The Berlin International Film Festival is retaining the € 100 discount on its market badges, which was introduced as a 60th birthday present last year, as an offer for “early birds” for a limited period.
Early bird registration, which opened Fridayand lasts until Nov 30 will allow film industry professionals to purchase a Market Badge with Festival Accreditation for €300 (instead of the normal charge of €400) or a European Film Market (EFM) Screening Pass - which does not include Festival Accreditation - for only €200 (down from € 300).
The Market Badge gives access to the EFM Screenings and what the Berlin market terms “selected Berlinale press screenings” and “selected official screenings in various festival sections” as well as the possibility of visiting the Producers Lounge and Panels at the Berlinale Co-Production Market. In addition, the Market badge holders receive login passwords to access the EFM website’s industry area and the Cinando database (up until January 31, 2012).
The EFM Screening Pass has all of the above except, naturally, for access to the festival and press screenings.
Offering such a financial discount makes business sense since it encourages many professionals to take the plunge and make the commitment to attend the February event - and also provides useful cash in EFM’s coffers since these badges have to be paid for in advance by credit card only.
Meanwhile, the standard Festival Accreditation, which grants access to festival screenings based on the availability of cinema tickets as well as to the EFM locations in the Martin-Gropius-Bau and Marriott Hotel, is pegged at €100.
Some professionals, who only attend say for a long weekend at the beginning of the festival, said that they might even consider forgoing making an application for the Festival Accreditation since they could arrange business meetings outside of the EFM locations in places like the foyer of the Grand Hyatt or elsewhere around Potsdamer Platz.
As in previous years, priority access to the Martin-Gropius-Bau and the EFM offices in the Marriott Hotel will be given to holders of the Market Badge, EFM Screening Pass and Multiple Day Pass.
The registration period for the EFM next February ends on December 15.
Meanwhile, the accreditation fee for press at the Berlinale – which will be held from February 10 – 20, 2011 – is remaining at the 2009 level of €60.
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