Europe Market Berlinale 2026: Is the EFM Badge actually worth the crazy money?

[Michael]

Let’s be real for a second: do we actually need to be in Berlin from Feb 12-18? I’m looking at the hotel prices and I’m about to cry. Do the big deals really happen inside Gropius Bau, or is it just expensive coffee in the cold? For those who’ve been: did it ever lead to a real sale or co-production for you, or is emailing from home just as effective?