Large national and international interest for the Copenhagen festival
Copenhagen International Film Festival 2006 was rounded off with the awards ceremony on Saturday, 30 October.
The fourth edition of Copenhagen IFF was a success on many fronts: the festival enjoyed a sharp increase in audience figures to over 25,000 spectators. Compared to 2005, this increase meant almost 20% more spectators in the cinemas. The festival attracted more industry representatives from abroad, and got a bigger coverage in the media, both nationally and internationally, than was the case during the first three years of the festival.
The festival had 145 films in its program, and there were a total of more than 300 screenings. This year, the festival could welcome 45 international filmmakers and actors, who came from countries as different as England, Serbia, Hungary, Romania, Italy, Germany, Sweden and Turkey. Amongst the best known were Stephen Frears, Samuel Fröler, Martina Gedeck, Robby Müller and Istvan Szabo.
The many filmmakers were in Copenhagen to introduce their films and talk about it with the Danish audience. The festival´s audience also had the possibility to experience the international stars close up at master classes and seminars, and after many of the festival´s screenings, the audience had the opportunity to ask questions about the films´ contents or the filmmaker´s thoughts and experiences.
The industry was also in Copenhagen
For the second year in a row, the festival has, under the banner Copenhagen Screenings, invited international film buyers and festivals to see a row of new Danish films, many of which were shown for the very first time. The good result of last year was doubled, as no less than 47 buyers and seven film festivals attended the screenings. Amongst the film companies present were the big American ones like Focus, Miramax, New Line, Paramount Classics and Weinstein Company, while large European festivals such as Rotterdam, Berlin and Gothenburg sent their programmers to see the new Danish films. Amongst the films were The Boss Of It All, The Art of Crying, Cecilie, Easy Skanking and Prag.
`We are very happy about the results´, says Susan Wendt from Nordisk Film International Sales.`Some really good costumers attended the screenings, and amongst others there was a big interest from the US and Germany for Clash of Egos.´
The national and international press was also very well represented at the festival. The number of accredited journalists was over 100 from Denmark and 40 from abroad. Present amongst the many renowned foreign media were Variety, Screen International, Time Out, The Guardian, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Corriere della Sera and Al-quds Al-arabia. In addition, there was a whole row of journalists present from Spain, France, Poland, Canada and Russia among countries.
`...CIFF’s competion of Euro titles and new sidebar of industry only screenings has made it increasingly appealing to international visitors as well as Copenhagen residents´, Leslie Felperin wrote in Variety.com, on 22 September.
