At this year’s International Film Festival of Mar del Plata, which takes place from 8 to 18 March, 8 European films are benefiting from European Film Promotion’s Film Sales Support (FSS). FSS is funded by the MEDIA Programme of the European Union with a remit to increase the visibility of European films outside of Europe. The scheme awards grants of up to 5.000 Euros per film to sales agents towards their promotional campaigns at the festival. The grant covers 50% of costs related to the production of promotional material, public relations activities and the production of a subtitled print. Mar del Plata is one of seven annual festivals at which FSS is being offered by European Film Promotion.

As part of Mar del Plata’s focus on Italy this year, FSS is supporting 4 Italian films: As the Shadow (Maria Spada), Quijote (Mimmo Paladino), Roses from the Desert (Mario Monicelli) and Three Days of Anarchy (Vito Zigarrio). Veteran director Mario Monicelli will take part in the festival’s Masterclasses.

Other films benefiting from FSS originate from various European countries, for example from Hungary/Austria, Taxidermia (György Pálfi) – represented in Mar del Plata by Fortissimo – and from Spain, Fiction (Cesc Gay) – handled by Latido – and Honor of the Knights (Albert Serra) promoted by Notro Films. The German documentary, Civilians on the Battlefields (Teresina Moscatiello), is represented by production company Sinafilm. 3 of the films are screening in the festival’s Official Competition and will vie for one of the prizes. European jurors for the international Competition are, Adriana Chiesa, Marcelo Pineyro whose film The Method was supported by FSS in 2005, and last year’s winner Emily Atef. Atef’s film, Molly’s Way was also backed by FSS in 2006.

Upcoming festivals at which FSS is available are the Festival Internacional de Cine en Guadalajara (22-30 March), the Shanghai International Film Festival (16-24 June), the Toronto International Film Festival (6-15 September), the Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival (20 September - 4 October) and the Pusan International Film Festival (4-12 October).

List of supported films and companies at Mar del Plata 2007

Adriana Chiesa Enterprises (Italy)
ROSES FROM THE DESERT (LE ROSE DEL DESERTO) by Mario Monicelli, Italy 2006

Ananas (Italy)
QUIJOTE by Mimmo Paladino, Italy 2006

Film Kairos (Italy)
AS THE SHADOW (COME L’OMBRA) by Marina Spada, Italy 2006 (in Competition)

Fortissimo (The Netherlands)
TAXIDERMIA by György Pálfi, Hungary/Austria/France 2006

Latido (Spain)
FICTION (FICCIÓ) by Cesc Gay, Spain 2006 (in Competition)

Notro Films (Spain)
HONOR OF THE KNIGHTS (HONOR DE CAVALLERIA) by Albert Serra, Spain 2006 (in Competition)

Sinafilm Produktion (Germany)
CIVILIANS ON THE BATTLEFIELD (WELTVERBESSERER AUF DEM SCHLACHTFELD) by Teresina Moscatiello, Germany 2006

Thulefilm (Italy)
THREE DAYS OF ANARCHY (TRE GIORNI D’ANARCHIA) by Vito Zagarrio, Italy 2003