The first Regional Conference of EUROMED Audiovisual II Programme, financed by the European Commission, took place on 10th and 11th February 2007 in Berlin, in the framework of the Berlin International Film Festival.
A preliminary workshop, held on 8th and 9th February, was devoted to the “Fight against piracy” and gathered important authorities of the audiovisual sector from both MEDA countries and Europe. The Conference, held in the two following days, was focused on the results achieved by the 12 projects financed by the Programme one year after their beginning, on market and financial strategies as well as on the necessary policies aimed at encouraging the development of a cinematographic industry in the South of the Mediterranean region.
The Conference works have been opened by Carla Montesi, Head of South Mediterranean/Near and Middle East Unit (E.C. EuropeAid Cooperation Office) and by Dieter Kosslick, Director of the Berlin Festival, with the participation of a large number of film directors, producers, and other representatives of the audiovisual domain from the Euro-Mediterranean area.
COPEAM took part in the meeting as an observer invited by the European Commission, with the aim of following the development of the second phase of the Programme since its launch until now.
In this framework, COPEAM has also contributed, as requested by the E.C., to the TV coverage of the Conference and the parallel events at the regional level, through the involvement of a team from RAIMED, who has made available the images and interviews shot in Berlin – to the institutional authorities, to the Festival Director and to the Programme beneficiaries as well – on the ERN-Med regional news exchange.