2 May 2019

Each year more than 6,000 film festivals take place around the world. They come in many sizes and flavors. Some celebrate certain genres or types of film. Others are committed to social justice or serve the needs of specific communities. Most can be seen as hubs (big or small) of international film culture. These festivals are part of an international ecosystem that moderates the flows of global film circulation.

To understand film reception and consumption in local cultures, we need to address the tight connections and collaborations that exist between major fests and the media industries. Where films premier, how they are subsequently programmed, and which promotional strategies are employed have substantial impact on films’ (possible) itineraries across the globe. The surge in co-production markets, festival funds and training initiatives of the last two decades, moreover, has extended festivals’ traditional function in exhibition to include production.

You are welcome to join a roundtable discussion with Skadi Loist (Visiting Professor Production Cultures in Audiovisual Media Industries at Film University Babelsberg Konrad Wolf) Aida Vallejo (Associate Professor at the University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU) and Philippe Meers (Professor Film and Media Studies at Antwerp University) that explores how the lives of films are interrelated with festivals as part of the global media industries.

Moderator: Marijke de Valck (UU)