Baltic Pitching Forum to host inaugural European Short Film Industry Events Summit

The first ever short film forums and markets’ meeting will take place during renowned industry event Baltic Pitching Forum this week, from 8-10 October in Vilnius, Lithuania.

The European Short Film Industry Events Summit (ESFIES) will be the first gathering of representatives from European short film industry events, markets, and forums. Its goal is to provide dedicated time and space for representatives to openly discuss common challenges, share best practices, and explore opportunities for collaboration – both in supporting emerging European talents and professionals, and in fostering new synergies among film industry events across Europe.

The European Short Film Industry Events Summit will take place from 8–10 October in Vilnius, Lithuania, during the 13th edition of the Baltic Pitching Forum. The Baltic Pitching Forum and the European Short Film Industry Events Summit are organized by Lithuanian Shorts.

The 3-day Summit will include a dedicated meet-up for participating representatives of European short film industry events, markets, and forums, as well as participation in the Baltic Pitching Forum activities, including short film project pitching sessions.

During the dedicated meet-up on Thursday, 9 October, the discussions will focus on shared challenges faced by short film industry events - particularly how to stay relevant and make a meaningful impact on the European short film ecosystem, exploring issues such as the strength of working together, the need to stay relevant and ways in which events can measure their successes.

Participating representatives and events in the Summit will be Eroll Bilibani (DokuFest Short Film Forum, Kosovo), Elena Ciofalo, (ShorTO Film Market, Italy), Rimante Daugelaite (Baltic Pitching Forum, Lithuania), Lauma Kaudzīte (European Short Pitch and RIGA IFF Test Screenings) France/Latvia, Alicia Martinez, (Brussels CoProMarket - Brussels Short Film Festival, Belgium), Julie Rousson (Euro Connection | Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Market, France),  Céline Roustan (Short Film Corner | Rendez-Vous Industry, France) and Lea Maria Strandbæk Sørensen (Nordisk Panorama, Denmark/Sweden)

The summit will be moderated by short film industry expert Jing Haase.

Rimante Daugelaite, the head of Lithuanian Shorts and the Baltic Pitching Forum said:

“Over the past 13 years, the Baltic Pitching Forum has established itself as a major industry event that has made its mark both in the Baltics as well as internationally. By establishing the European Short Film Industry Events Summit within the Forum, it highlights its strength as a platform for discovering new talent and facilitating discussion in its ability to gather key players from the top levels of the international film industry.

The European Short Film Industry Events Summit will allow us to discuss many key issues during a time in which economic uncertainty within the cultural and film industries often see short film events bear the brunt of cuts. In strengthening our unity and sharing ideas, we’ll be better able to communicate the importance of the short film industry and it’s crucial place in the ecosystem of the film industry as a whole.”

The 13th Baltic Pitching Forum and the inaugural European Short Film Industry Events Summit will take place from October 7 to 10 at the National Gallery of Art in Vilnius.

Baltic Pitching Forum and the European Short Film Industry Events Summit  is organized by the Lithuanian Short Film Agency “Lithuanian Shorts”. The Summit is financed by the Baltisches Haus.