Questa è la sua seconda edizione come direttrice della Berlinale Pro* e dell’EFM. Quale bilancio può tracciare della sua direzione sinora? Di quali scelte fatte ad oggi va particolarmente orgogliosa?
«Quando ho assunto questo incarico ho cercato di coniugare continuità e innovazione. Lo European Film Market è già uno dei principali appuntamenti industry a livello globale, con circa 12.000 professionisti da 140 Paesi, e l’obiettivo è stato rafforzarne le basi accompagnandone l’evoluzione in linea con le esigenze dell’attuale ecosistema audiovisivo. Abbiamo lavorato affinché Berlino restasse non solo un mercato, ma una piattaforma capace di generare opportunità concrete di business e networking. Sono particolarmente orgogliosa del rafforzamento del framework Berlinale Pro, con una maggiore integrazione tra EFM, Berlinale Talents, Co-Production Market e World Cinema Fund, creando una filiera più coesa dallo sviluppo alla distribuzione.
Un altro punto chiave è stato l’Innovation Hub, che affianca tecnologia e formazione avanzata. Con il supporto di Creative Europe MEDIA abbiamo ampliato le sessioni di upskilling, in particolare per i produttori, che rappresentano circa il 30% dei partecipanti al mercato. In un contesto in rapido cambiamento, investire sulle competenze è fondamentale».
Gli Oscar dell’anno scorso avevano visto Flow avere la meglio su Inside Out 2 e Il robot selvaggio. E anche quest’anno un film d’animazione europeo quale La piccola Amélie nella cinquina finale. L’animazione europea sta dando segnali di forte vitalità e infatti voi avete deciso di celebrarla con l’iniziativa EFM Animation Day. Ce ne può parlare?
«Ho voluto sostenere l’animazione europea, che sta attraversando una fase critica, in particolare a causa del calo delle commissioni da parte delle piattaforme, nonostante il suo ruolo centrale nelle scelte di fruizione delle famiglie. Supportare il settore in questo contesto è un’esigenza industriale e culturale. L’Europa eccelle nell’animazione, grazie a un ecosistema solido di formazione, produzione e fondi regionali. È anche il genere più amato dal pubblico giovane, una fascia strategica per il futuro. Garantire ai bambini l’accesso a contenuti europei significa trasmettere valori e immaginari culturali. Gli EFM Animation Days propongono pitching di ben 28 nuovi progetti alla ricerca di coproduzioni e sales, work in progress screening per programmatori e sessioni di networking mirate, anche per favorire l’incontro tra animazione e documentario».
Oltre agli EFM Animation Days, quali sono le principali novità dell’edizione 2026 dell’EFM?
«Stiamo ampliando il programma con iniziative come EFM Beyond, dedicata allo sviluppo cross-mediale delle IP. In un mercato frammentato, i produttori indipendenti devono passare da una logica di singolo progetto a una strategia di portfolio. Sviluppare IP su più formati – dal cinema al gaming, dall’animazione all’XR – consente di diversificare i ricavi, ampliare il pubblico e prolungare la vita delle opere europee. Per questo è necessario un forte investimento sull’upskilling: pensiero IP-first, storytelling transmediale, alfabetizzazione ai dati e capacità di combinare modelli di finanziamento diversi. Il nuovo acceleratore Film-to Game favorisce l’incontro tra produttori cinematografici, game developer e investitori, aprendo nuove prospettive di sviluppo».
Quali saranno i principali temi al centro degli EFM Industry Sessions?
«Le varie sessioni e incontri industry affronteranno temi chiave come le nuove tecnologie digitali, marketing, analisi dei dati, produzione, distribuzione e finanziamento. Il focus resta sull’upskilling e sul rafforzamento delle competenze. La produzione cinematografica è sempre più complessa e richiede competenze diversificate: vogliamo concentrarci sulle soluzioni per adattarsi al cambiamento, non solo sulle sue criticità. In programma masterclass, panel e keynote con esperti di alto profilo».
Perché oggi l’EFM resta un appuntamento imprescindibile per i professionisti dell’industria cinematografica?
«L’EFM è più di un mercato: unisce strategia industriale, creatività e visione. Si svolge strategicamente all’inizio dell’anno, quando Berlino diventa il punto di incontro per produttori, distributori, sales agent, broadcaster, streamer, finanziatori e programmatori di festival. È un momento decisivo per lanciare progetti, chiudere accordi e definire le linee dell’anno a venire, in un ambiente internazionale, compatto ed estremamente efficiente».
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Lo scorso anno avete introdotto l’EFM Distributor Award, premio per il miglior distributore europeo. Quali sono oggi le principali sfide per la distribuzione arthouse del Vecchio Continente?
«Il cinema europeo è creativo e diversificato, con una grande ricchezza di voci e storie. Tuttavia, le principali criticità riguardano la distribuzione, il rapporto con il pubblico e la sostenibilità. Il mercato è frammentato, i margini si riducono e la concorrenza con un’enorme quantità di contenuti rende difficile emergere. Marketing e visibilità sono sempre più complessi, mentre ai distributori arthouse viene chiesto di assumersi rischi crescenti con minori garanzie. In questo contesto, l’EFM Distributor Award valorizza il ruolo dei distributori come curatori e attori culturali fondamentali. Rafforzare la distribuzione significa tutelare la diversità e la
vitalità del cinema europeo».
La notizia della possibile acquisizione di Warner da parte di Netflix si inserisce in una stagione di grandi fusioni: solo negli ultimi anni Disney ha acquisito 20th Century Fox e Amazon ha comprato la Metro-Goldwyn Mayer. Che impatto hanno queste maxi-acquisizioni sugli equilibri del mercato globale e, in particolare, sulle opportunità per il cinema indipendente ed europeo?
«Concentrazione di questo genere riducono il numero di buyer e il potere negoziale dei produttori indipendenti, soprattutto europei. Il rischio è una progressiva marginalizzazione dei contenuti culturalmente specifici a favore di franchise globali. Per questo è essenziale preservare politiche culturali forti e sistemi di regolamentazione che garantiscano diversità e autenticità. La risposta deve essere una maggiore collaborazione tra gli attori indipendenti lungo tutta la filiera. La resilienza non può essere individuale, ma condivisa: collaborare significa rafforzare l’intero sistema e garantire un futuro sostenibile al cinema europeo».
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[english version]This is your second edition as director of Berlinale Pro and EFM. How would you evaluate your management so far? Which decisions are you particularly proud of?
Stepping into this role last year I’ve tried to balance continuity with thoughtful innovation. The European Film Market is already one of the world’s premier industry gatherings, bringing together around 12,000 professionals from 140 countries, so my priority has been to build on that strong foundation while making sure it evolves with the needs of today’s audio-visual ecosystem. This approach requires constant inquiry and we’re listening closely to the industry, responding with structural and programmatic innovation, and ensuring that Berlin remains not just a marketplace, but a platform that creates lots of additional opportunities for efficient business making and networking. I am especially proud of the way we’ve strengthened the Berlinale Pro framework overall, bringing the EFM closer together with Berlinale Talents, the Co-Production Market, and the World Cinema Fund as a now more cohesive pipeline from development to distribution. This more integrated approach broadens opportunities for our participants during the festival week but also throughout the year.
EFM was the first market to introduce a technology-focused exhibition area by inviting startups to present the business models of tomorrow. Last year, we expanded this approach with the launch of the Innovation Hub on the second floor of the MGB. However, our focus goes beyond showcasing new technologies. We place strong emphasis on advanced training through expert-led workshops and interactive tutoring sessions.
In the EFM Producer’s Hub we are further expanding the Upskilling sessions this year following last year’s strong attendance, with the valuable support of Creative Europe MEDIA. With producers making up around 30% of the market participants, this initiative is particularly tailored to them and seeks to empower the European industry to stay competitive in a rapidly changing market environment. The Innovation Hub is accessible exclusively to Market Badge holders.
At last year’s Oscars, Flow prevailed over Inside Out 2 and The Wild Robot. This year again, a European animated film such as Little Amélie or the Character of Rain is among the frontrunners. European animation is clearly showing strong vitality, and you have chosen to celebrate it with the EFM Animation Days. Can you tell us more about this initiative?
I wanted to support the European animation industry as much as I can, since it is going through a serious crisis, particularly due to a drop in commissioning from platforms, even though animation probably plays a crucial role in family subscription choices. Helping the industry navigate this difficult context and allowing it to better monetize its productions seems like both an industrial and cultural imperative. Hopefully, events like the Animation Days can add to an appeal in favour of strengthening public policy for this unique and strategic sector, which is important to Europe on multiple levels. Firstly, animation is a genre in which Europe excels. It’s also Germany’s top cultural export, a true industrial gem, highly dynamic and built on solid foundations. We have a great European ecosystem of training and production, supported crucially by regional funding. Second, animation is the favourite genre of young audiences, a demographic whose engagement is highly contested today. In Europe, our children must have the chance to discover European content – in cinemas, on TV, and on streaming platforms – because this presents a crucial opportunity to pass on our cultural imagination and values. All this makes animation a strategic priority for us. The three days are packed. For example, we will present 28 brand new projects in dedicated pitching sessions that are looking for co-production partners and sales agents – for family entertainment as well as arthouse/adult animation. We will present work-in-progress screenings for market-accredited festival programmers and host special networking sessions, for example to connect documentary producers who are interested in animating parts of their projects with experienced studios.
Beside the EFM Animation Days, what’s new in the 2026 edition of EFM? Any new sections, spaces or activities?We are expanding the EFM programme with strategic initiatives like the EFM Beyond platform, which focuses on cross-media storytelling, because independent producers can greatly benefit from diversifying their slates in our fragmented market. Moving from single project-based thinking to a slate/portfolio-based IP strategy can help independent producers remain competitive. Developing IP simultaneously across different formats – from film to games, web series, animation, brand partnerships, location based entertainment, and XR – can create additional revenue streams, extend audiences, and expand the lifespan of European IP far beyond a single theatrical release window. To make this approach viable, many producers need to upskill, as this is not traditionally part of film production training: IP-first development thinking, including worldbuilding and transmedia storytelling that adapts narratives across formats rather than repeating them and meets audiences where they are; data literacy; and an understanding of how to combine different funding models and production workflows. Through concrete case studies, we will highlight IPs that have successfully expanded into multiple formats. Our brand-new Film-to-Game accelerator connects participants with game studios and creators beyond the classic film sector, enabling investors from different backgrounds to engage with film producers. Ten curated game developers will also pitch their IPs for film and TV adaptation. Stay tuned fo a detailed programme soon!
What will be the main focus topics of the EFM Industry Sessions?
Our Industry Conference Programme will again offer measurable outcomes and key insights covering mediatech, innovative marketing, data analysis, as well as best practices in the production and distribution, financing, promotion, and circulation of audiovisual content. The main focus here also lies on upskilling and competence building. Film producing has become so complex that it can only be accomplished with a wider range of expertise and the art of resourcefulness. As a progressive industry platform, we don’t want to focus on the industry’s disruptions, but rather on the ideas that help us adapt to these changes. It’s a great mix of masterclasses and panels with high-profile speakers, handpicked experts, and guest keynotes, which my colleague Manu Guddait co-curates.
Why is the EFM a must-attend event for film industry professionals today?
We continuously expand our scope of offerings to reinforce our role as a global entertainment industry leader. What increasingly sets our inner DNA apart is that we are more than a marketplace. The European Film Market is a must-attend event today because it combines business relevance and strategy with creativity and vision. As part of the Berlinale, we uniquely bridge the public and professional worlds. All the major players and opinion leaders are in town: producers, sales agents, distributors, streamers, broadcasters, financiers, and festival programmers all meet in Berlin at the very start of the year, making it a decisive moment to launch projects, close deals, and set the tone for the year ahead. You will find a highly efficient, international, curated, and compact environment that offers countless yet accessible opportunities to network and share a beer in Europe’s most vibrant city, while moving your projects forward.
Last year you introduced the EFM Distributor Award. What are the main challenges currently facing European arthouse distribution? More generally, how would you assess European film production in 2025? What do you think are the main strengths, limitations and challenges of European films released in cinemas?
European films are creatively outstanding and diverse, with a remarkable richness of voices, stories, and artistic ambition. This cultural diversity is one of Europe’s greatest assets and continues to resonate internationally, as we can see. But European films face structural limitations. I think the main challenges lie less in production capacities – because production levels remain relatively high – and more in distribution, audience engagement, and sustainability. The market is highly fragmented, margins are shrinking, and competing with an unprecedented volume of content erodes attention and makes it hard to connect films with audiences. Marketing and visibility have become significantly more complex. Shorter windows and changing viewing habits make it harder to build momentum for European arthouse, which often relies on word of mouth and long-tail strategies. Arthouse distributors are often asked to take creative and financial risks on culturally ambitious films, but with decreasing safeguards and less predictability. This is why initiatives like the EFM Distributor Award matter: they recognize the crucial role distributors play not just as buyers, but as curators, allies, and cultural-political key drivers. By upholding diversity in our cinemas, we play an important part in reinforcing the foundation of European democracy. There is a real need for improved infrastructure around the distribution of European content. In order to strategize distribution, players need the support of public institutions and continuous funding that helps them innovate their marketing, as well as access data and develop the skills to translate data insights into effective audience strategies. I also believe that addressing these challenges will require stronger collaboration among all independent players across the value chain to ensure European cinema remains both culturally vibrant and economically viable.
The possible acquisition of Warner by Netflix comes at a time of major consolidation in the industry: in recent years, Disney acquired 20th Century Fox and Amazon bought Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. What impact are these mega-acquisitions having on the balance of the global market, and in particular on opportunities for independent and European cinema?
It’s simple: fewer buyers in the market will result in less negotiating leverage, and independent – especially European – producers will struggle to secure financing or visibility unless they have strong ties to dominant platforms. Industry groups have warned that this trend toward concentration not only undermines competition but also reduces options for spectators. The risk is that globally scalable hits and franchises will be prioritised, which could diminish the diversity of voices and marginalise European, culturally-specific content that doesn’t fit the franchise model. These dynamics have already provoked pushback from trade bodies that advocate for continued strong cultural policy support, including the development of alternative distribution pathways. The success of the European film structure is based on regulations, and we must preserve them. These regulations make diversity and authenticity possible and ensure that storytelling isn’t always influenced by commercial considerations, especially as algorithms tend to favour proven tracks over originality. What we can see at the Berlinale, the biggest audience festival in the world, is that audiences are increasingly looking for sophisticated artistic voices and don’t want to be told what to like. Their connection to the material has to feel organic and real. I think the only answer to this is increased collaboration among independents across the value chain. In the face of today’s challenges, resilience must be rethought as something structural and strategic, but most of all shared. The entire European film industry must demonstrate a spirit of collective responsibility that will be essential to its future; a purely competitive mindset will not bring us where we want to be. The media industry is not a zero-sum game: collaborating with your competitors does not mean you cannot succeed financially—on the contrary, it means growing the overall pie. If festivals or arthouse distributors do well because they are collectively supported, that success will carry over into new project greenlighting and to Europeans who value going to the cinema or appreciate the meaningful connections they can make in these spaces. We are collaborating with several industry events (Annecy, Cartoon, When East Meets West, EAVE, ACE, Series Mania, etc.) because cross-pollinating interests is key, in my opinion.
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