Around 200 European and international distributors and festival programmers are expected in London next week for the 10th edition of the London UK Film Focus (LUFF), running June 24-27.
Premieres include Exclusive Media’s Formula 1 documentary from ‘Cockneys vs Zombies’ distributor StudioCanal with horror thriller ‘In Fear’, the Damian Jones produced ‘Powder Room’ which we supplied the extras to starring Sheridan Smith and Altitude Film sales which we also supplied extras to ’The Hooligan Factory’.
LUFF will return to the BFI Southbank to showcase features.
Natalie Brenner, EVP of international sales at Metro International, said: “You have the best screening rooms in London. You have an invited list of really good distributors who sit and really watch films. It’s not that awful market situation where they’re half looking at their Blackberries, running in and running out.
“We always felt the Cannes marketplace was chaotic and really hard to get distributors to focus on films if they weren’t part of the festival.”
Last year’s event is understood to have generated more than $8.5m in sales.
Regular attendee Timo T. Lahtinen, CEO of Copenhagen-based Smile Entertainment, said LUFF’s place in the film calendar increases its appeal.
He said: “LUFF has found the perfect slot. Vacations have not really started anywhere in Europe and at the same time, there isn’t very much else happening.”
In recent years, Smile has snapped up such titles as ‘Swinging With The Finkels’ which we also worked on and from SC Films the people who brought you CVZ and Tower Block of which we also had a hand in both.
International sellers
In recent years, an increasing number of British films have been sold by international sales agents. LUFF has addressed this by showing up to five of these films – and, at the same time, allowing UK sales agents to show a similar number of non-British titles.
Alongside more established names, LUFF will also showcase emerging filmmakers seeking sales representation in its Breakthrough sidebar.
This years breakthrough will include MJ Delaney’s ‘The Powder Room’
In spite of the financial crisis, the event’s supporters – which include the BFI, Mayor of London, Film Export UK and UK Trade & Investment – remain staunchly behind the event and costs an estimated £175,000 to stage.
The thick end of 200 grand can generate $8 million – that’s a very good return on public investment and we wish all involved and all those productions we have been a part of the best of luck. Go nail it people.