European Summer University for professionals of Arthouse cinemas

Venice, San Servolo Island, 3> 11/09/ 2011

The 8th European Summer University for professionals of Arthouse cinemas organized within the framework of the MEDIA Programme of the European Union, will take place on the campus-island of San Servolo, during Venice International Film Festival.

Arthouse extended all over Europe in the 1950's, 1960's and 1970's. They now account for 4.000 among the 30.000 cinema screens on the continent. Their position is very different depending on the European regions: organized networks in some countries and mostly isolated cinemas elsewhere.

Still, there is in all countries a need for preparing the future generation of art cinemas managers and a need for getting ready the present managers to face the new challenges of their profession.

The ambition of the "Art Cinema = Action + Management" training is:

• to hand-on on to the new generation the specific know-how (methods, tools, ideas, contacts) for programming, animating and managing an art cinema.
• to give to the present managers, a place for discussing the challenges independent exhibitors have to face in the age of new business models and for making recommendation useful for the all profession on how to strengthen the competitiveness of independent exhibition

During both sessions of the training, the 53 participants selected amongst the 92 candidates will hold debates and discussions on Arthouse cinema exhibition and will share their work and experiences with 40 international professional trainers the German producer Alfred Hürmer, the French economist of cinema and professor at the Sorbonne University, Laurent Creton; the General Director of the Mexican Cineteca Nacional, Paula Astorga ; the deputy director of the Sofia International Film festival, Mira Staleva , to name but a few .

26 countries will be represented on the island: Belgium, Bulgaria, Chad, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Taiwan and United Kingdom.

The International Confederation of Art Cinemas for the development of Art Cinema worldwide

History >> Since 1955, the CICAE has been working to promote cultural diversity in cinemas

In the 50's, non-commercial films (" avant-garde", "auteur cinema" "art cinema") were mainly screened in festivals and often only seen by the movie-going elite, or more infrequently shown in specialized theatres in Europe's major capital cities.

In 1955, the national Arthouse cinema associations of Germany, France, the Netherlands and Switzerland decided to gather and to found the CICAE in order to bring quality films out of the shadows by offering them to a larger audience and to develop an art market for the cinema industry where filmmakers could find the resources they needed to pursue their creative endeavours.

The collective and concerted action of these pioneers led to the emergence in each of their country of a real market for quality films, as well as national schemes aimed at supporting theatres that took a stand in favour of this «high-risk» cinematographic art form.

Today, the CICAE brings together 3,000 screens via 9 national structures[1], independent cinemas in approximately 24 countries[2], 15 or so festivals[3] as well as a number of Arthouse film distributors or organizations (Europa Cinemas).

Aims & Actions >> Supporting the diversity of the cinematographic offer and strengthening theatrical exploitation of art films

• by defending the cultural diversity and to grant the access of people to a variety of independent films and wide-spread programmed cinemas - including the masterpieces of film history and a special offer for the Young Public;
• by offering exhibitors which share the same aims, a space for the sharing of information and experiences ,
• by fostering collaboration between exhibitors and the creation of regional and national market-influencing groups capable to obtain support for Arthouse cinemas from government bodies and local institutions.
• by promoting the screening of art films from festivals to art cinemas for improving their circulation and increase their audiences (a dozen of ‘'Art Cinema Award'' granted every year)by organizing professionals trainings (about 500 professionals trained since 2004 in Berlin, Cartage, Dakar, Mexico City, Paris, Toulouse, Valdivia and Venice)

[1] AFCAE in France, FICE and AIACE in Italy, AGKINO GILDE in Germany, SSV-ASCA in Switzerland, Art Mozi and Art Mozi Budapest in Hungary, Diagonale and VAC in Belgium, Circuito Gran Cine in Venezuela

[2] Algeria, England, Austria, Chile, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Spain, Finland, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Malta, Morocco, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Russia, The Netherlands, Slovenia, South Africa, USA

[3] including Berlin, Festroia, Directors' Fortnight, Locarno, Sarajevo, Venice, Annecy, Hamburg, Mons