Harmony Korine joins Rotterdam crowd funding scheme

Launched earlier this year, Cinema Reloaded allows filmmakers to connect with audiences around the world in order to finance and distribute their projects through online crowd funding.   

The first trio of films produced under the auspices of Cinema Reloaded will premiere at the IFFR in January 2011. The line-up will include the next project from Korine (Gummo, Trash Humpers), Ho Yuhang (15Malyasia) and Alexis Dos Santos (Unmade Beds).

Dos Santos and Yuhang have received more than 500 co-financiers to date and have already begun production on their films.

IFFR director Rutger Wolfson said: “At a time when the international marketplace for truly independent films is rapidly changing, and many films and filmmakers are having difficulty getting exposure, IFFR has created new and exciting opportunities for a wide range of films to find funding and reach an audience. Our innovative Cinema Reloaded program, which we began earlier this year, will help realize films by three fantastic filmmakers, and help build a global online community of passionate film enthusiasts with the opportunity to be involved with film projects from inception through release.”

Korine will collect finances for his new film entirely through the Cinema Reloaded initiative.

Cinema Reloaded is linked to a crowd funding system that works on the basis of donations. A €5 euro donation is enough to become a co-financier of one or more of the film projects. With €25 contributions donors are credited.

The filmmakers have until Dec 31 2010 to finance their projects through the intitiative.

The scheme is the first online social network for the finance of films by donation set up by a film festival.