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SA filmmakers in the spotlight at Cannes with new AFF showcase
26 April 2024
South Australia’s screen industry will be in the international spotlight next month at the world’s largest film market, with Adelaide Film Festival leading a delegation of South Australian filmmakers to the Marché du Film at the prestigious Festival de Cannes, including two First Nations filmmakers supported by the SAFC.
Ten South Australian filmmakers will participate in a suite of activities as part of the new Adelaide Film Festival x Cannes initiative incorporating a curated roundtable program, networking activities and the showcasing of five near-complete film projects, including four being developed and/or produced with funding from the SAFC, as part of a formal market presentation Adelaide Film Festival Goes to Cannes in partnership with Cannes Marché du Film.
The AFF x Cannes initiative is funded by the Government of South Australia, Department for Premier and Cabinet with the SAFC funding the participation of two First Nations South Australian filmmakers.
Adelaide Film Festival Goes to Cannes was open to filmmakers with a near (in post-production) or completed film seeking an international sales agent. The five films selected will be presented by the filmmakers to an audience of sales agents, investors, programmers and other market delegates on Friday 17 May.
The Adelaide Film Festival Goes to Cannes showcase includes SAFC and AFF supported feature film projects Lesbian Space Princess (Directors Emma Hough-Hobbs and Leela Varghese), Kangaroo Island (Director Timothy Piper) and With or Without You (Director Kelly Schilling), as well as The Iron Winter (Director Kasimir Burgess), which was supported through SAFC Development Funding, and Mockbuster (Director Anthony Frith).
Filmmakers Leela Varghese, Timothy Piper and Kelly Schilling will represent their films in Cannes along with Mockbuster writer and producer Sandy Cameron and The Iron Winter producer Ben Golotta. Other filmmakers to join the delegation include Travis Akbar, Nara Wilson, Josh Trevorrow, Lisa Scott and Matt Vesely, each presenting a slate of new work, engaging directly with investors and agents in the market.
AFF CEO and Creative Director Mat Kesting said: “Development and support for the filmmaking community is a critical part of Adelaide Film Festival’s strategy and this exciting collaboration will see the Festival leverage its extensive networks and strong relationship with Cannes to connect Australian filmmakers to the global market and showcase South Australia as a centre of creative endeavour. This is a fantastic line-up of films and an impressive delegation of filmmakers.”
SAFC CEO Kate Croser said: “The SAFC congratulates AFF on this exciting showcase which will highlight South Australian filmmakers and their work on the international stage and support South Australian directors and producers to connect the global market. We are pleased to directly fund the participation of two First Nations South Australian filmmakers in AFF’s Cannes delegation, as part of the SAFC’s ongoing commitment to boosting and developing South Australian First Nations screen talent. AFF x Cannes will showcase South Australian screen industry talent as well as the fruitful financing partnership that exists between the SAFC and AFF which has already resulted in such acclaimed films as Talk To Me, Monolith, The Survival of Kindness, Hotel Mumbai, 52 Tuesdays, Tracks, Snowtown, Ten Canoes and more.”
For more information about the AFF x Cannes initiative visit adelaidefilmfestival.org