As part of their longstanding collaboration with the San Sebastian International Film Festival, Europa Distribution hosted from 23 to 25 September a three-day series of working sessions, bringing together around 40 distributors, members of the association, alongside 20 sales agents from the Europa International network, to explore effective ways to enhance collaboration between the two sectors. While the focus of the gathering was on the closed roundtable discussions, which for the first time provided a platform for distributors and sales agents to exchange best practices and explore collaboration opportunities, this year’s activities also included a combination of expert presentations. With prominent guest speakers like Elise Van Marcke, Managing Director of The Searchers (Benelux), and Nikolaj Mathies, CEO of Vievo Media (Denmark), the sessions provided a comprehensive overview of innovative approaches to online film promotion and the strategic use of digital, artificial intelligence (AI) tools. Marie-Line Lormans from Europa Distribution also contributed by leading a session on Cinando, the Cannes’ Marché du Film online platform for film professionals and long-time partner of Europa Distribution, intended to operate on a participative basis, facilitating connections and the exchange of ideas and materials among professionals, including independent distributors. The presentation provided a comprehensive overview of how to use the database and how it can serve as an effective tool to foster better collaboration in the sector.

On 23 September, the first day of the working sessions, distributor Elise Van Marcke showcased the captivating exploration of how AI is shaping the future of film production and distribution. Opening with a provocative quote from The Matrix — “What is real? How do you define ‘real’?” — Van Marcke invited attendees to reflect on the evolving role of AI and its potential to revolutionise the creative and operational aspects of the industry. She humorously addressed the prevalent myth that AI poses an imminent threat to humanity, asserting, “We are quite good at destroying ourselves already; we don’t need AI to do it for us.” Instead, she argued that AI should be viewed as a tool which, while requiring regulation, offers immense possibilities when used strategically.  The distributor highlighted several practical applications of AI in film production, like scriptwriting, storyboarding, image-generation, visual effects automation, and location-based visualisations, achieved with the use of tools such as Sora and Runway, which are already employed by major players like Lionsgate. To illustrate potential power of the mentioned tools, she demonstrated how AI can generate complex visuals by using a short prompt in a matter of minutes – highlighting how this technology can bridge the gap between imagination and reality, fundamentally reshaping film productions in terms of budget, time, and scale.

Delving deeper into the implications of AI, Van Marcke underscored the technology’s utility in the distribution and marketing sectors. With the help of AI-driven tools like DALL-E, Perplexity, and CapCut, distributors can now create more targeted and personalised promotional materials, thereby streamlining operations and reaching audiences more effectively. Moreover, she discussed the rise of new game-changer AI services that can consolidate data from multiple sources to predict patterns and refine acquisition, marketing, and release strategies. Drawing from her own experience with ChatGPT, she shared how AI analysis revealed hidden patterns in her company’s past decisions, leading to more strategic and data-driven approaches. As AI tools like Cinelytic gain traction in the United States, Van Marcke envisions a future where distributors would no longer rely on instinct or gut feeling; instead, they could make factually informed, data-driven decisions based on reliable forecasts on box office performance, and tailor marketing materials with unprecedented precision. As she drew her presentation to a close, she touched upon the ethical and regulatory challenges that accompany the integration of AI but concluded with empowering tone, encouraging professionals to embrace AI with a sense of adventure, recognising that the integration of AI into our lives is not a question of ‘if’ but ‘when.’ As she eloquently articulated, “We are all still at the same station, and it’s not too late to jump on the AI train,” suggesting that those who adapt and harness these tools effectively will not only survive but thrive in an increasingly technology-driven world.

Following Elise Van Marcke’s insightful presentation on the integration of AI in the film industry, Nikolaj Mathies took the stage to delve into “Fan-driven Film Promotion,” an innovative approach pioneered by his company, Vievo Media. Central to this approach is the belief that leveraging the passion of cinephiles to create authentic, fan-generated content can resonate more deeply with audiences than conventional marketing techniques. As Mathies explained, the shift away from commercial influencers towards genuine fan engagement came with the meteoric rise of TikTok, a platform that prioritises relevance and emotional resonance over commercial intent. Citing the examples of a successful block-buster sequel Dune: Part Two (2024) by Denis Villeneuve, a cross cultural romance film about drag-queens Unicorns [+] (2023) by James Krishna Floyd and Sally El Hosaini and a period drama Gloria! [+] (2024) by Margherita Vicario, he demonstrated how TikTok’s algorithm allowed fan content to thrive, fostering a sense of community and connection that extended beyond the traditional film-viewing experience. “When fans feel connected to a character or a star, it’s no longer just a film for them; it’s an experience, a community they belong to,” he remarked. This strategy taps into the emotional investment of audiences, turning them from passive viewers into active promoters, which, in turn, drives deeper engagement and better box office performance.

Mathies further elaborated on the performance metrics used by Vievo to evaluate fan-generated content, focusing on key indicators such as hook rate and hold rate, which measure the effectiveness of content in capturing and retaining viewers’ attention. “The hook rate tells us whether the audience is engaged from the first few seconds. The hold rate shows us how long we can keep them. If your content can’t hook within three seconds, you’ve lost them,” he explained. Using the case study of a campaign Vievo produced for the British musical romance film Chuck Chuck Baby [+] (2023) by Janis Pugh, Mathies demonstrated how variations of promotional content, designed to optimise these metrics, yielded impressive results on platforms like TikTok and Meta. The results were impressive: fan-created content blurred the lines between paid promotion and genuine cinephile enthusiasm, building organic views and achieving a remarkable 43% hook rate compared to the 12% hook rate typical of more commonly used “filmspots”. Yet, drawing conclusions from the data of the overall add performances, he argued that while fan-made content provides relatability and authenticity, it still needs to be balanced with professionally produced content to appeal to diverse audience segments and maintain the film’s brand integrity.

In his conclusion, Mathies urged distributors to adopt a spirit of experimentation and flexibility in their marketing campaigns. “It’s not a trailer; you can play around, experiment and explore,” he stated adding “and it’s not about being perfect, but about being relatable,” highlighting the potential for raw, “ugly” content to engage audiences in a way that polished adverts cannot. This reflects a broader shift in marketing strategies where campaigns encourage a dynamic mix of polished professional content and grassroots fan contributions. He reiterated that in his view while platforms like TikTok may catalyse this change, it is ultimately the fans who drive the future of cinema promotion. By recognising the value of both fan-generated content and high-quality “filmspots”, distributors can create effective and comprehensive marketing approaches that not only engage audiences but also enhance box office performance, illustrating the importance of collaboration in the evolving landscape of film distribution.

The culmination of these presentations set the stage for the closed session on Tuesday, 24 September, where Europa Distribution members partook in closed discussions on key industry topics such as Acquisition, Marketing, Collaboration, and Subtitling. Held at the Kursaal Congress Centre, the session provided a space for distributors to share their experiences and best practices, with the aim of identifying actionable strategies for overcoming shared challenges. The key findings from these discussions were then shared with sales agents during a wrap-up session on Wednesday, 25 September, held at the San Telmo Museum Function Hall. This final session provided an opportunity for participants to engage in a discussion in a new engaging setting, outside of the negotiations they’re more used to, and explore synergies, establishing a more cohesive and understanding approach to film acquisition, promotion, and distribution. Discussions touched on the importance of sharing and partnering on marketing materials, fostering greater transparency in pricing and acquisition processes, and addressing the complexities of international fundings and subtitle distribution.

During the wrap-up session of the collaborative meeting between distributors and sales agents, key challenges and opportunities emerged from group discussions. Mikkel Lund, Booking Manager at Angel Films (Denmark), and Romain Leloux, Marketing Manager at Imagine Film Distribution (Belgium), stressed the urgent need for closer partnerships to reduce redundancies stemming from inadequate communication. They out that many distributors often find themselves “reinventing the wheel,” forced to create similar marketing materials independently due to a lack of access to resources already developed in other regions. While both groups concluded that while sales agents should facilitate collaboration by acting as a bridge between different territories, Lund also acknowledged that distributors “are not always as proactive as they could be.” To address this, both groups proposed establishing a centralised platform for sharing marketing assets, enabling seamless collaboration across territories. While they acknowledged the foundational role of platforms like Cinando, they argued that existing functionalities are insufficient to meet the industry’s evolving demands. Additionally, Leloux’s group suggested that sales agents consider tagging distributors in social media posts when new assets become available, as timely sharing is essential for effective market adaptation.

The discussions also brought to light the urgent need for pricing transparency and collaborative efforts between distributors and producers. Joana de Sousa, Marketing and Publicity Strategist at Outsider Films (Portugal), reiterated her group’s call for clearer communication regarding material costs during contract negotiations, noting that discrepancies often arise from differing agreements between sales agents and local labs in various countries. She noted that if material costs are discussed early, both sides could avoid surprises later in the process. This sentiment was echoed by Anastasia Plazzotta, CEO and Head of Acquisitions at Wanted Cinema (Italy), who highlighted the necessity of open lines of communication to secure high-quality promotional materials. Granting the risks associated with investing in production resources when marketability is uncertain, Plazzotta stressed the importance of collaboration among distributors, talent, and directors. Both groups proposed the idea of convening all parties involved to ensure equitable access to essential promotional resources across territories, alongside implementing a capped cost for basic materials to enhance fairness in pricing and support collaboration.

International funding opportunities and multi-lingual subtitling challenges emerged as pivotal topics, with Susan Wendt, Managing Director at TrustNordisk (Denmark), highlighting the essential role sales agents play in informing distributors about available resources. She stressed that transparency regarding various funding options is crucial for optimising financial planning, which, in turn, can enhance resource allocation for distributors. Addressing the complexities of subtitling, Wendt and Katarzyna Siniarska, Head of Sales at New Europe Film Sales (Poland), advocated for the inclusion of English subtitles for theatrical releases as a standard element of acquisition contracts, agreeing on the need for established holdbacks to protect international distribution rights. To promote linguistic diversity, they proposed granting distributors the authority to reach out to other territories for their language versions of subtitles, alleviating the burden on sales agents and streamlining the sharing process, underscoring that this collaborative approach aims to create a more efficient subtitling process while reinforcing the cultural integrity of independent European cinema.

These key findings wrapped up an intensive three-day working session at the San Sebastian International Film Festival, marking a significant gathering of Europa Distribution and Europa International members. Drawing from their feedback, the workshop not only surpassed expectations but also cultivated a transparent and open rapport between distributors and sales agents, significantly enhancing future collaborations and promoting a more nuanced understanding of their respective roles. Attendees underscored the importance of sharing perspectives and the necessity of continuing such discussions to further strengthen cooperation throughout the rights chain, echoing the feedback from similar common sessions held by Europa Distribution between distributors and exhibitors at Sofia Meetings and producers at Venice Production Bridge. From presentations by leading industry figures, who provided the foundation and encouraged distributors to explore the emerging innovations, to the dynamic discussions that highlighted the urgent need for reform in communication and partnership structures, this collaborative atmosphere fostered a renewed sense of partnership among distributors and sales agents. Ultimately, the sessions emphasised the critical importance of adaptability and cooperation in navigating the ever-evolving landscape of the film industry, reinforcing the belief that a unified approach is essential for maintaining the vibrancy of the independent art-house sector across diverse markets.