HOME and Lo Schermo dell’Arte Film Festival, this year celebrating its 10th anniversary, are delighted to announce the third run of Feature Expanded, the first ever, ground-breaking training programme examining the methodologies, tools and skills needed for filmmakers with a background in visual arts to develop and produce feature films for the international market.
The two-part course, directed by our Artistic Director: Visual Art, Professor Sarah Perks, and Leonardo Bigazzi, Curator at Lo Schermo dell’Arte, will take place from 21 – 26 June in Manchester, and in Florence, 15 – 19 November 2017. The deadline for applications is Fri 3 March.
Feature Expanded combines masterclasses, case studies, workshops, screenings, one-to-one meetings and pitching sessions for visual artists who are developing their first feature film. With peer-led training from industry experts, participants will gain essential new skills and the expertise needed to advance their early stage feature film projects for theatrical distribution and exhibition, before being introduced to potential collaborations with relevant festivals, markets and other partners.
The course culminates with the presentation of the Feature Expanded Distribution Award, first awarded to artist and filmmaker Gabrielle Brady in 2015 for her film Christmas Island, currently in post-production and co-produced by Feature Expanded’s Samm Haillay (Third Films). In its second year, Feature Expanded also introduced two further awards: the Development Award, supporting co-production building and script, and the ottod’Ame Film Award, a research cash prize supported by the Italian fashion label.
This year, Feature Expanded will also have an increased presence at the International Film Festival Rotterdam with FE artist Stefanos Tsivopoulous’ project Kindness being selected for the prestigious annual ART:FILM selection at IFFR Cinemart 2017.
HOME Artist Film is continuing to develop its production and distribution strategies following recent short and long form projects with Rachel Maclean, Rosa Barba and Phil Collins; and distribution is confirmed for Andrew Kötting’s Edith Walks, an unofficial sequel to Swandown, also distributed by HOME Artist Film, a collaboration with pscyo-geographer Iain Sinclair and other Kötting regulars.
Sarah Perks said: “Feature Expanded is a new and innovative development training programme and the type that takes years to make a recognisable contribution to the film industry, especially in light of how complex and long term these projects are. The continued support of Creative Media EU Programme and the University of Salford into the third year is a big vote of confidence and we are looking forward to the first Feature Expanded babies being born later this year! And of course there will be a new cohort of amazing visual artist filmmakers to join this journey.”
Leonardo Bigazzi added: “We are really excited to partner again with HOME for the third edition of Feature Expanded. The programme has already developed far beyond our expectations and is generating strong collaborations between the participating professionals. As a result of these partnerships, we have been invited at the Cinemart in Rotterdam as co-producers of the new film by FE alumni Stefanos Tsivopoulos, and we are already expecting two films from the first edition to premiere this year.”
Artist film promises to continue to demonstrate innovation productions and increased visibility for audiences, following the success across Europe in 2016 from Omer Fast (Remainder) and Ben Rivers (The Two Eyes are Not Brothers), and future features due from Cleo Barnard and Yael Bartana.
Feature Expanded costs €2,500 full price, accommodating a total of 12 places with bursaries available. Cost includes food and accommodation both in Florence and Manchester. For further information please visit the Feature Expanded website.
For Feature Expanded’s third run, bursaries are again supported by the University of Salford and Netherlands Film Fonds.