Brussels, 06/02/2015 (Agence Europe) - Taking part in the 65th Berlin Film Festival, “Berlinale”, Digital Economy Commissioner Günther Oettinger wants to send a clear signal to the cultural and creative industries: their future lies in digital technologies and new models have to be created to make sure that this change does not happen to the disadvantage of either creators or users. The Berlin Film Festival is taking place from 5 to 15 February and more than 400 films from close on 60 countries, including 19 which have received MEDIA programme support, will be screened.
“A digital economy and a digital society is not only about fast internet or industry 4.0. It is also about innovative, creative industries which generate ideas for the benefit of the whole digital market. European content, films and music, are a vital part of our digital society”, stated Oettinger on his blog on Thursday 5 February. He is due to meet representatives of the film industry in order to “get a better understanding of their needs and challenges”. He will use the occasion to talk to them about European policies that affect the film industry and new business models to adapt the sector to the digital environment. He will also open the Creative Europe MEDIA conference, Innovative European film business models - Thinking outside of the national box, and launch the European Film Forum, a new platform for dialogue between the European institutions and the industry, on Monday 9 February.
“I want to help the film industry take advantage of digitalisation. … We should work together to ensure that our creative potential and European diversity are preserved and are accessible for everyone”, the commissioner says, stating, too, that he wants greater choice for consumers, who should “also benefit from the advantages of digitalisation and be able to shop for more films across-borders”. He would also like thought to be given to “new ways to bring content to audiences”. He suggests that film-release campaigns be tailor-made for each film produced: some benefitting from exclusive cinema release, others more likely to find their audience online. “I want to encourage the sector to be more experimental and dare to try new ways of doing business”, he stated.
The Europe Creative programme is no longer managed by DG EAC alone but, in the Juncker Commission, also by DG CONNECT. This joint management is problematic for the cultural industries which fear for the protection of creative content. Oettinger sees it as a logical step because it is about protecting the development of the cultural and creative industries and adapting them to the digital era. The two DGs will work together to manage the programme “to ensure the smooth and effective delivery of Creative Europe and its successful implementation”, he assured. (IL)