MADELEINE PROBST, Programme producer, Watershed, UK

Madeleine is an experienced producer of film events, talent and people with extensive experience of advocating for the cinema sector regionally, nationally and internationally. She is a Managing Producer at Watershed in Bristol UK, leading on cinema projects such as Cinema Rediscovered; Film Hub South West as part of BFI Film Audience Network, and oversees talent development activity including a new regional arm of the UK wide BFI NETWORK. She has been involved in Europa Cinemas for over a decade, leading on several international Europa Cinemas Audience Development Labs and became Vice-President in 2014 which has given her a real insight into the European landscape.

MICHAEL GUBBINS Analyst, journalist and consultant 

Michael Gubbins is an analyst, journalist and consultant, who has been working in the film and media sector for more than 15 years. He has a long association with Europa Cinemas, chairing conferences since 2004 and authoring a number of reports on change in European exhibition. Gubbins was editor of titles, including Screen International and Screen Daily, and Music Week in a 25-year career in newspapers and magazines. He was also chair of regional screen agency Ffilm Cymru Wales until 2019. He writes influential reports on the changing media and cultural environment in Europe; and is a sought-after and experienced moderator, keynote speaker and organiser of conferences, Think Tanks and events around the world. He has worked in more than 30 countries with organisations and businesses along the film value chain and across media sectors, including music, games and television.

JAVIER PACHON, Founder of Cineciutat, President Of Cinearte

Javier has a humanistic and cultural background, combined with a focus on innovation, marketing and the use of technological advancements. He dedicates most of his time to business development mixing all these things in his head, mainly for the audiovisual and culture sector. He cofounded and directed CineCiutat – a cinema run by a non-profit organisation, which he now presides – creating new ways of active audience participation and marketing approaches. He now works as a strategic consultant for a variety of projects, including managing the Balearic Islands’ Audiovisual Producers Association, presiding CineArte, the Spanish national network of art house cinemas, and collaborating at an international level as member of the Innovation Group of Europa Cinemas and the Board of Directors of C.I.C.A.E.

IRENE MUSUMECI, Marketing Manager, Curzon Cinemas, UK

Irene is Marketing Manager at Curzon Cinemas, operating 14 cinemas (40+ screens) in the UK. Originally from Bologna, she moved to London to study and work as a theatre director and dramaturge. She taught Film and Literature at the University of Kent while completing her PhD in Film Studies. Irene has worked for leading film companies including Dogwoof and Fandango Portobello. She collaborates with a number of culture festivals, magazines and podcasts across Europe. 

NINA PECE GRILC Independent expert

Nina studied Cultural Studies at University of Ljubljana. She’s worked as the director and head of film distribution for Otok – Institute for the Development of Film Culture as well as the director of Isola Cinema – Kino Otok Film Festival with focus on African, Asian, Latin American and Eastern European cinema. Working as the cultural producer and Event & Public Relations Manager she joined the organization of key festivals in Slovenia such as LIFFE (Ljubljana International Film Festival), Festival of Slovenian Film, Animateka – International Animation Festival and Festival of European Film. She was a collaborator of Industry and Film Office at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival as well as at the International Film Festival Rotterdam. She was director of the Kinodvor municipal cinema in Ljubljana from 2008 to 2019 currently a member of Europa Cinemas, CICAE and ECFA (European Children’s Film Association) international cinema networks. Since 2010 she has represented Kinodvor as the founding member in the Management Committee of Art cinema network Slovenia. She is currently working as independent entrepreneur and consultant in the field of cinema and culture. She is also member of the Board of Directors and the Steering Committee of Europa Cinemas. 

CHRISTIAN BRÄUER, Managing director of Yorck-Kino GmbH / Chairman at AG Kino – Gilde deutscher Filmkunsttheater e.V. / General Secretary, Europa Cinemas / President of the CICAE

Born in 1971, with a Ph.D. in Political Science and banker by training, Christian is Managing director of Yorck-Kino GmbH in Berlin (11 arthouse cinemas with 31 screens and one open air cinema) and Programmkino Ost GmbH in Dresden (5 screens) which are operating art cinemas within a tight alliance of 20 movie theatres and over 50 screens in Berlin, Hamburg, Munich and Dresden. He is President of the International Confederation of Arthouse Cinemas CICAE. Furthermore he is Chairman of the German association of arthouse cinemas AG Kino – Gilde deutscher Filmkunsttheater e.V. and General Secretary of the cinema network Europa Cinemas. Christian Bräuer represents the German cinema industry in the Presidium and is Member of Administrative Council as well as Chairman of European and International Affairs Committee at German Federal Film Board (FFA).