16 Teams Selected From Over 350 England-wide Submissions For iFeatures2

A dazzling array of up-and coming talent has been selected from over 350 submissions to participate in iFeatures2, the UK’s most exciting low budget feature film initiative.
Creative England, together with its partners, the BFI Film Fund, BBC Films and Creative Skillset, is delighted to announce the 16 teams that will make up the iFeatures2 development slate. Each will now undergo intensive creative and commercial development as the initiative gears up to greenlight three films into production in early 2013 at budgets of £350,000.
One of the strongest features of this year’s slate is its tremendous variety. Geographically diverse, the stories truly encompass the length and breadth of England: from the surfing beaches of Cornwall to the stock car tracks of Norfolk; from a lighthouse on the Northumbrian coast to the Hampshire hills; and from the eerie shores of the Lake District to the post-industrial badlands of the East Midlands. The genres of the projects are equally wide: from thriller to comedy, drama to documentary, science fiction to western. The talent, too, originates from an impressive range of creative disciplines, including television, theatre, visual arts, music and short film.
Tristan Goligher, iFeatures2 Executive Producer, commented: “It’s great to see such a broad range of talent and ideas. During the selection process we came across projects where it was clear that the filmmakers were trying to present the kind of film they thought we wanted to see. But the 16 films that have made it through have a clear identity and are not trying to fit into any preconceived idea of what iFeatures is about. There’s no such thing as a typical iFeatures film, so it’s refreshing to see this really interesting and original mix of projects, ideas and personalities.”
Christopher Moll, Creative England’s Head of Talent and the architect of iFeatures, said: “The teams and projects that have made it through provide proof that Creative England really is reaching out to filmmakers across the English regions and beyond. It’s good to see how connections are being forged between cities, regions and even the nations, reflecting the collaborative ethos at the heart of the iFeatures programme.
“It’s also gratifying to see that many of the participants have come up through shorts schemes such as Digital Shorts, through mentoring programmes such as Guiding Lights and from exceptional educational establishments such as the National Film and Television School. It demonstrates their importance as vital conduits for emerging talent where they can learn their trade, gain the experience and make the contacts that will enable them to develop their careers in film.”
Chris Collins, Senior Executive, BFI Film Fund, said: “For the 16 shortlisted teams, entering this intensive development phase marks the beginning of an exciting journey that will see their ideas really begin to take shape. A high standard of submissions made choosing just 16 projects from over 350 a difficult task, and is a testament to the strength of the talent and ideas which have made the shortlist. We're looking forward to working closely with our iFeatures partners in supporting the development of the projects.”
Steve Jenkins, Head of Films for BBC Programme Acquisitions, commented: “We are very impressed with the terrific range and quality of the teams and projects. Getting to the final three is clearly going to be extremely tough...in the best way!”
Dan Simmons, Head of Film at Creative Skillset, said: “It is fantastic that, building on the successes of its predecessor, iFeatures2 has generated such a high level of interest from across the UK, attracting such strong, promising talent with very exciting proposals. We look forward to supporting the progress of the filmmakers on the scheme and wish each creative team the best of luck with their projects as they undertake this intense development process.”
www.creativeengland.co.uk