OPPORTUNITIES BULLETIN #166 March 2017

N.B. The information below is provided directly by the organizers of events, festivals, audio-visual organizations or independent film projects. The Royal Film Commission - Jordan (RFC) cannot be held accountable for it.

In this bulletin:

1. Job Opportunity at the Royal Film Commission - Jordan: Production Services Assistant
    
2. Call for applications: Rawi Screenwriters’ Lab (Deadline extended)
    
3. Call for video entries: PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival 2017
    
4. Call for applications: Amman Design Week 2017
    
5.  Call for submissions: The 42nd Toronto International Film Festival
    
6.  Call for submissions: The 74th Venice International Film Festival
    
7. Call for submissions: Oran International Arab Film Festival
    
8. Call for submissions: The 2nd Golden Tree International Documentary Festival 2017

1. . Job Opportunity at the Royal Film Commission - Jordan: Production Services Assistant

Under the supervision of the Production Services Manager, the Production Services Assistant will be responsible for all administrative related matters pertaining to the Production Services Department (PSD).

Duties and Responsibilities

1- Handling all paperwork pertaining to PSD, including official letters, accounting papers and other forms.
2- Keeping up-to-date files & forms hard copy and electronically, in addition to office administrative work.
3- Handling logistical requirements, including bookings.
4- Maintaining office inventory.
5- Performing other duties as required by the Manager.

Qualifications

• BA Degree in an administrative field
• 2 years’ experience
• Fluent in English & Arabic, spoken and written
• Extremely organized and hard working
• Capable of multi-tasking


Please send your application to the following email: recruitment@film.jo, no later than 30 March 2017, and indicate clearly in the subject the title of the position you are applying for.

2. Call for applications: Rawi Screenwriters’ Lab (Deadline extended)

The Royal Film Commission – Jordan welcomes applications to the 13th round of Rawi Screenwriters’ Lab.

For its first 11 years, the lab was run in collaboration with the Sundance Institute and is modeled on the Institute’s renowned Screenwriters’ Lab. Chosen candidates are granted the opportunity to develop their screenplays under the guidance of critically acclaimed screenwriters. These Creative Advisors will have one-on-one intensive story sessions and conversations with the participants about their projects to embrace their vision and help them find the most compelling way to tell their stories.

• Important dates:
- Submission deadline has been extended to 19th March 2017 by midnight -Jordan’s time
- Workshop days: from 7th July until 11th July 2017

• Submission details:
- Online: http://www.film.jo/Contents/How-To-Apply.aspx  or rawi@film.jo
- Format: Word file – Soft copy
- Language: English. Arabic is acceptable for initial submission.

• Eligibility:
- Independent screenwriters, co-writers or writers/directors
- Writers working on their first or second feature narrative
- Arab screenwriters regardless of their country of residence

For further information:
• Visit: http://www.film.jo/Contents/About-RAWI.aspx 
• Email: rawi@film.jo
• Call: +962 6 461 3835 Ext. 104
 

3. Call for video entries: PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival 2017

The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) invite youth from around the world to submit original and creative videos focusing on the PLURAL+ theme of migration, diversity and social inclusion.

In a world often characterized by intolerance, and cultural and religious divisions, it is vital that youth are recognized as powerful agents of social change. PLURAL+ encourages youth to address key challenges and opportunities related to social inclusion and cohesion, migrant integration, respect for identity, diversity, human rights and xenophobia, both at local and global levels through video production.

Young people aged up to 25 are invited to submit short videos of five minutes maximum in length for consideration in the PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival.

Each year since 2009, a prestigious international jury selects three PLURAL+ International Jury Award winners in each age category (up to 12, 13-17, 18-25). The International Jury Award winners will receive $1,000 as well as be invited to New York, all travel expenses paid, to present their work at the PLURAL + 2017 Festival Awards Ceremony at the Paley Center for Media and possibly as well at the United Nations Headquarters in Fall 2017.

PLURAL+ partner organizations will also award other prizes and professional opportunities to over 20 of the best videos submitted, partners award winning videos will be invited to present their work at film and video festivals, conferences and events around the world.
In addition to the three International Jury award winners, this year PLURAL+ will also provide, for the first time, the “PLURAL+ Award for the Prevention of Xenophobia”, and the winner will also travel to New York to participate and present his/her video at the PLURAL+ 2017 Festival and Awards Ceremony.

Deadline for submission is on 4th June 2017. Early submissions are encouraged.

Further information, including guidelines, rules and regulations and the entry form can be found at the PLURAL+ website at: https://pluralplus.unaoc.org/

4. Call for applications: Amman Design Week 2017

Amman Design Week is back in its second edition that will be running from the 6th until 14th October, 2017.

Amman Design Week is extending an open call for programs that invites individuals who would like to suggest a program for the week, as well as creative spaces who wish to highlight their space by hosting a program or event to Amman Design Week's diverse audience.

Suggested programs may include design-related exhibitions, film screenings, open studio visits, tours, talks, workshops, competitions or events.

The deadline to submit your application is 2 April 2017 at noon.

If you have any questions, please contact: shermine@ammandesignweek.com

For further information, please visit the website: http://www.ammandesignweek.com/participate/spaces

5. Call for submissions: The 42nd Toronto International Film Festival

Submissions to the 42nd annual Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) are now open.

Submission categories:

- Canadian Narrative Features: Canadian feature films with runtimes of 50 minutes
or longer.
- Canadian Documentary Features: Canadian documentary feature films with runtimes
of 50 minutes or longer.
- Canadian Shorts: Canadian films with runtimes of 49 minutes or less.
- International Narrative Features: International feature films with runtimes of 50 minutes or longer.
- International Documentary Features: International documentary feature films with
runtimes of 50 minutes or longer.
- International Shorts: International films with runtimes of 49 minutes or less.

A Film will not be eligible for consideration and should not be submitted if:
a. the film was completed prior to September 1, 2016; or
b. the film was previously submitted to TIFF for Festival consideration.

All feature films must be submitted as DVD screeners. All short films must be submitted online via Withoutabox. All selected films must be available to screen in DCP (Digital Cinema Package) format by August 18, 2017.

The early deadline to submit is on 5th May, 2017. The late submission deadline is 2nd June, 2017.

For further information on rules and regulations, please visit: http://www.tiff.net/submissions/

6. Call for submissions: The 74th Venice International Film Festival

OFFICIAL SELECTION
Venezia 74
An international competition comprising a maximum of 20 feature-length films, presented as world premieres.

Out of Competition
Some of the most important works of the year will be presented in the non-competing section, for a maximum of 18 films. They may include the works of established authors who have participated in Competition in previous editions of the Venice Film Festival, documentaries or films in which the spectacular dimension is accompanied by forms of expressive or narrative originality. Some films Out of Competition may be screened during the midnight time slot, if their characteristics make them particularly suitable for showing at this time of night.
Only feature films presented as world premieres at the Venice Film Festival will be admitted to the selection.

Orizzonti
An international competition reserved for a maximum of 18 films, dedicated to films that represent the latest aesthetic and expressive trends in international cinema, with special attention to debut films, young talents who are not yet firmly established, indie features and lesser-known cinema, as well as works that address specific genres and current production, with the aim of innovating and demonstrating creative originality.
The Orizzonti section features a selection of competing short films lasting a maximum of 20 minutes, selected on the basis of criteria such as quality and originality of language and expression.
Only feature-length and short films presented as world premieres at the Venice Film Festival will be admitted to the selection.

Venice Classics
This section features the world premiere screenings of a selection of the finest restorations of classic films carried out over the past year by film libraries, cultural institutions and productions around the world, committed to the preservation and cultivation of the cinematographic heritage and the rediscovery of neglected or undervalued works of the past.
The section may be completed with the presentation of documentaries about cinema or individual authors of yesteryear or today, that can offer innovative elements for historical and critical assessment.

Cinema in the Garden
This non-competitive section features a selection of works, of different genres and lengths, which may be preceded or accompanied by public encounters and conversations with the directors, actors and personalities from the world of art and culture.
Only films presented as world premieres at the Venice Film Festival will be admitted to the selection.

VENICE PRODUCTION BRIDGE
A film market has been organized as part of the Venice Film Festival, not only to ensure the continuity of the services developed in the past (Industry Club, European Gap Financing Market, Business Centre, Digital Video Library and Market Screenings), but to offer a meeting ground and networking opportunity for all categories of professionals involved in the production of films: producers, funders, distributors, sales, public and private investment funds, banks, film commissions, broadcasters, Internet platforms. Within the context of the Co-production Market (31 August - 4 September), the Venice Production Bridge will present a wide selection of projects in an advanced phase of development and pre-funding in the categories of films, documentaries, Virtual reality, TV and web series. It will also organize the fifth edition of Final Cut in Venice (reserved for works-in-progress from African countries, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria), and the second edition of the Book Adaptation Rights Area.

INDEPENDENT AND PARALLEL SECTIONS
(SIC - International Critics’ Week)
A series of no more than 8 films – debut works – independently organized by a commission appointed by the National Syndicate of Italian Film Critics (SNCCI) in accordance with its own regulations.

(Venice Days)
A series of no more than 12 films, independently promoted by the Italian filmmakers association (ANAC) and by the 100 Autori association. Films are selected in accordance with the regulations of these associations.

Invited films will receive an entry form to be duly completed and returned no later than 14th July 2017.

For further information, please visit the website: http://www.labiennale.org/en/cinema/regulations/

7. Call for submissions: Oran International Arab Film Festival

The 10th edition of Oran International Arab Film Festival is due to take place from the 25th until 31st of July 2017. The festival is calling for feature narrative films, documentaries and shorts to compete.

General rules and eligibility:

- The film should be produced in 2016 or 2017.

- Either the director or the producer of the film should be an Arab.

- Arab film production companies can participate provided the director is not an Arab national.

- Arab films previously screened to the public in Algeria will not be accepted. Algerian films are an exception. 

- Films which have already participated in the festival's previous edition will not be accepted.

- The film shouldn't have been broadcast on any TV channel or on the internet.

- Films currently in production can be submitted.

- There is no specific length required for feature narrative films.

For more details on rules and regulations, please visit the website: http://oranfestival.com/?page_id=45
 
The deadline for submissions is on 31st March, 2017.

8. Call for submissions: The 2nd Golden Tree International Documentary Festival 2017

The 2nd Golden Tree International Documentary Festival will be held in Frankfurt, Germany, from September 6th to 9th 2017. Submission of films for the competition starts on January 1st 2017 and ends on 30th June 2017. The festival, with "Man and Nature" as its theme, aims to draw the eyes of the world, to explore the origin of cultures with the camera lens and to distribute outstanding documentaries to the world.

The Golden Tree Festival consists of six sections: exhibition, copyright representation, awards, forums for discussions, announcements of new products and a business investment fund. The Jury, consisting of well-known experts in the documentary film industry, will award a total of six awards, for the best long documentary, the best medium-length documentary, the best short documentary, the best micro documentary, the best director and a special jury acknowledgment.

The festival provides online and offline trading functions and aims to build an international documentary exchange and copyright trading platform. The organizing committee will set up a talent pool for filmmakers and video library for registered members. It aims to create an outstanding trading opportunity for buyers around the world and to help present excellent documentaries to the world.

The deadline for submissions is on 30th June 2017.

For further information, please visit the website: http://www.goldentreefestival.com/