AVA - Festival films for local libraries!In AVA, film festivals curate programs and make them available in their local libraries. In the libraries festival-films can be watched in server-based viewing stations. In addition library users may also watch festival films at home via Video on Demand. Thus festivals and filmmakers expand the audience for their films to library users: children, immigrants, students, elder people – all the parts of society that typically lack the funds or cultural background to access European independent films. By cooperating on AVA, film festivals and public libraries complement each other in many ways: Festivals have the knowledge and the experience to curate films and put them into context. They are in touch with the filmmakers, so it is easier to clear the rights. And as an event, they have experience in marketing and engaging with the audience. The libraries on the other end are deeply rooted in the cultural infrastructure. They have a steady stream of visitors throughout the year. And because libraries offer their services for free, library visitors tend to be the weaker parts of society. This is the audience we will develop for film. Every festival in AVA is partnering with a local library - among them the two largest libraries in Germany (Köln, Berlin). The library audience is large: In a study conducted on behalf of the EU in its member states 97.3 Mio or 23 % of the 428.9 Mio total population are active library visitors (Eurostat 2011/2012 & Omnibus survey Q1 ). In addition libraries already have funds for acquiring films; these funds will be accessed to finance AVA - even after EU funding ist not anmore provided. The funding we apply for is meant to kick-start AVA. It's goal is to grow across Europe. Thus our unique partnership between festivals and libraries will create an audience for European films that goes beyond the scope of the current application.