Copenhagen Think Tank rolls on

Backers of last June's Think Tank on European Film and Film Policy are establishing a permanent organization to carry forward the Think Tank's work. The Danish government has committed core funding.

A conference report, to be presented Wednesday in Berlin, also calls for further Think Tanks, covering single territories or a clutch of countries.

One or two may target larger countries, underrepped at Copenhagen.

The Think Tanks is in collaboration discussions with German regional authorities, Italian entities, the Sundance Institute and the Open Society (Soros Foundation).

Further initiatives also could target transition countries, such as in Eastern Europe.

Presided over by the Danish Film Institute CEO Henning Camre, backed by painstaking research, and bringing together some of the best minds in European film, the Think Tank first met in the Danish capital June 21-24.

Event analyzed why and how to use public subsidy coin effectively. Some 170 decisionmakers and industry execs attended. Keynote speeches were given by David Puttnam and Geoff Gilmore.

The Think Tank is insisting on the need for more weighty high-level research.

Its organizers aren't aiming at dismantling subsidies, nor imposing a one system fits all approach to Europe. But the Think Tank does sound notes of skepticism.

Research analyzed 344 European films selected for Berlin, Cannes, Toronto and Venice between 2001 and 2006.

Of 11 German films distributed in France, none were co-produced, despite 45 French-German co-productions being made over the period.

In his speech, Gilmore argued for a break with the past. European film "centers itself on a film culture that is not relevant anymore," he said.