looking back ... 2000

Producers and financiers meet in the Cottbus Radisson Hotel with a new slogan: “Cottbus should connect.“

At the film industry forum in 2000, everything centres on the key questions of filmmaking: financing and distribution. To begin with, an idea needs money to be realised and, once it‘s been made, it needs a good distributor to reach its audience! Approximately 50 participants listen closely to filmmakers from Hungary, Poland, Russia, Czech Republic and Germany. Once again, discussion centres on Eastern European efforts to switch from a state-subsidised film industry to independent film production. Seen against this background, sharing experiences with other colleagues - in particular those from Germany - and seeking coproduction partners is of special interest.

In the following years producers on the lookout for new production facilieties an possible co-productions more realise that Connecting Cottbus is the place to be.