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TRANSILVANIA 2019 TIFF Industry

Romanian training programme FILM+ expands to neighbouring countries and opens up to debut features

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- The call for low-budget projects from Romania, Serbia, Bulgaria and the Republic of Moldova opens on 14 June

Romanian training programme FILM+ expands to neighbouring countries and opens up to debut features
Ana Drăghici (co-organiser of FILM+, artistic consultant and director of photography), Alex Trăilă (coordinator of FILM+ Web and FILM+ Pop-Up) and Paul Negoescu (co-organiser of FILM+ and script development module coordinator) making the announcements

At a presentation that took place on 6 June at the Transilvania International Film Festival, the FILM+ team made two important announcements regarding the programme’s upcoming fourth edition. The platform, which offers tailored support for micro-budget independent film productions, will open up to debut features, and is expanding to Serbia, Bulgaria and the Republic of Moldova. Over the course of its last three editions, FILM+ has provided tailored support to more than 30 Romanian short-film projects.

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“FILM+ emerged as the missing link between film schools (whether institutionalised or self-taught) and the Romanian film industry. Then, we noticed that this link is missing not only in Romania, but also in the neighbouring countries, so we decided to expand it to Moldova, Bulgaria and Serbia,” explained filmmaker and FILM+ co-organiser Paul Negoescu.

In detail, the programme comprises three training labs. Projects selected for the FILM+ Development Lab benefit from script consultancy as well as help with the preparation for the actual production phase, while those accepted into the FILM+ Work in Progress Lab benefit from tutoring on the first cut and are provided with access to one specific post-production service. The FILM+ Production Lab (open to projects that are either in pre-production or ready to enter production) provides tailored production advice, hands-on tutoring in one or several areas (including directing, cinematography, casting and others), as well as access to shooting equipment provided by the organisers and partners as in-kind contributions. In addition, FILM+ offers to introduce the participants in all three categories to film-industry professionals and to promote the projects nationally and internationally (via FILM+ Web). Furthermore, the FILM+ Pop-Up section comprises screenings, master classes and workshops for the alumni and a wide range of emerging professionals.

“Generally, we have all benefited from European programmes and workshops; this is how we got trained. I think it's time for many of those who have reached a certain professional maturity through FILM+ to be able to steer the careers of other generations of filmmakers,” stated Alex Trăilă, coordinator of FILM+ Web and FILM+ Pop-Up.

The fourth edition of FILM+ aims to support a total of 15 micro-budget movies: six films in development, five in production and four works in progress. To be eligible to apply for the training programme, the projects must be short films or debut features, and must have a budget of up to €30,000, regardless of their genre (fiction, animation, documentary or experimental).

The programme recently received a three-year pledge of support from Creative Europe MEDIA (€48,000 per year). For its fourth edition, FILM+, which is organised by the cultural NGO Graphis 122, has also received financial aid from the Romanian National Cultural Fund Administration (AFCN) – which backed the programme to the tune of €50,000, an amount that is to be used over a two-year period – and the CNC Romania.

Applications can be submitted from 14 June, and the call will close on the following dates: 12 July for films in development, 1 August for films in production and 23 August for works in progress. The results will be announced in September, and in October (21-26), the selected filmmakers will take part in a residency in Bucharest. During the first few months of 2020, FILM+ will organise master classes in the three partner countries.

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