AIFF Partners Submissions and Registration Now Open

ATLANTIC INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL TO HOST CMPA INDIESCREEN AWARDS; BRINGS BACK FESTIVAL MUSIC HOUSE WITH MUSIC NOVA SCOTIA

June 3, 2024 (Halifax, NS)

The 44th edition of Atlantic International Film Festival (AIFF) welcomes the CMPA Indiescreen Awards, bringing the celebration of independent producers from across Canada to Halifax as part of AIFF Partners. AIFF Partners (formerly known as Strategic Partners & FIN Partners) also announces the return of the much-loved Festival Music House hosted by Music Nova Scotia and made possible with funding from Nova Scotia’s Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage (CCTH). This year’s AIFF Partners continues its spotlight on international co-production partner New Zealand for a second year, bringing together producers, sales agents, financiers, broadcasters and industry executives from across Canada and internationally. The Atlantic International Film Festival runs from Wednesday, September 11th to Wednesday, September 18th, 2024, with AIFF Partners’ Co-Production and Co-Finance Market running Wednesday, September 11th to Friday, September 13th, for which the application portal for producer project submissions and non-producer registration are now open.

"For over 25 years, AIFF Partners has honed our reputation as a welcoming, laid-back place to do business, find remarkable projects and meet life-changing collaborators," says AIFF Executive Director Martha Cooley. "With the new inclusion of the CMPA's Indiescreen Awards and the return of our beloved Festival Music House, there is even more to celebrate and look forward to at this year's event." 

“The Indiescreen Awards celebrate the best and brightest in Canadian independent feature film from across Canada,” says Andrew Addision, Vice President, Communications, Marketing and Membership, CMPA. “Reflecting the diverse content that comes from every corner of the country, we are thrilled to bring the 2024 Indiescreen Awards ceremony to Halifax as part of the Atlantic International Film Festival.”

Read CMPA’s Press Release here.

Much of Atlantic Canada’s history is steeped in music and its ability to bring people together. A much loved part of the festival, Festival Music House returns following a multiple-year hiatus due to Covid restrictions and limited funding. This year Music Nova Scotia, along with the support of the Province of Nova Scotia, hosts the anticipated Festival Music House.

"Music Nova Scotia is thrilled to partner with AIFF for the return of Festival Music House, supported by Nova Scotia's Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism, and Heritage,” says Allegra Swanson, Executive Director of Music Nova Scotia. “This event enables artists across genres to connect with producers and showcase the music we authentically call our own. The synergy between music and film is profound, and with MNS' new sync subsidy program, there’s even more incentive for film productions to feature Nova Scotian music through scoring and licensing opportunities."

This year’s AIFF Partners continues its spotlight on New Zealand for a second year, bringing together producers, sales agents, financiers, broadcasters and industry executives with filmmakers and artists here in the Atlantic region. Hosting hundreds of one-on-one meetings, educational panels and roundtable sessions, AIFF Partners provides a unique opportunity to make international connections that lead to outstanding cinema while enjoying the comforts and hospitality of Atlantic Canada.

The 44th edition of the Atlantic International Film Festival starts on Wednesday, September 11th and runs until Wednesday, September 18th, 2024, with the 27th year of AIFF Partners’ Co-Production and Co-Finance Market running September 11th-13th. Applications now open.

“My favorite description of AIFF Partners is that it is like a "summer camp for adults"- I think this really speaks to the personal, pleasant and productive tone of our event, with many of our delegates returning year after year. Exciting partnerships begin at Partners- there is no doubt about it. Co-production relationships that take Canadian producers around the world, and bring the world to Canada, funding, and distribution opportunities and even marriages have sparked at our beloved market!”

~ Chrissy King-Lopes, Industry Programs Manager, Atlantic International Film Festival

“The New Zealand Film Commission is delighted to embark upon the second year of the New Zealand Spotlight at AIFF Partners, following on from a highly successful first year. The Spotlight provides a hugely valuable opportunity to further connect the New Zealand and Canadian screen sectors, while forging partnerships and collaborations with the wider global industry, too. AIFF Partners also builds on other impactful New Zealand-Canada activity, such as the WIFT NZ Co-Production Summit: Canada and Māoriland Film Festival both held in New Zealand in March 2024–which featured the largest Canadian trade delegation to visit New Zealand across any sector–and the New Zealand-Canada producer speed dating and networking events that took place at the Cannes Film Market in May. We look forward to seeing a raft of exciting new co-productions and other collaborations ahead!”

~ Chris Payne, Head of International Relations and Head of Incentives (Interim) New Zealand Film Commission

About AIFF Partners

AIFF’s main industry event is AIFF Partners (formerly known as Strategic Partners & FIN Partners), a co-production / co-financing market for film projects in all stages of development looking for essential partnerships and financing. AIFF Partners presents a best-in-class roster of officially selected projects from top regional, national and international industry players. AIFF Partners selects attendees through an application process to maximize potential co-production opportunities. Attendees include Atlantic Canadian, Canadian and international producers with feature film and/or TV series projects and resource delegates. To support the success of producers and their projects, AIFF Partners invites and hosts senior level resource delegates, including financiers, broadcasters, distributors, sales agents and funding agencies looking for investment opportunities. Our goal is to provide exceptional networking opportunities in an intimate setting with warm Maritime hospitality. 

About Atlantic International Film Festival

The Atlantic International Film Festival (AIFF) is the largest film festival in Atlantic Canada, with a mandate to celebrate, elevate, and advance the work of Atlantic Canadian filmmakers alongside a curated selection of films from around the globe. The Festival began as a tiny, grassroots operation in St. John’s, Newfoundland, in 1981, relocating to Halifax, Nova Scotia the following year. Providing an immersive escape and experience for movie lovers, filmmakers, and industry professionals, the 8-day event is Atlantic Canada’s premier curator of standout Canadian and international films, inspiring audiences with films that reflect a diversity of voices and perspectives.

Representatives from AIFF and AIFF Partners are available for interview.

Media contact:

Amy Saunders, AlphaPR

783-321-6085

amy@wearealphapr.com