22/03/2012 - £460,000 for Coixet, Hopkins and Murphy projects

The Film Agency for Wales has announced a total of £460,000 investment in films by Spanish filmmaker Isabel Coixet (pictured - Elegy [+see also:
trailer
film profile]) and British directors Dominic Murphy (White Lightnin’ [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]) and Duane Hopkins (Better Things [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]).

Rainy Day Films, UK (Patagonia [+see also:
trailer
film profile]) and Tornasol, Spain (The Secret in Their Eyes [+see also:
trailer
making of
Interview Juan José Campanella [IT]
Interview Ricardo Darín [IT]
Interview Soledad Villemin [IT]
film profile]) get £200,000 towards producing Coixet’s teen psychological thriller Panda Eyes that’s due in production Spring 2012. Fox International Productions is handling distribution and sales.

Spring is also when Hopkins’ drama Bypass goes into production. Severn Screen gets £110,000 to produce alongside Third Films. The film has support from the British Film Institute and Sweden’s Film i Väst.

The Film Agency for Wales has also awarded £150,000 to Welsh producer Meinir Stoutt (Resistance) of Links Film Productions for Murphy’s Cassy and Jude, based on the novel Cassandra at the Wedding by Dorothy Baker. Links will work with the UK’s F&ME and France’s Partizan. Content Film is handling international sales.

Suzanne Alizart, Interim Chief Executive of the Film Agency for Wales, said, “The funding for these three feature films is all about nurturing Welsh film talent and supporting the long-term viability of Welsh production companies. Our investment plays an important role in ensuring that Welsh talent develops and produces high impact films of international significance, confirming Wales as the creative nation to watch.”

“The potential economic benefits for Wales are also strong with a substantial inward investment of approximately £1.75 million and a Wales based shoot ensuring jobs for local crew,” she added.