The seventh annual Baltic Event and Co-Production Market ended last Wednesday on a high note. With more than 200 international guests, a plethora of one-on-one meetings, four awards given out at the Co-Production Market, and some of the more informative and important panels ever presented, this edition raised the bar for all future Baltic Events.
The Baltic Event Co-Production Market was a particular success, with 15 % more meetings organized than in previous years. Four projects were awarded at the market this year. Alexander Wieser and Steve Walsh from East-West Distribution were on hand to give out an award for Most Marketable Project, which went to the Finnish project Princess, produced and directed by Arto Halonen (Art Films production AFP Ltd.). The prize was a free script doctoring. For the first time, Screen International also presented an award to a project, with journalist Theo Schwinke making the presentation. The prize, extended exposure in the magazine throughout the lifetime of the project, went to the Ukrainian-Russian project Fuga Mortis directed by Kirill Mikhanovsky and produced by Oleg Kokhan and Olena Yershova of Sota Cinema Group. Their Russian partner, Yevgeniy Gindilis of TVINDIE Film Production also attended to represent the film.
And finally, the Cannes Marché du Film Producers' Network gave out the prize of two free admissions to the most promising producers at the market. These went to Anna Katchko, who attended the market with the project Illuminated Night (dir. Elena Hazanov, Tandem Pictures, Russia) and Artur Talvik, whose project was Money First (dir. Jaak Kilmi, Eetriüksus, Estonia).
Organizers were particularly happy about the amount of direct, positive feedback from both project representatives as well as decisionmakers.
Screen International also sponsored two informative panels on the Baltic region. European co-production - To and from the Baltics was hosted by Theo Schwinke and featured Ilkka Matila (MRP), Diane Elbaum (Chien et Loup), Philippe Bober (Coproduction Office) and Alexander Wieser (East-West Distribution), discussing the possibility of co-production with the Baltics, particularly in today's difficult financial situation, and the possible implications for the future of co-production. Martin Blaney hosted a second panel, with panelists Tiina Lokk (Black Nights Film Festival), Karlo Funk (Estonian Film Foundation) and Greta Akcijonaite (Skalvija Cinema Center) discussing the recent artistic development in the Baltics.
Baltic Event also hosted an Industry Day for Baltic producers on Wednesday, December 3. The focus this year was Video on Demand issues.
Lili Pilt
Baltic Event
Co-Production Market Manager
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Riina Sildos
Baltic Event
Managing Director
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+372 50 48985
Eda Koppel
Estonian Film Foundation
Information Manager
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Phone: +372 627 6063
