The BFI today announced the winners of its second annual Filmmaker Awards, hosted in partnership with French fashion house Chanel.
The award, which comes with a £20,000 prize, was awarded to three artists working across film and moving image practices: writer/director Ella Glendining (director and cast of Is There Anybody Out There?), writer/director/producer Savanah Leaf (writer/director of Earth Mama), and producer Nadira Murray (Winners).
The winners of the 2023 awards were selected by this year’s jury: Tilda Swinton, BFI Fellow and Global Chanel Ambassador, Edward Enninful OBE, Editor-in-Chief, British Vogue and European Editorial Director, Vogue; Marie-Louise Khondji, producer and founder of Le Cinéma Club and Ben Roberts, BFI Chief Executive.
“We were presented with an incredibly strong and diverse shortlist, indicative of the exceptional quality of work being produced by early career UK filmmakers at the moment,” the Jury said. “It was a very difficult decision,...
The award, which comes with a £20,000 prize, was awarded to three artists working across film and moving image practices: writer/director Ella Glendining (director and cast of Is There Anybody Out There?), writer/director/producer Savanah Leaf (writer/director of Earth Mama), and producer Nadira Murray (Winners).
The winners of the 2023 awards were selected by this year’s jury: Tilda Swinton, BFI Fellow and Global Chanel Ambassador, Edward Enninful OBE, Editor-in-Chief, British Vogue and European Editorial Director, Vogue; Marie-Louise Khondji, producer and founder of Le Cinéma Club and Ben Roberts, BFI Chief Executive.
“We were presented with an incredibly strong and diverse shortlist, indicative of the exceptional quality of work being produced by early career UK filmmakers at the moment,” the Jury said. “It was a very difficult decision,...
- 11/9/2023
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
BFI CEO Ben Roberts will discuss the BFI Screen Culture 2033
BFI’s chief executive Ben Roberts will be the keynote speaker at Film London’s Production FinanceMarket (Pfm) which runs as part of the BFI London Film Festival.
The two-day financing event takes places October 11 – 12 and will be hosted in person for the first time in two years.
Roberts will be joined by Film London’s Adrian Wootton to discuss BFI’s recently launched 10-year funding plan, Screen Culture 2033.
This will be followed by a UK Global Screen Fund panel. Denitsa Yordanova, head of UK Global Screen Fund, and producer...
BFI’s chief executive Ben Roberts will be the keynote speaker at Film London’s Production FinanceMarket (Pfm) which runs as part of the BFI London Film Festival.
The two-day financing event takes places October 11 – 12 and will be hosted in person for the first time in two years.
Roberts will be joined by Film London’s Adrian Wootton to discuss BFI’s recently launched 10-year funding plan, Screen Culture 2033.
This will be followed by a UK Global Screen Fund panel. Denitsa Yordanova, head of UK Global Screen Fund, and producer...
- 10/4/2022
- by Ellie Calnan
- ScreenDaily
The four filmmakers each won £20,000 for their “creative audacity”.
The four winners of the inaugural BFI and Chanel filmmakers awards reveal their next steps as they varriously plot a move into features, an Ar project, a fresh documentary and a rewilding project in the Scottish Highlands.
Baff Akoto
Akoto’s career looks quite different to the one that tipped him as a Screen Star of Tomorrow in 2018. After debuting in 2009 with the 52-minute documentary Football Fable, the filmmaker moved into regular TV directing on BBC series’ Holby City and Doctors throughout the 2010s.
Now, Akoto is turning his attention to...
The four winners of the inaugural BFI and Chanel filmmakers awards reveal their next steps as they varriously plot a move into features, an Ar project, a fresh documentary and a rewilding project in the Scottish Highlands.
Baff Akoto
Akoto’s career looks quite different to the one that tipped him as a Screen Star of Tomorrow in 2018. After debuting in 2009 with the 52-minute documentary Football Fable, the filmmaker moved into regular TV directing on BBC series’ Holby City and Doctors throughout the 2010s.
Now, Akoto is turning his attention to...
- 10/4/2022
- by Ellie Calnan
- ScreenDaily
The stars were out on Thursday night in London for the British Film Institute’s Luminous Fundraising Gala. During the event, chair of the awards jury Tilda Swinton presented the inaugural BFI and Chanel Filmmaker Awards to four emerging U.K. directors.
Selected for their creative audacity and ambition, the winners of the BFI and Chanel Filmmaker Awards are Baff Akoto, artist/director (producer of “Queen of Glory”); Kathryn Ferguson, director/co-writer (“Nothing Compares”); Sam Firth, director/producer (“The Wolf Suit”); and Erfan Saadati, director/producer (“Child of Empire”).
“We’ve selected four remarkable filmmakers, each of them very different in their approaches and their disciplines, but all properly worthy winners,” Swinton said in a statement. “This award from the BFI and Chanel sets out to support early career creatives, to help them reach their fullest potential by giving them the freedom to invest in their artistry to develop their...
Selected for their creative audacity and ambition, the winners of the BFI and Chanel Filmmaker Awards are Baff Akoto, artist/director (producer of “Queen of Glory”); Kathryn Ferguson, director/co-writer (“Nothing Compares”); Sam Firth, director/producer (“The Wolf Suit”); and Erfan Saadati, director/producer (“Child of Empire”).
“We’ve selected four remarkable filmmakers, each of them very different in their approaches and their disciplines, but all properly worthy winners,” Swinton said in a statement. “This award from the BFI and Chanel sets out to support early career creatives, to help them reach their fullest potential by giving them the freedom to invest in their artistry to develop their...
- 9/30/2022
- by Ellise Shafer
- Variety Film + TV
With a week to go before kicking off the London Film Festival, the British Film Institute gathered the U.K.’s titans of cinema to toast the return of moviegoing and celebrate the next generation of filmmakers.
The BFI’s Luminous gala took place at the swanky Londoner hotel in Leicester Square on Thursday evening (Sept. 29), where Variety had exclusive access. The event, which also featured the BFI and Chanel’s inaugural Filmmaker Awards, used to be a biannual bash, but was the first of its kind since the pandemic.
The starry dinner convened around 400 guests, including actors Daisy Ridley, Ncuti Gatwa, Morfydd Clark, Rebel Wilson, Lily James, Malachi Kirby, Dame Joan Collins and Eddie Redmayne; directors Edgar Wright, Gurinder Chadha, Steve McQueen and Terry Gilliam; and producers including Working Title co-founder Eric Fellner, screenwriter Jemima Khan, and former BBC drama commissioner-turned-A24 international boss Piers Wenger.
Tim Richards, chairman...
The BFI’s Luminous gala took place at the swanky Londoner hotel in Leicester Square on Thursday evening (Sept. 29), where Variety had exclusive access. The event, which also featured the BFI and Chanel’s inaugural Filmmaker Awards, used to be a biannual bash, but was the first of its kind since the pandemic.
The starry dinner convened around 400 guests, including actors Daisy Ridley, Ncuti Gatwa, Morfydd Clark, Rebel Wilson, Lily James, Malachi Kirby, Dame Joan Collins and Eddie Redmayne; directors Edgar Wright, Gurinder Chadha, Steve McQueen and Terry Gilliam; and producers including Working Title co-founder Eric Fellner, screenwriter Jemima Khan, and former BBC drama commissioner-turned-A24 international boss Piers Wenger.
Tim Richards, chairman...
- 9/30/2022
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
The BFI today announced the winners of its inaugural Filmmaker Awards: Celebrating Creative Audacity, hosted in partnership with French fashion house Chanel.
The award, which comes with a £20,000 prize, was awarded to four artists working across film and moving image practices: Baff Akoto (Queen of Glory), Kathryn Ferguson (Nothing Compares), Sam Firth (The Wolf Suit), and Erfan Saadati (Child of Empire).
The awards jury was headed by Tilda Swinton who handed out the four prizes at the BFI’s biannual Luminous fundraising gala. She was joined on the jury by British Vogue Editor-in-Chief Edward Enninful, Marie-Louise Khondji, producer and founder of Le Cinéma Club, and BFI CEO Ben Roberts.
“This award from the BFI and Chanel sets out to support early career creatives, to help them reach their fullest potential by giving them the freedom to invest in their artistry to develop their individual voice and create work that inspires,...
The award, which comes with a £20,000 prize, was awarded to four artists working across film and moving image practices: Baff Akoto (Queen of Glory), Kathryn Ferguson (Nothing Compares), Sam Firth (The Wolf Suit), and Erfan Saadati (Child of Empire).
The awards jury was headed by Tilda Swinton who handed out the four prizes at the BFI’s biannual Luminous fundraising gala. She was joined on the jury by British Vogue Editor-in-Chief Edward Enninful, Marie-Louise Khondji, producer and founder of Le Cinéma Club, and BFI CEO Ben Roberts.
“This award from the BFI and Chanel sets out to support early career creatives, to help them reach their fullest potential by giving them the freedom to invest in their artistry to develop their individual voice and create work that inspires,...
- 9/29/2022
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Awards presented at BFI’s fundraising gala Luminous.
UK filmmakers Baff Akoto, Kathryn Ferguson, Sam Firth and Erfan Saadati have been selected as the winners at the inaugural BFI & Chanel Filmmaker Awards, held this evening (September 29) in London.
The four receive a £20,000 prize each to be used to “expand their craft, develop future projects, gain further skills, explore new ideas, and can also be used to support a residency or entry to a creative programme” according to the BFI.
Akoto was named a Screen UK and Ireland Star of Tomorrow in 2018.
Titled the Filmmaker Awards: Celebrating Creative Audacity, the awards...
UK filmmakers Baff Akoto, Kathryn Ferguson, Sam Firth and Erfan Saadati have been selected as the winners at the inaugural BFI & Chanel Filmmaker Awards, held this evening (September 29) in London.
The four receive a £20,000 prize each to be used to “expand their craft, develop future projects, gain further skills, explore new ideas, and can also be used to support a residency or entry to a creative programme” according to the BFI.
Akoto was named a Screen UK and Ireland Star of Tomorrow in 2018.
Titled the Filmmaker Awards: Celebrating Creative Audacity, the awards...
- 9/29/2022
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
The Cph:dox programme looks to integrate business strategies to innovative digital storytelling.
Denmark’s Cph:Dox has selected nine projects for the 2023 edition of Cph:lab, its talent development programme for screen documentary projects.
The lab has an expanded focus this year to include interactive and immersive technologies.
Projects include Echoes / Collateral Echoes, a VR installation from 2018 UK-Ireland Screen Star of Tomorrow Baff Akoto, former Sheffield Doc/Fest programme director Luke Moody and Lidz-Ama Appiah.
Scroll down for the full list of projects
Using renderings of archival images, artifacts and spoken testimonies, the work represents the over 150 Black Britons who have...
Denmark’s Cph:Dox has selected nine projects for the 2023 edition of Cph:lab, its talent development programme for screen documentary projects.
The lab has an expanded focus this year to include interactive and immersive technologies.
Projects include Echoes / Collateral Echoes, a VR installation from 2018 UK-Ireland Screen Star of Tomorrow Baff Akoto, former Sheffield Doc/Fest programme director Luke Moody and Lidz-Ama Appiah.
Scroll down for the full list of projects
Using renderings of archival images, artifacts and spoken testimonies, the work represents the over 150 Black Britons who have...
- 9/13/2022
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
35 international documentary projects include 11 first-time feature directors.
New works from Mark Cousins and Cow producer Kat Mansoor are among 35 documentary projects selected for Sheffield DocFest’s MeetMarket pitching forum, which returns as an in-person event for 2022 from June 27-28.
The event will run in-person for the first time since 2019; and will continue online in the days following the festival. The selected titles are a mixture of theatrical features, and projects being made for television.
Scroll down for the full list of projects
Cousins is presenting UK title A Sudden Glimpse To Deeper Things, produced by Adam Dawtrey and Mary Bell.
New works from Mark Cousins and Cow producer Kat Mansoor are among 35 documentary projects selected for Sheffield DocFest’s MeetMarket pitching forum, which returns as an in-person event for 2022 from June 27-28.
The event will run in-person for the first time since 2019; and will continue online in the days following the festival. The selected titles are a mixture of theatrical features, and projects being made for television.
Scroll down for the full list of projects
Cousins is presenting UK title A Sudden Glimpse To Deeper Things, produced by Adam Dawtrey and Mary Bell.
- 4/28/2022
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
35 international documentary projects include 11 first-time feature directors.
New works from Mark Cousins and Cow producer Kat Mansoor are among 35 documentary projects selected for Sheffield DocFest’s MeetMarket pitching forum, which returns as an in-person event for 2022 from June 27-28.
The event will run in-person for the first time since 2019; and will continue online in the days following the festival. The selected titles are a mixture of theatrical features, and projects being made for television.
Scroll down for the full list of projects
Northern Irish filmmaker Cousins is presenting UK title A Sudden Glimpse To Deeper Things, produced by Adam Dawtrey and Mary Bell.
New works from Mark Cousins and Cow producer Kat Mansoor are among 35 documentary projects selected for Sheffield DocFest’s MeetMarket pitching forum, which returns as an in-person event for 2022 from June 27-28.
The event will run in-person for the first time since 2019; and will continue online in the days following the festival. The selected titles are a mixture of theatrical features, and projects being made for television.
Scroll down for the full list of projects
Northern Irish filmmaker Cousins is presenting UK title A Sudden Glimpse To Deeper Things, produced by Adam Dawtrey and Mary Bell.
- 4/28/2022
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
2022 Film Independent Spirit Awards: ‘The Lost Daughter’ Takes the Top Prize (Complete Winners List)
The 37th annual Film Independent Spirit Awards were handed out Sunday at the Santa Monica Pier, with comedy power couple Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally serving as hosts.
There weren’t too many surprises throughout the night. Troy Kotsur won the first award of the evening, Best Supporting Male Actor for “Coda,” very much as predicted. Taylour Paige took home Best Female Lead Actor, for “Zola,” while Simon Rex, of “Red Rocket,” walked away with Best Male Lead. Ruth Negga won Best Supporting Female Actor for “Passing,” beating out Jessie Buckley from “The Lost Daughter.”
But Maggie Gyllenhaal’s adaptation of the Elena Ferrante book won the three other categories in which it was nominated — Best Screenplay, Best Director, Best Feature — and was the night’s biggest victor. Gyllenhaal gave three effusive thank you speeches, spreading her appreciation around to her cast, crew, financiers, publicist, husband and mother. “Women in film!
There weren’t too many surprises throughout the night. Troy Kotsur won the first award of the evening, Best Supporting Male Actor for “Coda,” very much as predicted. Taylour Paige took home Best Female Lead Actor, for “Zola,” while Simon Rex, of “Red Rocket,” walked away with Best Male Lead. Ruth Negga won Best Supporting Female Actor for “Passing,” beating out Jessie Buckley from “The Lost Daughter.”
But Maggie Gyllenhaal’s adaptation of the Elena Ferrante book won the three other categories in which it was nominated — Best Screenplay, Best Director, Best Feature — and was the night’s biggest victor. Gyllenhaal gave three effusive thank you speeches, spreading her appreciation around to her cast, crew, financiers, publicist, husband and mother. “Women in film!
- 3/6/2022
- by Missy Schwartz
- The Wrap
Exclusive: Film Movement has acquired U.S. rights to the dramedy Queen of Glory, written, directed by and starring Nana Mensah, from Magnolia Pictures International, with plans to release it in theaters and on digital and VOD later this year.
In her debut feature, Mensah plays Sarah, a Ghanaian-American doctoral student at Columbia University who is weeks away from following her very married boyfriend to Ohio when her mother dies suddenly, leaving her as the owner of the small, Bronx-based Christian bookstore, King of Glory. Tasked with planning a culturally respectful funeral befitting the family matriarch, Sarah is forced to juggle the expectations of her loving, yet demanding family while also navigating the reappearance of her estranged father. Aided by an only-in-New York ensemble of Eastern European neighbors, feisty African aunties and a no-nonsense ex-con co-worker, she faces her new responsibilities while figuring out how to remain true to herself.
In her debut feature, Mensah plays Sarah, a Ghanaian-American doctoral student at Columbia University who is weeks away from following her very married boyfriend to Ohio when her mother dies suddenly, leaving her as the owner of the small, Bronx-based Christian bookstore, King of Glory. Tasked with planning a culturally respectful funeral befitting the family matriarch, Sarah is forced to juggle the expectations of her loving, yet demanding family while also navigating the reappearance of her estranged father. Aided by an only-in-New York ensemble of Eastern European neighbors, feisty African aunties and a no-nonsense ex-con co-worker, she faces her new responsibilities while figuring out how to remain true to herself.
- 2/28/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Phoebe Waller-Bridge is on the jury for the key UK film prize.
Lee Haven Jones, Harry Wootliff and Rob Savage, the directors of The Feast, True Things and Dashcam respectively, have been shortlisted for the £50,000 Iwc Schaffhausen Filmmaker Bursary Award in association with the BFI, which will be presented on Sunday October 17 as part of the BFI London Film Festival (Lff).
Haven Jones has been selected for his debut feature, while Wootliff and Savage are both selected for their second films. This year’s winner will be chosen by writer, actor and producer Phoebe Waller-Bridge, alongside BFI CEO Ben Roberts.
Lee Haven Jones, Harry Wootliff and Rob Savage, the directors of The Feast, True Things and Dashcam respectively, have been shortlisted for the £50,000 Iwc Schaffhausen Filmmaker Bursary Award in association with the BFI, which will be presented on Sunday October 17 as part of the BFI London Film Festival (Lff).
Haven Jones has been selected for his debut feature, while Wootliff and Savage are both selected for their second films. This year’s winner will be chosen by writer, actor and producer Phoebe Waller-Bridge, alongside BFI CEO Ben Roberts.
- 10/1/2021
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Updated with audience award winners. The Tribeca Festival has announced its Audience Award winners: Catch the Fair One for Best Narrative Feature, Blind Ambition for Best Documentary Feature and Ferguson Rises for Best Online Feature. The winners of the narrative and documentary categories will receive a cash prize of $10,000.
Tribeca’s 20th edition wrapped up on Sunday.
Previously: Lauren Hadaway’s The Novice, about a queer college freshman who joins her university’s rowing team and undertakes an obsessive physical and psychological journey to make it to the top boat, has won the Best U.S. Narrative Feature Film prize at the Tribeca Festival.
Star Isabelle Furman won the best actress prize, and Todd Martin took cinematography honors for the film, the first feature for Hadaway, a former competitive rower.
Brighton 4th, directed by Levan Koguashvili, won the fest’s Best International Narrative Feature Film prize, taking that honor as...
Tribeca’s 20th edition wrapped up on Sunday.
Previously: Lauren Hadaway’s The Novice, about a queer college freshman who joins her university’s rowing team and undertakes an obsessive physical and psychological journey to make it to the top boat, has won the Best U.S. Narrative Feature Film prize at the Tribeca Festival.
Star Isabelle Furman won the best actress prize, and Todd Martin took cinematography honors for the film, the first feature for Hadaway, a former competitive rower.
Brighton 4th, directed by Levan Koguashvili, won the fest’s Best International Narrative Feature Film prize, taking that honor as...
- 6/24/2021
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
The Tribeca Festival 2021 has announced the full list of winners for each of its competition categories. Lauren Hadaway’s “The Novice” won for narrative feature, Levan Koguashvili’s “Brighton 4th” won for international feature and Jessica Kingdon’s “Ascension” won for documentary feature.
Awards were given out for the following competition categories: U.S. narrative, international narrative, documentary, short films, immersive, the Nora Ephron award and the first-ever podcast and games categories.
“It’s been a challenging time for filmmakers, storytellers, and actors, and we’re so proud to honor the perseverance and dedication many of them displayed while working through the many obstacles that arose as a result of Covid-19,” Cara Cusumano, festival director and vice president of programming, said in a statement. “Each of these recipients truly embody the spirit of our creative community.”
The winners of the audience awards, which are determined by audience votes throughout the festival,...
Awards were given out for the following competition categories: U.S. narrative, international narrative, documentary, short films, immersive, the Nora Ephron award and the first-ever podcast and games categories.
“It’s been a challenging time for filmmakers, storytellers, and actors, and we’re so proud to honor the perseverance and dedication many of them displayed while working through the many obstacles that arose as a result of Covid-19,” Cara Cusumano, festival director and vice president of programming, said in a statement. “Each of these recipients truly embody the spirit of our creative community.”
The winners of the audience awards, which are determined by audience votes throughout the festival,...
- 6/17/2021
- by Antonio Ferme
- Variety Film + TV
The 20th annual Tribeca Festival has announced the winners in the competition categories at this year’s awards ceremony out of Spring Studios in New York City. Awards were given in the following competition categories: U.S. Narrative, International Narrative, Documentary; Short Films, Immersive, the Nora Ephron Award, and the first-ever Podcast and Games categories. For the first time ever, Italian eyewear brand Persol presented the award to the 2021 Best Actor, U.S. Narrative, recipient.
The Festival, which had the honor of welcoming back in-person audiences, concludes on June 20.
The top honors in feature films went to “The Novice,” “Brighton 4th,” and “Ascension.”
Chanel James and Taylor Garron won the Nora Ephron Award and a $25,000 prize for “As of Yet.” The award, created nine years ago, honors a female writer or director embodying the late filmmaker.
“It’s been a challenging time for filmmakers, storytellers, and actors, and we’re...
The Festival, which had the honor of welcoming back in-person audiences, concludes on June 20.
The top honors in feature films went to “The Novice,” “Brighton 4th,” and “Ascension.”
Chanel James and Taylor Garron won the Nora Ephron Award and a $25,000 prize for “As of Yet.” The award, created nine years ago, honors a female writer or director embodying the late filmmaker.
“It’s been a challenging time for filmmakers, storytellers, and actors, and we’re...
- 6/17/2021
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Exclusive: Magnolia Pictures International has acquired worldwide and U.S. sales rights to the comedic feature, Queen of Glory, which will make its world premiere at the 20th Tribeca Film Festival in June.
Marking the feature debut of writer-director-actress Nana Mensah, the New York-set feature centers on Sarah (Mensah), a Ghanaian-American who looks to abandon her Ivy League doctoral program to follow her married lover across the country. As fate would have it, her plans fall apart, when her mother’s death leaves her the owner of a bookshop in the Bronx.
In making the acquisition announcement, Lorna Lee Torres, Magnolia Pictures’ Head of International Sales said, ““We are over the moon to champion such a heartfelt, smart and funny film. Nana’s refreshing blend of charm and deadpan humor immediately immerses the viewer into her African...
Marking the feature debut of writer-director-actress Nana Mensah, the New York-set feature centers on Sarah (Mensah), a Ghanaian-American who looks to abandon her Ivy League doctoral program to follow her married lover across the country. As fate would have it, her plans fall apart, when her mother’s death leaves her the owner of a bookshop in the Bronx.
In making the acquisition announcement, Lorna Lee Torres, Magnolia Pictures’ Head of International Sales said, ““We are over the moon to champion such a heartfelt, smart and funny film. Nana’s refreshing blend of charm and deadpan humor immediately immerses the viewer into her African...
- 4/22/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Pushed back from its usual April slot, the Tribeca Film Festival will take place in June this year (specifically 9th through 20th) at venues across all five New York City boroughs and virtually. Ahead of the festival, the full feature film lineup has now been unveiling following the news that Jon M. Chu’s In the Heights will kick off the festivities.
Notable selections in the lineup include All These Sons, the new documentary from Minding the Gap director Bing Liu, co-directed with Joshua Altman; the Vanessa Kirby-led Italian Studies from Tramps director Adam Leon; False Positive, co-written, produced, and led by Ilana Glazer; the Elijah Wood-led No Man of God; and Scare Me director Josh Ruben’s Werewolves Within, the first trailer for which has now been unveiled; and the North American premiere of Jim Cummings and Pj McCabe’s The Beta Test.
Check out the lineup below.
Notable selections in the lineup include All These Sons, the new documentary from Minding the Gap director Bing Liu, co-directed with Joshua Altman; the Vanessa Kirby-led Italian Studies from Tramps director Adam Leon; False Positive, co-written, produced, and led by Ilana Glazer; the Elijah Wood-led No Man of God; and Scare Me director Josh Ruben’s Werewolves Within, the first trailer for which has now been unveiled; and the North American premiere of Jim Cummings and Pj McCabe’s The Beta Test.
Check out the lineup below.
- 4/21/2021
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
The Tribeca Film Festival on Tuesday revealed its 2021 lineup, with 66 films spanning three competition sections as well as the annual event’s Viewpoints, Spotlight, Midnight, Movies Plus, and Tribeca Critics’ Week sections.
The festival will run June 9-20 with a mix of live in-person events at outdoor venues across all New York City boroughs. It kicks off with the world premiere of Warner Bros’ In the Heights, the adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway play set in the city’s Washington Heights neighborhood.
Other pics in the lineup that includes 56 world premieres are a selection of films that saw their 2020 Tribeca slots scrapped by the pandemic. There is also a series of Juneteenth programming throughout the sections that will celebrate voices from the African Diaspora, with special emphasis on African-American artists, performers, filmmakers, and interdisciplinary creators. The curation comes as this year’s dates had to be shifted to June...
The festival will run June 9-20 with a mix of live in-person events at outdoor venues across all New York City boroughs. It kicks off with the world premiere of Warner Bros’ In the Heights, the adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway play set in the city’s Washington Heights neighborhood.
Other pics in the lineup that includes 56 world premieres are a selection of films that saw their 2020 Tribeca slots scrapped by the pandemic. There is also a series of Juneteenth programming throughout the sections that will celebrate voices from the African Diaspora, with special emphasis on African-American artists, performers, filmmakers, and interdisciplinary creators. The curation comes as this year’s dates had to be shifted to June...
- 4/20/2021
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
Tribeca Film Festival announced the lineup for its 2021 edition, which will run June 9 through 20.
In response to the pandemic, the 12-day event will host in-person screenings and panels, most of which will occur outdoors and at drive-in venues. For the first time, Tribeca Film Festival is taking place not just in lower Manhattan, but across New York City’s five boroughs.
“Despite the challenges our industry faced this past year, it did not stop filmmakers, artists, and storytellers from creating compelling, entertaining, and thought-provoking content,” said Paula Weinstein, chief content officer of Tribeca Enterprises. “The selections for each of these categories represent the tenacity and commitment of our creative community and we are so proud to include them as part of this year’s Festival and share them with our returning in-person audiences.”
This year’s festival slate includes 64 films from 81 filmmakers from more than 23 different countries. The lineup will...
In response to the pandemic, the 12-day event will host in-person screenings and panels, most of which will occur outdoors and at drive-in venues. For the first time, Tribeca Film Festival is taking place not just in lower Manhattan, but across New York City’s five boroughs.
“Despite the challenges our industry faced this past year, it did not stop filmmakers, artists, and storytellers from creating compelling, entertaining, and thought-provoking content,” said Paula Weinstein, chief content officer of Tribeca Enterprises. “The selections for each of these categories represent the tenacity and commitment of our creative community and we are so proud to include them as part of this year’s Festival and share them with our returning in-person audiences.”
This year’s festival slate includes 64 films from 81 filmmakers from more than 23 different countries. The lineup will...
- 4/20/2021
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
Seven upcoming UK films and immersive works will be presented to buyers and festival programmers.
The BFI London Film Festival is to introduce a new works-in-progress showcase and has selected seven projects for the inaugural edition.
Scroll down for full list of projects
The platform will form part of the Lff’s industry programme and will introduce upcoming UK films, TV series, and immersive projects to international buyers and festival programmers. The first edition will take place entirely online on October 9 and is intended to become an annual event.
Clips will be screened from each of the selected projects – which are all in production,...
The BFI London Film Festival is to introduce a new works-in-progress showcase and has selected seven projects for the inaugural edition.
Scroll down for full list of projects
The platform will form part of the Lff’s industry programme and will introduce upcoming UK films, TV series, and immersive projects to international buyers and festival programmers. The first edition will take place entirely online on October 9 and is intended to become an annual event.
Clips will be screened from each of the selected projects – which are all in production,...
- 9/22/2020
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
The BFI London Film Festival has added a new, annual works-in-progress showcase as part of its industry program, and has invited seven projects to participate, including two featuring “Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker” and “The End of the F***ing World” actor Naomie Ackie and “ZeroZeroZero” actor Andrea Riseborough.
The showcase features works made for cinema, television and immersive platforms by U.K. emerging talent and will be presented to an invited audience of international buyers and festival programmers.
The projects include psychological thriller “Here Before” by Stacey Gregg (“Little Birds”), produced by Sophie Vickers (“Surge”) and Julia Godzinskaya (“The Other Lamb”), starring Riseborough, Martin McCann (“Wildfire”) and Jonjo O’Neill (“Pennyworth”); and heist film “The Score,” directed by Malachi Smyth (“Nocturne”), produced by Matthew James Wilkinson (“Yesterday”), Ben Pullen (“Light of the World), alongside co-producer Isabelle Georgeaux (“Calibre”), starring Johnny Flynn (“Stardust”), Ackie and Will Poulter (“Midsommar”).
Experimental filmmaker Baff Akoto,...
The showcase features works made for cinema, television and immersive platforms by U.K. emerging talent and will be presented to an invited audience of international buyers and festival programmers.
The projects include psychological thriller “Here Before” by Stacey Gregg (“Little Birds”), produced by Sophie Vickers (“Surge”) and Julia Godzinskaya (“The Other Lamb”), starring Riseborough, Martin McCann (“Wildfire”) and Jonjo O’Neill (“Pennyworth”); and heist film “The Score,” directed by Malachi Smyth (“Nocturne”), produced by Matthew James Wilkinson (“Yesterday”), Ben Pullen (“Light of the World), alongside co-producer Isabelle Georgeaux (“Calibre”), starring Johnny Flynn (“Stardust”), Ackie and Will Poulter (“Midsommar”).
Experimental filmmaker Baff Akoto,...
- 9/22/2020
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Forty eight projects have been chosen for the online edition,
Projects on climate change movement Extinction Rebellion and the Saudi Arabia women’s football team are among those selected for Sheffield Doc/Fest’s 2020 online marketplace MeetMarket.
The documentary market will take place via virtual video-conferencing from June 8-10 June, with the Alternate Realities Talent Market running on the same dates.
Among the 48 projects from 500 applications selected for the MeetMarket is Xr Beyond The Emergency from the UK. Directed by Maia Kenworthy and Elena Sánchez Bellot and produced by Katrina Mansoor, it centres on the ordinary people who are devoting...
Projects on climate change movement Extinction Rebellion and the Saudi Arabia women’s football team are among those selected for Sheffield Doc/Fest’s 2020 online marketplace MeetMarket.
The documentary market will take place via virtual video-conferencing from June 8-10 June, with the Alternate Realities Talent Market running on the same dates.
Among the 48 projects from 500 applications selected for the MeetMarket is Xr Beyond The Emergency from the UK. Directed by Maia Kenworthy and Elena Sánchez Bellot and produced by Katrina Mansoor, it centres on the ordinary people who are devoting...
- 4/14/2020
- by 1101321¦Ben Dalton¦26¦
- ScreenDaily
Annual talent showcase spotlights the hottest up-and-coming actors and filmmakers in the UK and Ireland.
Screen International has revealed its Stars of Tomorrow 2018, spotlighting the hottest up-and-coming actors and filmmakers in the UK and Ireland.
Now in its 15th year, the annual talent showcase spotlights up-and-coming actors, writers, directors and producers from the UK and Ireland who are primed to make their mark in the industry in the years to come.
The annual showcase has established itself as a key identifier of emerging UK and Ireland talent, both in front of and behind the camera.
Screen International has revealed its Stars of Tomorrow 2018, spotlighting the hottest up-and-coming actors and filmmakers in the UK and Ireland.
Now in its 15th year, the annual talent showcase spotlights up-and-coming actors, writers, directors and producers from the UK and Ireland who are primed to make their mark in the industry in the years to come.
The annual showcase has established itself as a key identifier of emerging UK and Ireland talent, both in front of and behind the camera.
- 10/4/2018
- by Screen staff
- ScreenDaily
UK mentoring programme Guiding Lights attracts top industry figures for eighth edition.
UK film industry mentoring scheme Guiding Lights has confirmed a raft of top industry mentors for its eighth edition.
British cinema figures who have signed up for the scheme include 45 Years director Andrew Haigh and Ex Machina director Alex Garland, as well as producers Tessa Ross and Pippa Harris.
They have each been paired with an emerging film talent in the British industry – producers, directors, writers and exhibitors.
To see the full list of mentees selected for Guiding Lights 8 click here.
Guiding Lights is run by Brighton-based cultural agency Lighthouse and supported by Creative Skillset’s Film Skills Fund, which is funded by the BFI with National Lottery funds, through the Skills Investment Fund (Sif).
Studiocanal CEO Danny Perkins, who sponsors the event, commented: “We are incredibly proud to continue our partnership with the Guiding Lights programme. Identifying and nurturing upcoming talent is integral to our...
UK film industry mentoring scheme Guiding Lights has confirmed a raft of top industry mentors for its eighth edition.
British cinema figures who have signed up for the scheme include 45 Years director Andrew Haigh and Ex Machina director Alex Garland, as well as producers Tessa Ross and Pippa Harris.
They have each been paired with an emerging film talent in the British industry – producers, directors, writers and exhibitors.
To see the full list of mentees selected for Guiding Lights 8 click here.
Guiding Lights is run by Brighton-based cultural agency Lighthouse and supported by Creative Skillset’s Film Skills Fund, which is funded by the BFI with National Lottery funds, through the Skills Investment Fund (Sif).
Studiocanal CEO Danny Perkins, who sponsors the event, commented: “We are incredibly proud to continue our partnership with the Guiding Lights programme. Identifying and nurturing upcoming talent is integral to our...
- 2/16/2017
- by tom.grater@screendaily.com (Tom Grater)
- ScreenDaily
UK emerging talent scheme attracts top industry figures for eighth edition.
UK film industry mentoring scheme Guiding Lights has confirmed a raft of top industry mentors for its eighth edition.
British cinema figures who have signed up for the scheme include 45 Years director Andrew Haigh and Ex Machina director Alex Garland, as well as producers Tessa Ross and Pippa Harris.
They have each been paired with an emerging film talent in the British industry – producers, directors, writers and exhibitors.
To see the full list of mentees selected for Guiding Lights 8 click here.
Guiding Lights is run by Brighton-based cultural agency Lighthouse and supported by Creative Skillset’s Film Skills Fund, which is funded by the BFI with National Lottery funds, through the Skills Investment Fund (Sif).
Studiocanal CEO Danny Perkins, who sponsors the event, commented: “We are incredibly proud to continue our partnership with the Guiding Lights programme. Identifying and nurturing upcoming talent is integral to our...
UK film industry mentoring scheme Guiding Lights has confirmed a raft of top industry mentors for its eighth edition.
British cinema figures who have signed up for the scheme include 45 Years director Andrew Haigh and Ex Machina director Alex Garland, as well as producers Tessa Ross and Pippa Harris.
They have each been paired with an emerging film talent in the British industry – producers, directors, writers and exhibitors.
To see the full list of mentees selected for Guiding Lights 8 click here.
Guiding Lights is run by Brighton-based cultural agency Lighthouse and supported by Creative Skillset’s Film Skills Fund, which is funded by the BFI with National Lottery funds, through the Skills Investment Fund (Sif).
Studiocanal CEO Danny Perkins, who sponsors the event, commented: “We are incredibly proud to continue our partnership with the Guiding Lights programme. Identifying and nurturing upcoming talent is integral to our...
- 2/16/2017
- by tom.grater@screendaily.com (Tom Grater)
- ScreenDaily
The eighth edition of the UK’s Guiding Lights mentoring scheme has selected 17 new mentees from 215 applications received across the UK and Ireland.
Lighthouse and Creative Skillset revealed the new participants:
Directors – Aleem Khan, Baff Akoto, Julia Stovell, Kate Dolan, Lindsey Dryden
Producers – Jude Goldrei, Lizzie Brown, Ohna Falby, Sarah Brocklehurst [pictured]
Writers – Ailbhe Keogan, Brian Martin, Kara Smith, Paven Virk, Ruth Paxton
Exhibitors – Becky Bruzas, Matthew Hellett, Sara Duffy
This year’s participants work in fiction and documentary, adult and children’s TV, theatre, commercials, learning disability film exhibition, and immersive cinema experiences.
Guiding Lights is run by Lighthouse and supported by Creative Skillset’s Film Skills Fund, which is funded by the BFI with National Lottery funds, through the Skills Investment Fund (Sif).
Guiding Lights is now partnering with Carousel’s Oska Bright Film Festival, to support the participation of exhibitors Bruzas and Hellett.
Lighthouse’s senior producer Emily Kyriakides said: “We’re so thrilled to have...
Lighthouse and Creative Skillset revealed the new participants:
Directors – Aleem Khan, Baff Akoto, Julia Stovell, Kate Dolan, Lindsey Dryden
Producers – Jude Goldrei, Lizzie Brown, Ohna Falby, Sarah Brocklehurst [pictured]
Writers – Ailbhe Keogan, Brian Martin, Kara Smith, Paven Virk, Ruth Paxton
Exhibitors – Becky Bruzas, Matthew Hellett, Sara Duffy
This year’s participants work in fiction and documentary, adult and children’s TV, theatre, commercials, learning disability film exhibition, and immersive cinema experiences.
Guiding Lights is run by Lighthouse and supported by Creative Skillset’s Film Skills Fund, which is funded by the BFI with National Lottery funds, through the Skills Investment Fund (Sif).
Guiding Lights is now partnering with Carousel’s Oska Bright Film Festival, to support the participation of exhibitors Bruzas and Hellett.
Lighthouse’s senior producer Emily Kyriakides said: “We’re so thrilled to have...
- 7/14/2016
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
Us in Progress, developed in the framework of Champs Elysées Film Festival in Paris, is the first and only industry event devoted to U.S. indies in Europe. Its aim is to foster the circulation and distribution of films between U.S. and Europe.
The event takes place twice yearly: November at the American Film Festival in Wroclaw, Poland and June here in Paris.
Usually five or six films are selected, all in post production stag, and a jury then decides which will be given further support to finish the film. Sponsors give needed technical support to the winner.
The European trade publication Cineuropa conducted interviews with the co-Founder and Head of Us In Progress, Adeline Monzier, and with Jury Member and Cannes Marche du Film Executive, Julie Bergeron.
The winning film this year was "Diverge".
The team from runner up film here "Queen of Glory" is also interviewed below.
“Most American producers have no idea how to reach the European market”, Adeline Monzier , Founder and organizer, Us in Progress
by Claire La Combe
Cineuropa sat down with Adeline Monzier at Us in Progress Paris to discuss various aspects of both American and European indie film circulation.
Four years ago, when she was head of the Europa Distribution network, Adeline Monzier created Us in Progress, a program dedicated to low-budget U.S. indie films. Today, she is also in charge of the Unifrance office in New York and runs a production company, Black Rabbit Film. In Paris, Cineuropa took the opportunity to discuss various aspects of both American and European indie film circulation with her.
Cineuropa: Why set up a U..S indie event in Europe?
Adeline Monzier: I realized that most American producers had no idea how to reach the European market. Usually, they lack a distribution strategy, not doing the right things at the right time. Films weren’t able to have the run that they could have had. Us in Progress is based on that idea: we show a selection of films to European professionals before they hit the festival circuit. It is about raising awareness. We are focusing on very few films that we think can have a career in Europe or that are worth discovering.
Do you have any success stories?
We have a few success stories. For example, two years ago, we had "Ping Pong Summer" by Michael Tully: Films Boutique discovered the film here and picked up the rights; they knew it would be a niche film with a specific audience, but they sold it in a lot of territories… Not always theatrically… But in terms of revenues for the filmmaker, it was a very interesting deal.
What’s your opinion of the circulation of indie films?
American indies in Europe have a tough time because there are no subsidies to support the distribution of these movies. The European markets are so overwhelmed by American movies that for national bodies, it doesn’t make sense to support their circulation. When faced with a very good European film and a very good U.S. film, distributors will always pick the European one because they can get subsidies. That said, for the audience, American films still have an appeal. The English language will always be easier to sell… So there is ambivalence.
What about the European indies on the U.S. market?
European film is a very small market in the U.S… Foreign movies represent around 2% of the market share, and between 0.5% and 1% are French films. That means there is less space for non-French, non-American movies.
Why?
The American market is very strong and concentrated as well, as in Europe, and blockbusters draw in most of the audience. Plus, Americans are not at all used to subtitled films, and there is no dubbing, because it is too expensive[sic], except for animated films sometimes . (Editor, Sydney here: because Americans do not like dubbed films!)
Do you see any differences in terms of financing practices between Europe and the U.S.?
They are two very different systems. The entire system in the U.S. is based on private equity. You need to have the right connections. Also, the average production budget for an indie film is very low compared to a European film. But Americans are very resourceful; they can usually play several different roles in their films, from editing to producing, just because they want to achieve economies of scale, whereas in Europe, it is much rarer to have a director juggling different positions.
Do you think digitization has had an impact on film circulation?
It is definitely easier for indie filmmakers to distribute their films nowadays. They have access to platforms and VOD. A lot of independent directors now use the day-and-date release because theaters enable you to raise awareness about the film and to help the audience to go and see the film on VOD. Still, income from VOD is very low for independent films. With digital, the problem remains the same! You have to market a film; if you don’t have the money to promote the film, then it is going to be lost within the platform.
Can we predict that digital will foster a common system between the Us and Europe in terms of producing?
No; the markets are too diverse. A lot of European filmmakers go to the Us to shoot because they want to enjoy the freedom of not having the old subsidy system schemes. On the other hand, you have American filmmakers looking for European producers in order to benefit from the whole funding system. So today, there are a lot more cross-connections, but the systems are very different, and I don’t think they will merge, even with digital.
“The biggest challenge is to make a film that will circulate and find an audience”
Julie Bergeron, Cannes Film Market, member of the Us in Progress jury
by Claire La Combe
Cineuropa sat down with Julie Bergeron at Us in Progress Paris to discuss support for independent film and its future prospects
On Wednesday night, the American film "Diverge" by James Morrison was awarded the Us in Progress Award. Just after the ceremony, Cineuropa met up with one of the jury members, Julie Bergeron, head of industry programs at the Cannes Film Market. She elaborated on her views on the topic of support for independent film and its future prospects.
Cineuropa: Why are you part of the Us in Progress jury?
Julie Bergeron: There is a lot of interest in seeing films from Us independents; it is always interesting to look out for films that are made on a low budget and with strong stories. We support the winning producers by offering an accreditation for the Producers’ Network at Cannes to help them to pursue meetings and networking, and hopefully find distribution for their films.
Have you seen any kind of evolution in the selections?
Yes. It seems that they are receiving more and more projects. It is an event that is now well known in the U.S. and Europe. With the link to Poland and the event happening twice a year, we saw an evolution in the diversity of the projects. This year, the diversity was very strong, with a horror-comedy film, a sci-fi movie and an Lgbt romance.
Do you think all of this diversity has a place in the next Producers’ Network?
Yes, of course! We welcome 200 producers at the Breakfast Meetings every morning in Cannes, and they come from all over the world. It is a place where they wish to connect with sales agents, financiers and potential partners to network and discuss their projects. The idea is specifically to support producers who want to connect with the international market. That is the biggest challenge for every filmmaker: to make a movie that will attract a larger audience than in its own country.
Do you see any similarities between American and European independent films?
They are different because in Europe, there is a lot of public support for films, and there is a strong tradition of the author-driven movie. In the U.S., the independents have to find private financing for the films. Plus, they don’t have access to any co-production, because there are no co-production treaties in the Us, whereas in Europe, the movies can access funding from many territories. The Us independents are very much on their own when it comes to financing their films.
What kind of qualities was the jury looking for in the winning film?
We had a lot of discussions; the stages of the presented films were not the same. "Diverge" is the one we found to be the most advanced: it is a low-budget film, and the story – while there is some work still to be done – is really there. There are a lot of genre-film festivals, and hopefully the movie will travel. And also, I think that a young audience driven by sci-fi and genre would like it.
Do you think such an event should be created for European films in America?
I’m not sure; it would be difficult… If a European film does not find a sales agent in Europe, it might be difficult to find one in the USA. The movie would need to have a strong “American” sensibility… There are some work-in-progress (Wip) experiences in Latin America, and they work well. But in Latin America, they don’t have a lot of sales agents; they have to show their films anyway to break through, as they have no alternative. Europeans are more reluctant to show a film that is not yet finished, especially those who are in countries with a strong production capacity. Now the market goes really fast, the windows for the films are getting smaller and smaller, and you have to be sure whenever you show the film that it is the best way to present it to professionals… But wait… I’m not saying that such an event shouldn’t exist!
How do you see the future of the independent film industry?
I think there will always be filmmakers making films independently because it’s a strong medium for expression. In fact, it’s the strongest: you have the sound, the image, the music, the story… You have everything!
Who will be financing them?
Well, you still have strong companies! My hope is that companies that own the distribution platforms, like VoD players, Netflix and all these people, will start investing in the creation process. Canal+ in France takes part in the financing, so if we can bring these “pipes” to invest in the content, then we have a chance, and they are starting to do so, slowly. But it is going to be increasingly driven by big audiences. The pressure there for the kind of independent films that we saw at Us in Progress is enormous. If these small films are not picked up by a big festival and noticed by the industry, their chances of finding distribution are tiny.
"European audiences are more film-educated"
Us in Progress Filmmakers Speak Up
by Claire La Combe
Cineuropa sat down with Jamund Washington ("Queen of Glory"), Nana Mensah ("Queen of Glory"), Baff Akoto ("Queen of Glory") and Gabe Klinger ("Porto, Mon Amour") at Us in Progress Paris to chat about the current and future independent film environment
The four young filmmakers, all living and working in New York City but hailing from diverse backgrounds ranging from Ghana to Brazil, via London, exchanged their opinions on the current and future independent film environment during a chat characterized by idealization and a smidgen of pessimism.
Cineuropa: What is your opinion of film festivals? What role do they play?
Jamund Washington: Anything that gets people to go and sit and watch your story is great.
Nana Mensah: At this point, in the way the game has been shaped, it would not be possible to make independent films without festivals; they are great entry points for films outside the system. There is a sort of renaissance that allows people like me to make films now – the barriers are lower.
Why come here to Paris, to Europe?
Nm: In Paris, I can put my fingers on the pulse of European culture. I think "Queen of Glory" has more meaning here than perhaps in an American market. With its visual aspects and its African topic, our film has links with Europe. We have already received such a warm reception here in France, so I’m hoping that will continue.
Jw: European audiences are more film-educated. We feel like the audience will better understand the stage that we are now at. Not that there are no places where you can find that audience in the United States… I’m just generalising.
Gabe Klinger: Parisian moviegoers are the most sophisticated in the world, and that’s a fact! No one can contest that.
Baff Akoto: The French would contest that (laughs). But seriously, film is culture here, as opposed to predominantly entertainment, which is the case in the Us.
Jw: Yes, culture in the Us is like a small subculture of big entertainment.
Do you have an opinion on the European film-financing system?
BA: I know that the co-production financing system is good. And the soft money in Europe attracts everybody in America from big studio productions to small indie films because it allows a lot of projects to get made that would not necessarily find money. And it provides a framework, too, alternatives that are available for films that would never get financed in America.
How do you feel about digitisation?
BA: In England, a lot of films only get the chance to break out because of digital prints. Anything that helps smaller films to become more visible is good.
Gk: I’m going to be the contrarian. Because digital is not an archival medium, and so we are risking losing all the digital information in 25 years, all these files and DCPs can be corrupted and become inaccessible. In terms of circulation, digital is going to be your best friend, but still… For Porto Mon Amour, we will use digital distribution and on-film copies. It is a luxury; a lot of producers would spend the money on something else. It is the way I want to engage with an audience that still appreciates watching a movie on film. It’s just more expensive.
How do you see the future for independent films?
Jw: I wish I knew – it would make my life a lot easier.
BA: Netflix!
Jw: I don’t know; I think a lot of stuff is going to happen… We should just keep telling stories.
Gk: It is exciting because there is a lot of demand for content right now, and that’s because of the new platform for distribution. Unfortunately, most of it is not in theaters… We will see… The pessimist in me says that the content we are producing now is not going to live very long in cinemas.
BA: Cinema is not going to die, though. No one goes to church, and people still go to the cinema; it is the one place where we still commune.
The event takes place twice yearly: November at the American Film Festival in Wroclaw, Poland and June here in Paris.
Usually five or six films are selected, all in post production stag, and a jury then decides which will be given further support to finish the film. Sponsors give needed technical support to the winner.
The European trade publication Cineuropa conducted interviews with the co-Founder and Head of Us In Progress, Adeline Monzier, and with Jury Member and Cannes Marche du Film Executive, Julie Bergeron.
The winning film this year was "Diverge".
The team from runner up film here "Queen of Glory" is also interviewed below.
“Most American producers have no idea how to reach the European market”, Adeline Monzier , Founder and organizer, Us in Progress
by Claire La Combe
Cineuropa sat down with Adeline Monzier at Us in Progress Paris to discuss various aspects of both American and European indie film circulation.
Four years ago, when she was head of the Europa Distribution network, Adeline Monzier created Us in Progress, a program dedicated to low-budget U.S. indie films. Today, she is also in charge of the Unifrance office in New York and runs a production company, Black Rabbit Film. In Paris, Cineuropa took the opportunity to discuss various aspects of both American and European indie film circulation with her.
Cineuropa: Why set up a U..S indie event in Europe?
Adeline Monzier: I realized that most American producers had no idea how to reach the European market. Usually, they lack a distribution strategy, not doing the right things at the right time. Films weren’t able to have the run that they could have had. Us in Progress is based on that idea: we show a selection of films to European professionals before they hit the festival circuit. It is about raising awareness. We are focusing on very few films that we think can have a career in Europe or that are worth discovering.
Do you have any success stories?
We have a few success stories. For example, two years ago, we had "Ping Pong Summer" by Michael Tully: Films Boutique discovered the film here and picked up the rights; they knew it would be a niche film with a specific audience, but they sold it in a lot of territories… Not always theatrically… But in terms of revenues for the filmmaker, it was a very interesting deal.
What’s your opinion of the circulation of indie films?
American indies in Europe have a tough time because there are no subsidies to support the distribution of these movies. The European markets are so overwhelmed by American movies that for national bodies, it doesn’t make sense to support their circulation. When faced with a very good European film and a very good U.S. film, distributors will always pick the European one because they can get subsidies. That said, for the audience, American films still have an appeal. The English language will always be easier to sell… So there is ambivalence.
What about the European indies on the U.S. market?
European film is a very small market in the U.S… Foreign movies represent around 2% of the market share, and between 0.5% and 1% are French films. That means there is less space for non-French, non-American movies.
Why?
The American market is very strong and concentrated as well, as in Europe, and blockbusters draw in most of the audience. Plus, Americans are not at all used to subtitled films, and there is no dubbing, because it is too expensive[sic], except for animated films sometimes . (Editor, Sydney here: because Americans do not like dubbed films!)
Do you see any differences in terms of financing practices between Europe and the U.S.?
They are two very different systems. The entire system in the U.S. is based on private equity. You need to have the right connections. Also, the average production budget for an indie film is very low compared to a European film. But Americans are very resourceful; they can usually play several different roles in their films, from editing to producing, just because they want to achieve economies of scale, whereas in Europe, it is much rarer to have a director juggling different positions.
Do you think digitization has had an impact on film circulation?
It is definitely easier for indie filmmakers to distribute their films nowadays. They have access to platforms and VOD. A lot of independent directors now use the day-and-date release because theaters enable you to raise awareness about the film and to help the audience to go and see the film on VOD. Still, income from VOD is very low for independent films. With digital, the problem remains the same! You have to market a film; if you don’t have the money to promote the film, then it is going to be lost within the platform.
Can we predict that digital will foster a common system between the Us and Europe in terms of producing?
No; the markets are too diverse. A lot of European filmmakers go to the Us to shoot because they want to enjoy the freedom of not having the old subsidy system schemes. On the other hand, you have American filmmakers looking for European producers in order to benefit from the whole funding system. So today, there are a lot more cross-connections, but the systems are very different, and I don’t think they will merge, even with digital.
“The biggest challenge is to make a film that will circulate and find an audience”
Julie Bergeron, Cannes Film Market, member of the Us in Progress jury
by Claire La Combe
Cineuropa sat down with Julie Bergeron at Us in Progress Paris to discuss support for independent film and its future prospects
On Wednesday night, the American film "Diverge" by James Morrison was awarded the Us in Progress Award. Just after the ceremony, Cineuropa met up with one of the jury members, Julie Bergeron, head of industry programs at the Cannes Film Market. She elaborated on her views on the topic of support for independent film and its future prospects.
Cineuropa: Why are you part of the Us in Progress jury?
Julie Bergeron: There is a lot of interest in seeing films from Us independents; it is always interesting to look out for films that are made on a low budget and with strong stories. We support the winning producers by offering an accreditation for the Producers’ Network at Cannes to help them to pursue meetings and networking, and hopefully find distribution for their films.
Have you seen any kind of evolution in the selections?
Yes. It seems that they are receiving more and more projects. It is an event that is now well known in the U.S. and Europe. With the link to Poland and the event happening twice a year, we saw an evolution in the diversity of the projects. This year, the diversity was very strong, with a horror-comedy film, a sci-fi movie and an Lgbt romance.
Do you think all of this diversity has a place in the next Producers’ Network?
Yes, of course! We welcome 200 producers at the Breakfast Meetings every morning in Cannes, and they come from all over the world. It is a place where they wish to connect with sales agents, financiers and potential partners to network and discuss their projects. The idea is specifically to support producers who want to connect with the international market. That is the biggest challenge for every filmmaker: to make a movie that will attract a larger audience than in its own country.
Do you see any similarities between American and European independent films?
They are different because in Europe, there is a lot of public support for films, and there is a strong tradition of the author-driven movie. In the U.S., the independents have to find private financing for the films. Plus, they don’t have access to any co-production, because there are no co-production treaties in the Us, whereas in Europe, the movies can access funding from many territories. The Us independents are very much on their own when it comes to financing their films.
What kind of qualities was the jury looking for in the winning film?
We had a lot of discussions; the stages of the presented films were not the same. "Diverge" is the one we found to be the most advanced: it is a low-budget film, and the story – while there is some work still to be done – is really there. There are a lot of genre-film festivals, and hopefully the movie will travel. And also, I think that a young audience driven by sci-fi and genre would like it.
Do you think such an event should be created for European films in America?
I’m not sure; it would be difficult… If a European film does not find a sales agent in Europe, it might be difficult to find one in the USA. The movie would need to have a strong “American” sensibility… There are some work-in-progress (Wip) experiences in Latin America, and they work well. But in Latin America, they don’t have a lot of sales agents; they have to show their films anyway to break through, as they have no alternative. Europeans are more reluctant to show a film that is not yet finished, especially those who are in countries with a strong production capacity. Now the market goes really fast, the windows for the films are getting smaller and smaller, and you have to be sure whenever you show the film that it is the best way to present it to professionals… But wait… I’m not saying that such an event shouldn’t exist!
How do you see the future of the independent film industry?
I think there will always be filmmakers making films independently because it’s a strong medium for expression. In fact, it’s the strongest: you have the sound, the image, the music, the story… You have everything!
Who will be financing them?
Well, you still have strong companies! My hope is that companies that own the distribution platforms, like VoD players, Netflix and all these people, will start investing in the creation process. Canal+ in France takes part in the financing, so if we can bring these “pipes” to invest in the content, then we have a chance, and they are starting to do so, slowly. But it is going to be increasingly driven by big audiences. The pressure there for the kind of independent films that we saw at Us in Progress is enormous. If these small films are not picked up by a big festival and noticed by the industry, their chances of finding distribution are tiny.
"European audiences are more film-educated"
Us in Progress Filmmakers Speak Up
by Claire La Combe
Cineuropa sat down with Jamund Washington ("Queen of Glory"), Nana Mensah ("Queen of Glory"), Baff Akoto ("Queen of Glory") and Gabe Klinger ("Porto, Mon Amour") at Us in Progress Paris to chat about the current and future independent film environment
The four young filmmakers, all living and working in New York City but hailing from diverse backgrounds ranging from Ghana to Brazil, via London, exchanged their opinions on the current and future independent film environment during a chat characterized by idealization and a smidgen of pessimism.
Cineuropa: What is your opinion of film festivals? What role do they play?
Jamund Washington: Anything that gets people to go and sit and watch your story is great.
Nana Mensah: At this point, in the way the game has been shaped, it would not be possible to make independent films without festivals; they are great entry points for films outside the system. There is a sort of renaissance that allows people like me to make films now – the barriers are lower.
Why come here to Paris, to Europe?
Nm: In Paris, I can put my fingers on the pulse of European culture. I think "Queen of Glory" has more meaning here than perhaps in an American market. With its visual aspects and its African topic, our film has links with Europe. We have already received such a warm reception here in France, so I’m hoping that will continue.
Jw: European audiences are more film-educated. We feel like the audience will better understand the stage that we are now at. Not that there are no places where you can find that audience in the United States… I’m just generalising.
Gabe Klinger: Parisian moviegoers are the most sophisticated in the world, and that’s a fact! No one can contest that.
Baff Akoto: The French would contest that (laughs). But seriously, film is culture here, as opposed to predominantly entertainment, which is the case in the Us.
Jw: Yes, culture in the Us is like a small subculture of big entertainment.
Do you have an opinion on the European film-financing system?
BA: I know that the co-production financing system is good. And the soft money in Europe attracts everybody in America from big studio productions to small indie films because it allows a lot of projects to get made that would not necessarily find money. And it provides a framework, too, alternatives that are available for films that would never get financed in America.
How do you feel about digitisation?
BA: In England, a lot of films only get the chance to break out because of digital prints. Anything that helps smaller films to become more visible is good.
Gk: I’m going to be the contrarian. Because digital is not an archival medium, and so we are risking losing all the digital information in 25 years, all these files and DCPs can be corrupted and become inaccessible. In terms of circulation, digital is going to be your best friend, but still… For Porto Mon Amour, we will use digital distribution and on-film copies. It is a luxury; a lot of producers would spend the money on something else. It is the way I want to engage with an audience that still appreciates watching a movie on film. It’s just more expensive.
How do you see the future for independent films?
Jw: I wish I knew – it would make my life a lot easier.
BA: Netflix!
Jw: I don’t know; I think a lot of stuff is going to happen… We should just keep telling stories.
Gk: It is exciting because there is a lot of demand for content right now, and that’s because of the new platform for distribution. Unfortunately, most of it is not in theaters… We will see… The pessimist in me says that the content we are producing now is not going to live very long in cinemas.
BA: Cinema is not going to die, though. No one goes to church, and people still go to the cinema; it is the one place where we still commune.
- 6/15/2015
- by Peter Belsito
- Sydney's Buzz
Sci-fi thriller wins fourth edition of Us indie showcase in Paris.
James Morrison’s debut sci-fi thriller Diverge has won the fourth edition of indie showcase Us in Progress in Paris.
The time-warp drama revolves around the survivor of a global catastrophe who is given a chance to reclaim his lost former life by stopping the man who caused the cataclysmic event - himself.
It is debut feature for Morrison after shorts Stay True and Little Brother, which travelled the North American festival circuit.
The Paris Us in Progress showcase – a joint initiative between the American Film Festival in Wroclaw, Champs-Élysées Film Festival in Paris and Black Rabbit Film – aims to connect upcoming Us independent films with distributors and sales agents in Europe.
Last year’s winner, Benjamin Dickinson’s Creative Control premiered at SXSW, where it took the Special Jury Recognition for Visual Excellence award, before being picked up for international sales by Paris-based The Coproduction...
James Morrison’s debut sci-fi thriller Diverge has won the fourth edition of indie showcase Us in Progress in Paris.
The time-warp drama revolves around the survivor of a global catastrophe who is given a chance to reclaim his lost former life by stopping the man who caused the cataclysmic event - himself.
It is debut feature for Morrison after shorts Stay True and Little Brother, which travelled the North American festival circuit.
The Paris Us in Progress showcase – a joint initiative between the American Film Festival in Wroclaw, Champs-Élysées Film Festival in Paris and Black Rabbit Film – aims to connect upcoming Us independent films with distributors and sales agents in Europe.
Last year’s winner, Benjamin Dickinson’s Creative Control premiered at SXSW, where it took the Special Jury Recognition for Visual Excellence award, before being picked up for international sales by Paris-based The Coproduction...
- 6/12/2015
- ScreenDaily
Deb Shoval’s adaptation of her award-winning short (Awol), Carson Mell’s feature film debut (Another Evil) and Gabe Klinger’s Porto, Mon Amour starring Anton Yelchin and Lucie Lucas (see prod photo above) are among the half dozen projects in post-production that were selected for the U.S. in Progress Paris workshop. With all the buzz surrounding Cannes, we lost track of the unveiling of Champs-Élysées Film Festival’s selection which has also provided us with a possible preview of possible Sundance and SXSW titles for the 2016 campaign. Here are the six projects:
Another Evil, directed by Carson Mell (produced by Riel Roch Decter and Sebastian Pardo)
Awol – Deb Shoval (produced by Jessica Caldwell, L.A. Teodosio and Michel Merkt)
Diverge – James Morrison (produced by David Mandel and Noah Lang)
Live Cargo – Logan Sandler (produced by Thymaya Payne) ;
Porto Mon Amour – Gabe Klinger (produced by Rodrigo Areias, Nicolas R. de la Mothe,...
Another Evil, directed by Carson Mell (produced by Riel Roch Decter and Sebastian Pardo)
Awol – Deb Shoval (produced by Jessica Caldwell, L.A. Teodosio and Michel Merkt)
Diverge – James Morrison (produced by David Mandel and Noah Lang)
Live Cargo – Logan Sandler (produced by Thymaya Payne) ;
Porto Mon Amour – Gabe Klinger (produced by Rodrigo Areias, Nicolas R. de la Mothe,...
- 5/13/2015
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Baff Akoto’s award-winning documentary, Football Fables (the game we play with our feet, not the one that looks more like rugby with pads) – a film I’ve profiled on this blog in the past – is now on DVD. The film provides unprecedented insight into the inner workings of African football tradition and migration. In addition to the film, the DVD includes a number of extra features. Cost? 13 British pounds sterling (or about $21). Click Here to purchase. Trailer follows underneath…...
- 4/8/2011
- by Tambay
- ShadowAndAct
Baff Akoto, whose last film and feature debut was covered extensively on this site – the documentary, Football Fables, on the inner workings of African football tradition and migration - is currently shooting his next project. It’s part of the UK’s Channel 4′s Coming Up series, which showcases the works of new directors and writers, with a guaranteed network broadcast.
The 30-minute film is called Home, and stars Johnny Harris (This is England ’86), Lorraine Stanley (Eden Lake), Branko Tomovic (Bourne Ultimatum) and Anthony Welsch (Red Tails).
Written by award-winning playwright DC Moore, the film is described as “a family drama based around a homeless couple on the streets of London.”
You can follow the film’s progress via any of the below sites:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Home-a-film-by-Baff-Akoto/177413028965582?v=info
http://www.touchpapertv.com/comingup.html
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/coming-up...
The 30-minute film is called Home, and stars Johnny Harris (This is England ’86), Lorraine Stanley (Eden Lake), Branko Tomovic (Bourne Ultimatum) and Anthony Welsch (Red Tails).
Written by award-winning playwright DC Moore, the film is described as “a family drama based around a homeless couple on the streets of London.”
You can follow the film’s progress via any of the below sites:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Home-a-film-by-Baff-Akoto/177413028965582?v=info
http://www.touchpapertv.com/comingup.html
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/coming-up...
- 2/22/2011
- by Tambay
- ShadowAndAct
Consider this a companion piece to Baff Akoto’s Football Fables documentary, which we’ve profiled on this blog. I’ve yet to see it, but in watching Baff talk about it in interviews, I feel like I have a good sense of what to expect from it. Currently playing the film festival circuit, it should come my way eventually. The below 45-minute piece is courtesy of Current TV’s Vanguard series, titled Soccer’s Lost Boys. It explores the more disagreeable elements of the sport’s global popularity – something that’s been termed “the new slave trade.”...
- 6/17/2010
- by Tambay
- ShadowAndAct
In case you’ve been asleep, the World Cup has begun… in South Africa; and taking advantage of that fact are a couple of filmmakers with documentaries centered on the sport (from an African perspective), currently in circulation: Baff Akoto’s Football Fables, which we’ve profiled on this blog, and Simon Laub’s Soka Africa. In the video below, both gentlemen talk about the importance of the sport to the continent, as well as the problems and the potential of African football as a vehicle for social change.
- 6/11/2010
- by Tambay
- ShadowAndAct
African football (you know, the one we play with our feet, not the one that looks more like rugby with pads), has a higher profile and more global stars than at any other time in history. But what does it takes to make the transition from a rural African field to a top European football club? If he’s good enough, how does a young African come to the attention of Real Madrid or Manchester United?
Football Fables, the debut documentary from director Baff Akoto, is a unique documentary – providing unprecedented insight into the inner workings of African football tradition and migration. This film unfolds through the eyes of Francis, a talented teenager on the brink of a dream transfer; his talent is undoubted; his desire immeasurable; but will that be enough to secure his future?
Francis’ journey sheds light on the relationships between talented young players, agents, managers and bureaucrats.
Football Fables, the debut documentary from director Baff Akoto, is a unique documentary – providing unprecedented insight into the inner workings of African football tradition and migration. This film unfolds through the eyes of Francis, a talented teenager on the brink of a dream transfer; his talent is undoubted; his desire immeasurable; but will that be enough to secure his future?
Francis’ journey sheds light on the relationships between talented young players, agents, managers and bureaucrats.
- 12/18/2009
- by Tambay
- ShadowAndAct
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