French-born Catherine Buresi has been appointed as the deputy director for Berlin European Film Market (EFM).
She took up her post as from September 1 as the successor to Karen Arikian who stepped downas deputy director after this year's Berlinale in February to become the executive director of the Hamptons International Film Festival in March.
Prior to joining the EFM staff, Buresi had been the team leader since January2006 of the European Union funded Euromed Audiovisual II Programme whichhas organised training, development and promotion, distribution and exhibition opportunities for professionals fromthe MEDA countries (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestinian Authority, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey).
She had worked in Strasbourg from 1991 in charge of a service structure intended for professionals composed of, among others, the Strasbourg Film Commission, Strasbourg Film Fund, and the Media Antenna Strasbourg, working in close partnership with Germany's regional film fund MFG Baden Wuerttemberg.
Then, from January 2002 toDecember2005,Buresi had served as Chief Executive of the EU-backed professional training programme EAVE, developing in particular new tools such a website and online training as well as closer partnerships with markets and co-production events.
Fluent in German, English and Italian as well as her native French, Buresi has additional experience of the practical side of audiovisual production having participated in the EAVE programme herself in 1995.
In addition, she served as matchmaker and programme consultant for the Berlinale Co-Production Market, the Producers Network at Cannes's Marche du Film and for the Dubai Film Connection of last year's initial Dubai Film Festival.
'With Catherine Buresi, we are gaining a prominent expert on the international film industry for our rapidly expanding film market,' commented Berlinale director Dieter Kosslick on the new arrival at the EFM.
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