For the 3rd consecutive year, Europa Distribution organized a workshop on Professional Interactions and Negotiation in the framework of the Marrakech International Film Festival. In a time when the number of films distributed everywhere in Europe keeps increasing, while the number of the cinema theatres remains the same, the ability to effectively communicate with all parts of the Industry chain, to give visibility to non-mainstream films, becomes especially crucial.
From the 7th to the 10th of December, 14 members of the association met to discuss about negotiation techniques with two professional coaches, and to share their experiences in the field with fellow distributors.
“Film Distribution is changing rapidly, to keep up to speed with a more and more competitive environment. Efficient communication is a powerful way in different contexts such as negotiation, professional interactions of all kind of crises. It’s a specific way to relate to co-workers and business associates that offers keys to cope with stress, time, needs, emotions and different types of character” explained Joseph Drese and Hélène Gallez introducing the workshop.
Attending the workshop as an external guest, the Moroccan distributor Mounia Layadi from the company Marrakech Spectacles, expressed her interest in the workshop’s topic and in the work of Europa Distribution in general: “This was an occasion for me to meet European distributors coming from very different experiences and backgrounds, and exchange views. In these three very dense days I learnt many interesting things that apply both to my professional and personal life.”
Going from the individuation of different personality styles and structures, Joseph Drese and Hélène Gallez illustrated some techniques to adapt to the personalities of others and to identify the most effective style of communicating and negotiating according to the situation. Effective communication can help avoiding misunderstandings, stress and conflict. The first step to achieve it is getting a better understanding of one’s own personality and communication style.
