Wednesday, February 13-------The new age of digital cinema, and how it will effect everything from production to distribution to exhibition, was the hot topic at this past weekend's EFM Industry Debates, sponsored by the European Film Market (EFM) and its official main partner Arts Alliance Media (AAM). Building on the success of last year’s collaboration, this year’s debates dealt with the opportunities and challenges of digital film distribution and sales. Under the heading “Embrace Digital Distribution: Drive Your Business Into The Future”, advances in digital distribution possibilities, prospects of the cinema market and the effects of growing digitalisation on home users were discussed at three afternoon sessions, held in the ballroom of the Marriot Hotel.

The first debate examined the perspectives opening up for European independent distributors in view of increasing digitalisation. On the second day, the key issue was the developments in the home entertainment market, including the opportunities that are for filmmakers and distributors as a result of online distribution and legal downloading options. The series closed with a panel on the outlook of technical innovations and the development of digital standards for online distribution.

The London-based company Arts Alliance Media is Europe’s leading provider for the digital distribution of film and is currently working on establishing a European-wide digital network that will make films available to cinemas and home entertainment as well as enable exchange between partners in the industry. Industry experts who contributed to the discourse included: Arash Amel (Screen Digest), Robert Andrews (PaidContent: UK), Liesl Copland (Netflix), John Dick (MEDIA Programme), Anders Geersten (European Digital Cinema Forum), Michael Gubbins (Screen International), Simon Morris (Lovefilm.com), Jon Salmon (Tiscali), and Nick Varley (Park Circus).

Sandy Mandelberger, Berlin FF Dailies Editor