Film London Launches Production Finance MArket

Film London has launched the Production Finance Market (PFM), with a global call for applications targeting experienced producers with projects to pitch international financiers.

The eighth PFM will take place in London on Wednesday 15 - Thursday 16 October and following a successful pilot in 2013, the Film London Micro Market will run alongside the event on Thursday 16th October. An innovative market for projects budgeted at under €1m, the Micro Market connects UK filmmakers with financiers seeking micro and low budgeted features, as well as providing crucial training.
The PFM has now helped support at least 50 projects into production, which includes producers securing direct finance and sales and distribution deals, as well as delegates building relationships and partnerships on projects not presented at the PFM. This year it adds Italy's Trieste Film Festivalto its list of international partners.
A feature pitched at the Micro Market is October starts shooting next month after securing funding at the event, while a number of other projects are close to closing investment deals.
Adrian Wootton, Chief Executive of Film London and British Film Commission said: "As the UK's only finance market, I am proud the PFM has become a well respected fixture on the international film industry calendar. The format works and is effective, so it is hugely gratifying to combine that with our expertise in the micro-budget arena to deliver something really valuable for the UK's emerging talent. To ensure we meet the industry's needs, we constantly evolve to address changes in the global market place. Demand for the inaugural Micro Market, and its resulting success stories, demonstrate this is filling a real gap for our domestic filmmakers. While with the PFM continues to create and cultivate international financing relationships, particularly for projects between €3m-10m, which are struggling to get made."
The only event of its kind in the UK, the PFM has grown in size, scope and reputation since its launch in 2007, becoming a key event in the industry calendar. In association with the BFI London Film Festival, the event is dedicated to connecting producers with financiers to encourage new global film financing relationships and has an average project budget of €4.5m.
Hosting over 800 face to face meetings and a further 300 financier-to-financier meetings over the two days, it is popular with producers and financiers alike, with 98% of producers and 92% of financiers confirming they would return to the market in the future. In 2013 the PFM was attended by 145 delegates from 17 countries featuring companies such as Sony Pictures Classics, Endgame Entertainment, Ingenious Media, Visit Films, Lionsgate, Focus Features and CIT Group, and from Europe companies including France's Wild Brunch and TF1 Droits Audiovisuels, Italy's RAI Cinema and Cattleya, Filmax from Spain and Belgium's UMedia.
This year sees the PFM form a new partnership with the When East Meets West co-production event at the Italy's Trieste Film Festival, which aims to connect financiers, decision makers and film professionals from Eastern Europe and the UK and Ireland. This extends the Market's ever growing international reach: over the past seven years, the PFM has diversified and increasingly attracted delegates from a wide range of territories to cultivate international co-productions and cross-territory relationships. The partnership with Trieste joins a list of established partnerships with Toronto International Film Festival's International Financing Forum, Melbourne International Film Festival's 37ºSouth Market, Rome International Film Festival's New Cinema Network, Ile de France Film Commission, Rio Filme/Rio Film Commission and the Norwegian International Film Festival in Haugesund. The PFM is supported by Mayor of London, Creative Europe and the BFI.