Espoo Ciné International Film Festival

ended

ECIFF is the biggest festival focusing only on European films in the Nordic-Baltic region with approximately 20 000 visitors annually. The 34th and 35th editions of Espoo Ciné International Film Festival (later ECIFF) will be organised in August 17-27 in 2023 and 16-25 2024. Bringing a wide variety of European arthouse films for the local audiences, organising panel discussions, master classes and a talent development programme for minorities. ECIFF looks for European festival hits, but also hidden gems particularly from low production capacity countries in the EU. This is done by consulting and visiting other European festivals. ECIFF also curates retrospectives, and special programmes around topical and timely themes, such as Crip Ciné (2021-) focusing on disabled people on screen and behind the camera. The festival also organises year round Doc Lounge screenings in the capital area, screening feature length documentary films, tackling current societal problems, but also introducing films with artistic novelty. ECIFF organises a programme for children and youth under the Junior Ciné umbrella. Over 5 000 local children attend Junior Ciné screenings annually. ECIFF organises industry panels and networking events for film professionals and film journalists. ECIFF also provides a platform for industry organisations to organise their own panels and seminars. In 2022 ECIFF launched an idea competition and networking workshop for minorities that received loads of positive feedback. It will be continued and developed into an international event in the coming years featuring international guest speakers, master classes, meetings and panel discussions. The value that MEDIA support will add, is freedom to build an ambitious and versatile European arthouse film programme, and to support Industry programs for European filmmakers. The lack of MEDIA support has affected the number of European films in recent years. ECIFF will also calculate and compensate all its CO2 emissions.