This year’s MIFF 37° South Market – the first to be held in person since 2019 – has a stated aim of “reconnecting the screen industry”, promising a greater number talks, seminars and panels, as well as revamped and expanded strands.
Application are open now for the event, which will run during the opening weekend of the Melbourne International Film Festival.
As per usual, 37° South will run ‘Bridging the Gap’ meetings to connect producers with script-stage project to financiers, and the ‘Breakthru Screenings’ strand, where screen content buyers view completed films seeking sales/distribution.
The ‘Books at MIFF’ strand, which sees publishers pitch manuscripts to producers for screen adaptation, will be held on the first day of the market, August 4.
The ‘PostScript&Direct (PS&D)’ module, which connects writers and directors with producers to grow their contacts and generate interest in their work and skills, returns in an expanded format – running over two afternoons of meetings, networking events and discussion panels. Eligibility has been expanded to include both web series creatives and development executives from major production companies.
Making their in person debut are ‘Link-Up’, which promotes connections and business opportunities between registered producers and 37ºSouth’s partner screen agencies as well as private-sector screen service organisations; and ‘Nexus’, where owners of screen adaptation rights in wider IP assets (such as podcasts, games, stage-plays, press-pieces, online content, musicals, short-stories) pitch their creative properties to producers for potential film/TV adaptations.
“Despite the professional difficulties of the past few years, one upside was that having to move last year’s Market online presented opportunities to think differently, test new systems and try-out adding to 37ºSouth’s mix new elements like a larger range of IP rights holders, service companies, TV projects and TV financing, development executives, a broader palette around emerging creatives, and more,” said 37ºSouth Market director Mark Woods.
“This year’s ‘in-person’ debut of these road-tested new modules – alongside the reprise of the Market’s classic strands, acclaimed networking events and bespoke meetings-diaries – ensures 37ºSouth returns as a refreshed and expanded in-person event reconnecting the screen industry during the opening weekend of the 70th edition of MIFF – the Southern Hemisphere’s oldest and largest film festival.”
Applications close June 17. MIFF 37° South Market runs August 4-7.