27/09/2002 - Film Council sends 7 producers to the Spanish Festival to encourage collaboration and international co-productions

As part of its goal to increase collaboration with Europe, the Film Council has sent seven UK producers to the San Sebastian Film Festival to help them meet with their Spanish counterparts and eventually develop long-term relationships. The seven British producers are Kate Myers, Jolyon Symonds, Gavin Emerson, Tom Roberts, Mark Booth, Keith Bell and Lizzie Francke. Commenting today (27 Sept) on this initiative, the Film Council’s European executive Jan-Jacob Lousberg said: “With the current climate in the pay-TV market, producers from across Europe are having to think outside the traditional models of financing.
International co-productions play an increasingly important role in this. By organising this event, the Film Council and San Sebastian jointly recognise the need to encourage new ongoing relationships between key Spanish and UK companies and individuals who have expressed a desire to work together”.
A similar experience is undertaken in New York where three British producers (Gavin Emerson, Amma Asante and Sally Hibbin) have been sponsored by the Film Council to attend the Independent Feature Film Project (IFP).