66th EIFF ramps up industry programme

The 66th edition of the Edinburgh Film Festival looks set to feature a busy industry programme, including a number of panels hosted by the BFI, Creative England, Film London and Film Export UK all aimed at helping up and coming film-makers get their break into the industry.

Industry events include a “Meet The Funders” panel, hosted by the BFI, which invested £19K in the festival this year through its transition fund. The panel will feature representatives from Creative England, Creative Scotland, Film Agency for Wales and Screen Yorkshire, advising on the funds they offer and what they look for in projects and talents. The BFI will also host a Film Fund Short Filmmakers Breakfast.

Creative England will also host a panel - Small Budgets, Big Talents - looking at how some of the brightest new filmmakers in recent years have kick started their careers with low budget films, whilst Film London is backing a case study on Microwave feature Borrowed Time, which screens during the festival, with writer/director Jules Bishop and producer Olivier Kaempfer.

Film Export UK, Film London and Creative Skillset are also hosting Market Place Live, which aims to introduce new filmmakers to the concept of the Independent Film Value Chain.

The EIFF has also teamed up with the Danish Film Institute for a discussion on the documentary landscape in Danish cinema. The event -The Danish Documentary Focus - will feature producers Peter Engel and Halle Faber.

As previously announced, the EIFF will host a series of new talent initiatives including the Talent Lab, Sound Lab and Composers Lab.

Meanwhile, amongst the highlights of the industry programme will be an onstage chat between British cinematographer Chris Menges, whose credits include The Reader, London Boulevard and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and cinematographer Seamus McGarvey (We Need To Talk About Kevin).

James Marsh, whose latest feature Shadow Dancer will compete for the Michael Powell Award at this year’s festival, will take part in a discussion on the writer/director relationship with Tom Bradby, who wrote the script for Shadow Dancer, whilst Peter Strickland will be talking about the use of sound design and music in his film Berberian Sound Studio, which world premieres at the festival.

Director Mark Cousins, who will be at the festival with his latest project What Is This Film Called Love, will take part in a discussion on the impact of imagery - A Thousand Pictures to the Eye: Images, Emotions, and the Movies.

The festival runs June 20-July 1.