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EUROPA DISTRIBUTION IN A NUTSHELL
 « Europa Distribution » - European network of independent distributors - was created in March 2006 and was launched officially in Cannes on May 19th 2006.
The Board of Administration, chaired by Cristian Mungiu, is composed of independent European distributors, representative in terms of nationality, type of structure…
The association gathers today more than 100 distributors coming from 25 different countries.
WHICH AUTHORS ARE SUPPORTED ?
Those independent distributors have discovered and today support most of the greatest European directors that are present in several prestigious festivals worldwide. 85% of the movies awarded in Cannes, Venise and Berlin during the last 6 years have been released by independents. 80% of the European movies selected in Cannes during the last 3 years have been released by independents.
We could quote, among others:
Fatih AKIN, Pedro ALMODOVAR, Theo ANGELOPOULOS, Jacques AUDIARD, Wolfgang BECKER, Roberto BENIGNI, Catherine BREILLAT, Mimmo CALOPRESTI, Laurent CANTET, Peter CATTANEO, Nuri Bilge CEYLAN, Claude CHABROL, Youssef CHAHINE, Patrice CHEREAU, Isabelle COIXET, Luc & Jean-Pierre DARDENNE, Manoel DE OLIVEIRA, Arnaud DESPLECHIN, Andreas DRESEN, Per FLY, Stephen FREARS, Tony GATLIF, Marco Tullio GIORDANA, Paul GREENGRASS, Robert GUEDIGUIAN, Bent HAMER, Michael HANEKE, Otar IOSSELIANI, Benoit JACQUOT, Aki & Mika KAURISMAKI, Krzysztof KIESLOWSKI, Emir KUSTURICA, Mike LEIGH, Ken LOACH, Pavel LOUNGUINE, Nikita MIKHALKOV, Nanni MORETTI, François OZON, Roman POLANSKI, Jacques RIVETTE, Eric ROHMER, Carlos SAURA, Ulrich SEIDL, Lone SCHERFIG, Bohdan SLAMA, Alexandre SOKUROV, Istvan SZABO, Denis TANOVIC, Bertrand TAVERNIER, André TECHINE, Tom TYKWER, Thomas VINTERBERG, Lars VON TRIER, Wim WENDERS, Michael WINTERBOTTOM…
SITUATION OF INDEPENDANT DISTRIBUTION TODAY
European distributors all face the same problems today: a decline in attendance, an unprecedented inflation in the number of films and prints, and a decrease in the amount of time the most challenging movies play in theatres.
Moreover, vertical and horizontal integration has been on the rise over the past few years. This growing integration has inflated promotion costs, which undermines independent distributors.
As a result, the diversity of film itself is at stake. In fact, what is harmful to independent distribution will also negatively affect independent production and exhibiting.
Independent distribution clearly appears to be the film industry’s weak link. It is also the least organized sector at the European level.
The challenging position of independent distribution is a compelling reason for the creation a network of independent distributors to tackle current problems and to find common solutions to future issues.
OUR AIMS AND ACTIONS
Create a network of European distributors in order to :
· Strengthen European film industry ;
· Improve the circulation of films and create a real European cinematographic space ;
· Support access to new technologies and the numerical exploitation of European films (theatrically, VOD…).
Give a definition of the European independent distributor to provide special support for those distributors;
To become the main spokesman of national and European authorities and thereby facilitating dialogue for efficient proposals for the MEDIA program and public agencies.
Organize common actions (professional meetings…) to promote closer ties between European distributors;
Create a forum for the sharing of information and experiences, namely thanks to a website that consolidates the network’s information and offers some facilities on line (case studies, material exchange...)
Promote collaboration and interaction with the independent exhibitors, who have the same underlying principles and aims, and work together on a daily basis.
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