Schedule 2026

European Work in Progress x International Film Distribution Summit / 29 September 2026

Tuesday 29 September 2026	WARM-UP PANELS
11:15 – 12:00 pm	KEYNOTE#1 Victor Chudal-Linden, Head of Project, GIZ, Germany  Connecting Continents, Markets & Audiences: A New Programme for Africa-Europe Partnerships Moderation Q&A Torsten Frehse, CEO, Neue Visionen Filmverleih GMBH, Germany
03:00 – 05:00 pm	Case Study I & II Best Practices – International Distribution & Marketing Strategies for European Arthouse Cinema illustrated via Creative Europe MEDIA funded films: LITTLE AMELIE and NOUVELLE VAGUE. In collaboration with Creative Europe Desks Germany and European Work in Progress.

International Film Distribution Summit / Day 1 / 30 September 2026

09:00 am	MOINmosa  Industry reception hosted by Filmfest Hamburg Industry Days By invitation Location: Curio-Haus
10:00 – 11:00 am	Accredition IFDS / Coffee & Snacks
11:00 – 11:15 pm	IFDS Official Opening
11:15 – 12:00 pm	KEYNOTE #2  Thomas Legal, Head of Programming, The Jokers, France Between classics and new feature films, innovative strategies to develop our singularity in a very competitive market and reach our existing and new communities Moderation Q&A Sabine Chemaly, CEO, Ginger & Fed, France
12:00 – 12:45 pm	KEYNOTE #3 Monica Felea, CEO, Bad Unicorn, Romania Breaking the Invisible Wall Moderation Q&A Bérénice Vincent, CEO, Totem Films, France
12:45 – 1:45 pm	Lunch Break / Snacks
1:45 – 2:30 pm	KEYNOTE #4 Thomas Beranek, Chief Analyst, Gower Street Analytics, UK Same Film, Smarter Date, Stronger Box Office: Forecasting as Growth Strategy Moderation Q&A Rüdiger Suchsland, Journalist, Germany
2:30 – 2:55 pm	KEYNOTE #5 Julia Langhof, Distributor Relations Manager, Cineamo, Germany The Last Mile: Where Film Marketing Wins or Loses the Ticket
2:55 – 3:30 pm	KEYNOTE #6 Ben Johnson, founder, Head of Strategy and Audience Technology, GRUVI, UK What are the Audience Behaviors that matter during your film release?
3:20– 4:00 pm	Coffee break
4:00 – 4:45 pm	KEYNOTE #7 Eduardo Calla, Chief Strategy Officer, BF Distribution, Chile How World Cinema reshaped our thinking about strategy, uncertainty and market development Moderation Q&A Dorothee Pfistner, Head of Acquisitions, Neue Visionen Filmverleih GMBH, Germany
4:45 – 5:30 pm	KEYNOTE #8 Mohamed Frini, CEO, Hakka Distribution, Tunesia, Hakka Distribution : building an alternative distribution network in Tunisia Moderation Q&A Benjamin Cölle, CEO, Pluto Films, Germany
5:30 – 6:00 pm	Coffee Break
6:00 – 6:45 pm	KEYNOTE #9 Eve Gabereau, Director of Distribution, VUE, UK Films on the Big Screen and Beyond – from Release to Relationship Moderation Q&A Sylvia Müller, CEO, Neue Visionen Filmverleih Gmbh, Germany

6:45 – 7:30 pm

Masterclass Vladimir Kokh, CEO, KMBO, France KMBO: Growing in French Distribution

8:15 pm

Laudatio IFDS Winner & Dinner

International Film Distribution Summit / Day 2 / 1 October 2026

10:30 – 10:50 am	KEYNOTE #10 Alex Stolz, Head of Audience, USHERU, UK From Audience Interest to Attendance: The Resilient Film Marketing Playbook
10:50 – 11:30 am	KEYNOTE #11 Lee Yun-Yeong,  CEO, CINEMATOGRAPH, South Korea Bypassing the System: Smaller-Scale Releases in South Korea Moderation Q&A Sophie Stejskal, Head of Acquisitions, Filmladen, Austria
11:30 am	Official Ending of IFDS The programme will be continued as Explorer Konferenz in CinemaxX Dammtor. Your Industry Plus accreditation gives you access to the programme. Please find further information on the Explorer Konferenz detailed agenda here: www.explorer-konferenz.de