We are very excited to once again be hosting Winston Baker’s International Film Finance Forum in partnership with Marché du Film. This will be our first LIVE event of the year and also livestreamed for our viewers.

From Development to Finance and Distribution, activity thrives for some Investors, Producers, Filmmakers and Distributors.

But how are deals getting vetted and closed?

And who are the active players in the market?

We will host panels and keynote conversations with visionaries who are leading in these efforts.

The Marché du Film is THE annual rendez-vous for professionals across all walks of the global film industry from producers to distributors, buyers, programmers and more. With a team of 300 dedicated staff, the Marché du Film provides the top echelon of the entertainment industry with a forum to conduct business throughout the twelve days of the Festival de Cannes. The event provides business opportunities, reinforces international visibility and puts the industry players in the prime location to discover all of the latest innovations in our rapidly changing industry. It is today the primary gathering place and source of information for more than 12 000 registrants. The Marché du Film is also responsible for cinando.com, the year-round Internet service for professionals, for Producers Network, a program for producers of feature films, as well as Cannes Docs, Cannes NEXT and Cannes XR, meeting places dedicated to documentary films and new models.

The event is located at the Main Stage located at the Lérins (upside the Riviera). There will be signs in the Palais and information points to guide if necessary. 

SPEAKING FACULTY:

STUART FORD
Chairman and CEO
AGC Studios

In 2018 Stuart Ford, one of the industry’s most experienced and prolific film and television producers and financiers, launched AGC Studios, an international production and licensing company developing, producing, financing and licensing a diverse portfolio of films, scripted, unscripted and factual television, digital, and musical content from headquarters in Los Angeles and London.

Since its formation AGC has been involved in more than 24 completed film and TV projects, including Roland Emmerich’s U.S. box office #1 MIDWAY for Lionsgate; Doug Liman’s LOCKED DOWN starring Oscar® winner Anne Hathaway and Oscar® nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor for HBO Max; Tate Taylor’s BREAKING NEWS IN YUBA COUNTY starring Oscar® winner Allison Janney, Mila Kunis and Regina Hall for MGM; Yuval Adler’s THE SECRETS WE KEEP starring Noomi Rapace and Joel Kinnaman for Bleecker Street; Golden Globe® winning MISSING LINK from LAIKA; Neil Burger’s VOYAGERS starring Tye Sheridan,  Lily-Rose Depp and Colin Farrell for Lionsgate; and documentary features LADY BOSS: THE JACKIE COLLINS STORY which premieres on CNN in the US and the BBC in the UK; JOHN LEWIS: GOOD TROUBLE, SCANDALOUS and ASK DR. RUTH which were released by Magnolia; and Michael Moore’s FAHRENHEIT 11/9.  From AGC Television, premiering on EPIX this month is WAR OF THE WORLDS Season 2 starring Gabriel Byrne and Daisy Edgar-Jones, the company’s production produced with Canal + and Fox.

AGC is in a very busy production period. The company is in post-productions on QUEENPINS from directors Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly, starring Kristen Bell,  Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Vince Vaughn, and Paul Walter Hauser for Paramount+ and Showtime; they are a partner on Roland Emmerich’s recently wrapped MOONFALL starring Oscar® winner Halle Berry and Patrick Wilson for Lionsgate; and produced and financed the recently completed DEMONIC from Neill Blomkamp to be released by IFC Midnight.  They are also in production on THE PERFECT FIND from director Numa Perrier starring Gabrielle Union and Gina Torres for Netflix. The studio’s television division, AGC Television, is in production on TINDER SWINDLER from Gaspin Media for Netflix; on the television adaptation of Gabriel García Márquez’s NEWS OF A KIDNAPPING for Amazon; and just wrapped production on Sebastian Gutierrez’s LEOPARD SKIN starring Carla Gugino.

Currently in pre-production for a 2021 start are sci-fi adventure UNIVERSE’S MOST WANTED with Jerry Bruckheimer Films, action thriller LITTLE AMERICA with Sylvester Stallone, action thriller THE BLACKSMITH from Pierre Morel, family comedy THE PRESENT from Christian Ditter, and supernatural thriller CONSECRATION from Christopher Smith; and AGC Television is in prep on crime drama TROPPO starring Thomas Jane.
UK-born, Oxford educated Ford, a former entertainment attorney and studio executive, in 2007 founded IM Global, over the next ten years building it into one of the leading independent film and television production, financing and sales platforms. With offices in LA, New York, London, Mexico City, Berlin and Beijing, the company also owned Mundial, a leading Latino sales and financing company; operated one of the premier sales platforms for Chinese cinema; operated Valor Entertainment, a multi-cultural management group; and as a joint venture with Chinese internet giant Tencent operated IM Global Television, a full-service television production, financing and distribution studio.

IM Global and Ford received Variety’s 2015 Achievement in International Film Award.  Ford has been listed by UK’s Guardian newspaper as one of the 50 Most Influential People in Global Cinema and is a member of AMPAS and BAFTA. He has produced or executive produced more than 60 mainstream films and television shows in the past 15 years.

David linde
ceo
participant

David Linde is CEO of Participant, the leading global media company dedicated to entertainment that inspires and compels social change. Linde is responsible for leading the Company’s overall strategy, content creation, advocacy, operations, strategic investments and acquisitions. Participant’s content and social impact mandate speaks directly to the rise of today’s “conscious consumer,” representing over 2 billion consumers who are compelled to make impactful content a priority focus. Noteworthy films from Participant include Oscar® winner Judas and the Black Messiah; Oscar® Best Picture winner Spotlight; Oscar® winners for Best Documentary Feature, American Factory, CITIZENFOUR, The Cove and An Inconvenient Truth; Oscar® winners for Best Foreign Language Film ROMA and A Fantastic Woman; as well as acclaimed, award-winning long-form content including Steve James’ docuseries America To Me and Ava DuVernay’s When They See Us.

Linde’s background spans production, global distribution and building multiple companies from the ground up. Linde has served as chairman of Universal Pictures, where he successfully pursued a broad outlook regarding international productions, animation and family entertainment, and distribution. He was co-founder of acclaimed specialty film studio Focus Features formed from Universal’s acquisition of the acclaimed independent production company Good Machine, of which he was a partner. Prior to Participant, Linde was the CEO and owner of Lava Bear Films, where he produced the Best Picture Academy Award®-nominated Arrival, from director Denis Villenueve.

Linde has long championed the voice of signature filmmakers, having worked on multiple films with Pedro Almodóvar, Sofia Coppola, Alfonso Cuarón, Todd Haynes, Ang Lee and Tom McCarthy, among many others. 

Linde currently serves on the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Board of Directors of Film Independent.

janina vilsmaier
director of sales
Protagonist pictures

Janina joined Protagonist Pictures as Director of Sales in 2020, where she spearheads sales to key territories including France, Germany & Switzerland, Italy, Benelux, Spain, Latam and Airlines.  

At her first AFM with Protagonist in 2020, Janina delivered a flurry of pre-sales in key major territories on Phyllis Nagy’s Call Jane starring Elizabeth Banks, Sigourney Weaver and Kate Mara, which were crucial to securing the film's financing (France - SND, Benelux - Paradiso, Latam / Spain /Portugal - Sun Diamond). 
  
Janina followed her market debut with an amazing raft of sales on Gastón Duprat’s Official Competition starring Penélope Cruz, Antonio Banderas and Oscar Martinez, following exclusive footage launched at EFM 2021 (including Italy - Lucky Red, Germany – Studiocanal, and Switzerland - Pathé).

In addition to her extensive sales acumen, Janina was also instrumental in forging Protagonist’s recently announced partnership with augenschein Sales and production to co-represent worldwide rights on select English-language movies. Protagonist will serve as executive producers on the films in the new partnership and work with augenschein to source finance for the projects. The companies will invest a portion of the funds generated by the sales into the co-development of select projects, with the aim of building a co-production slate. 

Janina joined Protagonist from Hanway in 2020, where she had risen from Assistant to Director of Sales selling to CEE, CIS, Asia and Germany. Within seven short months Janina has become an integral part of the Protagonist team and key to the exciting next stage of the company’s future.

maren olson
agent in the media finance department
caa

Maren Olson is an Agent in the Media Finance department at leading entertainment and sports agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA).  Olson works in the Los Angeles office and specializes in the packaging and representation of independently financed films, including I, TONYA, LATE NIGHT, VOX LUX, HIGH LIFE, AT ETERNITY’S GATE, DUMPLIN’, BREAKING NEWS IN YUBA COUNTY and LUCE, plus the upcoming 355 and DOG, among others.

Olson joined CAA in 2015 from Traction Media, an independent film production company. While there, she served as President and oversaw the creative development, packaging, production, financing, and sales of films on the Traction Media slate, including SHORT TERM 12, which won both the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at SXSW, and THE WANNABE, starring Academy Award-winner Patricia Arquette.

 Olson graduated from University of Southern California with a degree in Film and Television Production. 

Elizabeth Karlsen
Producer; Co-Founder
Number 9 films

Elizabeth Karlsen is an internationally renowned, award-winning producer, who co-founded the leading independent UK based production company Number 9 Films in 2002 with partner Stephen Woolley. In February 2019, Elizabeth and Stephen jointly received the highly prestigious and coveted BAFTA Award for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema. She has produced some of the most celebrated independent films in the US and Europe including: Todd Haynes’s CAROL (nominated for 6 Academy Awards®, 5 Golden Globe Awards and 9 BAFTA Awards) Mark Herman’s LITTLE VOICE (winner of a Golden Globe Award, nominated for 1 Academy Award®, 3 Golden Globe Awards and 6 BAFTA Awards) Neil Jordan’s  THE CRYING GAME (winner of an Academy Award®, a BAFTA Award and nominated for 6 Academy Awards®), MADE IN DAGENHAM (nominated for 3 BAFTA Awards) and Phyllis Nagy’s MRS HARRIS (nominated for 12 Emmy® Awards, 3 Golden Globe Awards and a PGA Award) and Wash Westmoreland’s COLETTE (Nominated for 4 BIFA’s and an Independent Spirit Award). Other work includes: ON CHESIL BEACH, written by Ian McEwan and directed by Dominic Cooke and Paolo Sorrentino’s YOUTH (nominated for 1 Academy Award® and winner of 3 European Film Awards). Her work with Stephen Woolley has garnered a total of 52 BAFTA nominations and wins and 20 Academy Award® nominations and wins. Her latest feature MOTHERING SUNDAY written by Alice Birch and directed by Eva Husson, starring Odessa Young, Josh O’Connor, Sope Dirisu, Colin Firth and Olivia Colman has been selected for the Cannes Film Festival 2021 and is released scheduled for international release later in the year. She and Stephen are currently in production of LIVING scripted by Kazuo Ishiguro, directed by Oliver Hermanus and starring Bill Nighy, Aimee- Lou Wood and Alex Sharp.

Labid aziz
Co-founder and co-chief executive officer
poc studios

Labid Aziz is the Co-Founder and Co-Chief Executive Officer of PoC Studios, the first of its kind, minority-owned & operated content studio offering an all-inclusive approach to producing, financing, and distributing film/TV content intended for a global audience - all under one house. 

Aziz is a multi-faceted media executive who brings a disciplined and balanced approach to art and commerce. Combined with his experience as an entrepreneur across film, television, technology, media, and trade finance, Aziz brings invaluable experiences and varied perspectives to each of his endeavors.

In 2019, Labid was brought on to help build and launch Wayfarer Studios as its Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer. Under his leadership and guidance, significant and major deals were structured and closed including a Warner Bros co-production and co-finance deal and the historic sale of the company’s first film Clouds to Disney+, making it Disney’s first narrative film acquisition for the global platform and a first of its kind first-look deal with Proctor & Gamble.

In 2017, Aziz helped launch Starzione, the US-based production arm of legendary Korean film producer, Dong-Joo Kim (OLDBOY). While at Starzione, Aziz became one of the only US-based media executives to successfully secure capital from China for investment opportunities in the United States for Starzione’s slate of projects. In 2016, as part of Mucho Mas Media, Aziz helped lead theatrical distribution efforts for feature film THE VESSEL starring Martin Sheen in partnership with Outsider Pictures. Aziz has worked with a number of high-profile distribution, film production, finance, and development companies consulting on operations, capital raise efforts, financial modeling, deal structure and execution.

Prior to his executive career in film, Aziz held executive positions at two merchant banks and served as an operations executive at various physical commodity trading firms. With vast experience across multiple sectors, Aziz has significant business and finance expertise with a diverse global perspective that allows him to develop unique strategies.

Aziz’s career first started in media production, communications strategy, and technology. His work spanned from producing, directing and editing independent feature films, short films, music videos, and commercials to designing mainframes for one of the first private corporate social networking sites.  Aziz has a deep understanding and a wealth of experience as a media strategist collaborating with non-profits, socially responsible corporations, and educational institutions. He was responsible for crafting and implementing media strategies designed to impact operations and affect policy at a local, state and federal level.

Prior to launching his career, Aziz graduated from Brandeis University in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, and later completed a Post-Baccalaureate program in Entrepreneurship at the Brandeis International Business School. In 2016, Aziz was a featured speaker at an exclusive ceremony and conference in Beijing sponsored by the Golden Globe Awards highlighting Sino-US integration by way of Hollywood.

Aziz resides in the greater Los Angeles area with his wife and daughter and their four cats.

Cécile GAGET
president of international production & distribution
Anton

Ms. Gaget holds diplomas from Sciences Po Lyon, EDHEC Business School, and the University of Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne. 

In 2000, she joined TF1 International as VP Marketing and Int’l Sales, before co-founding and being Managing Director of Rezo Films International (2004-2007).

She joined Gaumont in 2007 as Executive Vice-President of International Sales.

Gaget has then been shepherding worldwide sales at the company since 2010.

In addition to titles by Éric Toledano & Olivier Nakache (world hit The Intouchables) and Nicolas Winding Refn (Only God Forgives starring Ryan Gosling, The Neon Demon starring Elle Fanning) , she has worked on marketing campaigns and Int’l sales strategies of worldwide animated success Ballerina, the acclaimed UK satire The Death of Stalin by Armando Iannucci, the Belle and Sebastian family trilogy, the Sundance controversial drama Two Mothers by Anne Fontaine with Naomi Watts and Robin Wright,  or pictures from film noir French master Olivier Marchal.

In 2016, while still managing the entire International Sales division, she became Head of International Production and Distribution, focusing on international acquisitions, English and local-language productions, foreign remakes of Gaumont films, and setting up the US Film division for which she notably bought the US remake of iconic Korean zombie hit Train to Busan (set up at New Line).

Andrew fried
founder and president
boardwalk pictures

Andrew Fried is the founder and president of Boardwalk Pictures and has helped to redefine the way documentary storytelling is shared with broader audiences around the world. His recent work includes series like CHEER, which took home three Emmys in 2020, as well as CHEF’S TABLE, THE GOOP LAB, STREET FOOD and LAST CHANCE U. He directed WE ARE FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME, which debuted at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Documentary Feature. He is a Producer of VAL, which premieres at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. With upcoming projects at Netflix, Showtime, Disney+, FX, Amazon, Starz and HBO Max, Boardwalk continues to lay new groundwork in defining nonfiction storytelling.

PROGRAM:

10:00 - 10:45 AM

STATE OF THE INDUSTRY

The world is opening back up, deals can be made in person again; so how do we navigate in an industry that lost all in-person activity and relied almost completely on the virtual world?

Productions are moving forward, and we want to know how those deals were closed, who to look out for in the market and what distribution will look like now.

Consumers want to be entertained in new and exciting ways and we are eager to learn about how to keep audiences interested in this post-COVID world. We’ve seen an increase in engagement with documentaries, untold stories, and local language content from around the world. 

It is the time to explore new facets of the industry and further explore the use of multi-purpose platforms. We will hear from our elite speakers on their thoughts about all the new and exciting trends to look forward to in 2021 and beyond.

panelists:
andrew fried (founder and president - boardwalk pictures)
janina vilsmaier (Director of sales - protagonist pictures)
labid aziz (co-founder and co-chief executive officer - poc studios)

10:45 - 11:15 AM

FIRESIDE CHAT with stuart ford
Chairman and ceo - agc studios
interviewed by: Scott Roxborough, European Bureau Chief, The Hollywood Reporter

Stuart Ford, one of the industry’s most experienced and prolific film and television producers and financiers will share his valued insight on the industry and its future. He will discuss how the pandemic has shifted the balance of power further in the film industry; as well as the role independent film and the major film festivals and markets play in the new ecosystem and where does the future lead for the independent sector. Attendees will also be able to learn about how Stuart sculpted AGC’s business model to adapt to the evolving industry landscape. This discussion is an opportunity to learn from one of the most well-respected industry executives and is not one to be missed!

11:15 - 12:00 PM

money and media: are international co-production and co-financing deals the key to globalization

Moderated by:
maren olson (agent in the media finance department - caa)

panelists:
cécile gaget (President of international production & distribution - anton)
Elizabeth Karlsen (Producer and co-founder of number 9 films)

12:00 - 12:30 PM

FIRESIDE CHAT With David Linde
CEO - Participant Media
interviewed by: Scott Roxborough, European Bureau Chief, The Hollywood Reporter

HOSTED BY:

Amy Baker
Co-Founder and CEo
WINSTON | BAKER

As Co-Founder and CEO of WINSTON | BAKER, Amy Baker oversees the company’s global strategic planning, editorial programming, event production, business development and vendor relationships. Amy co-founded the FILM FINANCE FORUM® SERIES, a series of conferences across the globe dedicated to bringing film and finance executives together.

Prior to establishing Winston Baker, she successfully directed B2B and B2C business development efforts for over 10 years by leveraging innovative sponsorship methods to engage business professionals. At ALM, as Vice President of Business Development, she provided finance executives and marketers with targeted channels for reaching decision-makers within the legal, entertainment, healthcare and tech sectors. In her previous position, Director of Business Development at RPMC, she worked with entertainment, music, and sports companies, creating event marketing programs, travel incentive services, sweepstakes, and media promotions.

Amy received a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with honors from New York University and is proud to be a member of the National Board of Advisors for the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida.
Amy is also a Certified COVID-19 Compliance Officer.

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