Singapore’s Media Development Authority (MDA) has appointed Hong Kong-based Distribution Workshop as the international sales agent for the first batch of films produced under its International Film Fund (IFF).

Announced at the beginning of the market, the IFF will invest up to $3.4m each in 17-20 international projects. Applicants must be partnered with a Singaporean company and have an international sales agent on board.

Following the deal with Distribution Workshop, applicants that already have a sales agent on board are welcome to apply but must be open to negotiating some territories with the Hong Kongcompany.

“Since the announcement of our IFF a few days ago, we have received a number of queries from potential partners around the world. We are delighted to partner Distribution Workshop, which brings on board the international sales expertise and network to introduce our upcoming IFFprojects to audiences worldwide,” said MDA CEO Dr Christopher Chia.

The deadline for the first call for applications is July 31.

Launched last year, Distribution Workshop is a joint venture between Bona International Film Group (BIFG), which is the holding company of Beijing-based Polybona, and veteran producer-sales agents Nansun Shi and Jeffrey Chan.

The company has already lined up a stellar slate of Asian product including Max Mannix’s Japan-set Rainfall, starring Gary Oldman; Jingle Ma’s Mulan with Vicky Zhao Wei, and Alan Mak and Felix Chong’s surveillance thriller Overheard.