IT'S A FREE WORLD (Ken Loach) 

Monday, September 3----------European Film Promotion (EFP), the pan-European agency of the continent's film promotion boards, again returns to the Toronto International Film Festival with a program of support for European filmmakers and sales agents. For this year's edition, 39 European films will benefit from the Film Sales Support (FSS) initiative sponsored by EFP. 26 different European sales agents and production companies are receiving support for the promotion of 39 European films in all major categories of this year's Toronto International Film Festival. For the third year, FSS, which is backed by the MEDIA Programme of the European Union, is helping to increase the visibility of European films at the "gateway to the North American market". The supported films account for a third of the festival’s European program, including ten French, four German, four Danish, two British and five Spanish films as well as films from various other European countries, including Eastern Europe (with Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Czech Republic and Hungary represented). Half of the supported films are celebrating their World Premieres in Toronto, including GONE WITH THE WOMAN (Norway, Petter Naess), SILENT RESIDENT (Austria, Christian Frosch), BATTLE FOR HADITHA (UK, Nick Broomfield), IT'S A FREE WORLD (UK, Ken Loach) and JUST LIKE HOME (Denmark, Lone Scherfig). Two new documentaries are included: THE MOSQUITO PROBLEM AND OTHER STORIES (Audrey Paounov) and ALGERIA: UNSPOKEN STORIES (Jean-Pierre Liedo). Also included is an animation feature, NOCTURNA by Victor Maldonado and Adrià Garcia.

The following directors are travelling to Toronto with the help of FSS:

• Claude Chabrol (A GIRL CUT IN TWO)
• Carlos Saura (FADOS)
• Manoel de Oliviera (CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, THE ENIGMA)
• Béla Tarr (THE MAN FROM LONDON)
• Julio Medem (CHAOTIC ANA
• Lone Scherfig (JUST LIKE HOME)
• Silvio Soldini (DAYS AND CLOUDS)
• Victor Maldonado and Adrià Garcia (NOCTURNA)
• Jirí Vejdelek (ROMING)
• Michelange Quay (EAT, FOR THIS IS MY BODY)
• Jacob Thuesen (ERIK NIETZCHE, THE EARLY YEARS)
• Hiner Saleem (BENEATH THE ROOFTOPS OF PARIS)
  

Companies attending the Toronto Film Festival with support of the Film Sales Support initiative include: AB Svensk Filmindustri (Sweden), Adriana Chiesa Enterprises (Italy), Agitprop (Bulgaria), Bavaria Media (Germany), Coach14 (France), Colifilms (France), Fandango Portobello Sales (UK), Filmax (Spain), Fortissimo Films (The Netherlands), Hanway Films (UK), Kid Film (Poland), Latido Films (Spain), Mediapro Distribution (Romania), Memento Films International (France), Mer-kel Film (Hungary), MK2 (France), Nordisk Film International Sales (Denmark), Pathé International (UK), Pyramide International (France), Rezo Films (France), Silkroad Production (France), Sogepaq (Spain), The Match Factory (Germany), Trust Film (Denmark), Wide Management (France) and Wild Bunch (France).

As in previous years, EFP hosts a European Umbrella Stand,  located at the Festival Sales & Industry Office at the Sutton Place Hotel and  is also sponsoring its annual Cocktail Reception on Sunday, September 9th......one of the most fun and "buzz-worthy" get-togethers of the Toronto Film Festival.

Sandy Mandelberger, Toronto FF Dailies Editor