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Berlin Film Festival. Hectic and Energetic, a great place to be.

The 73rd Berlin Film Festival has been and gone, but I suspect many are still recovering from punishing schedules packing 3 months’ worth of meetings and screenings into a few days. The buzz and energy in Berlin felt very much... Read more

3 Mar 2023

By Ian Gibbon

The 73^rd Berlin Film Festival has been and gone, but I suspect many are still recovering from punishing schedules packing 3 months’ worth of meetings and screenings into a few days. The buzz and energy in Berlin felt very much like pre-Covid days.

The festival was marked by a huge screening programme, packed delayed flights, now an accepted norm; together with full attendance at nearly all events. Whilst the weather was a tad milder than at previous festivals, it did rain. It was stan. Standing there waiting to order food and drinks I got thinking about whether these and other festival venues, not only in Berlin, could further max out their revenue if they employed more waiting staff.

It was a great and fruitful trip for Sam Ampah and I. We met up with several clients and people we know in the sector, and we met people for the first time. We spoke with several organisations that are generally taking the exploitation of film and television products to new and different levels. More than once we were told that the role of a Producer or Financier does not stop when the product is in the can, or even when sales cover costs. The film needs to be exploited in every possible territory and this must be tracked, thus the introduction of technology to ensure transparency.

The festival hosted some great new films and was visited by a host of legendary industry figures. As ever, I did not manage to see a film but, due to being in the wrong place at the wrong time, (don’t ask) I saw about 10 mins of the new Jesse Eisenberg movie, Manodrone. The Screening was attended by Eisenberg who I saw, but alas did not meet at the Ritz. I’m watching his new Television Series ‘Fleishman Is In Trouble’ 3 episodes in and I’m really enjoying it. Boris Becker was in town for the screening of a new television series based on his life ‘Boom! Boom! The World vs. Boris Becker`. Feedback was that it is a very interesting series and at the festival, Boris was both candid and engaging about his life and recent downfall. You don`t win Wimbledon at 17 years of age and not have a lot of fortitude in the locker I guess.

There was a special tribute to Steven Spielberg who attended a screening of The Fabelmans. What an amazing man and talent. What can be said? Start with 1993, in a single year he made Jurassic Park and Schindlers List, then go to 2005 when he made War of the Worlds and Munich. The depth and breadth of his movies are on a scale not achieved by anyone else in the industry, and they made a few bob.

So.. all in all, Berlin was a great success and despite all the various hassles and stresses festivals provide a fabulous opportunity for all of us from all our various Media positions to come together and make things happen.