Event agenda
Sunday, 15 February 2026
09:30 - 11:00
Warm Up Brunch + Introduction for Newcomers
Is it your first time at Avant Première? Want to learn how to get the most from this industry gathering? Join us at this info session during the Warm-Up Brunch!
2 speakers
11:00 - 12:30
Avant Première Screenings – Block 1
The Avant Première Screenings are the centrepiece of Avant Première Music + Media Market, offering exclusive previews to the latest music + dance films from top-tier producers worldwide.
8 speakers
12:45 - 13:15
Market Screening: Sol & Lise
A portrait of Lise Cristiani, the first woman cellist on stage, who broke taboos in 1845 and toured Europe and Siberia. Cellist Sol Gabetta retraces her life, music and legacy through a new concert.
13:30 - 15:00
Avant Première Screenings – Block 2
The Avant Première Screenings are the centrepiece of Avant Première Music + Media Market, offering exclusive previews to the latest music + dance films from top-tier producers worldwide.
6 speakers
15:30 - 16:30
Market Screening: 30 Shades of Dance - Hungary Dances
30 Shades of Dance showcases Hungary’s vibrant dance scene through 30 professional ensembles across 7 cities and 8 styles. From classical traditions to contemporary innovation, it becomes an artistic journey celebrating movement, culture, and community.
17:00 - 18:00
Opening Ceremony
Join us for the official Avant Première Opening Ceremony – a celebratory evening to kick off our sector's most important trade fair and mingle with experts + industry representatives from all over the world!
1 speaker
18:30 - 20:00
Special Screening: The Faces of Carmen
This documentary explores the many faces of Carmen through five contrasting productions filmed in 2024 at leading opera houses, all starring mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshina in the title role.
1 speaker
Monday, 16 February 2026
09:30 - 11:00
Avant Première Screening – Block 3
The Avant Première Screenings are the centrepiece of Avant Première Music + Media Market, offering exclusive previews to the latest music + dance films from top-tier producers worldwide.
6 speakers
11:00 - 11:20
Market Screening: Kurtág Fragments
Kurtág Fragments follows György Kurtág's emotional and artistic journey through key places like Transylvania, Budapest, Prussia Cove, and Paris - where his magnum opus, Fin de Partie premiered in 2022.
11:30 - 13:00
Avant Première Screenings – Block 4
The Avant Première Screenings are the centrepiece of Avant Première Music + Media Market, offering exclusive previews to the latest music + dance films from top-tier producers worldwide.
9 speakers
13:30 - 14:00
Market Screening: The Tokyo Ballet – Maurice Béjart’s “M“
A ballet tribute to writer Yukio Mishima, created by Maurice Béjart. “M” explores transformation, sea and death through choreography for the Tokyo Ballet, performed in 2025 to mark Mishima’s 100th birthday.
14:00 - 15:15
Opera 2.0: Interactive, Immersive, International
Opera has long embodied the ideal of a total artwork, uniting music, drama, design and performance. This panel explores how opera can reclaim this potential by engaging with new technologies and cross-disciplinary, immersive practices.
5 speakers
14:00 - 16:00
IMZ Performing Arts Documentary Pitching Session
This format gives six creators a platform to showcase their performing arts documentary projects to a jury of international decision-makers, for a chance to win a €5,000 cash prize.
6 speakers
15:45 - 16:45
Market Screening: Herbie
A portrait of jazz pioneer Herbie Hancock, built around rare, in-depth interviews. The film traces his musical journey from Miles Davis to genre-defining innovations, revealing his artistic and spiritual philosophy.
16:30 - 17:15
What Public Service Media Commissioners Look for in Music & Arts Programming Today
Public Service Media faces growing pressure in music and performing arts programming. This panel offers a practical look at commissioning priorities, platform choices, and how collaboration works in practice.
5 speakers
16:45 - 17:15
Market Screening: The Limitless Orchestra
The Limitless Orchestra follows Aleksey Igudesman’s vision of a global ensemble without boundaries. From rehearsal to stage, the film explores musical reinvention, collaboration and performances led by Igudesman and Hans Zimmer.
17:15 - 17:35
Distributor Spotlight: SESC
The Distributor Spotlight bridges the gap between the Avant Première Screenings and the Market Screenings, offering a one-hour program showcasing new productions from IMZ network distributors and producers.
17:35 - 17:55
Distributor Spotlight: C Major Entertainment
The Distributor Spotlight bridges the gap between the Avant Première Screenings and the Market Screenings, offering a one-hour program showcasing new productions from IMZ network distributors and producers.
17:55 - 18:15
Distributor Spotlight: Unitel
The Distributor Spotlight bridges the gap between the Avant Première Screenings and the Market Screenings, offering a one-hour program showcasing new productions from IMZ network distributors and producers.
18:30 - 20:00
Special Screening: Brigitte Fassbaender – Don't Stop Wondering
A portrait of Brigitte Fassbaender, celebrated singer and opera director. Through interviews and reflections, the film traces her artistic journey, family influences, and shows the artist at work, balancing tradition and reinvention.
1 speaker
Tuesday, 17 February 2026
09:30 - 11:00
Avant Première Screenings – Block 5
The Avant Première Screenings are the centrepiece of Avant Première Music + Media Market, offering exclusive previews to the latest music + dance films from top-tier producers worldwide.
7 speakers
11:15 - 12:45
Avant Première Screenings – Block 6
The Avant Première Screenings are the centrepiece of Avant Première Music + Media Market, offering exclusive previews to the latest music + dance films from top-tier producers worldwide.
6 speakers
13:15 - 14:00
Market Screening: Louis Philippson – Becoming Famous
This documentary follows the artist during a formative phase in his life, one that raises important questions: how does Louis cope with the pressure without burning out? And how much energy and discipline does fame demand from a young person?
1 speaker
14:00 - 14:15
Technical Review: AI in Production
This presentation identifies the high-impact trends that will define live music production in the near future, offering a strategic overview of the changing technological landscape.
1 speaker
14:00 - 15:00
Market Screening: Poland - A Musical Self-Portrait
A journey through Poland’s turbulent history seen through music. The film explores what defines “Polish” music by meeting today’s classical, folk and jazz artists shaping its evolving tradition.
14:00 - 15:30
One-On-One Expert Session: Meet the Buyers
One-on-One Expert Session allow emerging + established talents to pitch their projects to senior executives from major broadcasting companies + leading figures in the music film industry.
9 speakers
14:15 - 15:00
Real Talk: AI in Production
This panel explores how AI is being used in audiovisual production for the performing arts and what this means in real terms.
5 speakers
15:00 - 15:15
A Seatbelt Moment for Arts and Culture: How Media can Build Bridges to New Audiences and Gain New Relevance through the Healing Power of the Arts
Arts & culture do more than entertain – they heal, connect, and transform. This presentation explores how arts engagement boosts mental health, resilience, and social cohesion, offering media new ways to reach and inspire audiences.
2 speakers
15:15 - 16:00
IMZ Academy: Cinematic Multi-Camera Capture
Large-sensor digital cine cameras are now common in drama, documentary, and lifestyle productions. This session explores the benefits, challenges, and methods of using them for multi-camera performance capture.
5 speakers
15:15 - 16:30
Market Screening: My Favourite Melodies - Sheku Kanneh-Mason & Elīna Garanča
The documentary series *My Favourite Melodies* returns with cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason and opera star Elīna Garanča, exploring their personal playlists and musical influences—from classical masterpieces to folk and popular music.
2 speakers
16:00 - 16:45
IMZ Academy: Multiplatform Production
In today’s media landscape, reaching audiences across TV, web, social media, and apps requires a multi-platform production strategy. This session explores how to tell stories consistently while navigating creative, technical, and financial challenges.
4 speakers
16:45 - 17:15
Market Screening: Branwen: Dadeni (Rebirth) + Fires of the Moon / Tanau’r Lloer
Branwen: Dadeni is a Welsh-language musical reimagining a classic legend for today. Inspired by the Mabinogi, it presents Branwen as a powerful heroine in a story of struggle, betrayal and resilience adapted as landmark theatre for television.
16:45 - 17:30
Audio and/or Video? Making the Right Choices for Classical Performance in the Digital Age
In today’s digital landscape, every producer, festival, and label faces the same question: should a project be released as audio, video, or both? This panel explores how institutions can make informed choices between formats, or combine them effectively.
2 speakers
17:30 - 17:50
Distributor Spotlight: Auditorium Films
The Distributor Spotlight bridges the gap between the Avant Première Screenings and the Market Screenings, offering a one-hour program showcasing new productions from IMZ network distributors and producers.
17:50 - 18:10
Distributor Spotlight: EuroArts Music International
The Distributor Spotlight bridges the gap between the Avant Première Screenings and the Market Screenings, offering a one-hour program showcasing new productions from IMZ network distributors and producers.
18:30 - 20:00
Special Presentation: Verbier Festival Forward
Building on record success in 2025, the Verbier Festival returns in 2026 with over 60 concerts, masterclasses, operas and free events, uniting world-class artists, young talent and a strong international outlook.
1 speaker
Wednesday, 18 February 2026
09:30 - 11:00
Avant Première Screenings – Block 7
The Avant Première Screenings are the centrepiece of Avant Première Music + Media Market, offering exclusive previews to the latest music + dance films from top-tier producers worldwide.
4 speakers
11:30 - 12:45
Avant Première Screenings – Block 8
The Avant Première Screenings are the centrepiece of Avant Première Music + Media Market, offering exclusive previews to the latest music + dance films from top-tier producers worldwide.
4 speakers
13:15 - 15:15
IMZ General Assembly
The IMZ General Assembly at Avant Première is dedicated entirely to IMZ Members. Hosted by the IMZ Directorate, the Session fosters a strong and well-informed network and aims at strengthening IMZ Members' relations + connectivity.
2 speakers
15:15 - 17:00
Closing Reception
Join us for the grand Closing Ceremony of Avant Première 2026!