The IPO represents, protects and promotes the interests of independent South African film, television and digital media producers and, in turn, all who work in and are suppliers to the industry value chain.

NEWS OPPORTUNITIES 

Less is More Fiction Feature Development

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Less is More has been set up to empower a generation of filmmakers intent on opening new avenues and finding new audiences by tackling new issues. Our motto is Igor Stravinsky’s “The more art is bound by limitations, the freer it is“.

We live in an age of over-consumption and deep ecological concern. Humanism is in trouble and society has become almost unable to create meaning. In the meantime, stories lie at the heart of what makes us human. Cinema is a powerful storytelling tool for today, plugged into our dreams and our nightmares, that can contribute to restore our ability to create meaning, for now and for future generations.

LIM uses creative limitations as a tool. Its spirit and ambition far exceed the facile business of restricting budgets. Self-imposed limitations help dig deep into character and emotion. They are a catalyst for wall-breaking film-experiences. In this way, clever limitation strategies help bring out a filmmaker’s unique imprint, giving his or her work a strong advantage in an overcrowded market. Obviously also, introducing limitations early in the writing processes multiplies a film’s chances of being shot soon.

The job of a screenwriter is thus to streamline apparent complexity. A well-understood limitation strategy triggers strong formal choices that can help make the games of a private imagination meaningful to all.

DEADLINE Sunday 18th October Midnight

Join the Online Introductory Presentation on Tuesday 29 September 6 pm: https://bit.ly/2EqS21e

Sixteen filmmakers selected each year from all over the world wanting to develop a feature film project (fiction) within a limited budget film development and production frame: LIM is welcoming writers / directors with a first, second or third feature project, as well as artists coming from theatre, documentary and visual arts, who apply with a project at an early stage of development.

LIM programme includes three one-week workshops between March and October 2021 – two residential workshops and one online – as well as a tailor-made Showcase Event to benefit from the inputs of industry professionals coming from all over Europe. In 2021, like in 2020, we will create the best combination possible to help the filmmakers give birth to their projects, within collective dynamics and inputs from our tutors / consultants, despite Covid constraints.

The working language of all LIM workshops, meetings and events is English; thus, a good knowledge of English is essential in order to participate. The participation fee is 900 EUR for writers/directors. This amount covers workshop training, on-line sessions, accommodation and subsistence during the workshops. Participants must pay travel costs. Scholarships can be allocated for travel costs to participants from countries with no support mechanisms. We encourage participants to apply for financial support with their national/regional funding bodies first.

LIM – Less Is More is developed in partnership with Control N (Romania), Vlaams Audiovisueel Fonds – VAF (Belgium), Krakow Festival Office – KBF (Poland), and the Transilvania International Film Festival – TIFF. Associated partners: Euphoria Borealis (Finland), StoryLab.pro (Poland), Danish Film Institute – New Danish Screen (Denmark), iFeatures / Creative England (UK), TorinoFilmLab (Italy), Gan Foundation for Cinema (France), Centre National du Cinéma, CNC (France)