TIFF sets Asia Summit, Doc Conference, industry events

Asia Film Summit

The third annual Asia Film Summit is set for September 9 at the Shangri-La Hotel and features Legendary East CEO Peter Loehr, The Raid franchise director Gareth Evans, directors Andrew Lau and Wang Xiaoshuai, UniJapan’s Kenta Fudesaka and senior vp of CJ Entertainment Kini Kim.

The programme includes a headline conversation between Loehr and Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) artistic director Cameron Bailey and a conversation on Asian art-house and vanguard cinema with Xiaoshuai, Evans, XYZ Films partner Nate Bolotin and Chinese Shadows’ Isabelle Glachant.

This year’s Case Study will profile Revenge Of The Green Dragons, the TIFF world premiere screening directed by Lau, who will be joined on stage by co-director and writer Andrew Loo and one of the film’s stars, Justin Chon.

A panel on global storytelling will feature Canadian director Richie Mehta, Well Go USA CEO Doris Pfardrescher, IM Global senior vp Leslie Chen, Lava Bear Films CEO David Linde and head of development for Wanda Media Abe Kwong Man-Wai.

Further details on the Master Class will be announced shortly.

Networking opportunities include a lunch event hosted by Kini Kim of CJ Entertainment, E J Tae of the Korean Film Council, Michael Werner of Fortissimo Films, UniJapan’s Kenta Fudesaka, Winnie Tsang of Golden Scene, Frederick Tsui of Media Asia, Zaib Shaikh of the City Of Toronto, Karen Thorne-Stone from Ontario Media Development Corporation and Sheila de la Varende from Telefilm Canada.

“The Asian Film Summit has grown just as the region has become a more prominent part of the international industry and our own efforts to extend TIFF’s reach and impact across Canada and around the world,” said TIFF director and CEO Piers Handling.

“We are so pleased with the way the summit has developed over the course of the past two years to become a major platform for the exchange of ideas across cultures and borders.”

“Recognising the growing role of Asia in global cinema from an artistic, business and audience perspective, the Asian Film Summit is about bridging gaps and bringing together counterparts from across the planet,” said Bailey. “The summit will once again be an essential place for the film industry to come together to create a truly global industry.”

Festival Industry Conference

The Moguls series will showcase Silver Reel founder and financier Claudia Bluemhuber, who has backed such films as TIFF selection Maggie, Under The Skin and A Hologram For The King; and Oscar-winning Danish filmmaker Susanne Bier, in town with the world premiere of A Second Chance.

The Inaugural State Of The Industry sessions enable leading lights to talk about their business. Participants include IM Global founder Stuart Ford on financing, Picturehouse chief Bob Berney on distribution, Warner Bros president of worldwide marketing and international distribution Sue Kroll on marketing, Pierre Fleurantin of the Festival de Cinema Europeen des Arcs talking on co-production, and Secret Cinema’s Fabien Riggall on the future of cinema.

Also new are the Lightning Rounds, a series of short insights featuring the likes of Isabel Davis from the BFI and ScreenAustralia’s Sally Caplan.

Festival 101 includes sessions on screenwriting and production design, diversity in the film industry, Canadian-European co-productions, pitching a tentpole, disruptive investment in independent film and the world of on-demand.

“TIFF Industry is extremely excited to feature a diverse line-up of innovators and experts to inspire and enlighten,” said TIFF industry office director Justin Cutler. “By facilitating important dialogues about relevant issues from the creative process to viable business models, we will provide a truly meaningful experience for festival delegates and equip them for future success.”

Doc Conference

The annual Doc Conference will take place over September 9 and 10 and features keynotes by Michael Moore and Joshua Oppenheimer, and focuses on ESPN Films and Condé Nast, which launched Condé Nast Entertainment in 2011.

Ramin Bahrani, Alanis Obomsawin and Sturla Gunnarsson will talk about their work and there are discussions on documentary distribution, co-production funds and critics, among a host of other subjects.

Thom Powers, the festival’s international documentary programmer and Mavericks programmer who also created the two-day Doc Conference, said the event offered a platform for filmmakers to further their craft.

“[The conference] broke through in a major way last year when we expanded it to two days,” said Powers. “Some of the presentations adopt a TED-style format, delivering presentations that forecast trends. The audience is largely documentary filmmakers and I am trying to bring them new opportunities for places where they can be getting work, so I am exited to showcase Condé Nast Entertainment, which is getting into production of films.”

To see the full programme click here.