The sixth edition of the Baltic Event co-production market will kick off in Tallinn on Dec. 2 with the longest guest list ever. Modelled on its Scandinavian counterpart the Nordic Event, the Baltic Event revolves around three principle axes: a co-production market, screening of Baltic films, and panels and workshops.

Baltic Event (http://2007.poff.ee/main.cgi?lang=2&id=601) has grown in a relatively short time from a two-day screening of features from the Baltic States to an international rendez-vous of film professionals. The number of international guests has grown from the initial 25 to near 150 this year.

It now also includes presentations of film projects in development by Baltic producers, a highly selective international co-production market launched in 2005 and tarketed at Central, Eastern and Northern Europe, and a string of panels, seminars and workshops ranging from postproduction to pitching.

The customary 12 film projects selected for this year's co-production market come from nine countries (Estonia, Latvia, Finland, Russia, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Hungary and Armenia), with planned budgets ranging from around 800,000 to 2.1 million euros. Among those seeking co-producers, sales agents and distributors are this year's Venize Horizons winning director from Estonia, Veiko Õunpuu and his producer Katrin Kissa.

Characterised by an informal and personal atmosphere, Baltic Event's main selling point remains putting people in touch and creating tacit networks that can be activated when need arises. The participants range from distributors, producers and film fund executives to TV commissioning editors, festival programmers and sales agents. Special guests this year include Berlinale chief Dieter Kosslick.

Baltic Event was initiated by and coincides with the Black Nights Film Festival of Tallinn (http://www.poff.ee/), one of the larger film festivals in the Nordic region. This year's Baltic Event will run Dec. 2-5.