More than $88,000 in prizes went to 12 projects at the Visions du Réel market, as filmmakers navigate tighter financing and cautious buyers
In total, more than CHF 80,000 ($88,000) in cash and in-kind prizes were handed out across 12 projects.
A more cautious acquisitions marketThat caution is showing up on the acquisitions side too. Sales companies are more selective, and even films coming out of major festivals are not guaranteed a pickup. As one publicist put it: the bottom line is that the film has to sell.
Co-production as a necessityProjects presented in Nyon reflect an increasingly modular financing logic. If co-production was once a strategy, it has now become a prerequisite for most projects circulating in VdR-Industry. Projects are being built across multiple countries, with producers carefully mapping out which fund to approach, and when.
A European financing backboneThis was a recurring theme in the industry talks, including sessions with Eurimages and Creative Europe MEDIA, and is reflected in the projects themselves. European backing, in many cases, is what makes a film possible: public broadcasters, regional funds and institutional money remain the backbone, particularly in the France-Switzerland ecosystem, which is very present at VdR-Industry.
VdR-Industry runs alongside Visions du Réel from April 19 to 22.
Source: variety.com