The Independent Cinema Office will host a symposium in partnership with Vilnius International Film Festival to highlight how successful film festivals can work with their host cities to drive economic growth, build cultural capital, increase their economic stability and boost their brand appeal.
To guarantee their sustainability, film festivals need to show good business sense by combining creative decision making with practical rationale. The Independent Cinema Office and Vilnius International Film Festival are hosting a symposium to examine the economic value that festivals can bring to cities, showcasing their sustainable planning, ability to work with communities to raise income and develop corporate sponsorship.
The programme will be as follows:
10am – 10.45am
The economic impact of film festivals on cities and communities
Presentation by Roberto Cueto (Communications Manager, San Sebastian IFF)
10.45 – 12.30pm
Panel discussion: Public money well spent – the impact of publicly funded film festivals on the film industry
Speakers:
Cristian Hordila (Transylvania IFF)
Algirdas Ramaska (Vilnius IFF)
Sarah-Jane Meredith (BFI Film Fund)
12.30 – 14.30
Networking Lunch
14.30 – 15.30
Working with Corporate Sponsors
Presentation by Brooke Duval (Director of Corporate Sponsorship, Toronto IFF)
15.30 – 17.00
Debate:Sustainable Sponsorship – the impact of corporate sponsorship on festivals and the film industry
Speakers:
Mindaugas Morkunas (Head of Festival Development, Vilnius IFF, Lithuania)
Brooke Duval (Director of Corporate sponsorship, Toronto IFF, Canada)
Astrid Hallenstvedt (Director of Sponsorship, Stockholm Film Festival, Sweden)
Film festival Symposium moderated by Catharine Des Forges, Director, Independent Cinema Office.
The event is open to senior executives from film festivals, exhibition, distribution and sales agencies, with a curiosity to engage with ideas and each other, as well as those with an interest in how film festivals reflect and shape the film industry and wider film culture.
