Chinese-Speaking Markets
'Her Story', 'The Last Dance' Take Top Awards In FEFF
'Like A Rolling Stone' was awarded the Crystal Mulberry, while the White Mulberry went to 'Diamonds In The Sand'.
Streamlined Insights
FEFF Udine 2025: Hong Kong Legends, Japanese Dolls & Arthouse Distribution
This edition of Streamlined is coming to you from the Far East Film Festival (FEFF) in Udine, Italy, where I was covering both the festival and Focus Asia projects market, with the latter focusing on distribution and funding between Asia and Europe. The Streamlined Guide to Chinese Buyers will be
Streamlined Insights
Cannes 2025 Line-Up; China's Reduction Of US Film Imports
This edition of Streamlined is looking at films in the Cannes 2025 line-up from Asia, Africa and the Middle East, as well as the immediate impact of China’s decision to “moderately reduce” the number of US film imports in response to Trump’s tariffs. I’m also researching
Chinese-Speaking Markets
'Dreams (Sex Love)', 'Living The Land' Among Winners In Berlin
Dreams (Sex Love), from Norway's Johan Haugerud, took the Golden Bear, while China's Huo Meng was awarded best director for Living The Land.
Streamlined Insights
Berlin & Rotterdam; India’s JioHotstar; Singapore Cinema Contraction
Not surprisingly, given current events in the US and Europe, politics weighed heavily on this year’s Berlin and Rotterdam film festivals. The films, awards and speeches all reflected the valid concerns of the industry and filmmakers as they attempt to navigate an alarming new world order. At the same
Europe
‘Fiume O Morte!’, ‘Raptures’ Win Top Prizes In Rotterdam
Igor Bezinović’s documentary Fiume o Morte! took the Tiger Award and the FIPRESCI prize at this year’s International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR). Swedish director Jon Blåhed’s Raptures won the top award in the Big Screen Competition. Combining documentary and dramatic reconstruction, Fiume o Morte! [PICTURED ABOVE] explores
Streamlined Insights
Sundance & Rotterdam; Lunar New Year Box Office In China, Korea & Vietnam
Before we dig into recent events, I just want to explain that Streamlined is changing its format this year to get back to its roots – which is to make your life easier by summarising all the major news in the content industries of Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Over
Funding News
World Cinema Fund Winter 2024: Funding News
Berlinale World Cinema Fund (WCF) awarded production funding to seven projects amounting to a total Euros260,000 in its latest funding round. The projects came from Argentina, Bangladesh, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Indonesia and Rwanda (see details below). The WCF jury also decided on the first TUI Care Foundation Award,
Europe
Rotterdam CineMart 2025: Full Line-Up
IFFR's Cinemart has selected 20 film projects, four immersive projects and 12 works-in-progress for its 2025 edition.
Funding News
Hubert Bals Development Winter 2024: Funding News
IFFR’s Hubert Bals Fund has selected 12 films for development support in its latest funding round.
Streamlined Insights
What Venice & Toronto Revealed About The Current State Of World Cinema
After a relatively buoyant if not exemplary Cannes, this year’s autumn festival season is expected to be a bellwether of the current health of the global film industry. Do we still have an independent sales business? Do we have many strong awards contenders, despite Hollywood strikes and other disruptions?
Africa
AUTUMN FESTIVALS 2024: Titles Selected From Asia, Africa & Midde East
UPDATED AUGUST 26: A list of films selected for Locarno, San Sebastian, Venice & Toronto from Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
Middle East & North Africa
World Cinema Fund Summer 2024: Funding News
Berlinale’s World Cinema Fund awarded eight production and two distribution grants in its latest funding round.
Streamlined Insights
Co-producing Across Colonial Borders; Working Between Europe & the Global South
One issue that comes up repeatedly in the conversations I’ve had with producers in Asia and the Middle East over the years is the difficulty of setting up co-productions between ‘established’ (usually meaning Western European) nations and ‘developing’ nations. Of course, there are other established film producing territories
Europe
CANNES 2024: LIST OF AWARD WINNERS
All the winners from this year’s Cannes film festival, across official selection and parallel sections.
Middle East & North Africa
HBF+Europe Minority Co-Prod & Post 2024: Funding News
Hubert Bals Fund has selected eight projects for its HBF+Europe: Minority Co-pro scheme, and two for its HBF+ Europe: Post scheme.
Streamlined Insights
FEFF Udine 2024: Is There A Theatrical Future For Asian Films In Europe?
As Far East Film Festival (FEFF) in Udine, northern Italy, was kicking off last week, the festival’s associated distribution company, Tucker Film, was gearing up to release Malaysian drama Abang Adik on 50 screens across Italy. Tucker Film has partnered with another Italian distributor, Academy 2, to release the
Europe
Japan Triumphs At FEFF With ‘Takano Tofu’, ‘Confetti’ Taking Top Awards
Mihara Mitsuhiro’s Takano Tofu was awarded with the Golden Mulberry, while Fujita Naoya’s Confetti took the Silver Mulberry award.