Focus on European Co-Production Forum

by Fabien Lemercier

24/03/2006 - The deadline for entry forms is April 30 to the Co-Production Forum, which will take place on May 21 at the Cannes Festival under the aegis of the European Producers Club. Open to producers, financiers, TV representatives, distributors and international sales agent who have already co-produced at least two fiction features, the event, in its fourth consecutive year on the Croisette, will be followed by Forums in Karlovy Vary (July 2, 2006), Madrid (September), Rome (October 13 at the new Rome Festival) and Warzaw (December 1 at the European Film Awards).

These meetings have already proved beneficial and have led to the production of numerous features, notably Anton Reixa’s Hotel Tivoli (Spain/Denmark/Portugal, see making of), French/German co-production Zaïna, cavalière de l'Atlas by Bourlem Guerdjou, Alexander Sokurov’s The Sun (France/Italy/Russia), Tropical Malady by Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Italy/Germany), as well as Oculto by Antonio Hernández (Spain/Italy).

Projects for the Cannes Forum will be selected by a highly professional committee, composed of 13 well-known European film industry figures: from France, Yves Marmion (UGC YM), Antoine de Clermont-Tonnerre (Mact Productions) and Michel Reilhac (Arte France Cinéma); from the UK, Carola Ash (Future Film Group), Chris Curling (Zephyr Films), Nick Powell (NFTS) and David Thompson (BBC Films); from Germany, Raimond Goebel (Pandora Filmproduktion), Ira von Gienanth (Prokino Filmverleih) and Milada Rybarova (Senator Film Produktion); from Spain, Antonio Saura (Zebra Producciones); and from Italy ,Sergio Pelone (Film Albatros) and Cecilia Valmarana (RAI Cinema).

If you would like to participate in the Cannes au Forum, send an email, stating "With project" or "Without project" to forum.epc@wanadoo.fr, and for more information, contact the European Producers Club (+33 (0)1 44 90 06 13).

(Translated from French)