The prestigious Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), the largest of its kind in North America, is celebrating its landmark 50th edition (September 4–14) this year. TIFF was among the very first festivals chosen by European Film Promotion (EFP) in 2005 as being eligible for Film Sales Support (FSS). Since its launch, FSS has become a vital instrument for European world sales companies, enabling them to develop innovative, primarily digital promotional strategies to enhance visibility at major international film festivals and markets. In an increasingly competitive marketplace, precisely targeted and creatively executed campaigns are more crucial than ever for European films to attract international attention and secure global distribution.
EFP has allocated almost €31,000 in FSS funding to seven world sales companies, supporting the promotion and marketing of 11 outstanding and distinctive European films to North American and further non-European buyers.
One of the films profiting from FSS is Franz, a Czech-German-Polish co-production directed by acclaimed filmmaker Agnieszka Holland. The film has its world premiere in TIFF’s Special Presentations, a section dedicated to high-profile premieres and the world's leading filmmakers. Katharina Stark, German European Shooting Star of 2024, plays the role of Kafka’s sister Ottla. International sales are handled by Films Boutique, which is also representing Calle Málaga (France, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Morocco) by Maryam Touzani, likewise selected for Special Presentations. The film stars Carmen Maura as María Ángeles, a woman who fights to keep her childhood house in Morocco after her daughter decides to sell it. A third FSS-supported title in this section is Claire Denis’s The Fence (France), presented and sold by Goodfellas. Set in Africa, the film reflects on the history of racial segregation in the United States and is benefitting from an additional FSS Top-up Grant Inclusion, an initiative designed to encourage sales companies to invest in films that promote gender balance, equity, and inclusion, giving underrepresented groups both in front of and behind the camera greater visibility.
TIFF’s prestigious Platform programme celebrates filmmakers with a strong directorial vision and high artistic merit. This vision is exemplified by György Pálfi’s new film Hen (Greece, Germany, Hungary), a striking tale of a remarkable chicken who escapes her wretched life on an industrial farm in search of a safe place to raise her chicks. French sales outfit, Lucky Number, is receiving FSS support to strengthen the promotion of an unconventional film.
To the Victory! (Ukraine, Lithuania), set in a near future where Ukraine has won the war will also be screening in Platform. Valentyn Vasyanovych’s third feature is an ironic take on the future, incorporating the current conflict and political situation in Ukraine. Rare to see a drama of this kind from the region these days, Best Friend Forever has taken the film on board and is promoting and selling it at the festival. The Belgian company will likewise benefit from a FSS Top-up Grant Inclusion.
Further films receiving a promotional lift from EFP are the world premieres, Two Pianos by Arnaud Desplechin (France / Goodfellas), showing in Gala Presentations, as well as Egghead Republic (Sweden / Best Friend Forever), the second feature by Pella Kågerman and Hugo Lilja, which screens in Discovery.
North American premieres at TIFF include Eagles of the Republic by Tarik Saleh (Sweden, France, Denmark, Finland, Germany / Playtime), The Last One for The Road by Francesco Sossai (Italy, Germany / Lucky Number) and The Last Viking by Anders Thomas Jensen (Denmark, Sweden / TrustNordisk) in Centrepiece, alongside Alexandre Koberidze’s Dry Leaf (Germany, Georgia / Heretic), presented in Wavelengths.
FSS for Swiss Films
Thanks to SWISS FILMS and their commitment to helping Swiss films reach audiences beyond Europe, the Swiss-Argentinian coproduction, The Currents by Milagros Mumenthaler (Luxbox) and Memory of Princess Mumbi by Damien Hauser (Switzerland, Kenya, Saudi Arabia / Paradise City Sales) are also benefitting from FSS. The Currents will have its world premiere in Platform, competing for the CAD $20,000 Platform Award. The Award is presented by an international jury in recognition of outstanding artistic achievement in global cinema.
Please see list of supported films HERE
FSS for the respective films was approved by Cinecittà (Italy), Czech Film Center, Danish Film Institute, German Films, ICAA (Spain), Swedish Film Institute, Unifrance and the Ukrainian Institute.
FSS is financially backed by Creative Europe MEDIA of the European Union since 2004. FSS offers grants to European world sales companies for promotion and marketing campaigns with the goal to advance the export of films from Europe to countries outside of Europe at international film festivals and markets. Individual grants amount to a maximum of €5,000 or €5,500 (for films depicting diversity & inclusion) per campaign to be matched by the recipients.
