from February 6 - 14, the first annual industry meeting, the EFM opens the international film year. A new initiative with Berlinale Talents, and new features like the Catch-Up Screenings on the second Thursday of the festival, will offer market visitors additional opportunities to establish contacts and do business.

“Our most important goal is to provide EFM participants from all over the world with an ideal framework for their business dealings,” says EFM director Beki Probst. “The fact that our exhibit spaces are again in consistently high demand this year validates our efforts.”

In cooperation with Berlinale Talents, the EFM will also feature an initiative for the up-and-coming generation of market-goers: Under the title “Berlinale Talents Market Hub” - backed by Canon - ten selected distribution professionals from Berlinale Talents will be present at Martin-Gropius-Bau with their own booth, which will also serve as a contact and meeting point. In addition, 40 of the films developed during the Berlinale Talents Project Labs will be presented to EFM visitors.

The EFM will also see a venue change in 2014. For the first time, the EFM will use five theatres in the newly re-opened Zoo Palast, refurbished with state-of-the-art cinema technology. The new location brings the EFM venue total to 39.

On the second festival Thursday (February 13^th), the EFM will offer so-called Catch-Up Screenings to registered EFM participants. This newly launched series will screen a selection from this year's festival programme, curated by the section heads.

Three days, three topics: At the EFM Industry Debates, in their eighth edition this year, international experts will discuss current industry themes and developments. The official partner of this high-calibre trade event is once again the IFA, in cooperation with Screen International, The Hollywood Reporter and Variety.

Independent US filmmakers will once again meet at the “American Independents in Berlin” initiative at Martin-Gropius-Bau, which is organised by Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP) and the Sundance Institute. The eleventh edition of the series “Sundance at EFM” will again provide an important platform to independent US filmmakers whose films premiered at Sundance in January.

The EFM programme “Meet the Docs” will take place for the sixth time in 2014. This initiative, a co-operation with the European Documentary Network (EDN), gives the international documentary film trade a meeting point at Martin-Gropius-Bau. Accredited festival and market visitors can participate here in various panel discussions, individual meetings with international documentary film festivals, documentary film project consulting talks, and networking events.

German cinema highlights from 2013 are offered in the EFM series “German Cinema - LOLA@Berlinale”, taking place in 2014 at the Zoo Palast. EFM participants and international buyers will be able to view films longlisted for the nomination for the German Film Award with English subtitles.