The 28th Atlantic Film Festival and Strategic Partners co-production market will welcome Passchendaele and Blindness producer Niv Fichman as the special guest at their Academy Luncheon on Sept 14.

Fichman is a founding partner of Rhombus Media, and he will be interviewed by Super Channel and former Odeon Films executive Marguerite Pigott.

Delegates lining up for Strategic Partners include Mike Ryan, developing Life In Wartime with director Todd Solondz and actors Demi Moore and Allison Janney; City Of God producer Hank Levine with Mika Kaurismaki's Kristina; UK producer John Archer with Susan Sarandon-starring Ana; Riva Marker of Plum Pictures with Craig Zobel's Turkey In The Straw; Amaze Film's Michael Souther developing Medieval written by Bon Cop, Bad Cop's Alex Epstein, and Lorianne Hall from the UK's Ipso Facto with $7m project The Rabbit Catcher searching for a Canadian partner.

Other speakers set for the Halifax-based event (Sept 12-14) are producers Frida Torresblanco and Noreen Halpern.