The second edition of the Eurasia Film Market drew to a close yesterday, but participants said the market's timing proved difficult for some buyers.

Despite a good mix of local and international sales companies and a bigger presence from Asia with Hong Kong's Media Asia, China's Huayi Brothers and Three Dots from Taiwan participating for the first time, the market was held in too hectic a period which kept more people from coming.

This year, the fasting month of Ramadan has pushed the event by one month to frantic October, sandwiched between Pusan, MIPCOM, Rome, Tokyo and AFM.

'With a less crowded marketplace, it's good to have more time to talk to everyone. But it's a pity that the market didn't produce the kind of results it deserved after so much was spent on it,' said Stelios Ziannis, Kinowelt International's head of world sales.

While many who attended the market appreciated the hospitality of the organisers who provided half-board five-star hotels and frequent shuttle service between festival venues, those here for the second time said less buyers were around this year.

The market was mostly deserted during lunch hours although some discussions carried on in the lobby cafe of the ultra-modern design hotel Hillside Su or down by the beach cafe.

The market is also geared towards the ancillary TV and video sector. HBO Central Europe bought Sandrine Bonnaire's Her Name Is Sabine for Poland from Wide Management while Turkey's national broadcaster TRT sold a couple of TV series to the Middle East.

StudioCanal was probably one of the very few which walked away with an all rights deal: Turkey's D Productions bought Anne Le Ny's Those Who Remain and Fabien Onteniente's Disco.

'It's more quiet this time but it's still worth coming back to make new contacts. We have strong interests in some other titles which will be discussed further at AFM,' said StudioCanal's sales manager Mylene Cayol-Cythere who closed two deals last year.

According to market director Deniz Ziya Temeltas, about 20 deals were completed at the market with another 30 in progress. He is realistic about the role of the market. 'People come here to exchange business cards in a relaxed atmosphere where they could spend more time with one another. We aim to create a functional market which can complement Cannes, Berlin and MIPCOM.'

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