Open call: SMART7 launches their third program of workshops for festival organisers
Europe, October 20th, 2025 – SMART7,the network of like-minded European film festivals supported by Europa Creativa MEDIAannounces the third phase of their workshop program dedicated to festival organisers. With a focus on sustainable human resources, well-being and mental health, the two-day event will take place in Madrid , Spain December. 2 – 3,, and is open to every festival organiser..
SMART7 has members from seven different countries: Poland (New Horizons IFF), Iceland (Reykjavik IFF), Portugal (IndieLisboa IFF), Romania (Transilvania IFF), Spain (FILMADRID IFF), Greece (Thessaloniki IFF) and Lithuania (Vilnius IFF Kino Pavasaris). Its aim is to connect festivals that share similar objectives and visions, while coming from different cultural and geopolitical areas of Europe.
Seeking to take full advantage of each member’s strengths and promote peer-to-peer collaborative learning, the program started in 2023 in Poland, with workshops coordinated by New Horizons, IndieLisboa, Thessaloniki IFF and Transilvania IFF on promotion & sales and sponsorship & fundraising.
The 2025 workshops are co-organised by FILMADRID with the contribution of all festivals in the network.
On December 2, representatives from New Horizons, Transylvania, and Vilnius will speak on the topic of Volunteers and Sustainable Human Resources, opening the debate on best practices and how to prepare for the challenges that lie ahead.
The following day, December 3, members of Thessaloniki IFF and FILMADRID will address the topic of Inclusion, Well-being, and Mental Health, illustrating the challenges and measures they have taken over the years. The debate will be extended to other participating festivals outside the network that are interested in attending.
SMART7 invites external international film festivals to participate in these closed doors and hands-on sessions, which are expected to be a valuable exchange among key players of the international film festival scene.
The number of external participants is limited to 10 film festivals and festivals' representatives can reach out to info@filmadrid.com until November 21st. Registration is free. Participants would need to cover the costs of their transport and accommodation. info@filmadrid.com hasta el 21 de noviembre. La inscripción es gratuita. Los participantes deberán correr con los gastos de transporte y alojamiento.
ABOUT SMART7
SMART7 is a network of seven European Film Festivals, co-funded by Creative Europe Media. The network’s objective is to create a multidimensional field for sharing experience and communication among members by organizing four workshops around current and vital topics: Programming & Audience Development, Sponsoring & Fundraising, Promotion & Sales, Sustainability & Green Practices. This activity aims to provide a qualified training ground for professionals working in the film festival arena, staff members directly involved in the specific areas that can inspire and be inspired and, in the long term, help shape improvements in their own organizations and have a visible impact on the European film industry landscape.
