- The fifth edition of the MERCI Independent Film Market will bring together about 200 distributors and exhibitors from 29 to 31 October in Valladolid
- On 31 October, SEMINCI will host the announcement of the short film finalists for the European Film Awards
The 70th edition of the Valladolid International Film Festival (SEMINCI) will bring together the European film industry from 27 October to 1 November around a full agenda of professional activities, with a special focus on distribution, exhibition and gender equality.
The new edition of the Independent Film Market (MERCI) will bring together around 200 film distribution and exhibition professionals, who will get a sneak preview of upcoming art-house film releases over the course of three days. The meeting will include a joint round table with the Europa Cinemas network on subscription models. The market will close with the presentation of La Meseta Distribution Awards, which will recognise for the first time the best film promotional initiatives by independent distributors.
At the same time, from 29 October to 1 November, the Patio Herreriano will host the Audience Development and Innovation Laboratory of the Europa Cinemas network. Under the title “Designing the cinemas of the future”, European exhibitors will work on digital marketing, programming and sustainability strategies.
Women Filmmakers Meeting: new horizons
Tuesday 28th marks the start of the second edition of this gathering, open to the public, and dedicated to cinema made by women. Three thematic round tables will explore militant cinema, new audiovisual professions and creative collaborations. The first will feature filmmakers Judith Colell, who is presenting her feature film Frontera at SEMINCI; Inés G. Aparicio, author of the short film La diva, mi abuela y yo; Candela Sotos, who is competing in Time of History with Yrupê; and Amparo Climent, director of the documentary Pasionaria.
The second round table, developed in collaboration with RTVE, will feature professionals such as music supervisor Judith A. Riera; Laura Feyto, head of Accessibility at TVE; and Beatriz Aparicio, RTVE Equality Observatory. The day will conclude with a round table on shared authorship, featuring director Mar Coll and screenwriter Valentina Viso.
On Friday 31st, the Association of Women Filmmakers and Audiovisual Media (CIMA) will present the report “Impact of sexual abuse and violence against women in the film and audiovisual industry”. This study reveals that 60.3% of women in the sector surveyed have suffered sexual violence.
Short films: from emerging talent to the European Film Awards
The programme dedicated to short films begins on 27 October with ESCAC New Talent, a private screening for the industry where unreleased short films by film school students will be shown. ESCAC will also develop part of its Ópera Prima programme during the festival.
SEMINCI has also organised a meeting on 30 October for participants from the various short film development laboratories La Meseta Cortos, After ECAM and SEMINCI Factory. Aimed at promoting, exchange and networking, this meeting provides short filmmakers in the development phase with a meeting point to express their concerns and expand their professional connections.
SEMINCI’s role as a crossroads for European cinema is also consolidated in this edition with the announcement on 31 October of the short film finalists for the European Film Awards, followed by a round table discussion on the current situation of European short films.
The 70th edition of SEMINCI will thus consolidate its position as an essential meeting point for the audiovisual industry, combining training, market and reflection on the challenges of the sector.