CineMart, the International Film Festival Rotterdam’s co-production market has selected 33 film projects (from 434 entries) which will be presented to approximately 850 possible co-financiers. These include projects from renowned filmmakers such as Jan Švankmajer, Carlos Reygadas, Alex van Warmerdam, Andrei Zvyagintsev and Sergei Loznitza. Furthermore, the selection consists of feature film debuts, films by competition filmmakers from preceding IFFR editions, films that received Hubert Bals Fund contributions and cross-media projects. The 28th CineMart takes place January 30 - February 2, 2011 in Rotterdam.

CineMart manager Marit van den Elshout on the 2011 selection:

”It’s always an interesting challenge to create a balanced selection that combines new work from established directors with first features by new talent from such a large number of often striking entries. This year, we are very pleased to present a large number of second and third film projects from ascendant filmmakers.
We aim for geographical spread and a good balance between makers, artistic content, financial situation and whether a project can actually find partners in Rotterdam.

It has become a very diverse mix of projects featuring idiosyncratic filmmakers from over 25 different countries and I expect them to generate a great deal of interest.

Every year, we actively look to the future and what the role of a co-production market for projects under development could be. We try to improve our service to the international industry and enter into new cooperations with parties to support the development and distribution of exceptional film projects. Especially in the current day and age in which - in particular - the distribution of artistic films is becoming increasingly difficult it is important to enter into strategic partnerships as we did this year with Festival Scope. Rotterdam Lab, the workshop CineMart organises for young producers from around the world pays a great deal of attention to new ways of setting up, financing and finding an audience for projects. We do so by organising workshops and consultancies with transmedia and digital distribution experts.

The fact that not only established makers, but also new talents continue to view CineMart as one of the principal platforms for launching and hopefully sourcing funding for their new projects proves that good business is done in Rotterdam and that CineMart, as a brand, still functions as a catalyst for the acquisition of alternate funding for a project.”

The CineMart 2011 Selection includes Pedro Gonzalez Rubio’s film project TREE SHADE, also supported by the IFFR’s Hubert Bals Fund. Gonzalez Rubio who won a Tiger Award for his feature film debut ALAMAR at last year’s festival. Wisit Sasanatieng, who is on the jury for the Tiger Awards Competition during IFFR 2011 and is also represented in the official festival selection with his film THE RED EAGLE, will be presenting his project SURIYA.

Jan Švankmajer and Sergei Loznitza will present their latest films in IFFR 2011 (SURVIVING LIFE and MY JOY respectively) as well as new projects in CineMart. MY JOY received support from the Hubert Bals Fund in 2006, was selected for CineMart in 2007 and premiered in Cannes Competition this summer.

Two other projects in CineMart 2011 that received support from the Hubert Bals Fund are BULL DOWN by Gabriel Mascaro (Brazil/Uruguay) and KARMA POLICE by Visra Vichit-Vadakan (Thailand). Filmmaker Ibrahim El Batout (Egypt) presents his CineMart project ALI, THE GOAT, AND IBRAHIM. His film HAWI, supported by the Hubert Bals Fund, screens in IFFR 2011’s Spectrum section.

As was the case at previous CineMart editions, cross-media projects have also been selected: K.R.E.V?! from Marietta von Hauswolff von Baumgarten (Sweden/Denmark) and A SPELL TO WARD OFF THE DARKNESS by Ben Russell & Ben Rivers (Germany/France).

The full CineMart Selection 2011, alphabetised by title

1) Ali, the Goat, and Ibrahim, by Ibrahim El Batout, production companies: Ein Shams Films, Arizona Films (Egypt/France)
2) Blutsbrüder, by Ann-Kristin Reyels, production company: unafilm e. K. (Germany)
3) Bull Down!, by Gabriel Mascaro, production companies: Desvia, Símio Filmes, Malbicho Films (Brazil/Uruguay)
4) Camiel Borgman, by Alex van Warmerdam, production company: Graniet Film (Netherlands)
5) Cinquième saison, La, by Peter Brosens/Jessica Woodworth, production companies: Bo Films, Entre Chien et Loup, Molenwiek Film (Belgium /Netherlands)
6) Cyclops , The, by Jukka-Pekka Valkeapää, production company: Kinotar Oy (Finland)
7) Daddy, The, by Andrei Zvyagintsev, production company: Non-Stop Production (Russia)
8) Feast, The, by Ed Gass-Donnelly, production companies: 3 Legged Dog Films, Resolute Films & Entertainment (Canada)
9) Hmyz (Insects), by Jan Švankmajer, production companies: Athanor Film Production Company Llc., C-GA film Ltd. (Czech Republic/Slovakia)
10) In the Fog, by Sergei Loznitza, production companies: Ma.Ja.De Fiction, Salvador-D (Germany/Russia/Netherlands)
11) Instructor, El, by Santiago Otheguy, production companies: Devenir Cine, Donna films (Argentina, France)
12) K.R.E.V?!, by Marietta von Hauswolff von Baumgarten, production companies: Hepp Film AB, Kamoli Films (Sweden/Denmark)
13) Karma Police, by Visra Vichit-Vadakan, production company: Hidden Rooster Films (Thailand)
14) Kid, by Fien Troch, production company: Prime Time (Belgium)
15) King of Cats, The, by Daniel Cockburn, production companies: Scythia Films, zeroFunction Productions (Canada)
16) Lasting Moments, by Jacek Borcuch, production companies: Manana, Pandora Filmproduktion (Poland/Germany)
17) Loud, by Aneta Lesnikovska, production companies: AKA Film-Makedonija, Family Affair Films (Macedonia/Netherlands)
18) Mechanicals, The, by Leon Ford, production company: Green Park Pictures (Australia)
19) Metafysica, by Esther Rots, production companies: Rots Filmwerk BV, Circe Films BV (Netherlands)
20) Midnight Supper, A, by Shalimar Preuss, production company: Ecce Films (France)
21) Night of Thousand Hours, The, by Virgil Widrich, production companies: Minotaurus Film, Amour Fou Filmproduktion, La Parti Production (Luxembourg/Austria/Belgium)
22) Overnight, by Joke Liberge, production companies: Keren Cogan Productions, Phanta Vision Film International, Minds Meet (Netherlands/Belgium)
23) Post tenebras lux, by Carlos Reygadas, production companies: No Dream Cinema, Mantarraya Producciones (Mexico)
24) Providence, by Yaelle Kayam, production company: July August Productions (Israel)
25) Sky Above Us, The by Marinus Groothof, production companies: LEV Pictures, Art & Popcorn, Unafilm e.K. (Netherlands, Serbia,Germany)
26) Spell to Ward off the Darkness, A, by Ben Russell, Ben Rivers, production companies: Vitakuben, Rouge International (Germany/France)
27) Suriya, by Wisit Sasanatieng, production company: Trois Film Co. Ltd. (Thailand)
28) Touch Me Not, by Adina Pintilie, production companies: Manekino Film, Atopic/Third Home France, 4 Proof Film (Romania/France)
29) Tree Shade, by Pedro Gonzalez-Rubio, production companies: Mantarraya Producciones, Xcalakarma (Mexico)
30) Under Electric Clouds, by Alexey German, Jr., production company: Metrafilms (Russia/Ukraine)
31) Underground Fragrance, by Song Pengfei, production company: House on Fire (Taiwan/France)
32) We Are Dead, by Tobias Nölle, production company: Hugofilm productions gmbh (Switzerland)
33) Wellengang, by Hugo Vieira da Silva, Heidi Wilm, production company: Prisma Film- und Fernsehproduktion GmbH (Austria)