SAVE THE EUROPEAN COORDINATION OF FILM FESTIVALS

The European Coordination of Film Festivals, created in 1995, on the initiative of about 10 festivals, gathers today almost 250 film and audiovisual festivals in 25 countries of the European Union.
These 250 festivals represent the largest network that was able to gather audiovisual professionals on a European scale, to facilitate the circulation of films and people in the European Union and in countries outside the European Union.
The European Coordination of Film Festivals, relying on the expertise of its members, and on a permanent office based in Brussels, is been acting for 10 years to promote the distribution of European cinema, via numerous actions that respond to a real need of the industry and of the audiences (*).

Each year, through its members, this networks represents about 5.4 million spectators and presents almost 45,000 films, among which are 75\% European films.

But today, this network that directly participates in the construction of Europe, is about to disappear.

In 2006, the sudden and inexplicable disengagement of the services of the European Commission (MEDIA Programme Network and MEDIA Programme Third Countries), which was the main financer of the Coordination, together with the withdrawal of a main sponsor that suddenly changed its communication and marketing strategy, put us in an unbearable financial situation.

The Coordination took measures in order to face these difficulties, among which some have been very painful, such as the redundancy of 2 staff members out of 4 at the permanent Office in Brussels and the reduction of half of the salary of a third person.

Also, the member festivals of the Coordination decided to respond jointly to this situation and to face their responsibilities. They decided the freeze, or even the relinquishment of their claims to the Coordination as well as the payment of an exceptional membership fee. These measures, which represent a notable effort, or even a particular sacrifice for many festivals with an already precarious budget, could have improved the situation if the MEDIA services had accepted to bring an amendment to the contract that the Coordination has with the Commission for 2006 which respected the limit of the subsidy granted. But MEDIA refused it.

Now we learn, unofficially, that the two requests for grants made by the Coordination for 2007, (MEDIA Network and MEDIA Third Countries) also have been refused.

THIS MEANS NOTHING LESS THAN THE DEATH OF THE COORDINATION.

THAT IS WHY, WE APPEAL TO YOU TODAY FOR YOUR ACTIVE SUPPORT. AND WE ASK YOU TO SUPPORT THE ACTION OF THE NETWORK BY SIGNING THIS PETITION.

THE FRENCH MEMBER FESTIVALS OF THE EUROPEAN COORDINATION OF FILM FESTIVALS.
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(*) THE MOST OUTSTANDING ACTIONS CARRIED ON IN 10 YEARS BY THE EUROPEAN COORDINATION OF FILM FESTIVALS.

- Elaboration and circulation of programmes of European films: features, documentaries, short films with 13 "Europe In Shorts" programmes, each circulated in more than 70 festivals of the network, a programme of 8 European films for countries outside of Europe "Windows on Europe",

- Promotion of 47 European films in the framework of festivals in Third Countries,

- Staff exchanges: about 20 exchanges each year, of an average length of 2 months, that is to say more than 200 professionals that had the opportunity to exchange their experience from one country to another,

- Professional round tables: 35 in Europe and 8 in Third Countries,

- Annual European conferences, in presence of acknowledged professionals, on themes of general interest,

- Development of online databases on European films (www.eurofilmfest.org; www.womenfilmnet.org),

- Publication of a quarterly information magazine (EuroFilmFest, 40 issues, French and English versions),

- Organisation of short film competitions in 40 festivals of different European countries


All these effective activities have been initiated, constructed and developed by the Coordination, and carried on with a reflection and an expertise on the diffusion of European cinema by audiovisual festivals.

For 3 years now, the "audiovisual education" is at the centre of the actions of the network. The festivals indeed represent the only place where a work on accompaniment of the audiences is carried on, realised in cooperation with social structures and educational institutions, from nursery schools to universities. The conception of programmes dedicated to young audiences, accompanied by pedagogical books, and recently, an audiovisual education tool online, are part of this action that we need to carry on in order to build a socially aware Europe.