The cinematic production of Europe is an artistic heritage of
undeniable value, something worthy of protection and promotion. These
goals inspired the creation of European Film Productions, a network of
27 organizations such as Unifrance, Swiss Films, Austrian Film
Commission, and Holland Film, with headquarters in Hamburg, that is
responsible for the international distribution of films produced in
Europe.
German Films Service + Marketing GmbH, one of the
founding organizations, was itself established in 1954 under the name
Export-Union of German Cinema. At the time, it combined three earlier
associations: the Association of German Feature Film Producers, the
Association of New German Feature Film Producers, and the Association
of German Film Exporters.
Among the activities of German Films Service are: cooperation with
the principal film festivals in such places as Berlin, Cannes, Venice,
Turin, Toronto, Locarno, San Sebastian, Montreal, Moscow, Tribeca,
Shanghai, Rotterdam, San Francisco, Sydney, and Warsaw; providing
informative material to representatives of the press; offering news
about international festivals and their conditions for participation to
German directors and journalists; organizing the annual edition of
"Next Generation," a selection of short films shot by students at
German schools, which has a special space at Cannes; publishing
up-to-date information about German films and the related film industry
in "German Films Quarterly," an English-language publication
distributed at major festivals to institutions and the media; and
organizing the procedures for selecting a German film to compete at the
Oscars as "Best Foreign Film."
In collaboration with various
partners, in particular with Goethe Institute, German Films Service
organizes festivals of German films throughout the world, with
different programs according to the country involved. The festivals
include feature films, documentaries, silent films, and the Next
Generation short films mentioned above. In 2007, the festivals took
place in various locations that included several cities in Australia (www.goethe.de/ozfilmfest), Madrid (www.cine-aleman.com), and Buenos Aires (www.cinealeman.com.ar).
A personalized Moleskine notebook accompanies each of the communication initiatives of German Films Service + Marketing GmbH.
Among the activities of German Films Service are: cooperation with
the principal film festivals in such places as Berlin, Cannes, Venice,
Turin, Toronto, Locarno, San Sebastian, Montreal, Moscow, Tribeca,
Shanghai, Rotterdam, San Francisco, Sydney, and Warsaw; providing
informative material to representatives of the press; offering news
about international festivals and their conditions for participation to
German directors and journalists; organizing the annual edition of
"Next Generation," a selection of short films shot by students at
German schools, which has a special space at Cannes; publishing
up-to-date information about German films and the related film industry
in "German Films Quarterly," an English-language publication
distributed at major festivals to institutions and the media; and
organizing the procedures for selecting a German film to compete at the
Oscars as "Best Foreign Film."
