Editor

Trans Atlantic Partners tags impressive slate of producers for third annual co-production training opportunity

Twenty-four producers from Canada, Europe and the United States have been selected to participate in Trans Atlantic Partners, co-presented by Canada's Strategic Partners, Germany's Erich Pommer Institut and New York's Independent Filmmaker Project.

The impressive list of producers will take part in the 2011 event - an intensive, three-module film training program for producers seeking co-production and co-venture professional development - which kicks off in Berlin in June before moving to Halifax and New York in September.

Spotlighting some of the impressive line-up:

-          Canadians Karyn Edwards, Brightlight Pictures, Vancouver (Fifty Dead Men Walking), Jennifer Holness, Hungry Eyes Film & Television, Toronto (Love, Sex & Eating the Bones), Chaz Thorne, Standing 8 Productions, Halifax (Poor Boy's Game, Just Buried, Whirligig) and Real Chabot, Films du Boulevard, Montreal (Le Poil de la bete, Le Deserteur, The Timekeeper)

-          Europeans Tom Collins, De Facto Films, Ireland (Dead Long Enough, The Boys of St. Columb's, and Bogwoman), Dariusz Jablonski, Apple Film Production, Poland (My Australia, Land of Oblivion)

-          Americans Jared Moshe, Stick! Pictures, New York (Corman's World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel, Kurt Cobain About a Son) and Ron Simons, SimonSays Entertainment, New York (Night Catches Us, Gun Hill Road)

"These award-winning producers possess a remarkable wealth of expertise and insight, and they will bring with them a diverse array of film projects that are ripe for co-production," said Trans Atlantic Partner's co-presenter and Strategic Partners Director Jan Miller. "They will no doubt benefit immensely from our program - in a concrete way that will support their projects moving to the next level in the international marketplace."

Among the highlights of the June event will be a case study of The Whistleblower, starring Oscar-winners Rachel Weisz and Vanessa Redgrave and Oscar nominee David Strathairn. The Canada-Germany co-production will be presented (and dissected) by producer Christina Poivesan. Participants can also look forward to a case study of The Loneliest Planet, presented by producers Jay Van Hoy and Lars Knudsen. The thriller about a couple backpacking in the Georgian wilderness (a US-Germany co-production set for release later this year) stars Mexico-born Gael Garcia Bernal (Y tu mama tambien). 

TAP offers one-of-a-kind, in-depth professional development to established film producers. Trainers and resource people are active, leading industry co-production players. Participants receive training on all aspects of co-production, including legal, finance, distribution and exploitation. The program allows producers to gain knowledge and practical advice to move their productions forward

Trans Atlantic Partners is supported by the MEDIA Mundus Programme of the European Union, by Telefilm Canada and by Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg. It is presented by the Erich Pommer Institut (Germany), the Independent Filmmaker Project (USA), and Strategic Partners.

Strategic Partners is one of the world's pre-eminent co-production markets, focusing on feature film, TV fiction, multiplatform and long form documentaries. SP is the place to discover and develop compelling projects and make investment happen. Trans Atlantic Partners and Strategic Partners are productions of the Atlantic Film Festival.

The Strategic Partners' call for producer applications and industry registrations is now open. Deadline is July 11. Apply online at www.atlanticfilm.com/sp

A top Canadian festival, the Atlantic Film Festival is held each September in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Strong East Coast roots support a unique format for the festival, with its distinctive focus on film and music. It is large enough to attract the world's most notable actors, directors and producers, but intimate enough to be innovative and flexible in its approach to the changing needs of our audiences and the industry. The AFF provides an unpretentious atmosphere to experience the best Atlantic, Canadian and international films, while showcasing some of the best musical talent from around Atlantic Canada. The Atlantic Film Festival produces: Strategic Partners, ViewFinders: International Film Festival for Youth, alFresco filmFesto, and Music & Image.