The International Film Festival Rotterdam welcomes sixty-seven young producers taking part in the tenth anniversary edition of Rotterdam Lab. CineMart’s highly successful event for emerging producers has expanded steadily over the past decade. The participants have been nominated by the twenty-one Rotterdam Lab partner organizations. Rotterdam Lab, part of CineMart, takes place January 30 – February 3. (See full list of participants and partner organizations below)

Rotterdam Lab Coordinator Jacobine van der Vloed: “Finding your way in a large international festival and market can be daunting for an emerging producer. Buyers, sellers and funders are not easy to track down. The Rotterdam Lab creates a somewhat safer and easier environment for these producers to present their companies and projects, test the grounds, receive feedback on how to proceed and expand their network in an effective way. The Rotterdam Lab fits very well in Rotterdam’s spirit of nurturing emerging talent. Moreover, the Rotterdam Lab has developed into a valuable tool to strengthen CineMart's international network of independent producers.”

Over the past years, the Rotterdam Lab has expanded steadily, with more producers from more regions participating every year. The Lab has already resulted in many producers returning to CineMart, and films by producers who have attended the Lab have been screened in the official Festival Programme. By bringing together a mix of producers from around Europe and the rest of the world, the Rotterdam Lab has also generated many alluring international co-productions.

The participants of the Rotterdam Lab are starting producers, who are ‘nominated’ by the international training bodies and funding agencies with which the CineMart has partnerships. Traditionally, panel discussions are organized on different topics such as production, sales, financing, distribution, press & promotion and television. These panels take place in an informal setting and are organized to illustrate the process by which a project in need of financing is completed and brought to its audience. In these panels, experts from the industry give the producers tools on how to present their project and how to build up an international network.

Complimentary to the panels, participants take part in “speed-dating” sessions, during which they have time to meet personally with industry delegates and receive advice on their own projects.

CineMart has always had a focus on producers who are in the beginning of their careers. Several years ago, the CineMart staff realized that many new producers lack the knowledge on how to operate in an international film festival or market setting. Therefore, in 2001, based on the belief that these skills are vital for any producer, and to provide young professionals the means to develop an international network, CineMart organized the first CineMart International Trainee Project, later renamed the Rotterdam Lab.

In addition to the organized Rotterdam Lab programme, it is important that the producers take the chance to participate in all other CineMart events, such as networking lunches, cocktails and other panels. They are encouraged to take advantage of their time in Rotterdam as much as possible by strengthening their network.

International partners participating in Rotterdam Lab:
Ateliers du Cinéma Européen (ACE), France
European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs (EAvE), Luxembourg
Filmstiftung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Fundación TyPA, Argentina
Independent Feature Project (IFP), USA
Indigenous Branch – Screen Australia
Irish Film Board
Israel Film Fund
J-Pitch - UNIJAPAN
Korean Film Council (KOFIC)
National Film Development Corporation India
Netherlands Film Fund
New Zealand Film Commission
Rotterdam Media Fund, the Netherlands
Scottish Screen, United Kingdom
Screen Australia
Singapore Film Commission
Telefilm Canada
UK Film Council
Vlaams Audiovisueel Fonds, Belgium
Wallonie Bruxelles Images, Belgium


Rotterdam Lab Participants 2010
(Participant, company, country, nominated by)
Amanda De Luis, Alta Realitat, Spain, ACE / Ateliers du Cinéma Européen
Gabor Sipos, Laokoon Filmgroup, Hungary, ACE / Ateliers du Cinéma Européen
Josefine Tengblad, Yellow Bird Productions, Sweden, EAVE
Jennifer Sabbah, Boa Films, France, EAVE
Darija Kulenovic Gudan, Studio dim d.o.o., Croatia, EAVE
Ewa Borowski, eastart pictures, Germany, Filmstiftung NRW
Nicole Ringhut, Maranto Films GmbH, Germany, Filmstiftung NRW
Xavier Rombaut, Emerald Films, Belgium, Flanders Image/VAF
Emily Wanja, Visual Asili, Kenya, IFFR - Africa
Alberto Botelho, Novos Sonhos Audiovisuais, Angola, IFFR - Africa
Paul Lwanga Jr, Vilole Images Productions, Zambia, IFFR - Africa
Thomas Woodrow, Furnace Films, LLC, USA, IFP
Jason Orans, Gigantic Pictures, USA, IFP
Rhea Stephenson, Independent Producer, Australia, Indigenous Branch/Screen Australia
Wayne Denning, Carbon media Pty Ltd, Australia, Indigenous Branch/Screen Australia
John Wallace, Black Sheep, Productions, Ireland, Irish Film Board
Heidi Madsen, Paper Dreams Limited, Ireland, Irish Film Board
Michael Rozenbaum, Transfax Film Productions ltd., Israel, Israel Film Fund
Yochanan Kredo, July August Productions, Israel, Israel Film Fund
Aurit Zamir, Gum Films, Israel, Israel Film Fund
Mayumi Sanda, Elephante Inc., Japan, J-Pitch/UNIJAPAN
Kousuke Ono, WA Entertainment Inc., Japan, J-Pitch/UNIJAPAN
Yuki Toyoyama, Esprit Inc., Japan, J-Pitch/UNIJAPAN
Cho Yoon-Jung, BlueMoonPark, South Korea, KOFIC
Always-Han, InOK Films, South Korea, KOFIC
Jang Su-Young, Swimming Pictures, South Korea, KOFIC
Jang Sung-Young, Film Factory nu:n, South Korea, KOFIC
Choi Nak-kwon, CHOICEcut Pictures, South Korea, KOFIC
Sanjay Suri, Anticlock Films, India, NFDC
Ben Rekhi, Ben Rekhi Productions, USA, NFDC
Sandeep A. Varma, ICOMO Advertising India Pvt. Ltd., India, NFCD
Pierre Walfisz, Trompe Le Monde, France, NFDC
Gertjan Langeland, LEV Pictures, The Netherlands, Netherlands Film Fund
Eva Eisenloeffel, Lemming Film, The Netherlands, Netherlands Film Fund
Keren Cogan, Phanta Vision, The Netherlands, Netherlands Film Fund
Natasja Mohrs, Column Film, The Netherlands, Netherlands Film Fund
Ellen Havenith, Column Film, The Netherlands, Netherlands Film Fund
Kristian Eek, Independent Producer, New Zealand, New Zealand Film Commission
Maile Daugherty, Independent Producer, New Zealand, New Zealand Film Commission
Tom Hern, Six String Pictures Ltd, New Zealand, New Zealand Film Commission
Dijana Olcay-Hot, Revolver Media Productions, The Netherlands, Rotterdam Film Fund
Sophie Slabbekoorn, seriousFilm, The Netherlands, Rotterdam Film Fund
Jesse de Jong, JesseFilms, The Netherlands, Rotterdam Film Fund
Kat Hebden, Blindside Productions, UK, Scottisch Screen
Carolynne Sinclair Kidd, Hopscotch Films Ltd., UK Scottisch Screen
Ciara Barry, Digicult Ltd, UK, Scottisch Screen
Sylvia Wilcynski, Lemur Films Pty Ltd, Australia, Screen Australia
Angie Fielder, Aquarius Films, Australia, Screen Australia
Kristina Ceyton, Independent Producer, Australia, Screen Australia
James Leong, Lianain Films, Singapore, Singapore Film Commission
Fran Borgia, Akanga Film Asia, Singapore, Singapore Film Commission
Rajvinder Uppal, Mama-oo Pictures ltd, Canada, Telefilm Canada
Bev Bliss, Moving Films Inc, Canada, Telefilm, Canada
Nicolas Comeau, 1976 Productions, Canada, Telefilm Canada
Ingrid Veninger, pUNK Films, Inc. Canada, Telefilm Canada
Pablo Lamar, Sapukai Cine, Paraguay, Typa
Rodrigo Marin, Propagandacine, Chile, Typa
Fernando A. P. Ruiz, Fábrica de Cine S.R.L, Argentina, Typa
Fabiola Ramos, Independent Producer, Mexico, Typa
Ruben Sierra Salles, Peliculas Prescindibles, Venezuela, Typa
Tom Wood, Wellington Films, UK, UK Film Council
Rachel Dargavel, Steel Mill Pictures, UK, UK Film Council
Rhodri Thomas, Independent Producer, UK, UK Film Council
David Boaretto, Revolution Films, GBR, UK Film Council
Megan S. Wallace, Blirt Ltd / Incendiary Pictures, UK, UK Film Council
Samantha Price, Sparkler Productions, UK, UK Film Council
Julien Sigalas, Stempel, Belgium, Wallonie Bruxelles Images


http://www.filmfestivalrotterdam.com
39th International Film Festival Rotterdam: 27 January - 7 February 2010