One of the fab parties this week at the Tribeca Film Festival was the Tuesday evening bash at BAR 13, hosted by Wallflower Press, the largest publisher of film books and magazines in the United Kingdom. Yoram Allon, Editorial Director and Publisher, was in Gotham with his wife Nicky Allon and editor Ian Haydn Smith as part of the company’s North American launch of the INTERNATIONAL FILM GUIDE, the authoritative Yearbook of International Cinema, and FILM & FESTIVALS MAGAZINE, a quarterly covering the world of film festivals.

Wallflower Press arranged with the Tribeca Film Festival to distribute close to 1000 copies of the INTERNATIONAL FILM GUIDE to Festival Industry Delegates as part of their “welcome bags” (which mainly consisted of thin brochures and gimmicky trinkets). Wallflower Press also distributed the April edition of FILM & FESTIVALS MAGAZINE, which contains a preview article on the TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL, as well as wrap and preview coverage of festivals in the first half of 2008 and various feature stories on films, festivals and how-to information for independent filmmakers.

“The Tribeca Film Festival is a perfect venue for us to reach both American and international industry professionals, filmmakers and media”, said Allon said during the packed-to-the-rafters soiree. “Since taking over the publication of the INTERNATIONAL FILM GUIDE from Variety, our goal is to make it the definitive resource on world cinema. FILM & FESTIVALS is poised to become a significant media presence with the coverage of international film festivals, world cinema and the personalities who make up our business.”

The Tuesday night fete, held in the James Bond-like Upper Lounge and Roof Deck at BAR 13 was co-hosted by International Media Resources, a New York-based public relations, marketing and editorial services company, and Columbia University Press, the trade publisher and distributor that represents Wallflower Press titles in North America. “This was a great opportunity to meet and greet Tribeca attendees and the New York film and media community”, Allon added. “We see this presence in New York as the first step in a year-long campaign to let both the North American industry and film buffs know about the books that we publish and the new media initiatives that we are launching.”

Wallflower Press is a London-based independent publishing house specializing in cinema and the moving image. The company publishes over 30 new titles each year and has recently moved into the magazine business with FILM AND FESTIVALS MAGAZINE and other publications. The company will be soon announcing various new media content creation and distribution initiatives for the coming year. For more information, consult the company website: www.wallflowerpress.co.uk

The INTERNATIONAL FILM GUIDE, first published in 1963, is the world’s most authoritative and trusted yearbook of world cinema. The 2008 edition is a 450-page resource that covers the cinema output of over 100 countries. Special features in this double edition include: coverage of five ‘Directors of the Year’ (Fatih Akin, Suzanne Bier, Guillermo del Toro, Paul Greengrass and Jia Zhangke), a detailed country focus on Germany, industry analysis on documentary and the growth of DVD production and a comprehensive listing and description of all major international and smaller local film festivals from all over the world. This may have been Wallflower Press’ first clinch with the Tribeca Film Festival, but positive buzz surrounding the publications and the fab party makes it pretty certain it is not the last. Stay tuned.

Sandy Mandelberger, Tribeca FF Dailies Editor