The international animated film industry will be present in Bilbao in the coming month of April
Eiken – Cluster Audiovisual de Euskadi has started the preparations, –with the technical assistance of Basque company Barton Films (a member of the cluster)–, to organise the International Animation Market “AnimaBasque-Business”, whose first edition is to be held in 2008, within the framework of the International Animation Festival, AnimaBasauri IV, with an aim to promoting access to new markets for Basque animation products.
The Euskalduna Congress and Concert Hall of Bilbao is the venue for an international forum on animated films on April 24, aim of which is to provide support for access to new markets of animated films made in Euskadi. The event will bring together experts and companies from home and abroad. In this respect, the organisers have contacted more than 70 companies from all over the world.
Under the title “AnimaBasque-Business”, this international animated film market, which will be held on the same dates as the fourth edition of the AnimaBasauri Festival, is sponsored, among others, by the Basque Government, through its President’s Office, and by the Provincial Government of Bizkaia within its Bultzatu Programme, managed by its Department for Innovation and Economic Promotion.
Presentation of projects
In the course of the event there will be an exhibition of the different domestic and European projects. Following the same an area will be designated for direct contact, with interviews and meeting between experts, producers and distributors with the aid of working groups. Indeed, the project is currently at the preparatory stage and projects are being submitted. Of these, a total of 10 projects will be selected and these will be presented to the experts.
The event will take place throughout the morning and afternoon, with the viewing of the different projects. Subsequently, a schedule of interviews will be drawn up to help reach agreements on sales or co-productions, and lines of collaboration between companies. The list of countries invited includes countries with a significant role in animated films, such as France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Luxembourg, Italy and Belgium.
New markets
This initiative is organised within the framework of Eiken strategy to carry out integrated measures to favour access to new markets and the internationalisation of Basque companies. The people in charge of Eiken trust that AnimaBasque-Business will be consolidated as the main market for animated films in the state and will become an annual meeting for the exchange of knowledge, technology and work methodology for the Basque animated audiovisual film industry.
Indeed, within its strategy lines of work, Eiken has an animation interest group whose purpose is to set up collaborations and common procedures for seeking and availing of new international markets. Animated films are a universal product, and are very popular in other international markets, which is why they have export potential.
Any company interested in presenting its projects, receiving information on the event or attending the congress should contact us at: eiken@eikencluster.com o ab_business@bartonfilms.com.