Sitges seminars click on Internet solutions

Internet distribution, the continuing emergence of online platforms and their challenge to established broadcast systems will be the main topics at a seminar -- Internet and Europe: Challenges and Opportunities for Our Cinema -- hosted by Catalan Films & TV promotion board at the Sitges Festival. Two Spanish movie VOD website -- Filmin and Filmotech -- also participate. At a Media Business School tribute last month, former Columbia Pictures CEO David Puttnam regretted the still "slow response by traditional cinema business models to the digital opportunities." New distribution channels present opportunities but they "are not so obvious or easy," says CFTV director Alex Navarro. "It's hard to accept that income will decrease while its sources will multiply. And there's no guaranteed formula for profit, margins and cash-flow." Hence in part the seminar. Aiming to strengthen producers grasp of multi-platform production and sales strategies -- pretty well required of any TV or documentary project these days -- seminar includes presentations from Filmin director Jaume Ripoll and Univercinee and EuroVOD director Jean-Yves Bloch. European VOD platform toppers Dragoslav Zachariev, Maxime Lacour, Harald Baur, and Andrew Lowe will also attend. Europe and Internet takes place Oct. 10. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

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