SMART7, a network of seven European festivals from seven different countries: Poland (mbank New Horizons IFF), Iceland (Reykjavik IFF), Portugal (IndieLisboa IFF), Romania (Transilvania IFF), Spain (FILMADRID IFF), Greece (Thessaloniki IFF) and Lithuania (Vilnius IFF Kino Pavasaris), connects festivals that share similar objectives and visions, while coming from different cultural and geopolitical areas of Europe.
The network’s objective is to create a multidimensional field for sharing experience and communication among members by organizing four workshops around current and vital topics: Programming & Audience Development, Sponsoring & Fundraising, Promotion & Sales, Sustainability & Green Practices. This activity aims to provide a qualified training ground for professionals working in the film festival arena, staff members directly involved in the specific areas that can inspire and be inspired and, in the long term, help shape improvements in their own organizations and have a visible impact on the European film industry landscape.
The two workshops organized per year seek to take full advantage of each member’s strengths and promote peer-to-peer collaborative learning, undisclosed knowledge-sharing, and bringing the festivals’ teams together.
The first and second workshops will take place on the 5th and 6th of December, with allSMART7 festival members present in Wrocław, Poland, to talk and guide the workshops about Promotion & Sales and Sponsorship & Fundraising.
On December 5, New Horizons and IndieLisboa representatives will be showcasing a set of experiences together with stories of success and adversity around the Promotion & Sales theme, opening the discussion about the best practices, how to anticipate and better prepare for the challenges expected in the future.
On the following day, December 6, Thessaloniki International Film Festival and Transilvania International Film Festival take over the topic of Sponsorship & Fundraising, illustrating their experiences and reflections on the topics that constitute the backbone of any cultural event. Guest speakers from several major festivals across Europe will also share their knowledge and experience.
For both workshops, the network invites external international film festivals to participate in these closed doors and hands-on sessions, which are expected to be a valuable exchange among key players of the international film festival scene. The initiative is truly unique and most welcome in an industry where there are too little training opportunities for festival staff.
The number of external participants is limited to 10 film festivals, and festivals’ representatives can manifest their interest through the email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. until 27th of October. Registration is free. Participants would need to cover the costs of their transport and accommodation.
SMART7 is a network of seven European Film Festivals, co-funded by the Creative Europe Media.
