20/08/2010

Luxembourger Bernard Michaux is one of the 12 European producers who will be part of the Producers Lab Toronto, which will reunite European producers with 12 local producers in an effort to develop more co-production relationships with Canada.

The initiative will take place from September 10-12 during this year’s Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). It is organised by European Film Promotion, Ontario Media Development Corporation (OMDC) and TIFF. The Media International programme of the European Union supports the project financially.

The European participants were selected from European Producers on the Move participants between 2006 and 2009. The participants from Canada have been chosen by OMDC and TIFF.

Michaux was a Producer on the Move in 2008. His Luxembourg production company Lucil Films recently co-produced The Runway, directed by Ian Power. The Irish-Luxembourg feature recently won the coveted Best Irish Feature title at the Galway Film Fleadh (see news).

All producers will come to Toronto with at least one project to pitch, and some already existing co-productions will also be studied.

Luxembourg has already co-produced some titles with Canada: Iris Films, headed by Nicolas Steil, recently co-produced the Canadian drama The Last Flight by Lea Pool, which was released some months ago in Luxembourg as well via Iris’ distribution arm.

Renate Rose, EFP Managing Director, on the initiative: “We intend to foster the circulation of European films in Canada as well as Canadian films in Europe. Moreover, Producers Lab Toronto will provide a first stage for preparing co-productions from countries which have rarely co-produced with Canada to date”.