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14 South Korea Will Be MIPCOM 2020 Country Of Honor
10 Rightstrade To Expand Global Reach Sponsor Of AFM® 2020 Online
12 MIPCOM 2020 Goes Entirely Online
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Nomadland’ Wins People’s Choice at Toronto
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Dennis Ruh Named New Head Of European Film Market
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Embracing Cinema Through Screens Of All Sizes www.pickle.co.in India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world CONNECT WITH US
12-16 October 2020
Online
The best of MIPCOM is just one click away
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mip junior The MIPCOM KIDS Entertainment Content Market is now included in MIPCOM Online+ rolling out from 5 October to 17 November 2020 4
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from t he e d ito r
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ZEE5, Sony Liv, ALT Balaji, Sun Nxt, Amazon Prime and Netflix are expanding and growing the marker in India.
e are delighted to present the latest issue of Pickle with a focus on Berlin-based Cinemarket.io. It’s an innovative platform for film professionals, for both buyers (distributors, OTT platforms, broadcasters, festivals and cinemas) and sellers (sales agents, producers and filmmakers).
With one billion mobile subscribers, 500 million plus smart phone users, 620 million Internet subscribers, 950 TV channels, 1,800 films produced annually, 100,000 newspapers and periodicals and over 50 OTT platforms, India’s vibrant M&E industry provides attractive growth opportunities for global and domestic corporations. The government’s policies are geared towards realizing the full potential of this growing sector.
COVID-19 has accelerated digital transformation in films. It is a little sad that a virus has shown the potential. But, now nobody has a choice. So everybody adapts, says Adrian Lugol of Cinemarket.io, as he talks about their journey and how they made it happen.
We will be brining out Pickle MIPCOM content catalogue as part of our MIPCOM edition. It will handhold content creators to expand their global footprint and to present their finished content/catalogue from India to the buyers and distributors from across the globe.
We will focus on MIPCOM 2020 in the next few editions. For the first time MIPCOM will take place completely online. Undoubtedly, this is the finest in the global media markets that empowers delegates to network with the best business minds, capture emerging trends, listen to masterminds, create business for product and services and think innovation. It is a must attend for decision makers to grasp the new ecosystems in the media business.
In the challenging times of Covid-19, India is the new window of opportunity to the world. While filming has come to a standstill, animation, VFX and gaming are getting traction in the media and entertainment verticals.
The Indian media ecosystem is changing fast. The Over-the-Top (OTT) space is gaining attraction in the Indian market with the presence of Disney+ Hotstar, Voot, ErosNow,
Feel free to email your thoughts and suggestions.
n vidyasagar pickle media nat@pickle.co.in, www.pickle.co.in
Pickle Volume XIV 11th 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
Editorial Coordinators : M Sai Design: Sunil, Kitcha, Jose, Julie Photo Editor : K K Laskar Email: natvid@gmail.com
For advertising: natvid@gmail.com / pickle@pickle.co.in
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Pickle Business Guide 2020 Copyright 2020 by Pickle Media Pvt Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Pickle is an ad supported business guide tracking the filmed entertainment business in India.
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MAKE YOURSELF VISIBLE IN PICKLE OCTOBER 2020 MIPCOM SPECIAL PICKLE IN EDITIONS EDITION MIPCOM
TRADE RACK
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.
INDIA’S ONLY MEDIA BIZ MAGAZINE FOR THE WORLD
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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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AMERICAN FILM MARKET 2020
Rightstrade to
expand global
reach Sponsor of
AFM® 2020 ONLINE
The company will offer a complimentary trial subscription for the market’s sales and production company exhibitors providing them the opportunity to use the RightsTrade platform and its tools for AFM 2020 and through the end of the year
T
he American Film Market has announced that RightsTrade, the film and TV industry’s online sales platform, has signed on as a Premier Sponsor of AFM 2020 Online. This year’s market will take place wholly online over five days, Monday, November 9 – Friday, November 13. RightsTrade is an online marketplace for film, television and digital media distribution rights. By connecting distributors with content owners, RightsTrade’s global marketplace makes it easier, faster and more costefficient for buyers and sellers to license content rights.
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RightsTrade’s presence at AFM 2020 Online is designed to further expand its footprint and give back to the industry. The company will offer a complimentary trial subscription for the market’s sales and production company exhibitors providing them the opportunity to use the RightsTrade platform and its tools for AFM 2020 and through the end of the year. The trial gives companies the ability to experience RightsTrade’s core set of functionality including integrated video conferencing with video asset streaming within calls, calendaring, messaging, and a self-serve content hub where each seller can list and manage their market titles including metadata, key art, video assets and more. In addition, the main exhibit hub for sales companies on the AFM 2020 Online platform will be called the Industry Offices presented by RightsTrade. It will showcase the online booths for hundreds of sales, production and distribution companies, and international organizations.
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In 2020, we’ve turned our focus towards expanding our online platform capabilities to serve an ever-growing need for online markets and to give back to those in the content business. We look forward to further expanding our reach and unique offering via the AFM
RightsTrade is an online marketplace for film, television and digital media distribution rights Bill Lischak, recently appointed CEO of RightsTrade said, “The AFM is one of the crown jewels of film markets and we couldn’t be more pleased to support the industry at this year’s event. In 2020, we’ve turned our focus towards expanding our online platform capabilities to serve an evergrowing need for online markets and to give back to those in the content business. We look forward to further expanding our reach and unique offering via the AFM.”
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Jonathan Wolf, AFM Managing Director said, “We look forward to connecting the world’s sales companies with the RightsTrade platform as a valuable resource for further enhancing their sales and efforts.” RightsTrade’s leadership team focuses on developing commercial and backend solutions for leading film and television companies, with decades of experience implementing back-end and front-end solutions for more than 50 leading media and entertainment companies. RightsTrade has recently been providing “virtual market” functionality to the industry, including having built and powered FILMART Online’s market platform, along with meeting and screening tools for the NATPE International Budapest market.
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Bill Lischak CEO RightsTrade
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MIPCOM ONLINE MARKET
MIPCOM 2020 GOES ENTIRELY
ONLINE
The world’s biggest content market goes completely digital. MIPCOM week takes place October 12-16 MIPCOM Online+ rolls out from Oct. 5 to Nov. 17, MIPJunior included
M
IPCOM 2020 has announced that the 36th annual international television content market will now take place entirely online as MIPCOM ONLINE+. The physical gathering, previously scheduled to take place as MIPCOM RENDEZVOUS CANNES, is cancelled due to the continued impact of COVID-19. MIPCOM ONLINE+ will be centred around the digital MIPCOM Week that occurs October 12-16, and will include extended features before and after the main event. MIPCOM Warm Up begins October 5 and offers early access for participating delegates and exhibitors to make the most out of the MIPCOM digital marketplace by accessing
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Market Intelligence sessions, Content & Finance briefings and the MIPJunior Screenings platform, as well as use of the MIPCOM Digital Hub to plan meetings for the MIPCOM Week. MIPCOM Week will be open October 12-16 as a global online interactive business market including a fully digital “Main Stage Cannes” conference and screenings programme involving Global UPFRONTS, Keynotes, market screenings, MIPCOM Diversify TV Excellence Awards and much more. In addition, the Virtual Exhibit Hub and enhanced database will allow users to set up highly targeted, video business meetings between distributors, producers, buyers and all international delegates. Major Studio ViacomCBS (ViacomCBS International Studios and ViacomCBS Global Distribution Group) along with Discovery, Inc., and Newen are the latest companies to confirm they will premiere content as part of the first annual MIPCOM 2020 Global UPFRONTS presentations. They join all3media, A+E Networks, BBC Studios and ZDF Enterprises in the world-class line-up for the presentations to international acquisition executives. 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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Our motivation has always been to bring together the global entertainment community around the flagship week of MIPCOM in order to support content discovery and new business deals, whether online or in person The 2020 Global UPFRONTS are 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. The MIPCOM 2020 Global UPFRONTS line-up will include up to 14 studios. “We are thrilled to be able to bring programming from major studios to buyers around the world via the MIPCOM 2020 Global UPFRONTS. In these times, as always, we are committed to supporting the industry and are delighted to present this extraordinary slate of showcases,” comments Laurine Garaude, Director of Reed MIDEM’s Television Division. MIPCOM Follow Up+ runs from October 17 to November 17 and will offer replays of screenings, keynotes and conference sessions, from MIPCOM and MIPJunior. Delegates and exhibitors can continue to conduct business through the MIPCOM Online+ interactive database tools and Virtual Exhibit
Laurine Garaude Director of Reed MIDEM’s Television Division
Hub as well as using the MIPJunior digital library. “Our motivation has always been to bring together the global entertainment community around the flagship week of MIPCOM in order to support content discovery and new business deals, whether online or in person,” explains Laurine Garaude, Director of Reed MIDEM’s Television Division. “We made clear when we announced MIPCOM RENDEZVOUS Cannes that we would only hold the physical market if conditions permitted. Due to the ongoing uncertainty around COVID-19 and recently increased travel restrictions, we believe that MIPCOM ONLINE+ is the most effective way to move forward and to gather the global television community around MIPCOM Week.” The third season of CANNESERIES, the International TV Series Festival, will take place in Cannes from October 9-14 and virtually on its new platform CANNESERIES LIVE from October 7-21.
MIPCOM’S Virtual Exhibit Hub and enhanced database will allow users to set up video business meetings between distributors, producers, buyers and all international delegates 13
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VIRTUAL MIPCOM 2020
South Korea will be MIPCOM 2020 country of honor Korean producers have had a string of International hits: MBC’s “The Masked Singer” is the most successful global formats; “The Good Doctor”, ABC’s adaptation of a Korean drama from KBS, has been named the most-watched television drama in the world
K
orea will become the first Country of Honour to be showcased on the new MIPCOM ONLINE+ platform, making its flagship content accessible to television professionals around the globe. The Korea Country of Honour showcase is sponsored by Korea Communications Commission (KCC), responsible for policies in Korean broadcasting and communications services. With some 19.5 million TV households and 30.8 million pay-TV subscribers, Korea is the most “wired” country in the world in relation to download
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speeds and streaming content. High smartphone adoption and low-cost subscription services means watching content on mobile devices is widespread, and more and more content is being created for consumption this way. Korea’s exports of cultural content increased 8.4 percent in 2018 from the previous year, to $9.55 billion, according to recent government figures. Average annual growth between 2014 and 2017 was 16 percent, with exports of $5.27 billion in 2014, $5.66 billion in 2015, $6.08 billion in 2016 and $8.81 billion in 2017, according to a report on the content industry released by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Domestic content industry sales were up 5.2 percent last year to $106 billion. KCC reports that the total number of TV titles exported in 2018 rose to 122,962, for revenue of $326.8 million. Korean producers have had a string of recent international hits: MBC’s “The Masked Singer” became a global hit after launching on Fox in January 2019; “The Good Doctor”, ABC’s adaptation of a Korean drama from KBS, has been named the most-watched television drama in the world, with a global audience of almost 50 million viewers.
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Korean content is rewriting history in various sectors such as drama, K-Pop and movies. Now, just like the slogan of the event, “Korea, Story Connects Us,” it is time for Korea to join hands with the world and create a cooperation model for broadcasting content production, distribution, and other areas “We’re very proud to have Korea as Country of Honour at MIPCOM 2020. KCC wants to focus on promoting the excellence and creativity of the Korean production sector and the dynamics of its advanced broadcasting technology services. Thanks to the global reach of MIPCOM ONLINE+, delegates around the world will have the opportunity to see the best of the Korean Wave of TV and online content, which has recently produced some huge international hits,” said Laurine Garaude, Director of Reed MIDEM’s Television Division. KCC Chairman Han Sang-hyuk commented, “I am very pleased Korea is able to participate in the world’s largest content market as the Country of Honour to showcase excellent content. With the rise of new media like OTT in the new non-contact era following COVID-19, broadcasting content represents an area for new opportunity.” He added, “Korean content is rewriting history in various sectors such as drama, K-Pop and movies. Now, just like the slogan of the event, “Korea, Story Connects Us,” it is time for Korea to join hands with the world and create a cooperation model for broadcasting content production, distribution, and other areas.”
With some 19.5 million TV households and 30.8 million pay-TV subscribers, Korea is the most “wired” country in the world in relation to download 15
Jangho Seo, SVP, CJ ENM noted, “In these times, where more people are searching for new stories and content than ever, it is exciting that Korea is represented as MIPCOM’s Country of Honour. The popularity of K-drama and K-formats is incessant, and more markets are looking into originality from Korea. With the recent global success of music-game show ‘I Can See Your Voice’ in Germany and upcoming in the US on Fox, we look forward to celebrating the nation’s creativity and accomplishments at the market.” “Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) is very proud that Korea is opening a new chapter in the history of MIPCOM as Country of Honour 2020. With shows such as ‘The Good Doctor’ and ‘Oops, We Forgot your Order!’, Korean production has grown to become a global content powerhouse reaching beyond Asia,” enthused Hyun Min Park, Executive Director for Content Business Department at KBS. As a content showcase, the MIPCOM Korean focus will feature four online conference sessions. Fresh TV Korea will be hosted by Virginia Mouseler, The Wit’s CEO, preceded by a welcome address by the KCC Chairman. This will be followed by two sessions, the first focussing on Behind Korea’s Mega Hits, the second on Korea’s Platform and Distribution Strategy. Additionally, CoProducing with Korea will look at case studies of successful international cooperation. There will also be ample virtual matchmaking and networking opportunities, including It’s a Match with Korean Producers featuring 25 Korean producers who will be selected by KCC to meet online with potential international partners including key commissioning editors, buyers and producers.
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Han Sang-hyuk Chairman Korean Communications Commision (KCC)
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E.D E
LIN AL
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EU R FI OP LM E IT M AN AL A HE L S R RE TA KE RT T S 11 –1 8F EB 20 21
E DO CO XPL BU NN OR SI ECT E. NE . SS .
EUROPEAN FILM MARKET
DENNIS RUH NAMED NEW HEAD OF
EUROPEAN FILM MARKET “I’m looking forward to working constructively together with the experienced and competent EFM team,” says designated European Film Market director Dennis Ruh
B
erlinale’s European Film Market (EFM), has announced Dennis Ruh will be its new head taking charge of the market. He will be replacing outgoing EFM director Matthijs Wouter Knol who will take new position as director of the European Film Academy. Starting on September 15, Dennis Ruh will initially work side-by-side with the departing EFM director Matthijs Wouter Knol. On November 1, 2020, Dennis Ruh will take over as director of EFM. Dennis Ruh has been involved in the international film industry for over 12 years. Most recently, he was responsible for cooperation with international film festivals as department head at German Films, and in this position managed all substantial festivals with affiliated trade fairs and industry events. He is widely internationally networked and highly familiar with the international distribution business. “With Dennis Ruh, we have gained a well-connected industry expert to head the EFM. We both see him as a committed and forward-thinking individual, and we’re looking forward to working together,” say the Berlinale directors Mariette Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian. “The EFM is very well-positioned. It’s an integral part of the film business cycle and an important driving force for the industry. I want to continue its successful tack within the challenging market setting, and further expand strategic development
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and positioning. I’m looking forward to working constructively together with the experienced and competent EFM team,” says designated EFM director Dennis Ruh. 37-year-old Ruh studied cultural sciences, audiovisual communication, social science and history in Bremen, Germany and Valencia, Spain. During his studies, he began working for the Oldenburg International Film Festival in 2008, where he was in charge of programming, sponsoring, marketing and personnel, and became a co-director in 2011. He also worked for Independent Partners Distribution from 2010 to 2012.
EFM BY THE NUMBERS 11,423 | EFM Participants 114 | Nationalities 732 | Number of films 971 | Market screenings 525 | Market premieres 1,649 | Total buyers 203 | EFM Stands & Offices 564 | Exhibitors
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With Dennis Ruh, we have gained a well-connected industry expert to head the EFM. We both see him as a committed and forwardthinking individual, and we’re looking forward to working together
Dennis Ruh Designated Director European Film Market
EFM’s an integral part of the film business cycle and an important driving force for the industry. I want to continue its successful tack within the challenging market setting, and further expand strategic development and positioning
In 2012, he switched to German Films, the German organisation for international promotion and distribution of German films. There, he was the department head for international festival relations, and the point of contact for producers developing festival and distribution strategies. He is a regular guest lecturer on promoting young talent at German film schools, and reports on the foreign appraisal of German films. “It was a fantastic and an incredibly enriching experience for me to make a contribution to further expanding the Berlinale, especially the Berlinale Talents and then the EFM, over the past twelve years. I leave the festival with a lot of good memories. I wish to thank everyone in the festival management for their faith in me, and I am pleased that the future will offer new opportunities to continue
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Mariette Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian Berlinale Directors
working together”, comments Matthijs Wouter Knol. The 2021 EFM will take place in a hybrid format. In addition to the regular booth areas, screenings will continue to take place in the central cinemas in close proximity to the market. Online screenings will also be available. Various online offers are also being expanded and newly developed, covering the comprehensive EFM platform programme. A five-day conference is planned from February 12-16, 2021, with its programme concentrating the platforms “EFM Producers Hub”, “EFM Horizon”, “EFM Landmark”, “DocSalon”, “Berlinale Series Market” and “Berlinale Africa Hub” for all market visitors, and providing an overview of the most important trendsetting innovations.
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www.cinemarket.io
Buy, Sell
Engage Cinemarket is an online film and TV market for buying and selling rights anytime, anywhere. It’s an innovative platform for film professionals, for both buyers (distributors, OTT platforms, broadcasters, festivals and cinemas) and sellers (sales agents, producers and filmmakers). Pickle chats with ADRIAN LUGOL, Founder and CEO, Cinemarket.io
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ADRIAN LUGOL Founder and CEO, Cinemarket.io
Adrian Lugol and Florian Glatz met in 2016 whilst working in the technology and creative industries in Berlin. They both wanted to find a way for film professionals to buy and sell film and TV rights in a seamless and secure way, cutting out additional costs. The idea of Cinemarket.io was born Tell us about Cinemarket? Cinemarket is the one-stop-shop for the film industry, the only place where everything from film screening to film licensing, license payments and material delivery can happen in days instead of months. We began in 2016. We were one of the first to really try to combine the potential of blockchain technology and shared database in bringing the film industry come together. At the moment what we can do is when you look for films rights, you can browse different filters, what kind of rights you are looking for -- theatrical, VOD, -- or the countries or the continent, and for which period of time, exclusive or non exclusive, as entered by the seller to the buyer. It is automated. The Cinemarket platform generates a contract once a buyer and seller agree to buy or sell. The transfer of rights for the period is generated on the back end of the database.
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How has been the journey? The journey was not easy at all. We never gave up, because, we still see the potential. Our project was first presented at the development stage at the Berlinale Talents market hub in 2017. It was supported by the Creative Europe Media programme at the development stage. Our Beta version was unveiled at the Cannes Marché du Film’s NEXT programme in 2018. We went live this May 2020 during Marche. We have built our team over the years. Our tech team is strong. But, the film industry itself is a bit complex. I will not say film industry is blocked, but a little bit controlled by gatekeepers. And the gatekeepers are people who are in positions for three to four decades and want to maintain status quo. They like the business to be done in same fashion. They want like people to travel to buy movies. But COVID-19 has accelerated digital space in films. It is a little sad that a virus has shown the potential. But, now nobody has a choice. So everybody adapts. Some people are against our initiative. Sometimes, you wonder if they want to help filmmakers or just care about their own business. Sometimes a few people are rude to us. They say, we don’t want to help you and don’t contact us and so on. But, on the other end, there are young talented filmmakers in festivals and markets. For many, who take four or five years to make a movie, they don’t have good experience with the past. We met a producer in Rotterdam, who said that they don’t have sales agents and do everything on their own. Our digital tool can help buy or sell films. We are not Amazon or Netflix. We are a pretty small startup with passion for cinema. It is still going to take sometime for change. But, COVID-19 has accelerated everything. We see it.
WE
believe in
digital
transformation
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Adrian Lugol and Florian Glatz
Can you illustrate by example of how it works? Why is Cinemarket an exciting place to be? It’s very simple. Buyers can watch movies online. make an offer, scout for available rights, buy for a specific time period, or even for few days, exclusive or not, make payment in euro or dollar, revenue share, minimum guarantee or flat fee. As a seller, you can check the summary of the offer and expected time of money transfer, preview contract. And you will be able to give your films to film festivals for just a few days. We have signed deals with Eurovod, T-Port Media, Filmdoo, Perspective Films, Vesoul Asian Film Festival, and Filmotor among others. It is a dream for a startup like us to realize that there is not a central meeting point for the film industry where people can make more than just exchanging some news, but also engage in business. In the coming times, we will have to have as many people as possible. We will also soon have four or five languages on our platform to facilitate buying and selling.
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What is the biggest lesson you have learned from the time you have started to now? When we were ambitious and naive about technology, we started a lot with blockchain two or three years ago. And I will not say we made wrong investment. In 2017 and 2018, there was still a lot of R&D to be done. We created a beta where you could login for security reason with your private key on MetaMask. We even stored files on the blockchain. We could automate payments. In our demo in 2018, if someone is the right owner, and you have someone watching the movie, the right owner receive his/her share in less than three seconds. But we realized that there is too much of a gap for this to happen. It is a reality, that you cannot go directly to the future. It’s too early because the film industry is too slow to adapt. Today, we are focusing only on the marketplace. We have a lot of interest from film festivals, institutions and big corporations.
What is it that makes people come to this platform? Two things. The first thing is filmmakers or producers who are looking to find new ways to promote their films and find distributors. Many look for new digital tools like us because, they give their film to sales agent, who puts it in their catalogue, and you have no option, but to wait. In many cases four or five years. That’s one kind of people who are interested in our platform. We also have buyers who are looking for new content. We are the first digital European-based film market enabling rightsholders and sales companies to securely showcase new catalogue titles to potential buyers. All formats are permitted, from featurelength films and TV series, to documentaries and shorts.
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Finding solution to
challenges is what makes our work
rewarding Can content owners sell rights to universities in UK or USA who buy film rights? Yes. We have one company with a special license that just looks for university rights, because it’s a specific rights. Producers and filmmakers can sell film rights to universities.
Is the Cinemarket registration free? So we make sure that people who register with us are film professionals. We don’t allow people to sell porn or propaganda. We cross-check profile with different databases that exist in the world. The registration is free. We take a small cut (2% for works by young emerging filmmakers and 8-10% for big companies) if you sell your film on our platform. If you make a deal, we make a deal. If no money comes to you, we don’t charge you anything.
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How do you make sure that they do the deal with your platform after coming to you? We can’t. That’s also not our business model. So when we talk to lawyer, they told us, that’s their business model. So when you believe in blockchain and you want to build transparency and fight opacity, you need also to take some risk and believe that people are not all corrupt. You always have access to information. When we see deals that happen on our platform, we will contact to see if they are honest. If not, we will kick them out of our platform.
Is film industry transformation?
unique
to
digital
You can try to stop the digital transformation, you can try to stop technical improvements. Every industry has been transformed by digital. And the film is just one of another one. Everybody has their own job, you can use our platform as a sales agent. Everybody in the beginning said Linkedin is going to kill the job of people who are in HR. In the end, people who are in HR are using Linkedin. It is always the approach of how you have your mindset. Innovation doesn’t arrive if there is no problem to solve. And in the film industry, I think in every stage, from financing to production, distribution to exhibition, there are always problems. There are great people, brightest minds in the film industry. But there are also lot of inbetween people. We believe in digital transformation. Sometimes, do you get frustrated running this… Frustration exists, but it comes on any challenge. It there is no frustration it is super easy. Everybody would have done it before. And challenges are exciting. My team is great. We have 10 to 12 people who are intelligent, talented and passionate. People who love tech, movies, creativity and marketing. Startup has to be fun. If it’s too easy, it’s not fun. Finding solution to challenges is what makes our work rewarding.
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Berlin is one of the startup capitals similar to Silicon Valley? Yeah, well, but not for the weather. And, weather particularly this year was bad. The summer is horrible. But, the startup scene is about the brains that interconnect. We built our company in the beginning with three or four friends. I don’t think I would have found them in south of Italy or even in south of France. Because people who have ambition, go where the challenge is. That’s what Berlin offers.
Finally, what is the biggest challenge now for films waiting to be sold? The saddest part is most of the films are created to die on the Hard Drive. And, Hard Drives are like grave of the movies. And it is very sad. I think films should exist. It should be made available to people across cultures. Like this rich history where everybody could have access at any movie anytime, more or less. And one should pay the film rights owner.
The saddest part is
most of the films are created to die on the
Hard Drive.
And, Hard Drive are like
grave of
the movies
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TIFF 2020 WRAPUP
EMBRACING
CINEMA THROUGH SCREENS OF ALL SIZES
TIFF’s industry platform welcomed 3,926 international professionals digitally this year, and remains a force for market activity with strong deals continuing to be made
TIFF delivered on its promise to provide Festival-goers and the industry with impactful programming
“TIFF 2020 was a year we won’t soon forget,” said Cameron Bailey, TIFF Artistic Director and Co-Head. “Over the last 10 days, we have experienced community in the truest sense. The pandemic hit TIFF hard and we responded by going back to our original inspiration — to bring the very best in film to the broadest possible audience and transform the way people see the world through film. We heeded the urgent calls for greater representation of under-represented voices. And we watched as audiences embraced cinema’s ability to transport them through screens of all sizes by joining us online from all over this country — something that we would never have seen in previous years. TIFF delivered on its promise to provide Festival-goers and the industry with impactful programming. We are very proud of what the TIFF team accomplished.” “The films and talent featured in this year’s Festival have left us inspired and moved,” said Joana Vicente, TIFF Executive Director and Co-Head. ”In a time where the very future of our beloved art form was in question due to cinema and production shutdowns and film festival cancellations, we have seen a tenacity of spirit. We’re heartened by the support and generosity from TIFF’s loyal sponsors, donors, members, and public audiences who encouraged us to deliver a reimagined Festival. We’re grateful for the industry delegates and press corps who championed TIFF’s decision to go ahead with the Festival. We are excited by the fact that 46% of the films screened this year were either directed, co-directed or created by women. We are inspired by the generosity of the industry, who gave their time to be present — virtually — in support of the Festival. And, finally, we are genuinely moved by the commitment of all TIFF’s stakeholders who helped us deliver the TIFF Tribute Awards to Canadian and international audiences.”
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TIFF’s industry platform welcomed 3,926 international professionals digitally this year, and remains a force for market activity with strong deals continuing to be made. The following films were sold at TIFF 2020: Another Round, Bruised , Good Joe Bell, MLK/FBI , Night of the Kings, One Night in Miami... , Pieces of a Woman , Shadow In The Cloud , Shiva Baby and Summer of 85 , with many other sales continuing to be negotiated for films in and out of selection. TIFF’s Industry Conference presented 35 digital sessions, including Master Classes with Viola Davis and Julius Tennon, Luca Guadagnino, Ted Hope, and dream hampton. The Dialogues stream featured conversations with directors Radha Blank, Stella Meghie, and Lulu Wang; writers Tracy Oliver, Cord Jefferson, and Leslye Headland; Primetime directors Derek Cianfrance and Lenny Abrahamson; and documentarians Sam Pollard and Shola Lynch. Additionally, Perspectives sessions included “Narrative Sovereignty” with TIFF Tribute Award honouree Tracey Deer, and “From Micro to Macro: How Data Can Drive Anti-Racist Action in Film and Television.” Popular Microsessions encouraged conversations in “Reclaiming Our Time, Stories and Screens for Under-represented Canadian Creators” and “Harnessing Media to Make Positive Social Change,” to name just a few, and Spotlights featured countries such as Russia, India Israel, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom. The Conference also offered two special industry events: “Aaron Sorkin on The Trial of the Chicago 7 ”, and “Women on the Rise: 2020 TIFF Rising Stars, a panel presented by OLG.”
Spotlights featured countries such as Russia, India Israel, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom. The Conference also offered two special industry events: “Aaron Sorkin on The Trial of the Chicago 7 ”, and “Women on the Rise: 2020 TIFF Rising Stars, a panel presented by OLG 29
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FILMS SOLD AT TIFF 2020 INCLUDED Another Round, Bruised , Good Joe Bell, MLK/FBI , Night of the Kings , One Night in Miami... , Pieces of a Woman , Shadow In The Cloud , Shiva Baby and Summer of 85 , with many other sales continuing to be negotiated for films in and out of selection
Talent development also remains at the forefront of TIFF’s commitment to the industry. The Filmmaker Lab provided emerging directors with an immersive learning experience. This year, 20 directors were selected to participate — 10 from Canada and 10 from around the world. The Lab, designed to be inspirational, brought filmmakers into contact with some of the finest creative talent in the world and was supported by Telefilm Canada, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the RBC Female Creator Initiative, Anne-Marie Canning, and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) with Filmmaker Lab Fellowships generously supported by Hudson’s Bay Foundation, Canada Goose and TIFF’s Share Her Journey campaign. For 2020 the HFPA selected three of our Filmmaker Lab participants for their three-week residency programme: Maha Al-Saati (Saudi Arabia), Álvaro Gago Díaz (Spain), and Jeff Wong (Canada). In order to acknowledge the heroes working to keep people safe during the global health crisis, TIFF presented a special screening of Concrete Cowboy to 500 invited frontline workers on Monday, September 14. The screening was held on TIFF’s online film platform, Bell Digital Cinema, and sponsored by Fasken. TIFF partnered with Toronto area hospitals Sinai Health, Toronto General, St. Michael’s, and St. Joseph’s (Unity); long-term care facilities Baycrest Hospital, Homes First, and South Riverdale Community Health Centre; and mental health care partners CAMH (PHP, ENCORE, Gifts of Light), CMHA, Real Canadian Superstore, and the TTC in order to facilitate outreach to 500 frontline workers in the Greater Toronto Area. Many of these partners work closely with TIFF year-round as part of our Mental Health Outreach programme, which supports individuals on their path to wellness by harnessing the unique power of film to unlock imagination and encourage curiosity. For the first time ever, TIFF’s leading fundraiser, the TIFF Tribute Awards, was broadcast across Canada on CTV and ctv.ca, and streamed internationally to the rest of the world by Variety. During the one-hour broadcast, Academy Award–winning actress Kate Winslet and Academy Award–winning actor Sir Anthony Hopkins each received a TIFF Tribute Actor Award ; Nomadland director Chloé Zhao was awarded the TIFF Ebert Director Award ; Academy Award–nominated filmmaker Mira Nair was honoured with the Jeff Skoll Award in Impact Media; Grammy Award– winning composer Terence Blanchard, whose work was featured in this year’s films Bruised and One Night In Miami... , received the TIFF Variety Artisan Award; and Beans director Tracey Deer was awarded the TIFF Emerging Talent Award.
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TIFF 2020 AWARD WINNERS
Nomadland
wins People’s Choice at
Toronto
Here’s the complete list of Toronto International Film Festival award recipients for 2020. No cash prize is attached to TIFF People’s Choice winners this year
Nomadland
C
hloé Zhao’s Nomadland has won the TIFF People Choice Award 2020. The Oscar 2020 favourite for Best Picture Nomadland also was a Venice Golden Lion winner. Frances McDormand explores the vast landscape of the American West, in Chloé Zhao’s wise and intimate portrayal of life as a modern-day nomad. Adapting Jessica Bruder’s nonfiction book, Chloé Zhao writes, directs, and edits with impressively crisp focus. The film gets into and out of every scene with rare economy, cutting to the heart of each moment in our growing understanding of Fern. First runner up is Regina King’s exceptional One Night In Miami which reimagines a real-life 1964 meeting between Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown. The second runner up goes to Trace Deer’s Beans. The best documentary prize goes to Inconvenient Indian, while the best Midnight Madness film goes to Roseanne Liang’s Shadow In The Cloud. Previous People’s Choice winners including Green Book, 12 Years a Slave, and The King’s Speech have bagged the best-picture Oscar. A longstanding tradition at TIFF, the People’s Choice Award is celebrating its 43rd year. Audiences watching films at the RBC Lakeside Drive-In at Ontario Place, the Visa Skyline Drive-In at CityView, the West Island OpenAir Cinema at Ontario Place, OLG Play Stage at Ontario Place, TIFF Bell Lightbox, and at home via digital screenings on the Bell Digital Cinema platform voted online. All films in TIFF’s Official Selection were eligible.
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One Night In Miami
Trace Deer’s Beans SHAWN MENDES FOUNDATION CHANGEMAKER AWARD Presented by the Shawn Mendes Foundation, the 2020 Changemaker Award is awarded to a Festival film that tackles issues of social change, and comes with a $10,000 cash prize. The winning film was selected by TIFF’s Next Wave Committee, a group of young film lovers who recognize cinema’s power to transform the world. The Shawn Mendes Foundation will also be making an annual contribution in support of TIFF Next Wave, helping TIFF deliver key initiatives to elevate young voices. The jurors for the Changemaker Award are members of TIFF’s Next Wave Committee: Saharla Ugas, Sia Mehta, Emanuel Ntwig, Julia Yoo, Daeja Sutherland, Lina Zhang, Delphine Winton, Joe Ning, Caterina Ferrari, Visaree Bradshaw-Coore, Andrea Landaeta, and Diego Lopez. The 2020 Changemaker Award is awarded to Black Bodies, a short film by Kelly Fyffe-Marshall. On making the announcement, the jury said FyffeMarshall’s film perfectly fits the criteria and aims of the award. Through its striking visuals and sound design, combined with spoken word, the film powerfully captures the emotional and physical trauma Black people experience and the injustice of police brutality against them. These are issues the Committee felt are particularly important and relevant to young people today. “Kelly Fyffe-Marshall’s Black Bodies powerfully shows what it is like for Black people to live in an unjust society,” said the Committee. “It is moving because the words are too real, it hurts because of all the lives lost to police brutality, and it reminds us how unjust it is that we live in a world where we as young people need to fight to affirm that Black Lives Matter. It is activism against police brutality in moving colour. We’re honoured to award this prize to such a talented and important emerging filmmaker and social activist in our community.” “It is such a blessing to receive this award, to be acknowledged, to be seen and to be heard,” said Fyffe-Marshall. “Thank you to the Shawn Mendes Foundation and to the Toronto International Film Festival. I want to use this special moment to further push for change. This year the world seemed to have paused, and we finally heard the call for equality. What we are being called to do doesn’t take much. We just need each of us to do what we can, where we can, and make ripples where we are.”
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Inconvenient Indian
Shadow In The Cloud
AMPLIFY VOICES AWARDS PRESENTED BY CANADA GOOSE Canada Goose embraces diversity in all its forms and definitions, including technique and passion that transports storytelling to the screen. This year, Canada Goose presents the Amplify Voices Awards to the three best feature films by under-represented filmmakers. All feature films in Official Selection by BIPOC and Canadian filmmakers were eligible for these awards, and the three winners will receive a cash prize of $10,000 each, made possible by Canada Goose. The three Amplify Voices Awards presented by Canada Goose winners are: Amplify Voices Award for Best Canadian Feature Film: Inconvenient Indian , dir. Michelle Latimer Jury’s statement: “Michelle Latimer’s documentary is a deeply thought-provoking adaptation of Thomas King’s classic non-fiction book. It is a scorching indictment that interrogates the narratives we tell about ourselves and whose humanity is valued in that exercise. Expansive yet pulsing with energy and life, it ponders big questions and harkens the coming of a new era of truth and reclamation.” Special Mention: Fauna , dir. Nicolás Pereda (Canadian Film) Jury’s statement: “Tonally precise, with a cunning sense of humour, and led by brilliant performances, this film unpacks the influence of violent stereotypes in popular culture on the Mexican psyche.” Amplify Voices Award: The Disciple, dir. Chaitanya Tamhane Jury’s statement: “Masterful in its restraint, this film about a struggling classical Indian musician explores the tension between traditional discipline and the contemporary impulse to be instantly validated. The Disciple is a visually sumptuous and insightful journey into the life of an artist.” Amplify Voices Award: Night of the Kings , dir. Philippe Lacôte Jury’s statement: “A bold distinctive voice that pushes the boundaries of traditional cinematic storytelling, weaving together myth and reality in a beguiling trance of a movie. The film seduces with its captivating performances from newcomer Koné Bakary and a chorus of performers moving in rhythmic harmony.”
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The Disciple
Downstream to Kinshasa Special Mention: Downstream to Kinshasa, dir. Dieudo Hamadi Jury’s statement: “A visceral gut punch of a documentary that explores the courage and determination of survivors of war crimes in the Democratic Republic of Congo. A harrowing boat journey becomes a visual metaphor of their struggle to be recognized and their resilience in the face of adversity.” The 2020 jurors for the Amplify Voices Awards presented by Canada Goose are actor Sarah Gadon, filmmaker Danis Goulet, and producer Damon D’Oliveira. IMDbPro SHORT CUTS AWARDS The 2020 IMDbPro Short Cuts Awards are for Best Film, Best Canadian Film, and, new this year, the Share Her Journey Award for best film by a woman. IMDbPro will provide each of the three winners with a bursary of $10,000 CAD and a one-year membership to IMDbPro , the essential resource for entertainment industry professionals, to help them continue achieving success in their careers. These awards build on IMDbPro’s nearly 20-year history of empowering entertainment professionals to discover new talent and projects, and on its ongoing commitment to supporting and collaboratively working with organizations that create greater diversity, equity, and inclusion in the entertainment industry, including TIFF’s Share Her Journey campaign. The winners of the three awards are: IMDbPro Short Cuts Award for Best Film: Dustin , dir. Naïla Guiguet Jury’s statement: “Dustin Muchuvitz’s performance pulled us on a journey from night into morning that still lingered with us long after the film ended. Naïla Guiguet has offered us a relatable yet often unseen perspective on growing apart.” IMDbPro Short Cuts Award for Best Canadian Film: Benjamin, Benny, Ben , dir. Paul Shkordoff Jury’s statement: “A quiet yet powerful fim that told us so much about race and class through simple but focused direction.” IMDbPro Short Cuts Share Her Journey Award: Sing Me a Lullaby, dir. Tiffany Hsiung Jury’s statement: “This film offered viewers an emotional look at resolving generational trauma.” Honourable mention: O Black Hole! , dir. Renee Zhan The 2020 jurors for the IMDbPro Short Cuts Awards are filmmakers Stella Meghie, Adam Piron, and Chloé Robichaud.
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