Whether you are looking for possible television
sales, foreign distribution, critical acclaim or just added
exposure, film festivals and film markets are the way to get
you there.
Film Festivals
Film Markets
The Film Festival List document offers contact and general
information on film festivals around the world. The document
offers a select list of festivals which are for women, LGBT,
and those which we consider to be the most prestigious. While
this by no means a comprehensive list of available film festivals,
the list should be used as a resource of possible screening
opportunities.
Women’s
Film Festival List
Gay
and Lesbian Film Festival List
Recommended Reading:
“Film
Festival Strategy: Guerilla Marketing”
“Film
Festival Strategy: A Seminar of Ideas”
“Interview
with South By Southwest Film Festival Programming Director,
Angela Lee”
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Film Markets
The selected list of film markets below can be another great
place to gain exposure, find a distributor, as well as international
financiers for your project. You should consider them in your
overall festival strategy and choose the venue(s) which are
most appropriate for your project given the cost, location,
attendees who typically come, the amount of exposure you are
likely to receive, the overall size or specific benefits each
can provide.
American Film Market
Cannes Market
CineMart
IFP Market
INPUT
MIP-TV
Sunny Side of the Doc
Toronto Documentary
Forum
American Film Market
www.americanfilmmarket.com
Founded in 1981, the American Film Market (AFM) has grown steadily
over the last two decades. Each year, more than 7,000 people
convene in Santa Monica for eight days of screenings, deal making
and hospitality. Participants come from over 70 countries, and
include leaders in motion picture production and distribution,
directors, agents, writers, lawyers, bankers and trade groups.
Titles range from big budget blockbusters that will be released
by the major studios in the U.S., to lower budget art and genre
films recognized at international film festivals, all destined
for theaters and television around the world. The market is
predominantly for English language feature films and the sellers
(mostly members of the American Film Marketing Association)
are predominately all independent companies specializing in
international sales. While independent producers, directors
and actors regularly attend the AFM to establish or maintain
contacts, it is most effective for sales agents and distributors.
When: Generally occurs late February
Length: 8 days Where: Santa Monica, CA
Cost for Participant: $250 - $775
Cost for Producer Screening Package: $2,200
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Cannes Market
www.cannesmarket.com
For over 40 years now, the Cannes Market, together with the
Cannes International Film Festival, has meant ten exceptional
days of meetings and exchanges for all professionals of the
film industry. This success is a direct result of the Market’s
constant determination to provide companies and visitors with
an evermore efficient and relevant working environment. An important
aspect of Cannes is amount of exposure you can receive. This
market is a great place to improve company profiles and to generate
interest in new films. Deals are often consolidated at a later
date, but the exposure and word of mouth generated at Cannes
can lead to competitive bidding for films. However, if you don’t
have a film in the official selection, you should be working
with an agent on the promotion of your film to get the most
out of the market.
Tips
for Attending Cannes Market
When: Generally occurs in May Length: 10 days
Where: Cannes, France
Cost for Company: $950 for up to 3 participants, screening
slot available for additional fees.
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CineMart
http://www.filmfestivalrotterdam.com/en/cinemart/
CineMart is an annual co-production market developed by the
Rotterdam International Film Festival to bring together financiers
and filmmakers. Every year, the CineMart invites a select number
of producers to present their film projects to potential co-producers,
bankers, funds, sales agents, distributors, and TV stations.
The five-day event which takes place during the festival, offers
highly productive opportunities to network, and discuss projects.
In order to provide each project with the space it requires,
and those attending with a manageable whole, selection of CineMart
projects is kept to 43.
When: Generally occurs in January
Deadline for Entries: October
Length: 5 days
Where: Rotterdam, Netherlands
Cost: No application or registration fees, if selected.
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Hot Docs:
Toronto Documentary
Forum
http://www.hotdocs.ca/conference
The Toronto Documentary Form (TDF) is hosted by the Hot Docs
International Film and Video Festival, and is a round-table
pitch forum that assists independent documentary producers from
Canada and around the world to raise co-financing from the
international marketplace. Independent production companies of
all nationalities are eligible to enter documentary projects
currently in development or production. The project must have
the commitment of at least one broadcaster, distributor or
eligible film board or film institute (please call for
clarification) who will attend the TDF to co-pitch the project
and approximately 25 percent (but no more than 75 percent) of
its financing in place.
When: Generally occurs in late April
Where: Toronto, Canada
Cost for Pitch Slot: $400 if selected, no application fee
Cost for Observer Seat: $215 only available to a limited number
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IFP Market
http://www.ifp.org/
The IFP Market is an exhibition and discovery forum for new
films by promising talent before they hit the festival circuit.
The week-long showcase, held each autumn in New York, for narrative
and documentary works-in-progress, shorts, and scripts, by independent
filmmakers seeking financing, distribution or completion financing
is an essential networking opportunity, attracting 2000 filmmakers,
distributors, television and home video acquisitions executives,
domestic and international buyers, agents, development execs,
and festival programmers from the U.S. and abroad. The IFP Market
bridges the gap between the business and creative communities
through screenings, seminars, workshops, meetings and social
events designed to help emerging filmmakers and storytellers
advance their projects in the industry marketplace and reach
the broadest possible audience. For filmmakers seeking financing,
completion funding, or sales for works-in-progress or scripts,
IFP Market is the place to begin.
When: Generally occurs in late September, early October
Length: 5 days
Where: New York, NY
Cost: $40 early application fee, no additional registration
fees for selected projects.
Cost for Attendees: $60 for one-day pass up to $320 for full
week
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INPUT
www.input-tv.org
INPUT (International Public Service Television Screening Conference)
is an annual weeklong television showcase held in a different
city in the world each year where as many as 100 cutting-edge
programs are screened with their producers present in intensive,
interactive forums. These international forums screen, discuss
and evaluate cutting-edge public television programs from around
the world, thereby producing a unique and exciting professional
development opportunity for those working in television. Also,
there is also a “Best of INPUT” held in the United States each
year.
All
about INPUT
When: Generally occurs in May of each year
Length: 5 days
Where: International venue changes annually.
Cost: No application or registration fees, if selected.
Cost for Delegates: $60 registration fee
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MIP-TV
www.miptv.com
MIPTV is an international market for the TV industry offering
five days of non-stop business. The market is geared to those
involved in TV broadcasting, program production and distribution
for TV, video and the Internet, advertising, licensing and merchandising,
consultancy, service companies, and new media. Opened in 1963,
MIPTV has firmly established itself in the TV executives’ calendar
and has become a must-attend event. This market is most appropriate
for experienced producers seeking pre-sale and development deals.
For the documentary producer with a single documentary to sell,
this market can be a very frustrating and unproductive experience.
The majority of potential buyers are actively working the market
as sellers, the demand for one-off documentaries is limited,
the lack of a product catalogue can make selling one film extremely
difficult, and at a market as high-powered as this, the major
buyers are looking to develop long-term relationships with regular
suppliers. Many independent producers have found the experience
of attending MIP-TV very educational, but this aspect must be
weighed against the high cost of attendance and the limited
prospect for sales.
When: Generally occurs in March
Length: 5 days Where: Cannes, France
Cost: $2,500 or more depending on registration package selected.
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Sunny Side of the Doc
www.sunnysideofthedoc.com
Sunny Side of the Doc is an international documentary market.
Through private and public screenings, the breakfast chats,
and the evening parties each and everyone has the opportunity
to work out his or her own personal agenda, to meet with the
right partner, to better understand "how things work"… Participation
at the Sunny Side market offers you a chance to develop your
international network and to learn more about the international
documentary market. It is a meeting spot for documentary professionals
where you can take part in various forums, case studies and
screenings apart from finding financing for your next project.
When: Generally occurs in June
Where: Marseille, France
Cost: $550 for registration fee
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