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MPA - Beijing International Film Festival - Beijing Film Market to Create Incubator for Developing Film Projects and Nurturing the Next Generation of Filmmakers
The 5th Beijing International Film Festival - Beijing Film Market and the Motion Picture Association (MPA) announced a series of joint initiatives designed to advance China’s filmmaking and young filmmakers by fast-tracking and pitching projects with help from workshops, pitching opportunities, mentoring and award competitions. Geared toward championing emerging creative talent and incubating marketable film projects, MPA and Beijing Film Market have joined hands to present:
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A new “MPA Grand Prize” created to award the winner of the MPA Film Workshop, which has now has become part of the Beijing Film Market’s “Film Project Market”. The recipient will join winners from similar competitions at other MPA film workshops for a study tour to Hollywood studios to learn about professional filmmaking. They will also get a rare opportunity to pitch their projects to studios for international film co-production.
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A variety of activities including the MPA Film Workshop opening forum/panel discussion, MPA Film Workshop, coaching sessions and project pitching aimed to accelerate the development of promising projects from the “Film Project Market”. As an official part of the Beijing Film Market program, shortlisted workshop projects selected from the “Film Project Market” will receive dedicated coaching from master filmmakers and industry veterans.
The “Film Project Market,” an outgrowth of the Beijing Film Market’s “Project Pitches,” which since 2014 has developed into an incubator for outstanding film projects. The market organizer hopes to integrate financial, legal, production, post production and promotional resources from the “Film Factor Market,” the Beijing Film Market’s other professional platform, to ensure the full support of projects with high market potential.
Since its inception three years ago, the Beijing Film Market’s “Project Pitches” has continued to grow and has successfully incubated a number of outstanding movie projects, including: The Bodyguard (originally titled The Old Guard and a 2013 “Special Award” winner), Mountain Cry (2014 “Projects with Greatest Commercial Potential” award winner), and 77 days (2014 “Special Award” winner). An additional number of shortlisted projects are set to enter production in 2015. Online submission for the “Project Pitches” of the 5th Beijing International Film Festival - Beijing Film Market is currently open at: http://bfm.bjiff.com.
This year’s joint initiatives build on Beijing International Film Festival - Beijing Film Market and MPA’s collaboration in 2014, the “MPA-Beijing International Film Festival - Beijing Film Market Film Workshop”. That successful event featured top-notch Hollywood studio executives and seasoned filmmakers including: Frederick Huntsberry, Chief Operating Officer of Paramount Picture Corporation; Carlos Saldanha, director of Ice Age 2; Andre Morgan, award-winning Hollywood producer; Ellen Eliasoph, President and CEO of Village Roadshow Entertainment Group Asia; Tracey Trench, head of Oriental Dreamworks’ creative development department; and Lucas Oliver Frost, international producer; as well as prestigious Chinese filmmakers such as director/screenwriter Xue Xiaolu (Finding Mr. Right), film director Zhang Yibai (Fleet of Time) and director Gao Qunshu (The Tokyo Trial). Presenters shared their expertise and creative insights with students via forums, classes and group sessions.