IFP’S 31st ANNUAL INDEPENDENT FILM WEEK LINE-UP ANNOUNCED

IFP’S 31^st ANNUAL INDEPENDENT FILM WEEK LINE-UP ANNOUNCED

116 INVITED TO THE PROJECT FORUM INCLUDING NEW PROJECTS TO BE DIRECTED BY JODIE FOSTER, FRED SCHEPISI and NUMEROUS DOCUMENTARY VETERANS

NEW STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS WITH SUNDANCE INSTITUTE, B-SIDE AND THE GOOD PITCH

Monday, August 10, 2009 (New York, NY) – IFP, the nation’s oldest and largest organization of independent filmmakers, announced today the line-up of its Project Forum of the 31^st Annual Independent Film Week taking place in NYC September 19 – 24.

Additionally, it announced the expansion of its strategic relationship with the Sundance Institute; and new partnerships with B-Side, the four-year-old tech company which runs websites that handle ticketing and mine audience response data for 250-plus fests in North America, and The Good Pitch, a forum produced by Channel 4 BRITDOC Foundation which brings together inspiring social-purpose film projects and a group of expert participants from charities, foundations, brands, government and media to form powerful alliances around groundbreaking films.

Formerly known as the IFP Market, Independent Film Week is the oldest and largest forum in the U.S. and is qualitatively and quantitatively the best and biggest opportunity for an independent filmmaker to connect with industry professionals – including producers, funders, distributors, broadcasters, sales agents and festival programmers. It is the only forum in the U.S. singularly focused on connecting projects still in development with financing and sales opportunities.

A total of 116 projects have been invited to the Project Forum. Acceptance is by invitation only, and free of charge to filmmakers. All projects are accepted based on artistic merit. Projects participate in one of three sections: Emerging Narrative (for first-time feature directors currently in post seeking representation, completion funding, and festival invitations), No Borders International Co-Production Market (for producers with partial financing seeking additional partners), and Spotlight on Documentaries (for filmmakers in production, post, or with a completed film seeking financing partners, broadcast/distribution, and festival invitations). (See attached for a complete list of accepted projects).

“IFP’s niche has always been the presentation of projects in development,” says Michelle Byrd, executive director, IFP. “We’re really pleased to extend the efficiency of Independent Film Week to play host to a new strategic partner in The Good Pitch, and to greatly expand our decades-long collaborative relationship with the Sundance Institute. And with the support of B-Side, we will dramatically increase our technical proficiency and tools.”

Read the rest of the release here.

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