In their sixth year, the EFM Industry Debates provide again a unique opportunity during the European Film Market for producers, buyers and film financiers to discuss current trends and issues relevant to the international film industry.

This year, the professional event will highlight the growing importance of crowd funding for the financing, marketing and distribution of films; new opportunities for non-English language cinema in the world of new media; and the role of BRIC in a changing financing landscape.

The three EFM Industry Debates will take place from Friday 10 to Sunday 12 February 2012, each at 4:30 to 5:30 pm in the Gropius Mirror Restaurant (across from Martin-Gropius-Bau). Panels are followed by a networking cocktail.

Read more about the topics of each Debate here:

Feb 10: CROWD FUNDING – How to harness the power of the online audience to finance, promote and distribute your film.

Hosted by The Hollywood Reporter, the panel looks at the benefits and pitfalls of going to the Internet for financing and examines different models of crowdfunding: from online sites such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo to European crowd-sourced success stories Iron Sky and Hotel Desire which combined online investment with traditional film funding.

Panelists: Tero Kaukomaa: The veteran Finnish producer – whose credits include Lars von Trier’s Dancer in the Dark and Pernilla August’s directorial debut Beyond featuring Noomi Rapace, pioneered the use of crowd funding as a co-financing tool for Finnish sci-fi film Iron Sky, which premiered in the Panorama sidebar in Berlin this year; Juliane Schultze, Senior Partner at international production/financing consultancy group Peacefulfish; Jessica Caldwell and Rebecca Thomas, Producer and Director of Elecktrick Children, which opens the competition of Generation 14plus. Financing for the film began on U.S. crowd funding site Kickstarter. Moderated by Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter

Feb 11: Buying And Selling World Cinema: Reaching Audiences in the new world.

This debate is held in cooperation with Screen International. The situation for non-English language cinema in the new digital world of movie consumption is unclear. While certain VOD and online platforms have shown promise for international films, arthouse buyers have become increasingly cautious about taking risks on challenging films from around the world. This panel, featuring buyers and sellers specializing in this arena, will explore the opportunities for world cinema in the distribution arena and speculate on how the audience for intelligent art cinema from around the world can be grown in the new world.

Panelists: Ed Arentz, Music Box Films (US); Eve Gabereau, Soda Pictures (UK); Geoffrey Gilmore, Tribeca Enterprises (US); James Velaise, Pretty Pictures (France); and Ryan Werner, IFC Films (US). The panel will be moderated by Screen International journalist Mike Goodridge.

Feb 12: Emerging Markets: Is BRIC the future of international film-making?

In cooperation with Variety, this panel focuses on box office, ancillaries and pre-sale values under pressure in traditional markets, and looks at the new frontiers of Brazil, Russia, India and China change the international financing landscape?

The panel will be moderated by Variety journalist Diana Lodderhose.

Each panel discussion will be streamed here on of the following day.