Brussels, 15/05/2014 (Agence Europe) - European films represent nearly two thirds of releases in the EU but account for only one third of ticket sales. While the number of films produced in Europe increased from around 1,100 in 2008 to 1,300 in 2012, most European films are shown only in the country where they were made and are rarely distributed across borders. On 15 May, the European commission unveiled a new strategy on “European film in the digital era”, which seeks to address this challenge. It highlights the need to make the most of new methods of distribution to enhance cultural diversity and competitiveness. Androulla Vassiliou, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Multilingualism, stated that “improving the international distribution of European films is crucial, not just economically but also in terms of diversity”. She referred to the added value that the MEDIA programme can provide to European films, but also said that more needs to be done to increase the audience for European-made films and to improve cross-border cooperation. Vassiliou will discuss this new strategy with representatives from the film industry at the Cannes Film Festival.
The Commission's strategy paper suggests that public funding should focus more on expanding the audience for European films and increasing support for development, promotion and international distribution. At present nearly 70% of national public funding is devoted to producing films rather than maximising audience potential. The Commission also recommends more flexibility and experimentation regarding how and when films are screened, given the increasing popularity of video-on-demand and downloading. The strategy will encourage a new process of dialogue - the European Film Forum - to encourage an exchange of ideas on how national, regional and EU audiovisual policies can better complement each other and respond to challenges such as digitisation and the difficulties many film companies face in trying to obtain funding. The forum began on 15 May with a conference at the film festival in Cannes and will bring together experts from the European Commission, member states, national and regional film funds and other industry representatives. It will benefit from support through the Creative Europe programme for the organisation of seminars, data collection and transnational exchange. (IL)