Berlinale’s 2021 European Film Market (EFM) will debut “EFM Goes Global”. This initiative allows market participants in key film distribution territories outside Europe to view films from the official Berlinale selection in cinemas. The physical screenings will be set up in four selected “Market Hubs” during the EFM in March, enabling distributors to experience the films in a familiar cinematic atmosphere. EFM is set in a virutal format March 1-5 and the screenings will run concurrently.

The 2021 “Market Hubs” take place in the centres of global film trade: Tokyo for the Asian market, Melbourne for Oceania, São Paulo for South America, and Mexico City for Central America – all cities with a high density of national distribution companies. In the four cities, “EFM Goes Global” is cooperating with established industry partners such as festivals, cinemas and film institutions, which will provide local infrastructure support to the EFM.

Owing to the sustained travel restrictions worldwide and other measures required to combat the pandemic, as previously announced, the Berlinale will take place in two stages. The EFM will kick off as a virtual event from March 1 to 5, with “EFM Goes Global” now joining the programme as an analogue component.

“If distributors aren’t able to travel to Berlin this year, we want to bring the films to the distributors, and present them using the display technology they were created for: the big screen. ‘EFM Goes Global’ aims to support the successful international distribution of selected Berlinale titles. The initiative also makes it possible for smaller distribution companies from the respective territories to be included in the market. Another goal of ‘EFM Goes Global’ is to strive for more sustainability in the distribution business by avoiding air travel,” comments Dennis Ruh, director of the European Film Market.

Berlinale Artistic Director Carlo Chatrian adds: “I’m delighted that, in this unusual situation, the EFM has succeeded in maintaining the collective physical experience with this challenging and promising project. ‘EFM Goes Global’ gives the films of the Berlinale selection the opportunity to be shown in an actual cinema to a physically present industry audience.”

The “EFM Goes Global” partners in the four participating cities are:

Tokyo: The Tokyo International Film Festival, the film and television market TIFFCOM, the Film School of Tokyo, and Eurolive Cinema.

Melbourne: The Melbourne International Film Festival’s MIFF 37ºSouth Market, Palace Cinemas, and “The Kino” in Melbourne.

São Paulo: Mostra Internacional de Cinema em São Paulo (São Paulo International Film Festival) and Espaço Itaú de Cinema – Frei Caneca.

Mexico City: IMCINE (the Mexican Institute of Cinematography) and Cineteca Nacional de México.