FESTIVAL SCOPE LAUNCHES ON-LINE FESTIVAL SCREENINGS

For immediate release 12/05/10

The launch of a totally new and unique facility for film industry professionals offering simultaneous on-line screening access to films as they receive their festival world premieres has been announced today.

Launching this summer, Festival Scope is the first Internet platform of its kind and film festivals around the world are signing up as a means of promoting their festivals, films and directors as well as offering the possibility to connect with rights holders. Festivals that have signed up already include Melbourne, Sarajevo, Taormina, Hamburg and Paris Cinéma, with many more soon to be announced in the coming weeks.

"Being so geographically far away can pose a challenge in accessing the latest and most innovative festivals, films and filmmakers in person. Festival Scope will allow us to link in to a select network to better achieve this while providing the opportunity for us to also champion 'smaller' films that we think are particularly special."

Michelle Carey, Head of Programming, Melbourne International Film Festival

"Already deep into the digital age, the film business remains a world of mixed economies. New business models are constantly emerging and the established ones still thrive. We see our collaboration with Festival Scope fitting such reality and giving the films we promote an additional competitive edge in today's market."

Jovan Marjanovic, Head of Industry, Sarajevo Film Festival

"With Festival Scope all parties will be winners. The films and the festivals will receive additional exposure and film professionals will have new possibilities to get to know new product and the people behind the product. It is the first tool for the 21st century kind of festivals and I am really happy and proud that Filmfest Hamburg is a part of it!"

Albert Wiederspiel, Festival Director, Filmfest Hamburg

"Festival Scope is an appropriate answer to the needs of both professionals and films festivals for a better circulation of independent cinema in a changing industry landscape. We do believe in this skilful and mature initiative, launched by a team of passionate experts: long live Festival Scope!"

Aude Hesbert, Festival Director, Paris Cinéma

Film professionals around the globe will have increased festival visibility, enabling buyers and programmers to discover and screen new films in an easier way with the utmost security.

Festival Scope is a project implemented by a brand new independent company founded by Alessandro Raja, former Director of Sales at Celluloid Dreams in collaboration with Lucie Kalmar, former Acquisitions and Festivals executive at Wild Bunch and Mathilde Henrot, former Director of Sales at MK2. Financed by private equity and sustained by RIAM network (Research and Innovation in Audiovisual and Multimedia), co-financed by CNC and Oséo.

"Festival Scope is an innovative service for film professionals only. We are partnering with festivals around the world to support independent cinema and film makers by increasing access and reducing costs for everyone."

Alessandro Raja, Festival Scope

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: SARAH WILBY AT SWCP 020 7580 0222 sarahwilby@swcp.co.uk

Back 13.01.2010.