Screen Daily

Geoffrey Mcnab

May 17, 2010

The event is expanding its offer for financiers; increasing its focus on producers with a single project.

The Film London Production Finance Market (PFM) has secured additional European funding from MEDIA and has created a new partnership with Ile de France that will see four French producers attend this year’s event.

The PFM, which runs October 20 – 21 this year, is launching a dedicated forum for financiers for the first time this year. It aims to explore pricing risj and marketing developments reflecting the changing trends in the industry. Organisers said that this year’s event will also have a new emphasis on producers pitching single projects, with a director and strong packages attached, rather than slates.

The alliance with Ile de France will build on the PFM’s existing international links, which sees selected PFM producers attending the Rome International Film Festival and a selection of Australian/NZ producers attending PFM from the Melbourne International Film Festival/37ºSouth Market (MIFF/37º South). The partnership with MIFF/37º is extending this year and more Australian/NZ producers will be given the opportunity to attend PFM.

The event, which is run in association with the BFI 54th London Film Festival, aims to connect producers and financiers to encourage new film financing relationships with 800 face to face meetings over the two days. Applications for this year’s market are now open.

Last year’s event was attended by over 150 delegates from companies including Warner Bros., Focus Features and Lionsgate UK as well as France’s Wild Brunch, Italy’s RAI Cinema and Spain’s Tornasol.

Productions that have directly benefitted from finance raised at previous PFM’s include Camilla Bray’s Oranges & Sunshine (pictured), starring Hugo Weaving and Emily Watson; Oscar Rodriguez’s Second Origin, scheduled to start in spring 2011 and Robert Jones’ Marques de Coelho, which plans to shoot this summer. Meanwhile, Jonathan Cavendish’s new company, Caveman Films raised development funding.

Adrian Wootton, the chief executive of Film London, said: “There is no doubt the PFM is gaining momentum and there is no better proof of that than the projects we have seen greenlit or have attached co-financing, sales and distribution as a direct result of the market. At a time when there are less and less avenues for independent film funding, PFM is crucial and we are constantly developing the event to ensure it meets the demands of our ever changing industry.”