14/05/2020 - The genre-focused co-production platform is returning to the Cannes Marché du Film Online with 13 projects at different stages of production

Director Jens Dahl, who will be taking part in the Buyers Showcase with Breeder

As every year, the Frontières Platform is set to return to Cannes’ Marché du Film, bringing a selection of genre projects to be showcased to the industry. Given that this year’s edition of the Marché du Film is going online (unspooling from 22-26 June), the Frontières Platform will also tread the same path and will take place on 25 June in digital form.

The platform will present 13 genre projects, divided into two different sections, to industry professionals. As at previous editions, the 2020 slate is quite diverse, with projects hailing from over 15 countries set to be presented by emerging new voices.

This is also the first initiative to be organised under the management of new Frontières executive director Annick Mahnert (see the news), who stated: “We are extremely proud and elated to be presenting these 13 projects at the Frontières Platform in Cannes. Despite the disruptions, the Marché du Film fought to exist in a digital way, and I am sincerely grateful that we can be part of it, as Frontières has become a must-attend event for the genre industry during the market. The filmmakers have all put a lot of work into their projects, and it is capital that they should now be able to share their work with their peers. This year’s selection is very diverse in style and origins, coming from as far away as Argentina, Israel and Russia, and I’m looking forward to the industry discovering these gems."

Starting off with the Frontières Buyers Showcase, six film projects that are in post-production or have recently been completed will have some of their footage screened to potential buyers, sales agents and festival programmers. The selected titles include Breeder [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Danish filmmaker Jens Dahl (3 Things [+see also:
trailer
film profile]), which was featured in the Proof of Concept Presentation last year; the Italian-Chilean co-production Vera de verdad [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Beniamino Catena; and the Estonian fantasy film Kratt [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Rasmus Merivoo
film profile] by Rasmus Merivoo, among others.

Seven projects that are at an advanced stage of financing will be featured as part of the Frontières Proof of Concept Presentation. The participants will present their completed teaser trailers to potential future partners. Some of them are The Change, the debut feature as a director by British producer Jennifer Handorf; fellow first-time Dutch filmmaker Hugo Keijzer, with The Occupant; and In Her Head by Maria Ivanova, a co-production involving Russia, Lebanon, Georgia, France and Lithuania.

Regarding this edition, Jérôme Paillard, executive director of the Marché du Film, mentioned: “We’re thrilled to be joining forces again with Fantasia for this one-of-a-kind edition of Frontières during the Marché du Film Online. As our industry is facing unprecedented challenges, we wish to provide professionals with a platform to facilitate the development and distribution of genre films.”

The Frontières Platform is a co-presentation between Montreal’s Fantasia Film Festival and the Cannes Marché du Film.

Here is the full line-up of the projects selected for the Frontières Platform:

Buyers Showcase

Bloodthirsty – Amelia Moses (Canada)
Producers: Michael Peterson (775 Media Corp), Wendy Hill-Tout (Voice Pictures)

Breeder – Jens Dahl (Denmark)
Producers: Amalie Lyngbo Quist, Maria Møller Christoffersen (Beo Starling)
Sales agent: Level K

Vera de Verdad [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] – Beniamino Catena (Italy/Chile)
Producers: Simone Gandolfo (Macaia Film), Karina Jury (Atomica)

Kratt – Rasmus Merivoo (Estonia)
Producers: Tõnu Hiielaid, Rain Rannu (Tallifornia)

The Paper Tigers – Tran Quoc Bao (USA)
Producers: Michael Velasquez, Al’n Duong, Yuji Okumoto, Dan Gildark (Beimo Films)
Sales agents: XYZ Films and AMP International

The Retreat – Pat Mills (Canada)
Producers: Alyson Richards (Outside Line Studio), Lauren Grant (Clique Pictures)

Proof of Concept Presentation

The Change – Jennifer Handorf (UK)
Producers: Jennifer Handorf (Dark Matter Films), Alex Bentley (AB Plus Films)
Sales agent: MPI

Coming Soon – Ante Kovac (Canada)
Producers: Lauren Grant (Clique Pictures), Daniel Bekerman (Scythia Films), Rory Halsall (Santa Carla Films), Dave Huakoc, Daniel Quinn (levelFILM)
Sales agent: Altitude Film Sales

Dogman – Tamae Garateguy (Argentina/Peru)
Producer: Silvia Rodriguez (Tedigoque Producciones), Melissa Cordero (Lunática Films)

Fingernail – Boaz Armoni (Israel)
Producer: Yoav Roeh (Gum Films)

In Her Head – Maria Ivanova (Russia/Lebanon/Georgia/France/Lithuania)
Producers: Maria Ivanova, Olga Erofeeva (Scoop Production)

The Occupant – Hugo Keijzer (Netherlands)
Producers: Maurice Schutte (HAA! Films), Raymond van der Kaaij (Revolver Amsterdam)

Rules for Werewolves – Jeremy Schaulin-Rioux (Canada/USA)
Producers: Peter Harvey (Peter Harvey Productions Inc), Kelly Williams, Jonathan Duffy (Ten Acre Films)