Press release from Limelight PR
Applications are now open for the Melbourne International Film Festival’s (MIFF) fifth edition of MIFF 37ºSouth Market, which runs 21-24 July, 2011 inclusive.
Australia’s only film co-financing market to occur in the context of a major festival, MIFF 37ºSouth Market brings the global film financing marketplace to Melbourne in the opening weekend of MIFF – Australia's oldest and largest film festival which turns 60 this year.
The exclusive Australian partner of the London Production Finance Market (PFM), MIFF 37ºSouth Market last year invited 38 international and local film co-financiers, including sales agents, distributors and gap funders, to meet with a record 76 selected Australia/NZ producers for four days of meetings, screenings, panels and roundtables.
Across the various strands of the market, including 37ºSouth: Bridging the Gap, 37ºSouth: PostScript&Direct and 37ºSouth: Books at MIFF, scheduled one-to-one meetings increased by 13% in 2010 to 1,182 (compared to 1,041 in 2009 and 814 in 2008).
In addition to meeting some of the world’s top film co-financiers, MIFF 37ºSouth Market’s registered producers are automatically in the running for selection to the only guaranteed Australian/NZ places at key overseas co-financing markets in Europe, the Middle East and North America through MIFF 37ºSouth Market's exclusive partnerships with London’s Production Finance Market (PFM), Canada's Strategic Partners and Abu Dhabi's Circle. For more information on the 37ºSouth-PFM Alliance, and the experiences of 37ºSouth producers at PFM, go to: http://filmlondon.org.uk/news/2010/december/londons_reach_in_the_worldwide_film_finance_market
Application forms for the 5th edition of MIFF 37ºSouth Market are at www.miff37degreesSouth.com and applications for most sections close on 8 April 2011. For details on the application process and deadlines, see the background document below. The 60th Melbourne International Film Festival runs from 21 July – 8 August 2011. For more information visit www.miff.com.au
DEADLINES & BACKGROUND INFORMATION
MIFF 37ºSouth Market runs 21-24 July 2011 in the opening days of the 60th Melbourne International Film Festival.
Across the four editions so far of MIFF 37ºSouth Market, more than 3,600 meetings have been scheduled for Australian/NZ filmmakers with some of the world’s leading film financiers (as well as publishers). Applications open 14 February at www.miff37degreesSouth.com for the 2011 MIFF 37ºSouth Market, which again enables pitching of Intellectual Property for the screen from every angle with:
 the core product of MIFF 37ºSouth: Bridging the Gap, with one-to-one meetings, roundtables and public panel sessions between producers with market-ready scripts and film co-financiers/buyers, as well as networking drinks events and targeted dinners
(Applications for Australia/NZ PRODUCERS with market-ready scripts close 12 April 2011)
 MIFF 37ºSouth: Breakthru Screenings – Screenings for invited international and local buyers of selected new Australia/NZ films seeking world sales agents and/or local distribution
(Applications for Australia/NZ PRODUCERS with films seeking sales agent/distribution close 12 April 2011)
 37ºSouth’s Books at MIFF – a books-to-film event with screen adaptation case studies, public pitching of books ripe for the screen, and meetings for publishers and producers
(Applications for PUBLISHERS/LITERARY AGENTS (film rights holders), close 20 April 2010)
 MIFF 37ºSouth: PostScript&Direct – meetings of Victorian screenwriters/directors with registered producers (Applications: SCREENWRITERS/DIRECTORS close 15 April 2011 via Film Victoria).
Producers who do not have a market-ready script/slate to apply with for MIFF 37ºSouth: Bridging the Gap but are seeking new material to develop, this year can apply to attend 37ºSouth: PostScript&Direct and/or 37ºSouth’s Books at MIFF to source new material. (These applications close 12 April 2011)
Producers of MIFF Premiere Fund co-financed films premiering at MIFF 2011 receive priority complementary registration to the 2011 MIFF 37ºSouth Market. For more details on the MIFF Premiere Fund, which provides minority co-financing to new Australian films premiering at MIFF, see miffpremierefund.com
For details of MIFF 37ºSouth Market’s application process, eligibility criteria and application forms for each strand, go to www.miff37degreesSouth.com where there is also links to the market brochure including feedback from producers, publishers and financiers.
MIFF 37ºSouth Market international film financiers/buyers have included Pathe (Europe), Participant (USA), Protagonist (Europe),Paramount (USA), Wild Bunch (Europe), IFC (USA), BBC Films (Europe), Essential (USA), Ealing (Europe), Sierra (USA), HanWay (Europe), Miramax (USA), Salt (Europe), National Geographic Films (USA), Aramid (Europe), Elephant Eye (USA), Independent (Europe), Lightning (USA), ContentFilm (Europe), Visit (USA), Bankside (Europe), Myriad (USA), MovieHouse (Europe), Media8 (USA), Highpoint (Europe), H2O (USA), Quickfire (Europe), 6Sales (Europe), Coach14 (Europe), Seville/E1 (Canada), Media Luna (Europe), Standard Chartered (Asia), Goalpost (Europe), Icon (USA), Match Factory (Europe), Arclight (USA/Australia), Bavaria (Europe), Fortissimo (Europe/Asia), Back-Up (Europe) and The Works (Europe). Local guests included Roadshow, HopScotch, Transmission, Madman, ABC, Accent, Rialto, PackScreen, Odin’s, Sharmill, Umbrella.
Publishing guests have included Allen & Unwin, Hardie Grant/Egmont, Hachette, HarperCollins, Random House, Penguin/Puffin, Scribe and Text Publishing. Australia/NZ film producers include Oscar-winner Melanie Coombs (Harvie Krumpet), Yael Bergman (I Love You Too), Rosemary Blight (Clubland), Chris Brown (Daybreakers), Andrea Buck (The Jammed), Philippa Campbell (Black Sheep), Jan Chapman (The Piano), Robert Connolly (Balibo), Chris Fitchett (Blurred), John Maynard (The Bank), Bridget Ikin (Look Both Ways), Robyn Kershaw (Bran Nue Dae), Helen Leake (Black & White), Angela Littlejohn (Apron Strings), Michael McMahon (Home Song Stories), Marian Macgowan (South Solitary), David Parker (Malcolm), David Redman (Strange Bedfellows), Robin Scholes (Once Were Warriors) and Liz Watts (Animal Kingdom).
MIFF 37ºSouth Market is the exclusive Australia/NZ partner of Film London’s Production Finance Market (PFM), providing the PFM’s only guaranteed Australian/NZ slots. The PFM-MIFF 37ºSouth Market Alliance sees up to three Australia/NZ MIFF 37ºSouth Market registered producers chosen by MIFF 37ºSouth Market’s guest international sales agents to fill these slots at October’s PFM. Similarly, MIFF 37ºSouth Market’s guest financiers select two producers to attend Canada’s Strategic Partners and one producer to attend the Abu Dhabi Circle – again filling the only guaranteed Australia/NZ places at those events.