Freeway Managing Director Gadi Wildstrom will take part in a new industry event being held as part of the upcoming South East European Film Festival (SEE) in Los Angeles, 30 April – 4 May.
As part of this year’s festival, SEE Fest is hosting the first-ever business conference on opportunities in south east Europe for independent cinema, entitled ‘Bridging the Divide: Unlocking The Byzantine Film Model’.
Co-sponsored by the UCLA’s Center for European and Eurasian Studies and Goethe Institut Los Angeles, the conference will feature three discussion events: financing, production and distribution, with expert speakers from the Hollywood entertainment industry who have made films in southern and Eastern Europe.
Freeway Entertainment’s Managing Director Gadi Wildstrom will be speaking on finance with Michael Andreen (Senior Vice President, International Production, Walt Disney Studios); Noel Lohr, Managing Director, Incentive Filmed Entertainment, LLC); Tim O’Hair (Agent, Motion Picture Finance, Paradigm Talent Agency); and Stephen Saltzman (Partner, Loeb & Loeb).
“With a rich history of first-class filmmaking, but one that is not immediately on the minds of independent filmmakers, the area of South East Europe is a potential treasure trove of financing or production solutions,” said Gregory Schenz, SVP Legal and Business Affairs, Endgame Entertainment and Conference Chair. “At the conference we also hope to share and discuss new alternatives to distributing and promoting independent film as well as foreign language films.”
Gadi Wildstrom, Co-CEO of Freeway Entertainment Group said: “I am delighted to be taking part in this important discussion. Finance is often considered to be the less glamourous element of the film industry, but a good financial understanding is crucial when producing, licensing or distributing any title and I am happy to share my experience on financing solutions for independent film in South East Europe.”
SEE Fest is the only festival in the US devoted exclusively to south-east Europe. It aims not only to show films but also to offer a greater understanding of the South East Europe region, its troubled history, and cultural diversity.
The conference will take place at Faculty Centre on UCLA campus in Westwood, from 10am – 1pm on Monday 4 May.