The Montréal International Film Market, held annually in conjunction with the Montréal World Film Festival, is changing gears this year to give buyers and sellers greater opportunities for face-to-face discussions and negotiations.

"To better meet the changing industry needs, we are doing away with the booths and replacing them with a number of events and more spacious meeting facilities designed to facilitate networking and foster business opportunities for the some 1,000 professionals from around-the-world expected to attend," Market Director Gilles Bériault stated. The nine-day market, August 28 – September 5, will be located in the festival's headquarters hotel, the newly renamed Hyatt Hotel in Complexe Desjardin. Overall Festival dates are August 26 – September 6.

The market will again feature an active co-production section named Production Exchange. Projects selected are published in a project book circulated among participants. The 35 projects selected last year had a total budget value of $210 million. Producers can submit their projects now at the market's Internet site, www.ffm-montreal.org/en_marc_copr.html.

In addition to the more than 700 festival screenings, market participants will have access to a video library filled with a large selection of the latest productions available for the world market. The video library will have 50 screening stations equipped with professional quality tri-standard and multi-zone players.

Regulars at the Montréal International Film Market include such major heavyweights like Sony Pictures Classics, Miramax Films and Focus Features to more specialized players like Zeitgeist Films, Strand Releasing and Sundance Channel, as well as important European, Asian and South American companies.