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AUG 31-6 SEP | 2020
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INSIDE
Geoff Macnaughton Senior Director, Industry & Theatrical
STORIES
34 TIFF: The Show And Business Goes On
8 Make In India Show The World
16 Moviesaints To Release Memories Of 2 www.pickle.co.in India’s OnlyA Media BIZ magazine for the world Forgotten War
CONNECT WITH US Amit Khanna is media guru, poet, lyricist, writer, filmmaker and historian.
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Truth Is Dead
AFM Makes Buyers Passes Free For 2020 Virtual Edition
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Submissions Open For Berlinale Co-Production Market www.pickle.co.in 3 India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world
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FROM T HE E D ITO R
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he Media and Entertainment Sector is getting into action mode with several markets and conferences lined up in the next three months. While many of them will take place in virtual format, it has infused optimism among M&E Industry representatives to plan out next steps and strategise way forward in the wake of coronavirus pandemic. As we write this Confederation of Indian Industry’s (CII) Global AVGC Summit FX is on (Sept 1-4); Venice International Film Festival (Sept 2-12); Venice Production Bridge (Sept 3-11); Toronto International Film Festival (Sept 10-19) MIPCOM RENDEZVOUS CANNES and MIPCOM Online+(Oct 12-14); American Film Market (Nov 9-13), International Film Festival of India (IFFI) (Nov 20-28), Film Bazaar (Nov 20-24). For the 12th consecutive year, Pickle magazine will bring out an India focused film business and media services edition on the occasion of the 45th Toronto International Film Festival and Market. This is our 12th India focused TIFF edition. Pickle has partnership with TIFF Industry and they will distribute Pickle in press rack of the Toronto festival website (www.tiff.net) with other leading trades.
be able to witness pre-covid-19 in the time to come. This means overhauling business modules, innovative actions and working on products and services that caters to the New Normal M&E Sector. One of such services that caught our attention is the about to be launched ads2OTT. “This is India’s first integrated OTT ad exchange medium that will enable advertisers from nook and corner of India to place ads in OTT platforms that they would want to target,” says Arun Tyagi, Founder, ads2OTT. It aims to provide a one-stop solution for brands to advertise across OTT platforms. Amit Khanna’s column Truth is Dead raises questions on social media and practitioners of today’s journalism. Experts point out that. We may be heading towards a situation when we would need labeling of content as news or ads (with source), similar to labeling of packaged food. While selling food without labels could have serious health implications for consumers, we are close enough to assume that news without label (source) could make readers stupid. Any views? Please share your ideas to stem Fake News. Feel free to email your thoughts and suggestions.
The M&E industry is going through tough times and many industry representatives we spoke to expect things to get better in the second half of 2021. And we will never
n vidyasagar pickle media nat@pickle.co.in, www.pickle.co.in
Pickle Volume XIV 8th, 9th Edition Published by Pickle Media Private Limited Email: natvid@gmail.com l Mumbai l Chennai No.2, Habib Complex Dr Durgabhai Deshmukh Road RA Puram CHENNAI 600 028
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MAKE YOUR COMPLETED FILMS VISIBLE IN PICKLE TORONTO EDITIONS TH SEPT 7 & PICKLE DIGITAL TH 14 2020 EDITION IN Pickle reaches out to audio visual companies in over 50 countries; Targets global buyers and distributors; Film Festivals and markets; Animation production companies; Global companies looking at offshoring from India; Co-production seekers and location service providers. Pickle business guide tracks the entertainment business in India.
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PICKLE IN TIFF TRADE RACK
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PICKLE INDIA FOCUSED TORONTO EDITION For the 12th consecutive year, Pickle magazine will bring out an India focused film business and media services edition on the occasion of the 45th Toronto International Film Festival and Market
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INDIA AT TORONTO PICKLE EDITION One
full page feature of your completed film project, work in progress or outsourced media services in online Pickle: India Film Catalogue. Pickle digital edition will be in the trade racks (www.tiff.net) for all TEN days of the market (September 10-19)
Featured in the pickle website (www.pickle.co.in) and
your film project covered in Pickle Toronto newsletters to targeted buyers, sales agents and festivals Pickle
Toronto India Film Catalogue will have a wide distribution in digital formats before and during TIFF.
Film
projects will be featured in Sept 7 and Sept 14 Pickle editions
Hurry…time is running out… If you have questions call or whatapp +91 9884562227 OR email to pickle@pickle.co.in
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his is our 12th India focused TIFF edition. Pickle has partnership with TIFF Industry and they will distribute Pickle in press rack of the Toronto festival website (www.tiff.net) with other leading trades. As a run up to the market, there will also be dedicated newsletters and special focus on Indian film business and India participation at Toronto with the objectives of producers, filmmakers, buyers, locales, service providers, market reviews and film screenings. Pickle magazine will be updating the issue during the market days. And will also bring out Toronto Daily Newsletters before and during the Toronto Market. The editorial focus of the Pickle issue will reflect on the reality scenario in the aftermath of COVID 19, completed film projects, co-production opportunities and strengths of the Indian M&E service industry. Pickle’s goal is to help you buy, sell and distribute content for overseas
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territories, find co-production partners, offshore with best of the Indian service companies and track media and entertainment business in India. Pickle will also bring out India Film Catalogue as part of the Pickle Toronto edition. Given the recent elevation of the digital audiovisual industry by the Government of India and its identification of media and entertainment as a champion sector, there is an immense opportunity to boost exports exponentially. Indian media, entertainment and technology services are growing at an accelerated pace on the back of growing offshore services domain, especially in animation, VFX, gaming, AR/VR, film production, location and new media, among others. In the current scenario, the Indian animation and VFX services have gained a lot of traction among the international producers and production houses. Top Indian companies have attained leadership to provide niche cloud services for global M&E companies and studios.
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CII GLOBAL AVGC SUMMIT FX
MAKE IN INDIA
SHOW THE
WORLD
Confideration of Indian Industry’s Global AVGC Summit FX (Sept 1-4) took off on a bright note. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent statements on India as hub for toy industry, encouraging creation of digital games based on Indian culture have given a huge fillip to Summit FX deliberations on animation, gaming, VFX made in India and serve the world
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AVGC is not only a sunrise industry but a very promising industry and India has an opportunity to develop and become a leader in this field Gaming is apt for Make In India and Show the World. If we develop Indian stories for the world, it will be a great success We are in touch with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and they are very keen to support the AVGC sector as it is an important element in our service exports We are very happy that the Prime Minister of India has emphasised on the digital gaming industy. The gaming industry today has the potential to promote Indian culture across the globe
Prakash Javadekar Minister of Information & Broadcasting and Environment; Forest & Climate Change and Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises
Amit Khare Secretary Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
Atul Kumar Tiwari Additional Secretary Ministry of Information & Broadcasting
Chandrajit Banerjee Director General Confederation of Indian Industry
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rime Minister Narendra Modi’s statements on turning India into a toy hub and his clarion call for creation of digital games and needed technology and innovation in this space resonated at the inaugural session of CII’s Global AVGC (Animtation, VFX, Gaming, Comics) Summit FX 2020. Prime Minister emphasised this on two occassions -- first time at a meeting to boost toy manufacturing in the country and second time at his radio address Mann ki Baat. Taking nuggets from PM Narendra Modi’s speech on digital gaming potential, Prakash Javadekar, Minister of Information & Broadcasting and Environment; Forest & Climate Change and Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises emphasised huge potential for Indian gaming sector and announced a Gamification Centre to be set up at IIT Mumbai. “We have formed an expert committee, through the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting & IIT Bombay. The committee has submitted its report to create a gamification centre. This is a landmark decision that will act as a forum for our entrepreneurs and help them to move ahead within the industry,” said Javadekar at the Summit FX 2020 inaugural address.
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The Audio-Visual Champion Sector scheme (soon to be announced) provides incentives for people from all over the world to shoot in India for pre-production and post-production. Incentives for AVGC Sector are included in this scheme We need to focus on the creation of special economic zones for content production across the country While six States are pursuing an AVGC policy, it is urgent to have a National AVGC policy acting as a fountain of thought for other State policies We need to open up cinema halls as there is a lot of worry and anxiety in the film industry, both on the exhibition and film side
TCA Kalyani Joint Secretary (Films) Ministry of Information & Broadcasting
K Madhavan Chairman CII National Committee on Media & Entertainment and Managing Director Star India Pvt Limited & Disney India
Biren Ghose Vice Chair, CII National Committee on Media & Entertainment and Country Head Technicolor India
Siddharth Roy Kapur Co-Chairman, CII National Committee on Media & Entertainment and Managing Director Roy Kapur Films
Javadekar said AVGC is not only a sunrise industry but a very promising industry and India has an opportunity to develop and become a leader in this field. “Gamification and animation will become a major export for the country and a wealth generator,” he added. He also emphasised that worldover there is violence in gaming and need of the hour is value based gaming. “This sector has the potential to change the way our children learn, and therefore the four days of deliberation by CII at Summit FX, will give us concrete recommendations and suggestions for the government and private sector to work together,” he maintained. Amit Khare, Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said the government is working on an National AVGC Policy and creation of National Centre for Excellence in Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics in IIT Mumbai. “There is a consensus building that the Central and State Governments need to come together to promote Centers of Excellence for AVGC industry. We need to work with the State Governments further, and it is in this line we are working and finalizing the AVGC policy for the Government of India,” said Khare.
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Producing Games in India -State of the Art and Next Steps
Kids Content Original Content: India Stories on the Global Stage
The Studio at Home - Working remotely in this COVID scenario
The Future of Games - A strategic view for 2020-2025
Styling Local IP for Global Markets - Conversations with the Gurus
The Journey of Digital Humans in Films
The vision of NCoE is to become one of the leading institutes globally, offering world class education in AVGC sector and productively engage with the industry. The Government is in consultation with industry stakeholders and the centre is likely to come up in one to two years. Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, Confederation of Indian Industry said Summit FX has been curated and nurtured to create a facilitative environment for the growing AVGC sector. “The gaming industry today has the potential to promote Indian culture across the globe,” he said. Chandrajit Banerjee maintained that Summit FX will help develop timely thought leadership and insights to add value to the content creators, broadcasters, buyers, studios, production companies, distributors, technology providers and developers across the AVGC sector. K Madhavan, Chairman, CII National Committee on Media & Entertainment and Managing Director Star India Pvt Limited & Disney India stated the total global value for AVGC business is approximately 260 billion, while Indian share currently is less than 1 per cent. The contraction of the industry due to the ongoing pandemic, can be corrected with the right policies and regulations and we will be able to bounce back to meet our target of 100 billion in 2030, out of which we expect a 15% contribution from the AVGC sector. Madhavan prioritised three focus areas -- creation of special economic zones for content production across the country; a relook at GST for AVGC Sector; need to have an AVGC policy making more Indian states to participate and create India as a global AVGC hub. It is of utmost importance to form a Council where financial resources from the Central and the State Governments can complement other resources and investments, stated Biren Ghose, Vice Chair, CII National Committee on Media & Entertainment and Country Head Technicolor India. “CII can help facilitate this concept. While six States are pursuing an AVGC policy, it is urgent to have a National AVGC policy acting as a fountain of thought for other State policies. It is imperative to see how resources can be combined with the States and private sector to create one integrated plan, such as the national highway, to help create digital infrastructure across the nation.” Siddharth Roy Kapur, Co-Chairman, CII National Committee on Media & Entertainment and Managing Director, Roy Kapur Films expressed the need for the Ministry of Home Affairs to open up Cinema Halls as there is a lot of worry and anxiety in the film industry, both on the exhibition and film side. Summit FX 2020 has over 30+ Knowledge Sessions, 120+ speakers and 15 buyers deliberating on a wide range of issues that cuts across the spectrum looking to develop a cohesive industry engagement with core cross sectoral policy dialogues and strategic exchanges.
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LIES AND FAKES
TRUTH IS
DEAD When popularity on social media becomes a yardstick of measuring success, trolling, fake news, doctored posts and a lot of propaganda and promotion becomes the norm BY AMIT KHANNA
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Amit Khanna is media guru, poet, lyricist, writer, filmmaker and historian.
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echnology has opened up absolutely amazing possibilities of mass communication and personal engagement. In the past few years, we have an unprecedented situation in human history where almost 5 billion people are just one button away from each other. According to Statista, a global media research firm, 4.57 billion people were active internet users as of July 2020, encompassing 59 per cent of the global population. China, India and the United States alone contribute 70 per cent of these users. Another billion are online occasionally. Virtually everyone using the Internet is active on one of the many leading social media platforms. Even as hundreds of millions wake up to a good morning message from friends and family, an equal if not more are busy spewing venom ad nauseum. This democratization of media has challenged decades of conventional wisdom of communication. Anyone anywhere anytime can express an
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opinion, criticise, endorse, abuse, applaud and contradict others. Social media, an omnibus term for all applications and services which allow one to one, one to many and many to many interactions has upset the status quo in politics, diplomacy, news, arts and entertainment and, of course, interpersonal relationships.
FOR MANY, SOCIAL MEDIA IS THE ONLY SHELTER FROM THE HUMDRUM OF LIFE. WITHOUT SOCIAL MEDIA, SOCIAL, ETHICAL, ENVIRONMENTAL AND POLITICAL ILLS WOULD HAVE MINIMAL VISIBILITY. INCREASED VISIBILITY OF ISSUES HAS SHIFTED THE BALANCE OF POWER FROM THE HANDS OF A FEW TO THE MASSES. THE FLIPSIDE IS THE AMOUNT OF VITRIOL GENERATED ON SOCIAL MEDIA
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MANY PUBLIC FIGURES WHO OWE THEIR EXISTENCE TO SOCIAL MEDIA ARE UP IN ARMS WHEN THE SAME SOCIAL MEDIA IS USED TO DEMOLISH THEM. FACEBOOK AND TWITTER AND SUCH LIKE APPS RUN A LEGITIMATE BUSINESS WITH WELL-PUBLICIZED BUSINESS POLICIES. AS LONG AS THEY FOLLOW THE RULE OF LAW, HOW CAN ANYONE ACCUSE THEM OF BEING PARTISAN. IT’S THEIR PLATFORM, THEIR BUSINESS, IT’S FOR THEM TO DECIDE THE RULES OF USE. Unfortunately, while billions of people are “posting” on social media constantly, they are not ready to face the consequences, social, political, cultural, economic or psychological. So now, a blame game has begun on the insidious ramification of an always-on society. But, most are blaming platforms, websites and applications for their own inability to handle the cataclysmic change in our lives, real and virtual. It is we who are irresponsible in our comments on social media. The transition from traditional media to social media engagement has been rather swift. Unlike the known power paradigm of newspapers and broadcasting, social media is anarchic. In a peculiar democratic way, it gives the control of not only what to say but when to say it. Look how YouTube has given an outlet for millions of people an opportunity to showcase their talent. Or how Wikipedia has become a source of information and Google fountainhead. A fountainhead of digging out even the tiniest fragment of news from obscurity. User generated content is the bedrock on which social media giants have been built. When individuals post on various topics, an inherent bias is likely. When popularity on social media becomes a yardstick of measuring success, trolling, fake news, doctored posts and a lot of propaganda and promotion becomes the norm.
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Since the last few years, there has been a constant chatter about politics, specially elections being influenced by fake news and social media manipulation. In fact, now apps and platforms are often unfairly accused of being partisan and manipulative. What most people do not realise, leave alone understand, is that the rules of a networked society are being written every minute and virtual anarchy for a while is a foregone conclusion. No media or journalist ever talks about their political biases or their editorial slant, yet it’s an open secret who stands for what. Why blame social media for similar biases? After all, journalists take refuge under freedom of expression all the time. Has journalism ever been truly independent? The answer is “no”. What is unpalatable to traditional media and its practitioners that their relevance and importance is getting usurped by tech upstarts. Not only that, these Internet-driven companies are the new corporate giants. With billions of dollars’ net worth and hundreds of millions of subscribers they are also an integral part of our day-to-day life today. The problem gets compounded, as it did, when traditional media like print and TV started a symbiotic relationship with social media a decade ago. A newspaper covers a story based on a message from someone, it gets quoted on social media and TV runs endless debates on this source-based information. Another network picks it up and starts a fresh debate. Welcome Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp , Snapchat, Tik Tok et al and the virtual world is on fire. This de-value chain gets started with different linkages but, ultimately, all participants use one another to further their own interest.
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Like two parasites, both are now feeding on each other and only spewing out malcontent for the gossip-hungry consumers. Nothing spreads more or faster than malice or panegyric. With millions of trolls on all sides of all divides, viciousness is a foregone conclusion. Now, armed with bots or other smart algorithms, even AI, one can get millions of likes or dislikes in a matter of hours. Trolling is big business. Fake news be damned. Blame game has a billion progeny. “The first rule of social media is that everything changes all the time. What won’t change is the community’s desire to network,” says social media expert Kami Huyse. Thanks to the Internet, each person with marginal views can see that he’s not alone. Conversely, the majority reasserts its position more emphatically through social media. Platforms are not here to balance views or change public discourse. In fact, there is a direct correlation between a surfeit of news and falling standards of public discourse. Social media amplifies good and the bad. Social media is about discovery. When users find one another via social media, they respond. No wonder tweets, posts, pictures, some original, mostly photoshopped or forwarded fill terabytes of virtual space every minute. Likes, hates, emojis and memes are reinforcements of personal or collective emotions, negative and positive alike. The ongoing Sushant Singh Rajput case is just one example. Every political or social issue has a 360 degree maelstrom triggered by social media. It’s not that social media is always harmful. It has successfully
NOW, ARMED WITH BOTS OR OTHER SMART ALGORITHMS, EVEN AI, ONE CAN GET MILLIONS OF LIKES OR DISLIKES IN A MATTER OF HOURS. TROLLING IS BIG BUSINESS. FAKE NEWS BE DAMNED. BLAME GAME HAS A BILLION PROGENY 15
given voice to marginalised people, brought forgotten issues upfront and connected forgotten friends. For many, social media is the only shelter from the humdrum of life. Without social media, social, ethical, environmental and political ills would have minimal visibility. Increased visibility of issues has shifted the balance of power from the hands of a few to the masses. The flipside is the amount of vitriol generated on social media. Personal agendas drive a lot of the commentary on these apps. Social media is slowly killing real activism and replacing it with ‘slacktivism’. While social media activism brings an increased awareness about societal issues, questions remain as to whether this awareness is translating into real change. It is not surprising that governments all over, irrespective of political ideology, want to control social Internet-based content and apps. Even heads of governments and opposition leaders are haranguing on Twitter. As we have seen in recent times, mainstream media is obsessed with sensationalism, eyeball grabbing breaking news and rhetoric. While screaming anchors lead the charge on TV, it’s a motley group of cheerleaders who lead the troll armies. Many public figures who owe their existence to social media are up in arms when the same social media is used to demolish them. Facebook and Twitter and such like apps run a legitimate business with wellpublicized business policies. As long as they follow the rule of law, how can anyone accuse them of being partisan. It’s their platform, their business, it’s for them to decide the rules of use. Are all journalists and media free of bias. Can I, as a citizen or organization, force a publication or TV channel to give me space and time and be equitable in their coverage of politics. Let the first stone be cast by the one who has not used (abused?) media/ social or otherwise. (This column by Amit Khanna was originally published by IANS)
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SECOND WORLD WAR DOCUMENTARY
MOVIESAINTS
TO RELEASE
MEMORIES OF A
FORGOTTEN WAR Made over a period of three years, the Memories of a Forgotten War by Utpal Borpujari features interviews of a number of veterans from the British Indian Army and the Japanese Army who fought each other in the treacherous terrain on Manipur and Nagaland at great human and emotional cost the banner of Jookto and directed by National Award-winning filmmaker Utpal Borpujari, the film was part of the Indian Panorama at the 47th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in 2016 and had a special screening at the 15th Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) in 2018. Made over a period of three years, the film was shot extensively by an international crew in remote battle locations in Manipur and Nagaland, as well as in locations in the UK and Japan in addition to Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and New Delhi. It features interviews of a number of veterans from the British Indian Army and the Japanese Army who fought each other in the treacherous terrain on Manipur and Nagaland at great human and emotional cost.
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emories of a Forgotten War, a feature-length documentary on the Extreme valour, sacrifice and sufferings of thousands of soldiers and local people in the Northeast Indian theatre of World War II, will stream via online platform MovieSaints from September 2, coinciding with the day the War ended 75 years ago. Produced by well known cyber security expert Subimal Bhattacharjee under
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The film has some rare footage – such as never-seen-before visuals from inside the Renkoji Temple in Tokyo, which houses the urn containing the purported ashes of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. In fact, this is the first instance of any video being allowed inside the temple. The only office of Netajiled Indian National Army (INA) on Indian soil, located at Moirang near Imphal, also features prominently in the film. Another highlight is the special footage of recovery of the wreckage of a lost 2nd World War plane by an expedition of the US Army in the mountains of Arunachal Pradesh.
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Memories of Forgotten War has some rare footage – such as never-seen-before visuals from inside the Renkoji Temple in Tokyo, which houses the urn containing the purported ashes of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. In fact, this is the first instance of any video being allowed inside the temple The film can be viewed via this link on pay-per-view basis: (moviesaints. com/movie/memories-of-a-forgottenwar). “We are really happy that this important film is reaching the audiences via Moviesaints, which is promoting quality cinema with a special eye on cinema from Northeast India. Our film is an important part of the history of Northeastern India that needed to be looked at from humanistic point of view before it faded away,” says producer Bhattacharjee, who had grew up Assam’s famous hill station Haflong. “As someone hailing from the region, I feel strongly about bringing out positive narratives from Northeastern India that is often in the news for the wrong reasons, and this film is part of that endeavour,” he says. “Until the National War Museum of Britain declared a few years ago that the Battle of Kohima was the most important battle fought by the Allied Army during the World War II, ahead of even the Normandy landing and many other such much betterknown battles, the battles of Manipur and Nagaland hardly attracted any attention. We have tried to bring out some of the memories of those battles by retelling the tales of valour of the young soldiers and of the local peoples who participated in or witnessed those battles,” says Borpujari, who won the National Award for his debut feature “Ishu” (Assamese) in 2018.
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“The documentary has tried to record for posterity some of the many stories of bravery and valour in a factual and emotionally-connective way. It’s a film that deals with the subject not as a military one but as one that impacted the lives of many individuals in many ways,” he says. Commenting on the “War & Dehumanization” package which also comprises SupriyoSen’s “Way Back Home” and “Hope Dies Last in War” and MarttiHelde’s Estonian film “In the Crosswinds (Risttuules)”, MovieSaints Chief operating officer Anupama Bose says, “Memories of a Forgotten War is the reason the series was born for us! It probably narrates one of the most bone chilling war anecdotes ever in its telling of the Battle of Kohima..and of how dehumanizing the process of war can be! “That a War Veteran from the winning side tells us of picking out the human debris of his own colleagues from his bedding to be able to sleep in it as a first person account makes it even more potent! We are proud to have curated this as a part of the series because nothing can be more tragic than being pitted against your own countrymen in war. And therein lies the realization - that it is equally cannibalistic when nations fight nations, humans fight humans, governments & leaders fight those who have elected them to power. (For more details go to www.pickle.co.in)
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INDIA’S FIRST INTEGRATED OTT EXCHANGE
ads2OTT SET TO LAUNCH
IN OCTOBER 2020 The exchange will offer an aggregation of ad inventory across leading and trusted OTT platforms. India is considered to be one of the most promising OTT markets in the world says Arun Tyagi, Founder, ads2OTT consumption per person per week, the second-most populous country is way above the global average of 6.8 hours. For example, Amazon Prime has reach in 4000 towns and cities in India.
ads2OTT, a home grown OTT advertising exchange is set to launch in India in October 2020 aiming to provide a one-stop solution for brands to advertise across OTT platforms. “This is India’s first integrated OTT ad exchange medium that will enable advertisers from nook and corner of India to place ads in OTT platforms that they would want to target,” says Arun Tyagi, Founder, ads2OTT under the aegis of 361 Degree Entertainment & Media Pvt Ltd. “India is considered to be one of the most promising OTT markets in the world”. The demand for content streamed via OTT is increasing day by day in India. Today, India ranks number two in digital video consumption in the world. With 8.43 hours of
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There are over 50 OTT platforms in India and poised to grow to $5 billion in the next three to four years. According to Counterpoint Research, India has 620 million active Internet users and expected to grow to 850 millionby 2022. India also accounts for the fastest adoption of smartphones now used by over 500 million users. Indian OTT market is currently pegged at $2.3 billion with over 300 million subscribers. Though there has been a substantial increase in subscription numbers, the potential of the advertising revenue is yet to be realised. Today brands and agencies are facing a challenge to reach out to multiple platforms in existence. Hence, there is a need of an exchange that offers ad inventory available across platforms, under one roof. ads2OTT’s futuristic construct, promises to fulfil advertisers’ requirements of focused advertising, which is both impactful and result oriented. With one seamless transaction you can reach viewers across any part of India, with highquality and on-demand content across popular TV shows, movies, LIVE sports and more.
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ads2OTT is India’s first integrated OTT ad exchange medium that will enable advertisers from nook and corner of India to place ads in OTT platforms that they would want to target,” says under the aegis of 361 India is considered to be one of the most promising OTT markets in the world
Arun Tyagi Founder ads2OTT
ads2OTT is envisioned to play a critical and catalytic role in forming OTT into a separate category within the Media Advertising Landscape Shivi Chopra Co-Founder ads2OTT
The focus is to go beyond metros and target regional and local advertisers especially in tier 2 and 3 markets. The exchange will specialise in helping brands, agencies and advertisers understand and navigate this revolutionary media landscape. Shivi Chopra, Co-Founder, ads2OTT says, “The rise of OTT platforms has presented a great opportunity for advertisers. The advent of the festive season along with the upcoming IPL will boost advertising and brands will look at investing in the OTT space in a big way.The question is no longer about whether to invest in OTT but rather How and How much. OTT offers a formidable combination of the impact of television along with the power and precision of digital. Our prime focus will be to help regional and local brands to experience the efficiency and effectiveness of the category. At the same time, we will be catering to national brands who are
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looking at conveying their brand’s message or extending their existing broadcast reach. We are extremely bullish about the future of OTT and the exponential ROI it will generate for advertisers.” Economic downturn and budget limitations could force marketers to adopt creative solutions to attract users. In the near future, ads2OTT will experiment with innovative formats such as in-show monetization, with shoppable content embedded directly in the stream as there is a need to think holistically. Advertisers will aim to capitalize on the OTT boom but will have to become more particular of the media sources and their proportion impacting the consumer mind space. Brands are increasingly allocating their marketing spends to OTT platforms as the digital medium becomes highly influential and consumers are deeply engaged with this medium.
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MIPCOM 2020
ALL3MEDIA, A+E NETWORKS, BBC
STUDIOS, ZDF JOIN GLOBAL
UPFRONTS LINEUP The 36th edition of the flagship entertainment content market will take place as MIPCOM RENDEZVOUS CANNES, a streamlined, 3-day gathering of the international television community in Cannes (October 12-14)
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IPCOM, the world’s leading content market has announced the first lineup of presenting studios to join the new 2020 Global UPFRONTS to debut during the MIPCOM RENDEZVOUS CANNES and MIPCOM ONLINE+ hybrid market this October. All3media, A+E Networks, BBC Studios and ZDF Enterprises are among the first major studios to confirm they will premiere content showcases as part of the first annual MIPCOM 2020 Global UPFRONTS presentations which will be scheduled across 11-13 October in the Grand Auditorium in the Palais des Festivals. Each studio will curate a dynamic 20-minute showcase of their most anticipated new programming including a mix of finished series and series that are in production or in pipeline. The 2020 Global UPFRONTS is a new feature at MIPCOM and aim to give buyers a fresh look at the most anticipated new programming from the world’s leading studios across all genres.
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The MIPCOM 2020 Global UPFRONTS lineup will include up to 14 studios who will present 20 minutes each over three days in October. The Global UPFRONTS will screen first for buyers in-person at MIPCOM Rendezvous Cannes and then later the same day worldwide via MIPCOM Online+. The 36th edition of the flagship entertainment content market will take place as MIPCOM RENDEZVOUS CANNES, a streamlined, 3-day gathering of the international television community in Cannes (October 12-14), together with MIPCOM ONLINE+, a premium digital service (October 5-mid-November). Delegates who are unable to attend MIPCOM RENDEZVOUS CANNES can set up online video meetings, screen programmes and access conferences via MIPCOM ONLINE+. The combination of MIPCOM RENDEZVOUS CANNES and MIPCOM ONLINE+ will enable MIPCOM’s international community to connect and share the MIPCOM experience, in Cannes or anywhere worldwide.
EACH STUDIO WILL CURATE A DYNAMIC 20-MINUTE SHOWCASE OF THEIR MOST ANTICIPATED NEW PROGRAMMING INCLUDING A MIX OF FINISHED SERIES AND SERIES THAT ARE IN PRODUCTION OR IN PIPELINE
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AFM REGISTRATION IS OPEN NOW
AFM MAKES BUYERS
PASSES FREE
FOR 2020 VIRTUAL EDITION Accredited Buyers will have access to the entire online campus, including screenings in the On Demand Theatre, Sales Company Booth pages, five days of live sessions
T
he American Film Market has announced that worldwide accredited buyers will receive complimentary credentials for AFM 2020 Online, taking place November 9 – 13, hosted by the Independent Film & Television Alliance® (IFTA®). Accredited Buyers will have access to the entire online campus, including screenings in the On Demand Theatre, Sales Company Booth pages, five days of live sessions with on-demand replays, LocationEXPO, MyAFM – the profile and connections platform, and a one year subscription to Cinando, the industry database. Buying companies that have not been previously accredited by AFM must apply for accreditation by October 23. After October 23, the Buyer registration fee is US$95. “AFM 2020 Online is an exciting opportunity for us to fully embrace all of the world’s Buyers, especially those who would not have been able to make the trip to Santa Monica,” said Michael Ryan, IFTA Chairperson and Partner, GFM Films. “The rapid changes and challenges in the
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industry create an even greater need for the Independents to have these dedicated five days to reunite and conduct business. On behalf of the IFTA Board of Directors, we look forward to welcoming every Buyer to AFMonline in November.” AFM has also opened virtual exhibitor registration. The fee to exhibit is US$495 and includes a bundle of features and services in addition to a dedicated Exhibitor Page. As with its live event, the AFM 2020 Online platform will present two distinct Exhibit spaces: Industry Offices will showcase sales, production and distribution companies and international organizations. LocationEXPO® will present film commissions, facilities, and production services that help producers bring their films to life. Registration for attendees is US$195. More details on sessions and networking features and events will be unveiled shortly. For online registration and information, visit http://AmericanFilmMarket.com.
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BRINGING FILM TO LIFE TM
Five days. Thousands of new films and projects. Countless opportunities to discover what producers from around the world have developed.
AMERICAN FILM MARKET
®
N o v e m b e r 9 -13 | o N L I N e | A m e r I c A N F I L m m A r k e t . c o m
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RENDEZVOUS CANNES
5 October - 17 November 2020
12 - 14 October 2020
MIPCOM 2020 transforms into MIPCOM RENDEZVOUS CANNES and MIPCOM Online+
VISIT MIPCOM.COM
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CONTXT2020
NÜRNBERGMESSE’S
CONTENT INDIA
SHOW FROM
OCTOBER 29-31 Content India Show’s has been created with the aim of connecting content creators with the broadcasters and digital platforms to promote and distribute in one of the largest, and most lucrative, entertainment markets of the world
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ürnbergMesse India has announced the launch of Content India Show (CONTX 2020) in online format from October 29-31 focusing on the digital and traditional content creation and consumption across media platforms. NürnbergMesse Group is one of the 15 largest trade fair companies in the world and has a network of international representatives operating in more than 100 countries. Its portfolio includes around 120 German and international trade fairs and Congresses. Content India Show’s We Go Digital Edition has been created with the aim of connecting content creators with the leading broadcasters and digital platforms enabling them to promote and distribute their catalogue and ideas in one of the largest, and most lucrative, entertainment markets of the world.
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The event will be held under the parent umbrella of A.B.I.S.ASIA’s BROADCASTING & INFOTAINMENT SHOW with two other co-located events BROADCAST INDIA SHOW ( India’s leading event for Broadcast, FILM, TV, Radio Technology) and SCAT INDIA TRADESHOW ( Leading Exhibition for Cable TV, Broadband, IPTV & Satellite Industry ), providing three days of seamless networking experience and will then transition into a yearlong active online networking platform. Earlier this year, NürnbergMesse expanded its international portfolio by acquiring the Indian exhibition SCaT India. SCaT India is a trade show focused on the entertainment and infotainment industries, which has been taking place in Mumbai every year since 1993. In 2016, it acquired Broadcast India Show, India’s leading trade fair for production and post-production in TV and film technology.
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Content India Show will be presented digitally in its first edition. It’s a very well-timed show for buying and selling of content, contributing enormously in forming new connections and generating new business
NürnbergMesse India, one of six international subsidiaries of NürnbergMesse, is ramping up its involvement in the entertainment and infotainment industry. “Content India Show will be presented digitally in its first edition. It’s a very welltimed show for buying and selling of content, contributing enormously in forming new connections and generating new business. Furthermore, by presenting all the three leading shows on a single platform covering the domains of broadcast, cable, satellite, content, broadband, media and infotainment, we expect that this combination will benefit the industry at large,’’ says Sonia Prashar, Managing Director, NürnbergMesse India She further added, “Technological disruptions and these unprecedented circumstances, have also ushered an era of change for the content industry. How they meander through present times and fully utilise the opportunities on offer will define the future of this growing sector. It is now up to the broadcasting and infotainment industry to cater and adapt to the changing times, plus capitalise on some of the emerging value drivers in this space.” The sentiment is also echoed by Aparna Acharekar, Programming
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Sonia Prashar Managing Director, NürnbergMesse India
Head at ZEE5: “Content India Show is a great initiative by NürnbergMesse India. OTT content is being consumed like never before and there is a continuous need for newer stories and formats to keep viewers entertained. This show will enable a global exchange of programming to the benefit of all,” she said.. Arun Thapar, President- Content & Communication, AETN 18 said, “Its about time the world’s largest producer of audio-visual content got its own dedicated content marketplace. Best wishes to Team Content India.” Saugata Mukherjee, Head – Original Content, SonyLiv at Sony Pictures Networks India said,” I wish the event the very best for its first edition and Congratulations for organising the event digitally in these trying times. There’s no better time for content to travel globally and new associations to be formed. Hope the event is a great success and brings in many synergies.” CONTX 2020 will feature a mix of technical sessions, technology showcase and networking. The platform itself will offer numerous features including meeting scheduler, product spotlight, attendee profiling and others, thus enabling seamless connectivity.
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BERLIN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
BERLINALE
2021 WILL BE A PHYSICAL FESTIVAL;
EFM IN HYBRID FORMAT Berlinale will take place in accordance with the then-applicable rules and regulations, thus ensuring the greatest possible security for all guests
“We are pleased that festivals with physically present audiences are slowly taking place again around the world, and we wish our colleagues much success.”
B
erlinale International Film Festival which is scheduled for February 11-21, 2021 will take place as physical festival and will not be an online event. However, the European Film Market is planned in both physical and virtual formats. “Festivals and markets are places of encounter and communication. This applies to the public as well as to the industry. We see an important and unique feature of festivals in their lively relationship with the audience. In times of the corona pandemic, it has become even clearer that we still require analogue experience spaces in the cultural realm”, says the director duo of the Berlinale, Mariette Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian.
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The implementation of the Festival and Market will take place in accordance with the then-applicable rules and regulations, thus ensuring the greatest possible security for all guests. Adjustments in the festival structure, the film programming and the total number of invited films will be defined by the festival management within the coming weeks. Also, in 2021, the section Generation will only show feature-length films with a running time of at least 60 minutes – and no short films – in its two competition programmes Generation Kplus and Generation 14plus. The official film registration starts on September 1st, 2020. You will then find the regulations on http://www. berlinale.de.
THE OFFICIAL BERLINALE FILM REGISTRATION BEGINS FROM SEPTEMBER 1, 2020
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SEPTEMBER 10–19
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BERLINALE 2021
SUBMISSIONS
OPEN FOR
BERLINALE CO-PRODUCTION MARKET
20 projects will be chosen from all submissions and confirmed for the official selection. Project budgets can be anywhere between one and 20 million euros, and must have at least 30% of financing or production funding from the project’s native country coproductionmarket.de. Berlinale International Film Festival which is scheduled for February 11-21, 2021 will take place as physical festival. EFM is planned in both physical and virtual formats.
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he 18th Berlinale Co-Production Market (February 13-17, 2021) has called for submissions from worldwide producers for new feature-length film projects in need of co-producers and financiers (deadline September 30, 2021). The Berlinale Co-Production Market is part of the European Film Market. The Berlinale Co-Production Market is funded by MDM – Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung and the Creative Europe – MEDIA programme of the European Union. Online submission forms are available at www.berlinale-
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By the end of this year, approximately 20 projects will be chosen from all submissions and confirmed for the official selection. Project budgets can be anywhere between one and 20 million euros, and must have at least 30% of financing or production funding from the project’s native country already in place. Some exceptions are made for projects with less than 30% financing (overview of terms and conditions). If necessary, digital elements will be arranged to supplement the physical Co-Production Market. More information will follow in the coming months. The Berlinale Co-Production Market brings together 600 international producers, sales agents, distributors as well as broadcasting and funding representatives who are active in international co-productions.
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The Berlinale CoProduction Market is part of the European Film Market. It brings together 600 international producers, sales agents, distributors as well as broadcasting and funding representatives who are active in international coproductions
“CO-PRO SERIES” International producers with series projects are invited to apply by October 15 for participation in the sought-after “Co-Pro Series” pitch, following in the footsteps of earlier projects such as Babylon Berlin to find international co-production partners. At the “Co-Pro Series” event, the Berlinale Co-Production Market team organises meetings with potential partners in addition to the pitch (more information on CoPro Series). A tailor-made meeting timetable is created for each selected project at the Berlinale Co-Production Market. The results of this comprehensive scheduling are approximately 1,500 specifically pre-planned, individual meetings with fitting and interested potential co-producers, financiers, international sales agents, distributors, TV broadcasters and fund representatives to talk about the potential cooperation in practical terms. Producers and financiers in search of co-production projects may apply for participation starting in November 2020. In addition to the feature-length film and series projects presented at the Berlinale Co-Production Market, once again five international companies will be introduced at the “Company Matching”. And at the pitch event “Books at Berlinale”, in cooperation with the Frankfurt
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Book Fair, there will once again be new novels to discover for potential cinematic versions.
SUCCESS TO DATE Of the international feature-length film projects selected for the Berlinale Co-Production Market in previous years, 310 have been successfully produced, along with 15 drama series. This year, the Academy Awardwinning film Jojo Rabbit by director Taika Waititi was frequently talked about, as well as Agnieszka Holland’s Berlinale contribution, Charlatan, and Marvin Kren’s series Freud. Currently, Advantages of Travelling by Train by Aritz Moreno opened in German cinemas in August, and Katrin Gebbe’s Pelican Blood will open in September. Despite the difficulties getting films launched at festivals and in cinemas due to COVID-19, some earlier Berlinale Co-Production Market projects have already been invited to screen at international film festivals this year. In addition to those that premiered at the Berlinale, two films with Cannes 2020 labels and premieres in Sarajevo and Shanghai, three films whose producers were connected at the Berlinale Co-Production Market in years past will celebrate their premieres at the Venice International Film Festival: Quo Vadis, Aida? by Jasmila Zbanic; Nowhere Special by Uberto Pasolini; and Gaza Mon Amour by Arab and Tarzan Nasser.
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GENDER EQUALITY
BERLINALE ELIMINATES
SILVER BEAR FOR
BEST ACTOR AND BEST ACTRESS The best performances will be defined in a non-gendered manner. Usually, Berinale give away four awards and the ceremony ends with the announcement of the Best Actor. Now, there will be only two awards and they can recognize both a man and a woman Leading Role and Best Supporting Role. In simple words, the best performances will be defined in a non-gendered manner. Usually, Berinale give away four awards and the ceremony ends with the announcement of the Best Actor. Now, there will be only two awards and they can recognize both a man and a woman.
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eginning 2021, Berlinale International Film Festival have eliminated Silver Bear for Best Actor and Best Actress at the annual Berlinale awards in the closing ceremony, but instituted a gender-neutral Silver Bear for Best
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Berlinale festival directors Mariette Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian stated they want to create more awareness about gender equality in the film sector. “We believe that not separating the awards in the acting field according to gender comprises a signal for a more gender-sensitive awareness in the film industry,” says the Berlinale director duo Mariette Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian.
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We believe that not separating the awards in the acting field according to gender comprises a signal for a more gendersensitive awareness in the film industry
It may be recalled that the first gender-neutral award in history was awarded to Emma Watson in 2017 at the MTV Awards for her role in Disney’s live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast. Emma Watson competed with Hugh Jackman and James McAvoy for the award. “The first acting award in history that doesn’t separate nominees based on their sex says something about how we perceive the human experience,” Emma Watson said in her acceptance speech. “MTV’s move to create a genderless award for acting will mean something different to everyone. But to me, it indicates that acting is about the ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes. And that doesn’t need to be separated into two different categories. This is very meaningful to me.” Berlinale also made another important decision instituting a Special Silver Bear Jury Prize. In January 2020, the Silver Bear Alfred Bauer was suspended due to revelations under National Socialism of the festival’s first director. It will no longer be awarded. A new prize has been created, that of the special jury prize.
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Berlinale director duo Carlo Chatrian and Mariette Rissenbeek
The Berlinale International Jury of the Competition will award the following eight prizes: Golden Bear for Best Film (awarded to the film’s producers) Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize Silver Bear for Best Director Silver Bear Jury Prize Silver Bear Performance
for
Best
Leading
Silver Bear for Best Supporting Performance Silver Bear for Best Screenplay Silver Bear for Artistic Contribution
Outstanding
Also, in 2021, the section Generation will only show feature-length films with a running time of at least 60 minutes – and no short films – in its two competition programmes Generation Kplus and Generation 14plus. The official film registration starts on September 1st, 2020. You will then find the regulations on http://www. berlinale.de. Berlinale which is scheduled for February 11-21, 2021 will be physical event. European Film Market 2021 will be both physical and online event as of today.
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TIFF INDUSTRY
THE SHOW AND
BUSINESS GOES ON
‘In a time of disruption, professionals from around the world still look for occasions to come together, share innovative ideas, buy and sell content, and find creative ways to collectively forge ahead towards a safer, healthier,and inclusive future,’ says Geoff Macnaughton, Senior Director, Industry & Theatrical, giving details about this year’s TIFF Industry HOW HAS THE TIFF INDUSTRY SHAPED THIS YEAR?
Geoff Macnaughton,
Senior Director, Industry & Theatrical
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We made an early decision to go fully digital for TIFF Industry. We could still engage with the global delegates. We could still engage with them versus working through travel restrictions and things like that. So, we have our online screening platform for press and industry screenings. We have a mix of what we’re calling this year, industry select titles, which are a collection of hot sale titles from around the world, that will be shown to buyers and anyone interested in acquiring content. And they will also have private screening. So similar to the Marche, there’ll be a handful of select private screenings, where people can watch them.
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TELL US ABOUT THE TIFF INDUSTRY CONFERENCE THIS YEAR... The five-day event, taking place September 10–14 during the Festival, will inspire and incite discussions for creative and business entrepreneurship. The Conference is an inspiring professional development opportunity for delegates to experience high-profile speakers, intimate conversations, provocative panel discussions, and user-friendly presentations designed to help build resourceful, innovative, and financially sustainable business practices. We have a really strong conference lineup. We have around 34 different sessions. They are big names in the industry. We have some of the greatest speakers who are really changing the industry in a significant way. And then, we have these more targeted sessions called microsessions and national spotlights that will really focus on very specific subject matters that the audiences will find interesting. This is a pivotal moment in recognizing the unsung heroes, whose work will pave the way to a more sustainable and equitable industry. This year’s Industry Conference will be a catalyst for change, examining new trends and championing diversity, racial equality, and gender parity. Talent Development continues to be a cornerstone of TIFF’s year-round work and we are exceptionally proud of the programme we’ve curated for the participants, and are excited to see them grow.
WHAT ARE THE TOOLS DEPLOYED BY TIFF INDUSTRY? There are three kinds of tools that we are using for TIFF Press & Industry access. We are using Shift 72 for our screening platform. We are suing Cinando’s Match & Meet App as a networking tool for professional business meetings. Industry Talk is run by Paragon. Delegates will be able to navigate TIFF digital spaces through these tools.
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ARE THERE ANY PHYSICAL EVENTS FOR TIFF INDUSTRY? WILL THERE BE LIVE AUDIENCE FOR INDUSTRY TALKS? We don’t have any in-person physical industry events. Everything will be digital. And everyone across the world, will have multiple ways to see it. So for instance, if a conference conversation goes live digitally, noon Eastern Standard Time, then anyone outside of that timezone either can watch it within their own time zone and if their timezone is in off hours or when they’re sleeping, they can catch up on that conference talk the next morning. In a time of disruption, professionals from around the world still look for occasions to come together, share innovative ideas, buy and sell content, and find creative ways to collectively forge ahead towards a safer, healthier,and inclusive future. This year, delegates can expect to find community, connection, inspiration, and talent — the foundation that will serve as the way forward. All Industry engagement and opportunities will be online, including business and talent development and its Industry Conference.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE DELEGATE REGISTRATION FEEDBACK? We expect that it would be the same numbers, with a similar per centage of participation in previous years. We are happy that a large number of industry delegates are engaging with us.
WHAT ABOUT PARTICIPATION FROM NATIONAL PAVILIONS AND AGENCIES? Instead of the TIFF Industry Centre this year, all national agencies have been given the option to have a spotlight on our digital platform. Essentially, it’s a curated page to highlight their content, their films, co-production initiatives, locales and services. We have 20 to 25 countries in the National Pavilion. They will have a footprint on our Industry platform. They can be engaged through Cinando’s Meet & Match App for meetings.
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TIFF 2020
NAVIGATING
TORONTO
FILM FESTIVAL
AND INDUSTRY Here are tips on getting the best out of 45th edition of Toronto International Film Festival (Sept 10-19). With over 50 films in the 2020 selection, 34 conference sessions, TIFF Industry Online will provide accredited press and industry access to all of the necessary tools for success at TIFF
PERFECT PLANNING
The complete film and conference programming schedule is online at www.tiff.net. If you plan out your
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schedule properly it is possible to see all 50 films in selections this year. You have to plan and map out your schedule the way you would ordinarily do so at the physical festival. Pretend that you’re actually flying and getting a hotel room and just diving right in to the festival and devote as much time as you can. Press and industry screenings on the TIFF digital platform will be accessible within a 48-hour window to allow them to be viewed wherever delegates are in the world. All films will play for a full 48-hour window so you can watch at your convenience. The platform will be based on Shift72’s technology with strict security measures.
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‘PASS’ MARK
You still have time to register for TIFF Industry Online. Film professionals can participate digitally in this year’s festival by registering for one of two pass options, depending on their professional needs: the Digital Pro Pass is designed for distributors, exhibitors, sales agents, talent agents, producers, and writer-directors, while the new Digital Talks Pass is ideal for new filmmakers, actors, students, and scholars. TIFF, which usually discovers and shows the path to the best of award seasons including Oscars, will have a lineup of 50 new feature films, five programmes of short films, as well as interactive talks, film cast reunions, and Q&As with cast and filmmakers.
NOT JUST ABOUT FILMS...
TIFF 2020 is programmed in a way that you have room to cover everything during the festival period. In between films, you can also attend various industry conference events, masterclasses and live in conversation discussions. So, you have to really plan well and make sure to stick to the schedule.
FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS
TIFF festival selection features represent a diverse selection of the highest-quality films from around the globe. Films on offer will reflect first-rate international cinema, documentaries, and Canadian creativity. The strong representation of women, Black people, Indigenous people, and people of colour among TIFF’s selection reflects the organization’s continuing commitment to normalizing gender parity and racial equality for future generations.
TRANSFORMATIVE EXPERIENCE
The HBO, Spike Lee-directed filmed version of David Byrne’s Broadway theatrical concert ‘American Utopia’ will be the opening night presentation of the 45th Toronto International Film Festival on September 10. American filmmaker Spike Lee masterfully directs a transformative experience, as the show raises political injustice, revealing how audiences can come together during challenging times through the power of entertainment.
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BY THE NUMBERS TIFF 2020 received 6876 film submissions this year. 6038 were international and 838 from Canada In TIFF 2020, 43% of films are directed by women
SOCIAL DISTANCING
If you are in Toronto and lucky enough to enter enter TIFF Bell lightbox, you will have to wear masks when you moving around public spaces or restroom. Once you’re seated for the screening, you can take the mask off. Social distancing is must and limited number of people will be allowed in enclosed spaces, like a restroom at a time.
MATCH & MEET
If you are an industry badge holder, you can connect in a virtual space with professionals from all over the world via Cinando’s networking app Match & Meet. With integrating video calling, you can easily connect and do meetings. Match & Meet will help find your perfect professional match. Registered delegates will receive an invitation with instructions on how to join after your confirmation email.
VIRTUAL REALITY
The entire TIFF Industry related activity will be virtual this year. But you can do everything as if you were are the Hyatt Industry Centre. Explore TIFF’s National Agency Spotlights on the platform homepage and see content from the various territories just waiting to be discovered. These dedicated shelves will be home to titles both in and out of selection, in addition to conference programming.
WHAT’S IN STORE
National Promotional Agencies will have a footprint on our platform to showcase completed productions and co-productions, as well as new initiatives and talent, through curated Spotlight talks available to all registered professionals.
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TIFF 2020 Programme 10th – 14th SEPT 2020 Thursday, September 10 9:30-10:45 EDT
MASTER CLASS Viola Davis & Julius Tennon
12:00-13:00 EDT
MICROSESSION Windows to the World: From Art House to Your House
13:45-14:45 EDT
DIALOGUES The Writers’ Room
14:45-15:45 EDT
PERSPECTIVES Killer Instincts: Powerhouse Producers Propelling Commercial Success
16:00-17:00 EDT
PERSPECTIVES Narrative Sovereignty
Friday, September 11 8:30-9:30 EDT
SPOTLIGHT on Russia: Feature Films
9:30-10:30 EDT
SPOTLIGHT on Russia: TV Series
9:00-10:00 EDT
SPOTLIGHT It Works! European-Canadian Co-Production
11:00-12:00 EDT
MASTER CLASS Luca Guadagnino
12:00-13:00 EDT
MASTER CLASS Ted Hope
13:00-15:00 EDT
MICROSESSION Money Talks, Bullsh*t Walks: How Change at the Finance Level Can Transform the Film Industry
13:15-14:15 EDT
SPOTLIGHT on Canadian Talent at TIFF
15:30-16:30 EDT
PERSPECTIVES Sorority Row: Women in Genre Filmmaking
Saturday, September 12 9:00-10:00 EDT
SPOTLIGHT Unmasked! Israeli Filmmakers Reveal Fresh Films from Israel
10:00-11:00 EDT
DIALOGUES Primetime
12:00-13:00 EDT
PERSPECTIVES The ABCs of Co-Production: Viggo Mortensen’s Falling
13:30-14:30 EDT
SPOTLIGHT on IMPACT
14:30-15:30 EDT
MICROSESSION Creating a Better Documentary Industry
Sunday, September 13 9:00-10:00 EDT
SPOTLIGHT on Ukrainian Talent
12:00-13:00 EDT
MICROSESSION The Future of Festivals
14:15-15:15 EDT
MICROSESSION Fusion: The Music, the Movie and the Money
15:15-16:15 EDT
MICROSESSION Global Appetite for Diverse Content Creates Opportunity for Canadian Talent
9:00-10:00 EDT
MICROSESSION Reclaiming our Time, Stories and Screens for Underrepresented Canadian Creators
10:30-11:30 EDT
MASTER CLASS dream hampton
11:00-11:45 EDT
SPECIAL INDUSTRY EVENT Women on the Rise: 2020 TIFF Rising Stars, a panel presented by OLG
12:00-13:00 EDT
SPECIAL INDUSTRY EVENT Aaron Sorkin on The Trial of the Chicago 7
12:30-13:30 EDT
PERSPECTIVES From Micro to Macro: How Data Can Drive Anti-Racist Action in Film and Television
14:00-15:00 EDT
PERSPECTIVES “Unprecedented” Territory: Financing in the Shadow of a Pandemic
15:00-16:00 EDT
DIALOGUES On Documentary: The Past Is Present
16:00-17:15 EDT
DIALOGUES Directors in Conversation
Monday, September 14
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Toronto
International
Film Festival
2020 40
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TIFF PICKS
“Spike Lee documents the former Talking Heads frontman’s brilliant, timely 2019 Broadway show, based on his recent album and tour of the same name.” (U.S.)
l
m
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USA, 2020 English 105 minutes Cast David Byrne, Jacquelene Acevedo, Gustavo Di Dalva, Daniel Freedman
AMERICAN UTOPIA BY SPIKE LEE
Producers David Byrne, Spike Lee SCREENING DATES
SEP 14, 15 & 17
“A young woman in postpartition India struggles to balance family duty and personal independence, in Mira Nair’s six-part drama series adaptation.”
United Kingdom, India, 2020 English, Urdu, Hindi 120 minutes Cast Tabu, Ishaan Khatter, Tanya Producers Lydia Dean Pilcher, Aradhana Seth International Sales Agent BBC Studios SCREENING DATE
SEP 19
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A SUITABLE BOY BY MIRA NAIR
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“Actor-director Regina King’s feature directorial debut, based on Kemp Powers’ play, is a fictionalized account of a 1964 meeting between Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown.”
USA, 2020 English 110 minutes Cast Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge, Leslie Odom Jr. Producers Jody Klein, Jess Wu Calder, Keith Calder
ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI BY REGINA KING
International Sales Agent ICM Partners SCREENING DATES
SEP 11, 13 & 16
“Frances McDormand explores the vast landscape of the American West, in Chloe Zhao’s wise and intimate portrayal of life as a modern-day nomad.”
USA, 2020 English 107 minutes Cast Frances McDormand, David Strathairn, Linda May Producers Chloé Zhao, Frances McDormand, Peter Spears, Mollye Asher, Dan Janvey SCREENING DATES
SEP 11 & 12 42
NOMADLAND BY CHLOÉ ZHAO
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“Vanessa Kirby and Shia LaBeouf star as a couple reeling — in very different ways — from tragedy, in the new film from Kornel Mundruczo (White God).” (USA/Canada/Hungary)
USA, Canada, 2020 English 126 minutes Cast Vanessa Kirby, Shia LaBeouf, Ellen Burstyn, Benny Safdie Producers Kevin Turen, Ashley Levinson, Aaron Ryder
PIECES OF A WOMAN BY KORNÉL MUNDRUCZÓ
International Sales Agent BRON Releasing SCREENING DATES
SEP 12, 16 & 18
“Raw and intimate, this documentary captures the struggles of patients and frontline medical professionals battling the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan.”
USA, 2020 Mandarin 93 minutes Producers Hao Wu, Jean Tsien International Sales Agent Dogwoof SCREENING DATES
SEP 14, 15 & 17 43
76 DAYS BY HAO WU, WEIXI CHEN, ANONYMOUS
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“Michelle Latimer’s affecting adaptation of Thomas King’s awardwinning book explores the cultural colonization of Indigenous peoples in North America.” Canada, 2020 English, Inuktitut, Cree, Anishinaabemowin 90 minutes Cast Narrator: Thomas King Producers Stuart Henderson (90th Parallel Productions), Justine Pimlott, Jesse Wente
INCONVENIENT INDIAN BY MICHELLE LATIMER
International Sales Agent National Film Board of Canada SCREENING DATES
SEP 14, 15 & 17
“Based on newly declassified files, Sam Pollard’s resonant film explores the US government’s surveillance and harassment of Martin Luther King, Jr.”
USA, 2020 English 104 minutes Producer Benjamin Hedin SCREENING DATES
SEP 15 & 18 44
MLK/FBI BY SAM POLLARD
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“A legal conservator (Rosamund Pike) who defrauds elderly clients runs afoul of a gangster (Peter Dinklage), in this droll thriller from J Blakeson.”
United Kingdom, 2020 English 118 minutes Cast Rosamund Pike, Peter Dinklage, Eiza González, Dianne Wiest Producers Teddy Schwarzman, Ben Stillman, Michael Heimler, J Blakeson
I CARE A LOT BY J BLAKESON
International Sales Agent STXinternational SCREENING DATES
SEP 12 & 13
“Naomi Watts stars in this true story about a paralyzed woman who finds new hope when she joins with her family to care for an injured baby magpie.”
Australia, 2020 English 95 minutes Cast Naomi Watts, Andrew Lincoln, Jacki Weaver Producers Emma Cooper, Bruna Papandrea, Steve Hutensky, Jodi Matterson, Naomi Watts International Sales Agent Endeavor Content SCREENING DATES
SEP 12 & 17 45
PENGUIN BLOOM BY GLENDYN IVIN
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“Chloe Grace Moretz stars as a WWII pilot trying to warn her obstinate male comrades of a sinister stowaway, in a new nightmare at 20,000 feet from Roseanne Liang.” USA, New Zealand, 2020 English 83 minutes Cast Chloë Grace Moretz, Nick Robinson, Beulah Koale Producers Tom Hern, Brian KavanaughJones, Kelly McCormick, Fred Berger
SHADOW IN THE CLOUD BY ROSEANNE LIANG
International Sales Agent Endeavor Content SCREENING DATES
SEP 12 & 13
“Werner Herzog and Clive Oppenheimer (Into the Inferno) undertake a globetrotting exploration of meteors that fell to Earth, both ancient and recent.”
United Kingdom, Austria, USA, 2020 English 97 minutes Producers André Singer, Lucki Stipetic International Sales Agent Dogwoof SCREENING DATE
SEP 10
46
FIREBALL: VISITORS FROM DARKER WORLDS BY WERNER HERZOG, CLIVE OPPENHEIMER
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“Dieudo Hamadi returns to TIFF with his latest portrait of his native Congo, honouring survivors of his country’s Six-Day War in 2000”.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo, France, Belgium, 2020 Lingala, Swahili 88 minutes
DOWNSTREAM TO KINSHASA BY DIEUDO HAMADI
International Sales Agent Andana Films SCREENING DATE
SEP 14
“In his feature directorial debut, Viggo Mortensen stars as a gay man on a patience-testing mission to care for his ailing, solitary, and conservative father (Lance Henriksen).” Canada, United Kingdom, Denmark, 2020 English, Spanish 112 minutes Cast Viggo Mortensen, Lance Henriksen, Terry Chen, Sverrir Gudnason Producers Viggo Mortensen, Chris Curling, Daniel Bekerman International Sales Agent HanWay Films SCREENING DATES
SEP 11, 13, 14 & 17 47
FALLING BY VIGGO MORTENSEN
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“A young Jewish woman’s steamy secrets are unearthed during one emotionally frantic shiva, in Emma Seligman’s comedy of discomfort.” (U.S./ Canada)
USA, Canada, 2020 English 77 minutes Cast Rachel Sennott, Molly Gordon, Polly Draper, Danny Deferrari
SHIVA BABY BY EMMA SELIGMAN
Producers Katie Schiller, Lizzie Shapiro, Emma Seligman, Kieran Altmann SCREENING DATES
SEP 10 & 17
“Halle Berry’s directorial debut follows a former MMA fighter struggling to regain custody of her son and restart her athletic career.”
USA, 2020 English 129 minutes Cast Halle Berry, Adan Canto, Sheila Atim, Stephen McKinley Producers Basil Iwanyk, Brad Feinstein, Guymon Casady, Erica Lee, Paris Kassidokostas-Latsis, Terry Dougas, Linda Gottlieb, Gillian Hormel International Sales Agent Sierra / Affinity SCREENING DATES
SEP 12 & 18 48
BRUISED BY HALLE BERRY
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“While spending the summer in North Philadelphia, a troubled teen is caught between a life of crime and his estranged father’s vibrant urbancowboy subculture.” USA, 2020 English 111 minutes Cast Idris Elba, Caleb McLaughlin, Jharrel Jerome, Byron Bowers Producers Tucker Tooley, Lee Daniels, Idris Elba, Dan Walser, Jeff Waxman, Jennifer Madeloff
CONCRETE COWBOY BY RICKY STAUB
International Sales Agent Sierra / Affinity SCREENING DATES
SEP 13, 14 & 19
“This documentary follows teenaged Anishinaabe water activist Autumn Peltier as she travels to the UN to preserve the future of Indigenous communities”.
Canada, United States of America, 2019 English 13 minutes Cast Graham Greene, Autumn Peltier Producers James Burns, Keven Munroe, Stevie Salas, Gabriella Dematteis SCREENING DATE
SEP 14
49
THE WATER WALKER BY JAMES BURNS
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“Nathan Grossman documents Greta Thunberg’s meteoric oneyear rise from high-school climate strike organizer to inspiration for a global movement.”
Sweden, 2020 Swedish, English 97 minutes Cast Greta Thunberg Producers Cecilia Nessen, Fredrik Heinig
I AM GRETA BY NATHAN GROSSMAN
International Sales Agent Dogwoof SCREENING DATE
SEP 16
“Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan star in this raw love story between a solitary paleontologist and a wealthy, grieving wife in 19th-century Dorset.”
United Kingdom, 2020 English 117 minutes Cast Kate Winslet, Saoirse Ronan, Gemma Jones, James McArdle Producers Ian Canning, Emile Sherman, Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly SCREENING DATES
SEP 11, 12 & 14 50
AMMONITE FRANCIS LEE
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“Chaitanya Tamhane’s masterfully composed second feature examines a lifetime journey devoted to the art of Indian classical music.” (India)
India, 2020 Marathi, Hindi, English, Bengali 127 minutes Cast Aditya Modak, Dr. Arun Dravid, Sumitra Bhave, Deepika Bhide Producer Vivek Gomber
THE DISCIPLE BY CHAITANYA TAMHANE
International Sales Agent New Europe Film Sales SCREENING DATES
SEP 11 & 13
“The latest from Mexican director Michel Franco, set amid both a street protest and a posh wedding, is a timely indictment of class divide and abuse of power.”
Mexico, 2020 Spanish 88 minutes Cast Naian González Norvind, Diego Boneta, Mónica del Carmen Producers Michel Franco, Eréndira Núñez Larios, Cristina Velasco L. International Sales Agent The Match Factory SCREENING DATES
SEP 15 & 16 51
NEW ORDER BY MICHEL FRANCO
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“This gorgeous 1980s period piece from Francois Ozon looks at the fateful friendship and love affair between two teenage boys on the Normandy coast.”
France, 2020 French 100 minutes Cast Benjamin Voisin, Félix Lefebvre, Valeria BruniTedeschi Producers Eric Altmayer, Nicolas Altmayer
SUMMER OF 85 BY FRANÇOIS OZON
International Sales Agent Playtime SCREENING DATES
SEP 13, 15 & 17
“Award-winning director Gianfranco Rosi’s new documentary is an immersive portrait of those trying to survive in the wartorn Middle East.”
Italy/France/Germany, 2020 Arabic, Kurdish 100 minutes Producers Donatella Palermo, Gianfranco Rosi International Sales Agent The Match Factory 52
NOTTURNO BY GIANFRANCO ROSI
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“When a routine deal goes bad, a drug trader tries to set things right while unexpected circumstances force him to confront his traumatic origins.”
Canada, 2020 English 90 minutes Cast Saul Williams, Thamela Mpumlwana, Donisha Prendergast, Ronnie Rowe Jr.
AKILLA’S ESCAPE BY CHARLES OFFICER
Producers Jake Yanowski, Charles Officer SCREENING DATES
SEP 12, 13 & 15
“The legacy of Billy Tipton, a 20th-century American jazz musician and trans icon, is brought to life by a diverse group of contemporary trans artists.”
Canada, 2020 English 80 minutes Producer Sarah Spring
NO ORDINARY MAN
SCREENING DATES
SEP 10, 11, 14 53
BY AISLING CHIN-YEE, CHASE JOYNT
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“In Lili Horvat’s second feature, a brilliant neurosurgeon returns to Budapest to reunite with the love of her life: a man who says they’ve never met.” (“Felkeszules meghatarozatlan ideig tarto egyuttletre”) Hungary, 2020 Hungarian 95 minutes Cast Natasa Stork, Viktor Bodó, Benett Vilmányi Producers Péter Miskolczi, Lili Horvát, Dóra Csernátony
PREPARATIONS TO BE TOGETHER FOR AN UNKNOWN PERIOD OF TIME BY LILI HORVÁT
International Sales Agent National Film Institute World Sales SCREENING DATES
SEP 12 & 18
“In Madeleine Sims-Fewer and Dusty Mancinelli’s deeply disturbing debut feature, a traumatic betrayal drives a woman towards a vengeful extremity.”
Canada, 2020 English 107 minutes Cast Madeleine Sims-Fewer, Anna Maguire, Jesse LaVercombe Producers Madeleine Sims-Fewer, Dusty Mancinelli SCREENING DATES
SEP 14 & 17 54
VIOLATION BY MADELEINE SIMS-FEWER, DUSTY MANCINELLI
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“The latest from acclaimed director Naomi Kawase — a candid force in contemporary Japanese cinema — is a touching family story of love and adoption.”
Japan, 2020 Japanese 139 minutes Cast Hiromi Nagasaku, Arata Iura, Aju Makita, Miyoko Asada Producer Yumiko Takebe
TRUE MOTHERS BY NAOMI KAWASE
International Sales Agents Playtime, Kinoshita Group Co., Ltd. SCREENING DATES
SEP 16, 17 & 18
“David Oyelowo makes his feature directorial debut with this mystical adventure that recalls the beloved family-friendly films of the 1980s.”
USA, 2020 English 92 minutes Cast David Oyelowo, Rosario Dawson, Lonnie Chavis, Amiah Miller Producers David Oyelowo, Carla Gardini, Shivani Rawat, Monica Levinson SCREENING DATE
SEP 19
55
THE WATER MAN BY DAVID OYELOWO
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“The sequel to The Corporation exposes how companies are desperately rebranding as socially responsible — and how that threatens democratic freedoms.”
Canada, 2020 English 106 minutes Cast Charles Officer
THE NEW CORPORATION: THE UNFORTUNATELY NECESSARY SEQUEL BY JOEL BAKAN, JENNIFER ABBOTT
Producers Trish Dolman, Betsy Carson SCREENING DATES
SEP 13 & 16
“Director Thomas Vinterberg and actor Mads Mikkelsen reunite for Another Round, a sobering comedy about aging, alcoholism, and friendship between men.”
Denmark, 2020 Danish 116 minutes Cast Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen, Magnus Millang Producers Sisse Graum Jørgensen, Kasper Dissing International Sales Agent TrustNordisk SCREENING DATES
SEP 12, 13 & 19 56
ANOTHER ROUND BY THOMAS VINTERBERG
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“An American family seeks refuge in Canada after their hacker son is targeted by the US government, in Sonia Kennebeck’s bizarre story of secrets and lies.”
USA, 2020 English 104 minutes Producer Ines Hofmann Kanna
ENEMIES OF THE STATE BY SONIA KENNEBECK
International Sales Agent Submarine Entertainment SCREENING DATES
SEP 10 & 17
“The latest from the Nasser brothers (Degrade) is a satire on love and desire, and an affirmation that life continues amidst the absurdity of living.”
Palestine, France, Germany, Portugal, Qatar, 2020 Arabic 87 minutes Cast Salim Daw, Hiam Abbass, Maisa Abd Elhadi, George Iskandar Producers Rani Massalha, Marie Legrand, Michael Eckelt, Pandora da Cunha Telles, Pablo Iraola, Rashid Abdelhamid, Khaled Haddad International Sales Agent Versatile SCREENING DATES
SEP 10, 11, 18 & 19 57
GAZA MON AMOUR BY TARZAN NASSER, ARAB NASSER
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“This timely debut from Wang Jing, Jia Zhang-ke’s assistant director, was inspired by a journalist who defended 120 million people’s rights with a pen.”
China, 2020 Mandarin 115 minutes Cast White K, Miao Miao, Zhang Songwen, Song Yang
THE BEST IS YET TO COME BY BU ZHI BU XIU
Producer Jia Zhang-ke SCREENING DATES
SEP 15, 16 & 18
“A bored Parisian teenager contemplates the pitfalls of growing up too fast when she falls in love with an older man, in Suzanne Lindon’s debut.” (France)
France, 2020 French 73 minutes Cast Suzanne Lindon, Arnaud Valois, Florence Viala, Frédéric Pierrot Producer Caroline Bonmarchand International Sales Agent Luxbox SCREENING DATES
SEP 10, 11 & 17 58
SPRING BLOSSOM BY SUZANNE LINDON
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“A school teacher from Tehran is preparing to attend a wedding in northern Iran. When her husband suddenly forbids her to go, she makes a choice that will place her on a painful path to atonement.”
Iran, 2020 Persian 83 minutes Cast Sahar Dolatshahi, Pejman Jamshidi, Azita Hajian
180° RULE BY FARNOOSH SAMADI
Producer Ali Mosaffa SCREENING DATES
SEP 14, 16 & 17
“Manijeh Hekmat’s musicinfused twist on a road movie follows a band’s day-long journey across a flooded landscape to Tehran.”
Iran, Germany, 2020 Farsi 75 minutes Cast Reza Koolghani, Pegah Ahangarani, Amir Hossein Taheri, Mahdieh Mousavi Producers Manijeh Hekmat, Mahshid Ahangarani Farahani International Sales Agent IRIMAGE SCREENING DATES
SEP 15, 16 & 19 59
BANDAR BAND BY MANIJEH HEKMAT
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“The filmmaker documents activist Mike Africa Jr.’s fight to exonerate his parents, who were among nine members of the revolutionary group MOVE imprisoned after a violent police raid on their Philadelphia commune in 1978.”
USA, 2020 English 110 minutes Cast Mike Africa Jr. Producer Tommy Oliver
40 YEARS A PRISONER BY TOMMY OLIVER
International Sales Agents Propagate Content, LLC SCREENING DATE
SEP 17
“The Oscar-nominated animation studio behind The Secret of the Kells returns with the tale of a magical, unlikely friendship between two girls in 17th-century Ireland.” Ireland, Luxembourg, France, 2020 English 103 minutes Cast Honor Kneafsey, Eva Whittaker, Sean Bean, Simon McBurney Producers Paul Young, Nora Twomey, Tomm Moore, Stéphan Roelants International Sales Agent Cartoon Saloon SCREENING DATE
SEP 12
60
WOLFWALKERS BY TOMM MOORE, ROSS STEWART
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