We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the 2,903 industry delegates who traveled to Venice, contributing to the immense success of this year's Venice Production Bridge. This attendance number represents an increase of approximately 17.18% compared to the previous year, surpassing even the levels only seen in 2019.
Further, we are delighted to share with you the awards given by both the jury and supporters of the Final Cut in Venice programme. This year, the programme's institutional accolade, the La Biennale di Venezia jury prize, was presented to the South African fiction feature film CARISSA directed by Jason Jacobs and Devon Delmar. Full details on this and the other awards can be found below.
FULL NUMBERS AND FIGURES - VPB 2023
72 projects directed by 77 filmmakers were submitted (26 by female directors and 51 by male directors), out of which 7 projects were selected (2 by female directors and 5 by male directors).
Between the 3rd and 4th of September, the 7 works-in-progress, including the projects in the framework of Focus on Germany supported by German Films, were presented in Sala Pasinetti (Palazzo del Cinema), followed by a Q&A, while on the 5th of September 30 one-to- one meetings were organised for the 7 selected projects with potential financiers.
For the seventh year, La Biennale di Venezia gives a cash award of € 5,000 to support the Best Film in post-production.
La Biennale di Venezia Prize Jury, composed of Bobby Allen (MUBI), Enrico Bufalini (Cinecittà) and Sarah Chazelle (The Party Film Sales) has awarded the film :
CARISSA by Jason Jacobs and Devon Delmar, (South Africa)
Producers: Deidre Jantjies, Annemarie Du Plessis
“We were entranced by this journey from modernity back to traditions and the choices that we are led to make between the easier life with economic progress and the more harmonious life with nature”.
For this edition, 283 projects were submitted to the pre-selection of the Venice Gap Financing Market (244 in 2022) directed by 308 filmmakers, including 102 by female directors, 6 by non-binary directors and 200 by male directors. 48 projects directed by 51 filmmakers were selected, out of these 34 Fiction and Documentary and 14 Immersive Story projects. Out of these 22 by female directors and 28 by male directors.
The 48 Fiction, Animation, Documentary and Immersive projects, plus 11 Biennale College VR and 3 Biennale College Cinema (fiction) projects, including the projects in the framework of Focus on Germany supported by German Films and Focus on Quebec supported by SODEC, were presented across 3 days and 1311 one-to-one meetings have been organised (1074 in 2022).
In occassion of the 10th anniversary of the Venice Gap-Financing Market has been published. It can be downloaded here below.
DOWNLOAD THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY BROCHURE
BOOK ADAPTATION RIGHTS MARKET (1 - 3 SEPTEMBER)
40 publishing houses and literary agencies, including those selected within the framework of Focus on Germany and Quebec, participated in the 8th edition of the Book Adaptation Rights Market (32 in 2022). More than 560 one-to-one meetings (450 in 2022) were organised with producers for the adaptation from page to the screen of literary rights.
Every year the Book Adaptation Rights Market highlights a literary genre. This year it has been Children’s and Young Adult Literature with dedicated publishing houses and literary agencies.
The professionals who participated in the one-to-one meetings of the Venice Gap-Financing Market, Book Adaptation Rights Market, Final Cut in Venice, Meet the Streamers and VPB Market screenings were producers, distributors, financiers, institutions, broadcasters, sales agents, VR/XR -Immersive experts from companies such as A24, Academy Two, Amazon Prime, Amazon Studios, Arte France, Atlas V, Augustus Color, Aurora Films, BIM Distribuzione, Creative Artists Agency, Canal+, Cattleya, Cercamon, Charades, China Int. Television, Cinéart, Cinecittà Studios, Cinemien, Cinephil, Curzon Artificial Eye, Diaphana, Epic Games, Fandango, Film4, Films Boutique, Film Movement, Floréal, Filmin, Focus Features, Frakas, Fremantle Media, Haut et Court, Iconoclast, I Wonder, Indiana Production Imagine Film Distribution, Ingenious Media Investments, Intramovies, Kinology, Les Valseurs, Lucky Red, Lumière, Madmen Distribution Magnolia Pictures, M-Appeal, Medusa Film, Memento Films Distribution, Meta, MK2, Minerva Pictures Group, Modern Films, MUBI, Netflix, New Europe Film Sales, Palomar, Playtime, Pluto Film, Pyramide International, Rai Cinema, Searchlight Pictures, Sandman Studios, StudioCanal UK; Sky Italia, StudioCanal, TAICCA, Teodora, The Match Factory, The Party Film Sales, True Colours, TrustNordisk, Urban Sales, Usheru, Vision Distribution, Vive, Vivo Film, Wild Bunch, ZDF Enterprises.
These were joined by representatives from major festivals, markets and institutions, such as Austrian Film Commission, Berlinale, British Film Institute, BFI: Flare, Cannes Film Festival, Catalan Films, CineKid, Danish Film Institute, DFFC, Doha Film Insitute, Eurimages, El Gouna Film Festival, European Film Market, Europa Distribution, European Film Academy, Film Fund Luxembourg, Film Fest Hamburg, Film und Medienstiftung NRW, Filmfonds Wien, FFA – German Federal Board, German Films, Goteborg Film Festival, IDFA, International Film Festival Rotterdam, Internationale Münchner Filmwochen, Indonesia Film Board, Jeonju International Film Festival, Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Locarno Film Festival, Mar del Plata, Marché du Film Cannes, Luxembourg Film Fund, Marrakech Film Festival, Medienboard Berlin Brandenburg, MOIN Film Fund Hamburg, Mongolian Film Council, Movies that Matter, Netherlands Film Fund, Onassis Foundation, PHI Centre, Red Sea International Film Festival, San Sebastian Film Festival, SODEC, Sundance, SXSW, Swiss Films, TAICCA, The Gotham, Thessaloniki Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, Unifrance, Viennale, Vision du Réel, amongst many others.
Notably, on September 2, in association with the European Commission and Creative Europe MEDIA Programme, La Biennale di Venezia organised the Europe in Focus, an event which gathered key industry leaders from all over the world through a panel on the themes of IP In A Transmedia World – Boosting Creativity And Audiences.
5 Meet the Creators sessions were held on the Venice Immersive Island, supported by: SODEC; German Films (with Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, MOIN!, Hessen Film & Medien, Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung, Nordmedia, FFF Bayern, Film- und Medienstiftung NRW); See NL – The Netherlands Film Fund and the Creative Industry Fund; Arizona State University’s Narrative and Emerging Media program and MIX Centre; Swiss Films.
As we bid farewell to this edition, we eagerly anticipate the pleasure of your company in Venice in 2024.
Warmest regards from the entire
Venice Production Bridge team
