Film Agency Invests In Three New Films

The Film Agency for Wales is backing three new features with £460,000 in funding: Isabel Coixet’s Panda Eyes, Duane Hopkins’ Bypass, and Dominic Murphy’s Cassy and Jude.
Fox International Productions is taking on the distribution as well as handling sales.
The Film Agency invested £200,000 in the teen psychological chiller due to go into production Spring 2012.
"This project will see a team of producing partners, from across the UK, working together to increase vital talent relationships and connect with financing partners across Europe," said Suzanne Alizart, Interim Chief Executive of the Film Agency for Wales.
"Without doubt, the talent behind this film gives it real commercial viability and we would expect significant interest with both festival and commercial exposure. The potential economic benefits for Wales are also strong with a substantial inward investment of approximately £1.75 million and a Wales based shoot ensuring jobs for local crew."
Severn Screen will be shooting Bypass in late Spring 2012 in conjunction with Third Films. The film will be directed by one of the UK’s most promising writer-directors, Duane Hopkins. A festival favorite with his debut Better Things, Hopkins won the critics’ prize at the Stockholm Film Festival alongside receiving Camera D’Or and Michael Powell nominations at Cannes and Edinburgh.
£110,000 has been awarded to Severn Screen for the project which also has support from the British Film Institute and Sweden based Film I Vast.
Meanwhile the Film Agency for Wales has also awarded £150,000 to Welsh producer Meinir Stoutt of Links Film Productions for the feature film titled Cassy and Jude, a UK/French co-production. Meinir recently moved to producing having been in the industry for a number of years as an established and experienced line producer. She most recently produced Owen Sheers' film Resistance starring Michael Sheen and Andrea Riseborough which has now opened to critical acclaim in cinemas throughout the UK. Resistance was also funded by the Film Agency for Wales. This funding will give Meinir and Links Films Productions the opportunity to work alongside Sam Taylor and Mike Downey of F&ME, one of the UK’s most successful independent production companies and Partizan, an award winning French production company.
Suzanne Alizart concluded: "The funding for these three feature films is all about nurturing Welsh film talent and supporting the long-term viability of Welsh production companies. Our investment plays an important role in ensuring that Welsh talent develops and produces high impact films of international significance, confirming Wales as the creative nation to watch."
(LB/GK)