On February 12, 2026, the Berlin International Film Festival will open in Germany’s capital, traditionally marking the beginning of the new international film year. Running in parallel from February 12 to 18, the European Film Market (EFM) will once again bring together more than 10,000 film professionals from over 100 countries.
EFM is not merely a marketplace for buying and selling films. It is a strategic industry platform for networking, co-productions, institutional partnerships, and the international positioning of national film industries—particularly crucial for smaller markets, where every meeting must serve a clear purpose.
A last-minute contract, early preparations
According to available information, the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Armenia signed its participation agreement with the Film Foundation only on February 5, 2026—less than a week before the start of the market. At the same time, preparatory activities on the Foundation’s side had reportedly begun well in advance.
Despite this, no official public announcements have been made so far regarding Armenia’s participation: neither the format, nor the delegation, nor the objectives or expected outcomes have been disclosed. For an event of such industrial importance, this lack of transparency raises legitimate concerns.
Eight days in Berlin for 8–10 meetings
The announced working programme also appears questionable. Over a period of eight to nine days in Berlin, the plan reportedly includes only 8 to 10 business meetings.
At the same time it remains unclear which partners or institutions these meetings are scheduled with, no selection criteria have been made public, and it is difficult to justify why a market whose core business activity is typically concentrated over two intensive days is effectively stretched across an entire week.
Under conditions of limited public resources, the efficiency of such an approach requires serious justification.
A single grant recipient without a competitive procedure
The financial framework of Armenia’s participation also raises questions. The government allocated 4,999,200 AMD (including taxes) directly to the Film Foundation, which acts as the sole grant recipient.
Notably, the grant was awarded without an open competitive process, despite legal requirements that generally mandate competitive procedures for the allocation of public cultural funds. No public legal explanation for this decision has been provided.
Results without reporting
Equally important is the fact that the Film Foundation has not published any reports on the outcomes of previous participations in international film markets—no data on meetings held, agreements reached, or concrete follow-up results.
Against this backdrop, recurring statements about international positioning, strengthened partnerships, and expanded cooperation remain largely declarative, lacking measurable indicators or publicly available evidence.
European Film Market is not a symbolic presence or a representational trip. It is a highly competitive professional environment, where every meeting, every day, and every public euro must be justified by concrete results.
When contracts are signed at the last moment, programmes remain unpublished, meetings are not specified, competitive mechanisms are bypassed, and past outcomes remain undisclosed, the questions raised are no longer emotional—they are structural and concern the interests of the entire film industry.
