EVENT Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event

Promising Film Projects and New Knowledge

In 2021, when the Black Nights Film Festival celebrates its 25th birthday, Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event (I@T&BE) has its own notable anniversary. Within the two decades the summit has established a position as the busiest business platform and trade fair in Northern Europe for audiovisual industry professionals.

By Egle Loor Photos by Janis Kokk, Aron Urb and Lilli Tölp

After establishing Estonian Film Foundation’s new financing schemes in 2001, Estonian film started to revive. Projects interesting for international co-production and distribution appeared, and the time was ready for organising the first Baltic Event,” says Riina Sildos, founder of the event, when explaining the reasons for setting up the business platform. “In 2002, it was a showcase of Baltic projects as works in progress with 30 invited international guests. As we saw big interest for films from the region, the event gradually grew into what we see today - the biggest co-production market,” she adds.

Due to the results of the global health crisis, I@T&BE 2020 took place virtually last year, with over 900 guests. The 20th edition, taking place in 19-26 November 2021 is eager to welcome accredited guests again in pre-Christmas Tallinn.

Marge Liiske, the head of Industry@ Tallinn & Baltic Event comments that even though 20 years has given a lot of experiences and the summit has established a notable position in the market, it is crucial for everyone in the field to up their game. “The development pace in film industry does not allow anyone to take a rest as new technologies and the overall market situation push the field to come up with fresh and exciting approaches.”

The whole world has taken an active

Industry event looks into new tecnologies.VR workshop 2019

position towards sustainability and greenturn and as any other major social change, it has a significant impact on the film industry. “During the summit we’ll take a look at recent technologies, virtual and green production, sustainability and discuss how to implement those principles in creating magical films.” She adds that sustainability should not be considered only in production-phase, but it should be kept in mind already when creating the scenario. Sustainability and a look to the film industry’s future are the threads that join together the programme of this years’ summit – and it is also reflected in the organisation of the event - for accredited guests most of the programme is also available online at industry.poff.ee.

Co-production market meetings 2019.

As in the last 20 years, I@T&BE 2021 continues to be a good place for business.

Industry Award ceremony from 2020 taken place online.

NEW BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES As in the last 20 years, I@T&BE 2021 continues to be a good place for business. Liiske says that it is very exciting to greet and meet film professionals psychically in the capital of Estonia. “Doing business eye to eye is something that we have all missed and hopefully the meetings and chats in Nordic Hotel Forum will be starting points for many new fruitful corporations and initiatives.”

The focus country of this year’s event is the United Kingdom. Collaboration with the British Film Institute will bring British projects to participate in industry programmes and a delegation of UK producers looking to network. In addition there are presentations and panel discussions featuring British speakers and exciting side programme of UK films as part of the 25th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival.

As the series market is continuously trending I@T&BE 2021 launches a TV Beats co-financing market for drama series, representing projects with international sales and distribution potential to financiers. The guests are welcome to take part in market activities and one-toone meetings for other project categories as well: Baltic Event co-production market, Works in Progress presentations, Script Pool Tallinn, European Genre Film Forum and MIDPOINT TV Launch.

BRUSH UP THE KNOWLEDGE In addition to doing business, I@T&BE 2021 is a place to brush up the knowledge. One of the highlights is the high-level European Film Forum Tallinn, organised in collaboration with the European Commission. The forum focuses on innovation and on the future of European film presenting recognised experts on topics such as virtual production, implementing new technologies, education and innovative leadership.

During the summit Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event introduces a unique education programme Black Nights Discovery Campus created in partnership with the European Film Academy for film professionals and emerging talents such as composers, sound designers, music editors; production designers, cinematographers, art and set designers, and others. In addition to live events carried out in Tallinn by award-winning film professionals, available also online, the programme will consist of online courses by well-known mentors throughout the year.

Music Meets Film, primarily intended for film scoring composers and filmmakers searching for hidden layers within music in film, marks its 10th anniversary this year. The programme takes a closer look at the musical perspective of meaning and symbolism in film, and welcomes director and producer Mike Newell, documentary filmmaker Andrey A. Tarkovsky, director Nina Degraeve amongst many other distinguished speakers. Black Nights Stars, a programme for emerging actors, welcomes eight talents from the shores of the Baltic Sea and offers them knowledge and connections for establishing an international career. Black Room, targeted to production designers, introduces distinguished Nordic production designers Sabine Hviid and Christian Olander. Future to Film targeted to emerging scriptwriters, directors and producers has devided the programme to Script Pool project competition and Discovery Showcase – a initiative set up with the European Film Academy and FIPRESCI to highlight the six directors nominated for the European Discovery 2021. The highlight of the programme is “Meet the Director” – an inspirational masterclass with Baltasar Kormákur. The Discovery Campus program is supported by the European Regional Development Fund via the Creative Gate project.

For those looking for knowledge and opportunities in the drama series business, the programme includes lectures and workshops from TV Beats Forum, a two-day meeting point where the leaders of the field discuss relevant trends and topics related to drama series production, European Genre Forum, EmPOWR Sustainable Stories Lab plus various roundtables, case studies and presentations on hot topics in the film industry.

Check out the programme and tune in: industry.poff.ee. EF