Latest news with #SophieMathisen
The Age
02-05-2025
- Business
- The Age
‘Bold and transformative': New-look BIFF readies for its close-up in Cannes
Brisbane International Film Festival will launch a film market enabling local producers to collaborate with overseas producers, according to its new executive director, Sophie Mathisen. BIFF's new focus on co-productions is set to be launched at this month's Cannes Film Festival. The gear shift comes as the Queensland government announced a long-awaited budget increase for BIFF, as well as a new delivery partner in Mathisen's company, For Film's Sake. 'Co-production is becoming a key priority globally, largely because film budgets are going up, so what we wanted to do is place BIFF at the heart of that growth,' Mathisen said. 'We're returning to the legacy of BIFF, which was always about showcasing the best in global films, but also creating real networks between the local industry and the global filmmaking community.' Last month, Minister for the Arts John-Paul Langbroek announced the Crisafulli government was increasing BIFF's annual operational funding to $350,000, an increase of $100,000 on 2024. It was a welcome show of support for the festival, which has languished over the last decade even as the local screen production industry has flourished. Cancelled by Screen Queensland in 2014 and replaced with the short-lived Brisbane Asia-Pacific Film Festival, BIFF made a comeback in 2017 on a tight funding model.
Sydney Morning Herald
02-05-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Bold and transformative': New-look BIFF readies for its close-up in Cannes
Brisbane International Film Festival will launch a film market enabling local producers to collaborate with overseas producers, according to its new executive director, Sophie Mathisen. BIFF's new focus on co-productions is set to be launched at this month's Cannes Film Festival. The gear shift comes as the Queensland government announced a long-awaited budget increase for BIFF, as well as a new delivery partner in Mathisen's company, For Film's Sake. 'Co-production is becoming a key priority globally, largely because film budgets are going up, so what we wanted to do is place BIFF at the heart of that growth,' Mathisen said. 'We're returning to the legacy of BIFF, which was always about showcasing the best in global films, but also creating real networks between the local industry and the global filmmaking community.' Last month, Minister for the Arts John-Paul Langbroek announced the Crisafulli government was increasing BIFF's annual operational funding to $350,000, an increase of $100,000 on 2024. It was a welcome show of support for the festival, which has languished over the last decade even as the local screen production industry has flourished. Cancelled by Screen Queensland in 2014 and replaced with the short-lived Brisbane Asia-Pacific Film Festival, BIFF made a comeback in 2017 on a tight funding model.
