IFP/Rotterdam Lab Producer's Fellowship Call For Entry

November in New York City is here, bringing a fresh slate of great indies, docs and awards-season films vying for our attention and of course, throngs of athletes lining the sidewalks getting in their final jog before marathon weekend.

Across the Atlantic, IFP's long-time international partners Marit van den Elshout & Jacobine van der Vloed are in Rotterdam hard at work preparing for the 10th annual Rotterdam Lab. This terrific four-day training workshop is designed to help producers from around the world build up their international network and experience.

As the sole U.S. partner, IFP annually selects two producers to participate in the Rotterdam Lab, which runs concurrently with the CineMart Co-production Market (January 30-February 4, 2011).The Fellowship is open to producers with at least one narrative, feature producing credit who are current IFP Members at any level.

Past IFP Producer Fellows have included many of our talented members who continue to work tirelessly to ensure that independent films connect with audiences here and abroad. Paul Mezey (Half Nelson), Howard Gertler (Shortbus), Effie Brown (Real Women Have Curves), Dan Carey (Cold Souls), Mynette Louis (Mutual Appreciation), Anish Savjani (Wendy & Lucy), Ben Howe (Treeless Mountain) are all previous recipients of IFP's fellowship. 2010 Producers Jason Orans (Night Catches Us) and Thomas Woodrow (Bass Akwards) most recently took part, enjoying the one-to-one meetings, networking opportunities and of course, an unforgetable Indonesian feast with fellow filmmakers and industry that any working producer - or marathoner! - would envy.

To apply for this fellowship, please send your one-page letter of inquiry and resume to Deputy Director Amy Dotson atadotson@ifp.org by Monday, November 15^th. All finalists will be notified by Monday, November 22^nd of acceptance.

Good luck to everyone in the home stretch and don't forget to enjoy the run!

IFP Announces New Partnerships and Opportunities for Producers

IFP is thrilled to announce two new partnerships - one in South America and one in South Asia - which will help our community to continue to expand their networks in the international marketplace.

First, through our partnership with Latin American Training Center, IFP will select up to five American independent producers to participate in their Rio International Festival Producer’s Panel September 23-28, 2010 .

The Rio International Film Festival’s Producer’s Panel is a week-long program which runs concurrently with the Rio International Film Festival. Conceived to boost international co-productions and encourage production in Latin America, the fellowship with LATC will be offering many formal and informal networking opportunities throughout the week to assist producers in finding partners for their projects and expanding their international contacts.

Open to emerging and established producers, the Fellowship will cover the cost of full program registration fees for the selected producers, but participants must cover their own travel and lodging to attend.

Qualifications: Applicants should have at least one feature-film producing credit and be a current IFP member. Applicants should clearly state why they are interested in participating by citing either a history of Latin American co-production experience OR current projects in their slate that require Latin American and/or Spanish Language co-production partners. Documentary and Narrative producers are welcome.

In addition, the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) India, will select an American independent filmmaker and/or producer to participate in the Film Bazaar November 23-26, 2010. The Film Bazaar is a four-day market held alongside the International Film Festival of India in Goa. It is a South Asian sales and distribution platform to facilitate greater collaborations between the Indian and international film industries for distribution and production.

The Fellowship will cover the cost of full program registration fees for the selected writer/director and/or producer, as well as travel and accommodations.

Qualifications: All filmmaker or producer applicants should be a current IFP member and have fiction projects that deal with Indian/South Asian subject matter; filmmakers who are part of the Indian diaspora are given preference. Scripts should be current, with WGA registration between September 2009-2010.

Those interested in consideration for the program should apply with a one-page letter of interest describing the project(s) that would be presented and a resume to Amy Dotson, Deputy Director, IFP, at adotson@ifp.org by Thursday, August 5th.

IFP ANNOUNCES 2010 IFP/ROTTERDAM LAB FELLOWS

On the 10th anniversary of its partnership with the Rotterdam International Film Festival’s CineMart & Rotterdam Lab, IFP is pleased to announce its 2010 IFP/Rotterdam Lab Fellowship recipients, Jason Orans and Thomas Woodrow.

As the Rotterdam Lab’s exclusive U.S. partner organization, IFP annually selects and sponsors two emerging producers to participate in the Lab’s prestigious four-day training workshop. Running concurrently with the CineMart Co-production Market held January 30-February 3, 2010, the Lab is specifically is designed to build up the international networks and experiences of its participants.

Jason Orans’ feature film producing credits include NIGHT CATCHES US (Sundance Dramatic Competition 2010), starring Anthony Mackie, Kerry Washington and Wendell Pierce; DARE (Sundance Dramatic Competition 2009), starring Emmy Rossum and Alan Cumming and GOODBYE SOLO (Venice 2008 - FIPRSCI International Critics Prize), written and directed by Ramin Bahrani. His upcoming projects include UNTILTLED RAMIN BAHRANI PROJECT.

Thomas Woodrow’s feature film credits include BASS ACKWARDS (Sundance NEXT 2010), directed by Linas Philips; TRUE ADOLESCENTS, starring Mark Duplass and Melissa Leo, and SHADOWS, directed by Milcho Manchevski, which was the highest grossing theatrical release ever in its home country, Macedonia. His upcoming projects include Craig Johnson & Mark Heyman’s THE SKELETON TWINS.

“Applications to this Fellowship were up an astounding 90% from previous years. This shows that in our current economic climate, there is a real hunger for independent producers at all budget levels to expand their networks beyond the U.S. marketplace” says Amy Dotson, Deputy Director of IFP. “Through this initiative, as well as thorough Cinemart’s yearly participation in IFP’s No Borders International Co-Production Market, we are proud to partner with Rotterdam to continue to help provide vital opportunities for talented U.S. and international producers to collaborate.”

Previous Fellows have included Paul Mezey (MARIA FULL OF GRACE), Howard Gertler (SHORTBUS), Effie Brown (ROCKET SCIENCE), Mynette Louis (MUTUAL APPRECIATION) and Anish Savjani (WENDY & LUCY).