Streamlined Insights
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), from Norway's Johan Haugerud, took the Golden Bear, while China's Huo Meng was awarded best director for Living The Land.
Streamlined Insights
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
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
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
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
IFFR's Cinemart has selected 20 film projects, four immersive projects and 12 works-in-progress for its 2025 edition.
Funding News
IFFR’s Hubert Bals Fund has selected 12 films for development support in its latest funding round.
Streamlined Insights
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
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
Berlinale’s World Cinema Fund awarded eight production and two distribution grants in its latest funding round.
Streamlined Insights
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