Cape Town launches new film market

The Cape Town and Winelands International Film Festival is announcing the launch of new coproduction bazaar the “Cape Town Film Mart” in Cannes today.

The inaugural Cape Town Film Mart will run Nov 4-6, 2013.

Its aim is to bring together local producers together with potential partners and financiers from South Africa’s coproduction partners: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

Producer/director teams are welcome to apply. Projects must have a producer and director attached. Those applying from outside South Africa must have a South African or South African treaty country formally attached.

Film Mart is offering flights and accommodation for those chosen to participate.

There will be a maximum of 25 projects in the market.

South Africa is shortly to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Kenya. Kenya and other countries which have MOUs with South Africa will also be entitled to participate.

At least some part of every film coming through the Film Mart must shoot in South Africa.

The new event will embrace features, docs, TV projects and even transmedia and gaming projects.

“The projects can be at any stage but a finance plan must be included and a one page motivation must be given as to why this project needs South African partnership,” commented Leon van der Merwe, festival director at the CWFF. “A director must be attached as well as a production company and some part of the finance through the producer or coproducer must have been attached to the project.”

A call for entries opens on May 17 and will close on July 30. Successful entrants will be notified by late August.