By Isabella Weber Last month Europa Distribution was part of two major events that open the European film industry’s spring calendar: Cartoon Movie (9-11 March) and Sofia Meetings (17-24 March). For the association it was the occasion to experiment for the first time with all-digital workshops. The gatherings, however virtual, felt to all participants…
independent distribution
Interview with Stefan Bradea, Co-founder and International Acquisitions Manager of Bad Unicorn, Romania
By Joachim Soudan We talked to Stefan Bradea of Bad Unicorn about the particularities of distributing Independent films in Romania and the impact of the Covid on the market. The small number of dedicated arthouse cinemas makes it necessary for independent films to compete with commercial films and seduce the multiplexes audience. As for…
Interview with Marek Bień, Gutek Film, Poland
By Joachim Soudan Marek Bień, describes for us the situation of the Polish market for independent film distribution, which has seen a very impressive growth the past ten years. After the lockdown, the market showed its strength by getting back on his feet: but Poland now faces the second wave of the pandemic, and…
Interview with Hans König, Head of Distribution of Polyfilm, Austria
By Jesús Silva We spoke to Hans König, Head of Distribution at Polyfilm, who shared with us some of the main traits of the Austrian market for independent film distribution, such as the strong connection with Germany and the necessity to rely almost exclusively on theatrical distribution. In order to tackle the effects of…
Interview with Régine Vial, Head of Distribution at Les Films du Losange, France
By Jesús Silva We caught up with Régine Vial, Head of Distribution at French outfit Les Films du Losange, to discuss the history of the company and the situation of the market in times of pandemic. Despite the enormous effort made by French independent distributors, who managed to keep a constant stream of releases…
Interview with Michael Stejskal, Managing Director of FilmLaden, Austria
By Frances Harvey We spoke to FilmLaden’s Managing Director, Michael Stejskal, about the complexities of the Austrian market. Whilst the cinemas have re-opened after lockdown, there is still a threat of a second wave and an uncertain future. Could you describe FilmLaden’s editorial policy? Our last year’s programme is a good example: We…
Interview with Antoine Zeind, Founder and CEO of A-Z Films, Canada
By Jesús Silva We chatted with Antoine Zeind, founder and CEO of Montreal-based A-Z Films, to discuss the challenges of releasing European and foreign-language films in Canada. In a market particularly dominated by Hollywood productions, independent distributors struggle to find enough screens for their titles. In the meantime, the effect of the COVID pandemic…
Interview with Ivan Hronec, CEO of Film Europe, Czech Republic/Slovakia
By Jesús Silva We interviewed Ivan Hronec, head of media company Film Europe, who gave us some insight into their particular business model, which played a crucial role in their survival during the global health crisis. How would you describe the setup and editorial policy of your company? Film Europe was launched 10…
Interview with Svend Jensen, CEO of Arthaus, Norway
By Frances Harvey In Norway, cinemas were closed on the 12th March due to COVID-19, but it was one of the first markets to ease restrictions. We spoke to Arthaus CEO, Svend Jensen as the cinemas in Norway were beginning to reopen. How would you describe Arthaus’s line-up, do you have a particular…
Interview with Luís Froes, General Manager of Outsider Films, Portugal
By Jesús Silva Luís Froes, General Manager of Outsider Films, talks about the situation of the Portuguese distribution market after the pandemic and their strategy for upcoming releases. Can you tell us about your line-up and editorial policy? We focus on commercial quality movies, feel-good titles and animation films for children and adults.…
