On Screen Manitoba

Canada’s premier international co-production market presented by the Atlantic Film Festival, is anticipating its most successful year since its inception 15 years ago. Strategic Partners 2012 will draw delegates from around the world – with an emphasis on spotlight countries United States and the United Kingdom – to Halifax from September 13 to 16. This much-anticipated and highly touted industry event,limited to 200 delegates, is widely considered the ideal place to co-produce/co-venture with Canadians. Focusing on feature film, TV and multiplatform fiction, S trategic Partners includes projects looking for financing as well as those still at an early stage, looking for the right partner, or partners.

Among the many producers attending this year’s Strategic Partners are: Christina Piovesan, Canada (Red Lights, The Whistleblower); Kristi Zea, USA (As Good As It Gets, The Joneses); Ole Wendorff-Ostergaard, Denmark (co-producer, Antichrist); Greg Dummett, Canada (The Crimson Petal and the White, award winning TV Series); Guneet Monga, India (Monsoon Shootout, Peddlers) and Andreas Ulmke-Smeaton, Germany (co-producer, The Last Station).

“Co-productions are our preferred model, so Strategic Partners is the perfect event for us,” said Australian producer Wendy Howell. “It is excellent compared to other markets of this kind. It's a lot more relaxed and there are greater opportunities to speak with the people you want to connect with.” Howell, along with Benjamin G. Arthur, is bringing the film project Rhymes With Shove, directed by Bruce MacDonald, one of Canada’s most celebrated independent filmmakers, to SP this year.

A snapshot of additional participating projects looking for partners at SP 2012 include:

• Bergerac (TV Series): Patrick Irwin and Justin Thompson-Glover, Artists Studio (Wales). Based on the long-running BBC TV series.
• The Changeover: Angela Littlejohn, Angela Littlejohn Films (New Zealand). Based on Margaret Mahy’s novel.
• Miss Shirley Bassey: Nicole Carmen-Davis, Rainy Day Films (UK). Director: Marc Evans.
• The Edible Woman: Judy Holm, Markham Street Films (Canada). Director: Francine Zuckerman. Based on Margaret Atwood’s iconic 1963 novel.
• The Truth Commissioner: Eoin O’Callaghan and Kevin Jackson, Big Fish Films (Northern Ireland).
• Based on the best-selling novel by David Park.
• The Shadow Chaser (TV Series): German Mendez, Pandilla Films (Mexico).
• Coldsleep Lullaby: Brigid Olen, DO Productions (South Africa). Director: Jonathan Wacks. Based on author Andrew Brown’s novel of the same name.
• Ping Pong Summer: Ryan Zacaris, Nomadic Entertainment (USA). Director: Michael Tully. Cast: Susan Sarandon and Amy Sedaris.

Countries attending SP include Austria, Australia, Wales, Scotland, England, Northern Ireland, Belgium, Ireland, Russia, Lithuania, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Finland, Germany, South Africa, India, The Netherlands, USA and Canada.

One of the most recent success stories is the Newfoundland-Quebec-France co-production,The Grand Seduction, directed by Don McKellar. Starring Brendan Gleason and Taylor Kitsch, it began shooting in St. John’s, Newfoundland July 30, 2012. "We are always excited, but never surprised, by the volume and quality of co-productions that come out of our meetings," said Jan Miller, Director of Strategic Partners. "The Grand Seduction is a terrific example of not only an international co-production, but also an inter-provincial one. Helping build strong partnerships and top-notch film, TV and multi-platform projects is what makes SP a standout in the industry. As Atlantic Canadians, we can be extremely proud of what we’ve been building over the past 15 years.”