21/03/2007

The co-heads of the CineMart, the co-production market of the International Film Festival Rotterdam, will go their separate ways but stay within the organisation as Bianca Taal has been appointed to lead the festival’s Hubert Bals Fund, while Marit van den Elshout will continue to head the CineMart.

Taal replaces Marianne Bhalotra, who is stepping down as the head of the Hubert Bals Fund but will continue to work as a member of its selection committee. The fund is a vital tool for filmmakers from developing countries or countries without proper filmmaking structures; it co-finances projects and acts as a pioneering financer that often attracts other co-producers.

Recent Hubert Bals successes include Berlinale Golden Bear winner Grbavica [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Barbara Albert
interview: Jasmila Zbanic
film profile] (see Focus), Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s Climates [+see also:
trailer
interview: Zeynep Ozbatur
film profile] and Carlos Reygadas’ Battle in Heaven [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Carlos Reygadas
interview: Jean Labadie
film profile] (see focus), which were both in competition at Cannes, and recent Venice entry Opera Jawa from Indonesian filmmaker Garin Nugroho.

The fund receives around 750 applications each year and will publish its Spring 2007 selection in May. It currently has an annual budget of approximately €1.2m, though the 50% cost participation of the Dutch government has become uncertain for future years.

Van den Elshout has been appointed the sole manager of CineMart. The now often-copied co-production market presented 48 film projects for its 2007 edition, selected from among 520 entries. Van den Elshout is currently preparing the silver jubilee edition of the co-production market: the 25th CineMart will take place from January 27-31, 2008.

The 37th edition of the festival will take place from January 23-February 3, 2008.