Cinediversity

Bringing festival films to arthouse cinema audiences.

In most countries, the film market is dominated by super-productions that tend to format audiences' tastes. The vast majority of innovative films, first works, films from "small countries" or faraway continents, do not easily get distributed. Even within Europe itself, films rarely get out beyond their national borders. Film distributors are vulnerable to the hazards of the market, and the situation worsens every year. Festivals are thus the only venue for a large number of films.
The aim of Cinediversity is to act as a bridge between partners, festivals, and movie enthusiasts that regularly visit arthouse theatres belonging to the CICAE network.

Three stages

• Selection : at every year's cinema festivals, 10 to 15 films are selected by a jury made up of arthouse cinema programmers.
• Commitment : the CICAE undertakes to support the release of these films in countries where an organized network exists, as an incentive for distribution companies to market them.
• Promotion : working on a country-by-country basis, local CICAE networks help distributors successfully market award-winning films, through recommendations for all cinemas, trade-only screenings, networking of film copies, and the delivery of information to audiences.
  In some cases, the CICAE can provide support for subtitling through its partner TITRA FILM PARIS.

Who are the members of the jury and on what basis are films selected?

The CICAE juries are appointed by the Executive Board based on proposals by CICAE national networks and members. CICAE juries comprise three or four members from different countries, who are selected for their experience in programming for arthouse theatres. In 2004, over 200 films in 10 festivals were seen by 32 jury members representing nine different countries.

The CICAE juries have a very precise brief: in order to win, a film must possess great artistic or educational qualities, and speak to audiences broader than those of highly specialized cinemas in capital cities. Juries seek to encourage young directors, as well as productions coming out of less-recognized countries.