Interview with Mira Staleva, Distributor, Art Fest, Bulgaria

By Davide Abbatescianni   We sat down with Mira Staleva, Distribution Manager at Sofia-based outfit Art Fest. We discussed the company’s editorial policy, the current challenges posed by the COVID-19 outbreak and the Bulgarian film distribution landscape.   What’s your company’s line up? What about your editorial policy? Our editorial policy focuses on arthouse titles.…

Interview with Eric Lagesse, CEO of Pyramide Distribution, France

By Jesús Silva   We sat down with Eric Lagesse, CEO of Pyramide Distribution, to discuss the secrets behind France’s “very creative, vivid and risky” film scene. During the pandemic, the collaboration between independent distributors and the CNC has been crucial in terms of adopting different measures to sustain the market. However, the considerable drop…

Interview with Pascal Trächslin, CEO of Cineworx, Switzerland

By Davide Abbatescianni   We caught up with Pascal Trächslin, CEO of Basel-based production and distribution outfit Cineworx. Our conversation revolved around the company’s line-up and strategies, the support measures implemented to fight the ongoing healthcare crisis and the distribution of European arthouse films in Switzerland.   How would you describe your company’s line-up and…

Interview with Jean Labadie, CEO of Le Pacte, France

By Jesús Silva   We talked to Jean Labadie, CEO of France’s Le Pacte, about the particular traits that make the French market “the healthiest in Europe” for independent film distribution. Labadie also opened up about the key role of French distributors in the financing of national films, the impact of their media chronology and…

Interview with Michael Höfner, CEO of GMFilms, Germany

By Joachim Soudan   We met Michael Höfner, founder of GMFilms, and asked him to tell us about his company and Germany’s market and situation during the Covid-19 pandemic. He describes his work as a sole trader, explains the small arthouse audience, and shares his interrogations for the future.   How would you describe your…

Interview with Ignacio Segura, General Manager of DeAPlaneta, Spain

By Jesús Silva   We caught up with Ignacio Segura, General Manager of DeAPlaneta, who opened up about their editorial policy, the particular traits of the Spanish market for independent distribution and the difficulties undergone by the sector during the global health crisis. Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, most of the films released…

Interview with Thomas Bertacche, co-founder of Tucker Film, Italy

By Joachim Soudan   We had a chat with Thomas Bertacche, co-founder of Tucker Film, a distribution company specialised in European and Asian films. He speaks with us about the variety of work done around movies, including organising a festival and launching a streaming platform, the strategy of investing in Asian titles to work their…

Interview with Oana Furdea, Distribution Manager, Transilvania Film, Romania

By Davide Abbatescianni   We sat down with Oana Furdea, Distribution Manager at Bucharest-based outfit Transilvania Film. We discussed the company’s editorial policy, the current challenges posed by the pandemic and the Romanian film distribution landscape.   What’s your company’s line up? What about your editorial policy? Our company was established in 2003. We’re trying…

Interview with Stefano Massenzi, Head of acquisitions of Lucky Red, Italy

By Jesús Silva   Stefano Massenzi, Head of acquisitions of Italy’s Lucky Red and co-President of Europa Distribution’s Board, walks us through the complexities of the Italian market and the role of independent distributors in the circulation of European films. Italy was one of the few countries to launch specific support for the audiovisual sector…

Interview with Jakob Abrahamsson, President & CEO of NonStop Entertainment, Sweden

By Jesús Silva   We spoke to Jakob Abrahamsson, President & CEO of Sweden’s NonStop Entertainment, about their editorial policy, the complexities of their local market and the specific measures put in place during the pandemic to help distributors mitigate the impact of the crisis. Abrahamsson also opened up about the importance of film curating…