BRNO: The 46th edition of Ekofilm, which takes place 5 – 25 October 2020 in Brno, will hold its planned cinema screenings but will move its accompanying programme online.
This year’s EKOFILM is still counting on screenings, but the accompanying program will be streamed
Festivals 30-09-2020Those interested in the photographic workshop can compete for tickets
WARSAW: FNE has teamed up with the Brussels based team of the International Union of Cinemas (UNIC) to bring you regular updates on EU cinema policies that impact all industry professionals across Europe. Click here for FNE UNIC EU Cinema Policy Update.
COVID-19 - Cultural and creative sectors
17/09: Next Generation EU support should go to hard-hit European culture, say MEPs – European Parliament
Parliament called for direct EU funding to support European culture and creators, who continue to be severely affected by the COVID-19 crisis.
COVID-19 - EU response
25/09: COVID-19: Council approves €87.4 billion in financial support for member states under SURE – Council of the EU
The Council approved €87.4 billion of financial support to 16 member states in the form of EU loans under SURE – a temporary EU instrument to mitigate unemployment risks during the COVID-19 crisis.
24/09: Why is Parliament calling for new EU revenue-raising powers? – European Parliament
With negotiations underway on the EU’s 2021-2027 budget as well as the €750 billion Covid-19 recovery instrument, one of the main sticking points is the issue of own resources.
21/09: Read-out of the meeting between European Commission President von der Leyen, the President of the European Parliament David Sassoli, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, in her capacity as rotating Presidency of the Council, 21 September – European Commission
EU Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD)
/09: Guidelines on video-sharing platforms and European works under revised AVMSD – EAO newsletter
On 2 July 2020, the European Commission published two important sets of guidelines pursuant to the revised Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD) which extends audiovisual rules to what are termed video-sharing platforms (see IRIS 2019-1/3).
Taxation
25/09: Statement by Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager on the Commission's decision to appeal the General Court's judgment on the Apple tax State aid case in Ireland – European Commission
Events
30 September & 1 October: EUIPO Observatory Plenary meeting
1 October: European Parliament JURI Committee meeting (including vote on Digital Services Act Report)
1 October: European Parliament ITRE Committee meeting
12 & 13 October: UNIC Cinema Days online
19 October: 18th EFARN (European Film Agency Research Network) meeting
20-22 October: EUIPO Observatory Working Group meetings
28 October: European Internet Forum event on geo-blocking
2 December: European Commission legislative proposal for the Digital Services Act (DSA) - TBC
Recent Studies
EAO - The European audiovisual industry in the time of COVID-19 - September 2020
EAO - Copyright licensing rules in the European Union - August 2020
MUSO - Has the displaced cinema audience become the new piracy audience? – June 2020
PRODUCTION: Hungarian-Romanian Director Cristina Grosan Develops Sophomore Feature
Hungary 30-09-2020BUDAPEST: Hungarian-Romanian director Cristina Grosan is in late development and production financing with her sophomore feature Ordinary Failures / Běžná selhání. Her first foreign language film is a Czech/Italian/Hungarian/Slovak coproduction.
TALLINN: North Star Film Alliance has announced the opening of an office in Tokyo.
BRATISLAVA: Historical drama series Maria Theresa has been sold to Walter’s Choice, a VoD service on the PBS platform in the USA. Rights for the series were also acquired for the UK, New Zealand, Italy, Russia, and Portugal, in addition to ARTE TV.
BUCHAREST: Corneliu Porumboiu's The Whistler's / La Gomera received the Grand Prix and the Romanian Filmmakers Union (UCIN) Trophy at the 48th edition of the UCIN Gala, as well as the award for Best Film in 2019 from the Romanian Critics Association, which was announced during the same event.
WARSAW: HBO Europe has begun production on two new series Ruxx in Romania and Still Here in Poland.
BUCHAREST: Romanian director Octav Chelaru finished shooting his debut feature Balaur on 10 September 2020. The film was shot in Romania as a Romanian/German/Serbian coproduction and will have its premiere in 2021.
