The future of film business and pioneering developments in the media and entertainment worlds are the focus of “EFM Horizon”, successfully launched at last year’s European Film Market (EFM). The progressive market platform has been expanded and will take place this year over the course of five days, from February 16 – 20 at Berliner Freiheit (Berliner Freiheit 2, 10785 Berlin), across the street from the Berlin Marriott Hotel. In keynotes, talks and workshop events, “EFM Horizon” will spotlight hot new themes such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality, blockchain, and diversity in the film industry. In addition to digital innovations and current developments in technology, “EFM Horizon” will focus on the storytelling of tomorrow and ideas for new business models and strategies. “EFM Horizon” is supported by Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg.

The “EFM Industry Debates” – officially hosted by IFA, the leading global fair for consumer electronics and home appliances – will take place this year for the first time as part of “EFM Horizon”. The “EFM Industry Debates” highlight improvements and contemporary transformations in the industry. Themes will focus on “The Future of Sales Business”, in cooperation with Screen International and “The Financing and Monetization of Virtual Reality Content” in cooperation with Variety. „Why Diversity Matters“ is the title of the debate in cooperation with Knowledge Partner McKinsey & Company and The Hollywood Reporter. Dame Vivian Hunt, Head of McKinsey UK and Ireland will be presenting the Diversity Report of which she is co-author.

“EFM Horizon” will be also dedicated to a variety of aspects of virtual reality, one of the most exciting technological developments in recent years, and which raises a number of questions for the film industry regarding financing, practicality, technology and storytelling. The “VRNEXT Investors Club”, hosted in cooperation with VRNEXT, will bring together investors, producers, distribution representatives, tech experts and creatives. The “VR NOW Summit”, held in cooperation with Virtual Reality e.V. Berlin Brandenburg, will be made up of keynotes, presentations and a moderated talk on the scope of virtual reality as a technology, as a platform and as a medium. For the first time, the EFM 2018 in cooperation with INVR.Space will present official market screenings for 360° VR projects in the newly constructed “VR Cinema at Marriott”.

“EFM Startups” – the market initiative that brings the film industry into contact with original and lateral thinkers in the creative industries and technology scene – will present ten selected startups from Berlin and Europe as well as two startups from Canada, the focus country at the EFM 2018.

“Propellor FilmTech Hub”, the cooperative project by the EFM, the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR), the International Documentary Festival Copenhagen (CPH:DOX), and the Berlin innovation studio Cinemathon, invites this year’s EFM visitors to a meetup – a fireside talk with an industry visionary, moderated by Alex Stolz for the podcast series FILM DISRUPTORS.

A new “EFM Horizon” partner this year is the Frankfurt Book Fair, with its innovation platform THE ARTS+, an event with five spotlight presentations and roundtable discussions on artificial intelligence (AI) and its effects on creative processes in literature, art, film and TV. Another new format this year is the event in cooperation with Téléfilm Canada as part of the “Canada in Focus” 2018 programme, which will highlight blockchain in presentations, case studies and a co-creation workshop, presenting participants from film, TV and digital media with the newest applications and technologies. In cooperation with Creative Europe MEDIA, “EFM Horizon” will also host a roundtable networking format for the first time, with the theme “Building a Bridge between Tech & (Online) Distribution”, where film distributors, VOD platforms, online aggregators, startups and tech firms come together to start a conversation about how they want to shape the future of entertainment services and experiences together.

“EFM Horizon” events are open to Market Badge holders (priority) and accredited festival visitors.