Festivals: Distribution Revolution or Evolution? Panel Will Take Place at the 2008 International Film Festival Summit

New York, NY (PRWEB) October 15, 2008 -- The 5th Annual International Film Festival Summit (IFFS) announces that Film Finders, Emerging Pictures, Koch Lorber Films, and Sarasota Film Festival will take part in a panel discussion that will take a look at the evolution and revolution of current distribution models at the summit taking place December 7-9, 2008 in Las Vegas. www.filmfestivalsummit.com

The session entitled "Festivals: Distribution Revolution or Evolution?" will take place Sunday, December 7th at 2:15 pm and be moderated by Peter Belsito, EVP, Film Finders.

Current distribution models are evolving faster than ever as studio business models evolve and new organizations crop up. As the independent film 'distribution revolution' marches forward where do we go from here? This panel will shed light on where film festivals fit in today and in the years to come. Walk away with insight on how current challenges mean new opportunities.

Panelists include Ira Deutchman, President & CEO, Emerging Pictures, Richard Lorber, President & Founder, Koch Lorber Films, and Tom Hall, Director of Programming, Sarasota Film Festival .

"The changes in the economic model for filmmakers will demand change from festivals, but there are a lot of ways in which festivals should not change or they risk losing their identities as cultural events," commented Tom Hall, Director of Programming, Sarasota Film Festival.

Some of this year's attendees include: AFI Fest Presented by Audi, Atlanta Film Festival, Austin Film Festival, Bside, Starz Denver Film Festival, FilmThreat, Palm Springs International Film Festival, River Run International Film Festival, San Diego Film Festival, San Francisco International Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, Gen Art, San Diego Asian Film Festival, DC Shorts Film Festival, Seattle International Film Festival, AFI Dallas International Film Festival, SXSW, Variety, Withoutabox and many, many more.

The 2008 IFFS Presenting Sponsor is Withoutabox. Platinum sponsors include B-side with Gold sponsors Enta USA and The NEB. Other sponsors include: Agile Ticketing, Eyesoda.com, inticketing, Festival Media Corporation, Filmfestivals.com, FilmMaker Magazine, FilmThreat, MovieMaker, NAMAC Production Hub and Variety.

About International Film Festival Summit (IFFS):

The International Film Festival Summit is the only annual conference and trade show for professionals from the film festival industry. The IFFS provides a platform for the community to explore ways to collaborate and promote the advancement of the film festival industry. This is a place to dialogue with your peers, share insights and gain knowledge that will help you grow your film festival and foster sustainability. The IFFS is dedicated to providing resources, information and avenues of communication for industry professionals and the entertainment industry. For IFFS Europe visit www.iffseurope.com. For IFFS North America visit www.filmfestivalsummit.com.

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