EFA Diary 2001
A TRAVELLING ACADEMY
by Marion Döring
January ‘01
Early in January, EFA Board members Nik Powell, Humbert Balsan, Uli Felsberg and Andres Vicente Gomez, alongside with Marion Döring and Gisela Corsten from the EFA secretariat, meet in Paris to develop new strategies for the financial future of the European Film Academy. Two weeks later, 20 directors from Europe arrive in berlin to attend Tsui Hark’s EFA Master Class TIME FOR HONG KONG ACTION! Can Master Class become “cult”? This one does, thanks to its enthusiastic, generous and billiant Master. Interested in learning more about the art of Hong Kong action choreography? Want to attend the next one? E-mail Christina Hoschka at choschka@europeanfilmacademy.org.
In Sweden, EFA presents in collaboration with the Göteborg Film Festival DOUBLE IDENTITY, a programme of films made by second generation immigrant directors in Europe. At the Premiers Plans Festival in France, EFA and UIP present the Prix UIP Angers for a short film which includes an automatic nomination for the 2001 European Film Awards (three further candidates were already selected in Ghent, Valladolid and London in October and November 2000).
February ‘01
The Berlin International Film Festival is a regular meeting point for the EFA Board. Also during the Berlinale, the European Pitch Point gives 12 writers the opportunity to pitch their stories to an audience of international producers for the second time. EFA members Adriana Chiesa, Vibeke Windelov, Robert Jones, Rainer Kölmel and Renate Roginas serve on the jury - a co-operation with Script House (Berlin), Maurits Binger Institute (Amsterdam) and Focal (Lausanne) to be continued in 2002. EFA and UIP present the Prix UIP Berlin.
March 01
The Tampere Short Film Festival is the next station for EFA’s Marion Döring and Bianca Köppen and festival numer six to award a short film with the Prix UIP and to nominate it for the 2001 European Film Awards. Wim Wenders and an EFA delegation meet with representatives of the Berlin Senate and with Germany’s State Minister of Culture and the Media, Julian Nida-Rümelin, to secrue the extension of the funding for EFA in Berlin from 2002 - 2004. The German Advisory Committee which was established to soncult EFA and DDA Productions on the European Film Awards, meets for the first time in Berlin. At the end of March, Marion Döring is invited to attend a Paris conference of Geect, the European coordination of film schools. As a result of several talks, Geect and EFA convene to colaborate in the future. In Berlin, the EFA secretariat welcomes a new staff member, Viviane Gajewski, who will be working as an assistant.
April ‘01
Marion Döring attends the Saami Film Festival in the North of Norway. European cinema is warmly received beyond the Arctic circle. Second meeting of the German Advisory Committee, this time in Cologne where EFA Deputy Chairman Dieter Kosslick proves his skills as a gifted rock bank lead singer/guitar player/saxophonist before leaving the NRW film fund to take over the International Berlin Film Festival (and conquer the Berlin rock scene).
May ‘01
Informal Board meeting during the International Cannes Film Festival. Marion Döring and European Film Awards executive producer Sarah Henderson meet with the heads of 15 film commissions in Europe to investigate the possibilities of them supporting the European Film Awards. The response is positive, all of them acknowledge that European cinema can only be promoted through a strong network. Also in Cannes, Nik Powell and Marion Döring invite the directors of the most important festivals of the world to a conference on the future role of film festivals taking place in Berlin during the European Film Awards’ weekend on December, 1st.
June ‘01
Presentation of the Prix UIP Grimstad in Norway. An EFA delegation meets with the Mayor of Warsaw who invites the European Film Awards to the Polish capital. At the end of June, EFA Board member Antono Perez invites his colleagues to a survival test: Board meeting in the extreme 2001 summer heat of Sevilla and Cordoba.
July ‘01
From the South of Spain to the South of Germany:thirs German Advisory Committee meeting, this time in Munich. And back to the Iberian peninsula: in Portugal, EFA and UIP present the Prix UIP Vila do Conde. In Karlovy Vary, Marion Döring meets with festival director Eva Zaoralova, one of the participants in the EFA festivals conference in Berlin on December 1st. An EFA delegation travels to Rome to meet with Rome’s Mayor Walter Veltroni who invites the European Film Awards to his city in 2002. Green light for EFA’s future in Berlin: the German National Lottery Berlin and Filmboard Berlin-Brandenburg confirm their financing of the European Film Academy until the end of 2004. Thank you!
August ‘01
Presentation of two Prix UIP for short films that are automatically nominated for the European Film Awards: Prix UIP Sarajevo and Prix UIP Edinburgh. At the EFA secretariat, Maria von Hörsten collect 1,300 video tapes from each of the 40 producers whose films are short listed for the European Film Awards.
September ‘01
The short film nominees for the 2001 European Film Awards are complete: in Venice, EFA and UIP present the 11th Prix UIP. Almost 50,000 video tapes are couriered by TNT to the EFA membership around the continent, who will now have six weeks to view the 40 films and to vote for their favourites. At the same time, Andersen open their website for the pan-European audience to vote for their best director, best actor and best actress through the People’s Choice Awards. Fourth meeting of the German Advisory Committee in Berlin. The comes September 11th and the world is changed. There is a “before” and an “after September 11th”. The world falls into a period of slow motion. Many members of the international film industry are stuck in Toronto. And then, strangely enough, like in a trance, everybody gets up again, returns to the daily business, but a huge question mark hovers over everything.
October ‘01
The Flanders International Film Festival invites the EFA Board to Ghent. At the same time, the festival presents the eleven short film nominees and their directors. The international jury selects the Prix UIP Ghent winner and first short film nominees for the 2002 European Film Awards.
November/December ‘01
The Documentary Jury, including Jens Meurer, Stefan Laudyn, and Cinzia Torrini decides in Berlin upon the 2001 European Documentary Award - Prix Arte. The winning film is announced and screened in Strasbourg during the Forum of European Cinema. The Prix UIP Valladolid is presented and, consequently, the second short film nominee for 2002 confirmed. On Satuday, December 1st the European Film Awards take place in Berlin. A more than ever appealing week-end programme designed for the guests: it includes FIRST CUTS, a presentation of the very first student work by Detlev Buck, Fridrik Thor Fridriksson, Ken Loach, Lone Scherfig and István Szabó; UNTIL DAWN, a party to celebrate the young talent nominated for the European Film Awards; and FILM FESTIVALS IN THE SPOTLIGHT, The EFA conference with ten festivals directors from around the globe.