The Monaco-based International Emerging Film Talent Association (IEFTA) returns for this year’s 70th Cannes Film Festival (May 17-28) with four different initiatives.
First up, in partnership with the International Film Initiative of Bangladesh (IFIB), IEFTA will present Dhaka to Cannes, a biennial event in support of emerging filmmakers from Bangladesh. This year’s selected participants, Lubna Sharmin, Md Abid Mallick and Kazi Muntasir, will be brought to Cannes to take part in the Producers Workshop hosted by the Marché du Film.
This unique opportunity will include three days of intensive meetings with some of the world’s most prominent filmmakers, film executives and industry power brokers, identifying best practices and relevant programs while focusing on ways in which artistic and commercial efforts can be made sustainable across local and global markets.
A similar initiative, Addis to Cannes, was launched by IEFTA in 2010 in partnership with the Ethiopian Film Initiative to support young Ethiopian filmmakers through a career-developing trip to Cannes. Past participants have gone on to have their films shown in international festivals such as Berlin, Toronto and Venice, and sold to worldwide markets.
Through its mentorship initiative, IEFTA will also sponsor two filmmakers from Mongolia, Tsengel Davaasambuu and Mungunkhuu Distabazar, to the Producers Network.
In addition, as part of IEFTA’s sponsorship of Watersprite: The Cambridge International Student Film Festival, the runner-up of the Filmmaker of the Future prize – an award for filmmakers campaigning for change – will be brought to Cannes to take part in the Producers Workshop. This year’s participant will be UK-based Italian documentary filmmaker, Pietro Novello.
IEFTA will host on Friday, from 5 pm to 7 pm, a reception at Plage Royal for Dhaka to Cannes: A Celebration of Talent. The event will fete participating Bangladeshi filmmakers from this year’s inaugural Dhaka to Cannes initiative, as well as the Mongolian filmmakers, and Watersprite participants.
Lastly, this Sunday, from 10 am to 11:30 am, IEFTA will present its second annual Doc Corner event focusing on the enduring plight of refugees and migrants. Hosted by the Marché du Film, it will be followed by a reception from 5 pm to 7 pm on the beach of Plage 45, honouring filmmakers whose work gives a voice to refugees.
The mission of IEFTA, a Monaco non-profit, non-governmental organisation, is to discover and promote emerging cinema talent from around the world, encourage dialogue between filmmakers, promote cultural diversity and international understanding, and engage the art of cinema. Focusing on the world’s developing regions, IEFTA’s Global Film Expression provides opportunity and education to those with little to no access to resources for cinematic expression. This year marks the 11th anniversary of IEFTA-supported initiatives.
Contact IEFTA for more information.
Article first published May 16, 2017.
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