Jan. 29 – Copeam took part, in Beirut, in a series of three day meetings dedicated to the development of co-productions and cross-media productions in the southern Mediterranean. The initiative was organized by ALBA, the Academy of Fine Arts in Beirut, by ESAV, the Moroccan School of Cinema and Audiovisuals – both associated with Copeam – and by ISAMM, the Tunisian Institute of Media Arts, part of a project co-financed by the European Union. Students and young talents met with producers, festival organizers, funding agents and programmers to support the production and development of radio and television projects and discuss the funding opportunities for the development and promotion of their projects. The aim is to develop the regional dimension of audiovisual production in the Southern Mediterranean and to launch new South South projects and collaborations, even among countries of North Africa and the Gulf. Furthermore, it is necessary to make room for younger generations who found, in the wake of Arab Spring, a new creative impetus in this area. The Copeam, an association based at the RAI Orchestra of Rome, has confirmed its commitment to develop projects to support the audiovisual production of the southern Mediterranean, with the aim of bringing rural and young filmmakers to major public television. “The continuation of the economic crisis and the delicate moment of transition countries in the Mediterranean represent an opportunity to lead us away from inertia and closing, and put in act a different logic from the past to identify common and innovative solutions,” said Pier Luigi Malesani, Copeam’s Secretary-General, on the occasion of the launch of the next annual Copeam conference, which will take place in Cagliari, between March 21 to 24. He also pointed out: “In this context, the media, especially the public service, shall act in response to the challenges they face: describe and interpret a complex reality by providing the public with the tools to understand and act, and doing so in tune with the demands brought by citizens who wish to make themselves promoters of innovation initiatives.” According to Malesani “the media should strengthen its function of supporting the dissemination and promotion of fundamental values, be these environmental protection, human rights, gender equality and access to culture.”
