2009 IFFS Europe Opening Keynote Presentation

Marco Müller
Director
Venice International Film Festival

Since 1980, he has worked as a film critic and historian, creating and directing several series of books on the cinema for a number of publishers, has personally curated some monographic publications and has regularly written essays and articles on cinema. Since 1978, his new role as "festival maker" has progressively established itself. From 1989 to 1991, he was director of the Rotterdam International Film Festival, and in that context created the Huub Bals Fund and the Coproduction Workshop (now called "Cinemart Projects"); these were two instruments that were to play an important role in Europe and elsewhere to ensure financial and "cultural" support for independent films from the South and East.

From 1991 to 2000, he directed the Locarno International Film Festival renewing the criteria for the programming from the roots up: alongside the numerous "discoveries" of directors who subsequently became famous. Between 1998 and 2002, he worked as director of the Film and Video Department of Fabrica, where he tackled the training of new film and video-makers. Since April 2004, he has been the Director of the Cinema section of the Venice Biennale Foundation and the Director of the Venice International Film Festival.

Mr. Müller will draw upon his vast experience and rich understanding of film and art to share his perspective on film festivals and global cinema.