Magnetic Latvia Film Conference 2019

Magnetic Latvia Film Conference 2019 was dedicated to the development of the film market in Northern Europe, with 16 speakers from the global audiovisual industry highlighting the various challenges smaller actors face on the global stage of filmmaking and the multifaceted value of local production.

Agnieszka Holland

Agnieszka Holland is a Film and television director and screenwriter from Poland Best known for her films Europa Europa (1991) and In Darkness (2011), which was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 84th Academy Awards.

Gary Tuck

Gary Tuck is a producer at Baltic Film Services. Baltic Film Services produces, co-produces and services international film and television productions. Recent productions include “Chernobyl” and “Catherine the Great” for HBO/Sky Atlantic and “The Last Czars” for Netflix.

Ada Solomon

Ada Solomon has worked in the film business for the last 20 years. The films produced by Ada were presented & awarded in the most prestigious festivals as Berlinale, Cannes, Locarno, Venice.

Andreas Wildfang

Andreas Wildfang is the executive director of Berlin-based company EYZ Media GmbH. EYZ develops products and services in the field of digital media and operates video on demand platforms.

Katriel Schory

Katriel Schory is a Producer, Senior Consultant International from Israel. Studied at the NYU Film School. In 1984, formed BELFILMS LTD and produced over 130 films including Feature Films, Documentaries and Int’l Co-Productions.

Shelley Page

Shelley Page is currently International Animation Consultant for several leading animation studios including Aardman Animations (UK), HB Wink (China), and RevLover (Australia) and is based in London. Shelley has been working in the field of feature

G. Thomas Esmay

Thomas Esmay works as Director of Corporate Strategy at Breaker, a blockchain EnTech company building tools for creators. Esmay is a New York based filmmaker and educator.

Jānis Kalējs

Producer Jānis Kalējs has worked for over 25 years in film industry in Latvia and Canada and is one of the founders of Film Angels Productions.

Jonathan Olsberg

Olsberg • SPI Chairman Jonathan Olsberg has built an international reputation as a strategic adviser at the highest levels of media, business and government.

Julie Baines

Julie is the founder of Dan Films and is a very experienced Producer of international feature films and multi-party co-productions across all genres. She has produced with veteran directors (she is currently working with Volker Schloendorff) but also enjoys supporting new talent.

Michael Warner

Running his own company, world sales agent Eyewell AB. In the media business, mainly world sales since the late 1980’s, with Thorn EMI, Vestron Video, Nordisk Film, NonStop Sales/Millennium Media Group, Turner Broadcasting Nordics.

Paul Aguraiuja

Paul Aguraiuja is a creative entrepreneur with years of experience in combining strategy with creativity and leading large complex creative teams towards the goal.

Ieva Norvilienė

Ieva is managing director of Lithuanian Filmmakers Union and member of European Film Academy and Alliance of Cinema Auteurs (Lithuania).

Jānis Murāns

Jānis Murāns, Shortcut product manager, the OTT service in Latvia

Sergei Serpuhov

Sergei Serpuhov is a producer and owner of Baltic Pine Films, production company started in 2008. Company specializes in servicing high-end foreign productions. Credits include such titles as League of Justice (US), Blinded (SE), L’Immortale (IT).

Martins Grauds

Film Director (film studio TANKA), Photo Artist. Martins Grauds on Vimeo – https://vimeo.com/user16144436

FILM MARKET DEVELOPMENT IN NORTHERN EUROPE

Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA) is pleased to invite you to the

Magnetic Latvia Film Conference taking place on 18–19 October 2019, in Riga.

During the first day of the Conference, dedicated to film market development in Northern Europe, speakers will address the challenges and factors, which relatively small countries should consider for international marketing, entering major global markets and highlighting the value of local production on the global arena.

On the second day of the Conference, we invite our guests to make a fabulous experience and enduring memories on locations tour – Latvia’s geographic position has made it a bone of contention for various empires, but we are proudly keeping alive our cultural diversity, polishing our historical values and adoring our various landscapes.

For several years, Investment and Development Agency of Latvia has been actively supporting Latvia’s presence on the international markets and participation of Latvian filmmakers at the markets and festivals. As the main national export body, LIAA has a great position facilitating the professional presence of Latvian filmmakers in the film B2B business.

To introduce the world with Latvia’s innovations and the best of technology, literature, art, science, etc., the brand Magnetic Latvia has been created.

Magnetic Latvia initiative to organize a Film Conference during the Riga International Film Festival 2019 is another step in positioning Latvia as a B2B location on the international market. Furthermore, LIAA opens an opportunity to prepare Latvian and regional filmmakers for the markets, therewith ensuring the efficiency of their market attendance and raising their business success.

The Film Conference will take place in Riga – the Capital of Magnetic Latvia, the largest Baltic city, empire of Art Nouveau buildings, charming wooden residencies and dreamy Medieval Old Town at its heart.

We are expecting the attendance of a number of renowned figures of world cinema as well as young, talented and passionate filmmakers. We look forward to welcoming you in Riga!

Please note: Attendance is free of charge.
Accommodation for foreign participants (up to 3 nights) is covered by organizers.

PROGRAM

The conference program in pdf format you can find here.
The conference took place on 18 October 2019 on AB Dam, Riga, Latvia.

DAY 1 | Friday, October 18th, 2019

09.45-10.00 Opening speech

Opening speech by
Andris Ozols, Director of Investment and Development Agency of Latvia
Dita Rietuma, Director of Latvian NATIONAL FILM CENTRE
10.00-10.30 Future of the industry

Ada Solomon has worked in the film business for the last 20 years.
The films produced by Ada were presented & awarded in the most prestigious festivals as Berlinale, Cannes, Locarno, Venice.
10.30-11.00 Potential of Baltic film industry

Jonathan Olsberg, Chairman of O-SPI, UK
Jānis Kalējs, Film Angels Productions, Producer, Latvia
11.30-12.30 Local production value in the global landscape, Baltic focus

Moderator: Jonathan Olsberg, Chairman of O-SPI , UK
Paul Aguraiuja, CEO, Itamambuca Filmproduction, Producer
of TV series “The Bank”, Estonia
Sergei Serpuhov, BALTIC PINE FILMS, Producer, Latvia
Ieva Norviliene, TREMORA, Producer, Lithuania
Gary Tuck, Baltic Film Services, Producer, Lithuania
13:30-14:30 How to get small country products into the big markets

Moderator: Ada Solomon, Romania
Agnieszka Holland Polish film and television director and screenwriter, Poland
Julie Baines, Producer, DAN FILMS LTD, UK
Katriel Schory, Producer, Executive-Director of The Israel Film Fund, Israel
Shelley Page, International Animation Talent Consultant for leading animation studios including Netflix Animation (USA), DreamWorks Animation (USA), Ardman Animations (UK), HB Wink (China), 88 Pictures (India) and Wizart (Russia),UK
14.45-15.45 Selling your product in different channels

Moderator: Martins Grauds, Film Director (film studio TANKA), Photo Artist.
Andreas Wildfang, EUROVOD Vice-President, EYZ Media GmbH Executive Director, Germany
G.Thomas Esmay, Director of Corporate Strategy, Breaker, USA
Michael Werner, CEO and Managing Director of Eyewell – an international sales company for motion picture content, Sweden
Janis Murans, Shortcut product manager, the OTT service, Latvia
16.00-17.00 Presentations of local production companies

DAY 2 | Saturday, October 19th, 2019

09.00-21.00 Familiarization Tour

Please don’t be late on PICK UP times!

As we will spend most of day outside and in case of rainy windy weather please keep warm clothes, raincoats and umbrellas with you!

8:00 Pick up at Tallink Hotel, Elizabetes Str24 Riga

8:10 Meeting at Latvian Riflement Monument, Strelnieku Square 1 Riga

8:20 Pick up from Neiburgs Hotel at Strelnieku Square 1

8:40- 9:15 Sightseeing of the oldest airport in Riga Spilve with a unique architectural heritage from Stalin times

11:00 – 12:40 Sighsteeing of Rundale Palace ensemble – the most outstanding monument of Baroque and Rococo architecture and art in Latvia

14:00 – 15:30 Visiting Cinevilla Studio Backlot. Filmtown Cinevilla Studio is the only open air cinema in the Baltic States and the largest in Northern Europe.

17:20- 19:50 Visiting sea side and Jurmala Open Air Museum ancient fishermen villages on the shore of the Gulf of Riga. Open air picnic in museum forest

20:35 Arriving in Riga