Nine Hubert Bals Fund and CineMart linked films in Cannes

PRESS RELEASE April 28, 2010

Continuing its strong presence in Cannes, the International Film Festival Rotterdam has nine films linked to the Hubert Bals Fund and CineMart in Cannes festival sections: five titles are selected in Competition, two in Un Certain Regard and another two in Directors’ Fortnight (see full list below).

Palme d’Or contenders Uncle Boonmee by Apichatpong Weerasethakul and My Joy by Sergei Loznitsa were supported in script stage by the IFFR’s Hubert Bals Fund; Loznitsa later launched his project My Joy at CineMart 2007.

Further Cannes Competition films Certified Copy by Abbas Kiarostami, The Housemaid by Im Sang-Soo and A Screaming Man by Mahamat Saleh Haroun were all presented in project stage at CineMart. In 2001, Mahamat Saleh Haroun was commissioned by the Rotterdam Festival to make one of the ‘On the Waterfront-Diaries’. His successful films Abouna and Dry Season were also CineMart Projects. Haroun was a Tiger Award Jury member in 2003.

The two Romanian films in Un Certain Regard 2010 both started out at CineMart. Cristi Puiu attended the Rotterdam festival in 2008 to present his project Aurora. Radu Muntean came to IFFR 2009 to launch his Tuesday, After Christmas at CineMart.

From the Quinzaine des Réalisateurs-line up, Kyrgyz film The Light Thief by Aktan Arym Kubat and French film Pieds nus sur les limaces by Fabienne Berthaud started out as CineMart Projects. In 2005, Kubat received Hubert Bals Fund support to develop his script and in 2008 Dutch company Volya Films became co-producer of The Light Thief through the Hubert Bals Fund Plus program. Berthaud came to Rotterdam twice: in 2006, she introduced her début film Frankie to the Rotterdam festival audiences. She returned in 2007 to present her Pieds nus sur les limaces at CineMart.

The 40th International Film Festival Rotterdam takes place from 26 January through to 6 February 2011; within the festival the 28th CineMart takes place January 30-February 2, 2011. IFFR’s Hubert Bals Fund, the largest of its kind worldwide, provides grants for script development, digital production, post production or distribution to independent filmmakers in developing countries. CineMart is the world’s first and largest co-production market for low and medium-budget film projects. For more information and entry or application deadlines see www.filmfestivalrotterdam.com.

Cannes Competition 2010 includes:

Un homme qui crie (A Screaming Man) by Mahamat Saleh Haroun (France/Chad)
Selected for CineMart 2007

The Housemaid by Im Sang-Soo (South Korea)
Selected for CineMart 2009

Copie conforme (Certified Copy) by Abbas Kiarostami (France)
Selected for CineMart 2008

Schastye moe (My Joy) by Sergei Loznitsa (Germany/Ukraine)
Hubert Bals Fund support for Script Development 2006
Selected for CineMart 2007

Long Boonmee raleuk chat (Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives) by Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Thailand)
Hubert Bals Fund support for Script Development 2008

Un Certain Regard includes:

Marti, Dupa Craciun (Tuesday, After Christmas) by Radu Muntean (Romania)
Selected for CineMart 2009

Aurora by Cristi Puiu (Romania)
Selected for CineMart 2008

Quinzaine des Réalisateurs includes:

The Light Thief by Aktan Arym Kubat (Kyrgyzstan)
Hubert Bals Fund support for Script Development 2005
Selected for CineMart 2007
Hubert Bals Fund Plus selection 2008, co-producer Volya Films

Pieds nus sur les limaces (Lily Sometimes) by Fabienne Berthaud (France)
Selected for CineMart 2007

ACID programme includes:
Fleurs du Mal (Flowers of Evil) by David Dusa (France)
Selected for CineMart 2010

(End of press release)
Note to the Editor, not for publication:

Press information:
IFFR Press Office, Bert-Jan Zoet, [email protected], +31 10 8909090