Southeast Asian Film Financing Project Market 2020 Finalists

SAFF Project Market and SAFF Forum go fully virtual at ATF Online+

SINGAPORE, Nov 6, 2020 - (ACN Newswire) - ScreenSingapore today announced finalists for the Southeast Asian Film Financing (SAFF) Project Market 2020.

Ten projects from China, Malaysia, Myanmar, Netherlands, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand were selected based on the project's co-production viabilities and the strength of the filmmaking team.

This year's SAFF Project Market sees entries coming in from 14 countries and regions across Asia, Europe and North America, including first-timers from Finland, France, and Iran.

Taking Asian Storytelling to the World

Since its launch in 2015, the SAFF Project Market has emerged as a recognised regional platform for established and upcoming content creators to come together and present their projects to the international marketplace.

Finalists will be able to meet with financiers, commissioners, and investors - albeit virtually this year - who will be able to bridge them with the resources needed to take their projects to a global audience.

Selected projects will join the ranks of SAFF Project Market alumni who have seen their projects produced, undergo production, or acquire financing.

"The SAFF Project Market funnels expertise and resource from people all-over the world and brings them 'to-the-table' with filmmakers for projects that have the potential for a world-wide audience. Their input gave me different perspectives that have been beneficial to the projects that we have in-development," said Anne Prado-Magadia, President, Atom & Anne Mediaworks, and a previous participant.

"SAFF Project Market creates concrete linkages between creators and buyers. The network is definitely getting bigger every year and we're always building new relationships with producers, financiers and

distributors from the region and beyond," said Micah Tadena, Producer, Quantum Run, and also a previous participant.

Enabling Southeast Asia Partnerships in Media

Held alongside the SAFF Project Market is ScreenSingapore's SAFF Forum. The theme for this year's SAFF Forum - Southeast Asian Partnerships in Media: Content, Connectivity & Capability - will be centred on the changing landscape of content buying to discussing concepts that will lend fresh perspectives in Southeast Asian co-productions.

The fixed-timing afternoon sessions across all four days during ATF Online+ 2020 is not only a new format but will also be live streamed while meetings take place during the closed door SAFF Project Market Speed Dating sessions. Participants can attend the conference sessions while waiting for their meeting time slot.

Initial line-up of speakers and panellists for the SAFF Forum include:

- Abhi Rastogi, CEO, 108 Media

- Himanshu Shah, Owner, AV8 Media Pte Ltd

- Jeremy Chua, Founder, Potocol

- Rashid Karim, CEO, Iskandar Malaysia Studios

- Anthony Tulloch, General Manager, Iskandar Malaysia Studios

- Elliot Renton, Senior Director & Head of Asia-Pacific, Grabyo

Bridging Asian and European Producers

TIES THAT BIND (TTB), a workshop programme which combines producer training, project development and co-production meetings focusing on co-operation between European and Asian producers, returns this year as part of the Asia TV Forum & Market (ATF) and ScreenSingapore's line-up of events.

Five Asian and five European producers with their projects under development, have been selected to be part of the workshop which will take place online from 16 to 30 November 2020.

The selected producers will also have the opportunity to meet decision-makers at the ATF Online+ platform from 1 to 4 December 2020.

The line-up of decision-makers they stand to meet are:

- Alexis Hofmann of BAC Films (France)

- Bugno Vincenzo of World Cinema Fund (Germany)

- Carole Baraton of Charades (France)

- Charles Tesson of Aide aux cinemas du monde & Semaine de la critique Cannes (France)

- Emilie Serres of Orange Studio (France)

- Georges Goldenstern of Cinefondation (France)

- Keiko Funato of Alpha Violet (France)

- Per-Eirik Gilsvik of Sorfond (Norway)

Justin Deimen, Executive Director of the Southeast Asian Audio-Visual Association (SAAVA), which coorganises the SAFF Project Market and Forum, said, "SAAVA is excited to present these films to the market as year on year, we continue to have an eclectic and electric mix of projects from established and emerging voices in the region, even while the industry pivots to new ways of connecting to each other and keeping business lines open."

Yeow Hui Leng, Group Project Director of ATF and ScreenSingapore, said, "Our digital platform facilitates a smooth exchange of ideas and expertise between Asian producers and decision makers from the rest of the world. This is a great opportunity for Asian storytelling to go the distance, and we are encouraged by the level of support and participation received for our new format this year".

ScreenSingapore's SAFF Project Market and Forum, and TTB meetings will take place virtually at ATF Online+ from 1 - 4 December 2020. TTB workshops begin earlier on 16 November. ScreenSingapore is part of the Singapore Media Festival (SMF).

Finalists for Southeast Asian Film Financing (SAFF) Project Market 2020:

http://www.acnnewswire.com/clientreports/598/Annex.pdf

Images can be downloaded: https://we.tl/t-FIkQdXO1hk

About ScreenSingapore 2020

ScreenSingapore - Southeast Asia's definitive marketplace for filmmakers, producers, distributors, financiers and film buyers to explore co-production opportunities, seek financing, make deals and learn about the changing film landscape.

In 2020, ScreenSingapore will once again host the Southeast Asian Film Financing (SAFF) Project Market and Conference, in partnership with the Southeast Asian Audio-Visual Association (SAAVA) and Ties That Bind: Asia/Europe Producers Workshop (TTB) to connect promising filmmakers and producers from Southeast Asia and Europe with international co-producing partners, festival programmers, distributors, commissioners, and financiers. For more information, please visit www.screensingapore.com.sg

About Asia TV Forum & Market (ATF) 2020

Asia TV Forum & Market (ATF) - the region's leading entertainment content event - is the platform of calibre to acquire knowledge, network, buy, sell, finance, distribute and co-produce across all platforms. It is the premier stage in Asia to engage with the entertainment industry's top players from around the world. It's where the best minds meet and the future of Asia's content is shaped.

ATF facilitates opportunities to discover vital trends, crucial statistics and significant foresight particularly in TV's digital, kids and formats arenas. Its business match-making programme open doors to new connections in the region. With over 5,700 international buyers and sellers from more than 60 countries and regions, ATF presents valuable business prospects for topof-the-line benefits. For more information, please visit www.asiatvforum.com

About Southeast Asian Audio-Visual Association (SAAVA)

The Southeast Asian Audio-Visual Association (SAAVA), a non-profit association that seeks to unify media producers and media financiers in the region. The association's mission is to advance creative development across the region, promote Southeast Asian audio-visual content and capabilities internationally, as well as stimulate business collaborations between its members. SAAVA's current board of directors include Teo Yi-Ling, Justin Deimen, and Yeo Kok Siew.

About Reed Exhibitions (RX)

Reed Exhibitions is a leading global event organiser, with more than 500 events in 30 countries. In 2019, Reed Exhibitions brought together more than 7m event participants from around the world generating billions of dollars in business. Today Reed Exhibitions' events are held throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and Africa and organised by 38 fully staffed offices. Reed Exhibitions serves 43 industry sectors with trade and consumer events. It is part of RELX, a global provider of information and analytics for professional and business customers across industries. For more information, please visit www.reedexpo.com

About the Singapore Media Festival (SMF)

The Singapore Media Festival, hosted by the Infocomm Media Development Authority, is one of Asia's leading international media events, where the industry meets to discover the latest trends, talents and content in Asia for film, TV and digital media. Taking place from 26 November to 6 December 2020, the Singapore Media Festival brings together the Asian Academy Creative Awards (AAA), Asia TV Forum & Market (ATF) and ScreenSingapore, and Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF). SuperGamerFest will also be held in conjunction with SMF. For more information about the Singapore Media Festival, please visit www.imda.gov.sg/sgmediafest.

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