FERA CEO Highlights the Importance of Strategic Advocacy at the Founding Meeting of Face, the New European federation of film academies

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At the inaugural meeting of Face, the newly established Federation of Film Academies Europe, CEO Pauline Durand-Vialle shared insights on the challenges and opportunities facing the European audiovisual sector. Drawing from her experience managing FERA over the last decade, she underscored the importance of strategic advocacy and robust representation in shaping the future of European cinema.

About Face

Face, the Federation of Film Academies Europe, is a new pan-European body comprising film academies from 20 European countries, including the European Film Academy. Officially active since July 11, 2024, Face is headquartered in Luxembourg, with Yann Tonnar, president of the Filmakademie Luxembourg, serving as its inaugural president. The federation aims to amplify the voice of European cinema, promote its visibility, and advocate for the film industry at the European level.

Navigating a Changing Advocacy Environment

Emphasizing that FERA’s dual focus on networking and advocacy at the EU level has been key to its success, despite operating with limited resources, Durand-Vialle noted that FERA’s strengths lie in its representativeness, trustworthy expertise, and the ability to initiate timely, relevant actions aligned with the specific intervention areas of EU and national policymakers.

She highlighted the importance of understanding the complex landscape of EU policymaking, distinguishing between the roles of EU institutions and member states. Key areas of regulation include authors’ rights and copyright, media regulations under the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD), and emerging tech regulations like the AI Act. Furthermore, she stressed the role of EU funding mechanisms such as Creative Europe MEDIA and Horizon, and the cultural exception principle applied by the EU in trade negotiations.

Collaboration with other stakeholders and building alliances were also identified as critical components for effective advocacy, ensuring that the collective voice of the European film industry is heard on various policy fronts.

Durand-Vialle pointed out the need for “situational awareness” in light of recent market changes, such as the growing influence of global streaming platforms and a perceived shift of priorities towards competitiveness and tackling fake news over cultural diversity. She highlighted the rise of new lobbying forces, including global entertainment companies and tech giants, and the advent of AI in the audiovisual sector whichposes both opportunities and uncertainties for the industry including the critical issue of AI’s impact on copyright, particularly regarding the use of copyrighted material to train generative AI models.

Looking Ahead: Key Issues for the Future

With the upcoming EU elections and potential changes in the European Commission’s leadership, she stressed the need to remain vigilant and proactive. Key issues on the horizon include the mid-term review of Creative Europe MEDIA, tackling the EU audiovisual policy shift from cultural objectives to competitiveness, the upcoming reviews of the geo-blocking Regulation and of the AVMS Directive with its provisions on promoting EU works.

“Cinema is a strategic asset for the future of European cultural diversity in a rapidly evolving audiovisual sector,” said Durand-Vialle. “Our role is to ensure that this diversity is protected and promoted, adapting to a changing industry and new audience behaviour while maintaining our core values.”

 

In the picture: Federation of Film Academies Europe (Face) board members, from left to right: Diogo Camões (Portugal), Katharina Albrecht (vice president, Austria), Yann Tonnar (president, Luxembourg), Jenny Booms (Netherlands), Laia Aubia (secretary, Catalonia), Jacob Neiiendam (treasurer, Netherlands) and Matthijs Wouter Knol (European Film Academy). Photo: Marie De Decker