IFP Announces Film Week Expansion, Featuring TV, Web, & Digital Content

Today, IFP announced their expansion to support television, digital, web, VR and app-based series at its upcoming IFP Film Week. Series showrunners and creators will take part in the IFP Project Forum, the only International Co-Production Market in the U.S. featuring stories for all platforms. As announced, after 37 years in Manhattan, IFP Film Week is moving across the river to Brooklyn. The event will set up shop in DUMBO anchored around its headquarters, the Made in NY Media Center By IFP; Film Week will run from September 17th through September 22nd, 2016.

In recent years, IFP and Filmmaker Magazine have played a vital role in launching the careers of many of today's rising stars active in the television, new media and web series space, prompting the decision to expand to platforms outside of film. These rising stars include series creators Katja Blichfeld & Ben Sinclair (High Maintenance), Deston Daniel Cretton(Upcoming Minors with Ryan Coogler), Lena Dunham (Girls), The Duplass Brothers (Togetherness) Moria Demos &Laura Riccardi (Making of a Murderer), Ava DuVernay (Queen Sugar), Robert Eggers (Upcoming Rasputin), Ingrid Jungermann (F to the 7th) Todd Rohal (MOPZ), Amy Seimetz (The Girlfriend Experience), directors Nicole Kassell (TheAmericans), Seith Mann (The Breaks), Stacie Passon (Transparent) and Dee Rees (Bessie) as well as those forging their own storytelling paths such as Laura Poitras (The Intercept).

In addition to expanding across multiple platforms, IFP is proud that over 50% of the participating projects in this year's Film Week are inclusive of range of races, genders, sexual orientations, ethnicities and physical abilities in key creative positions, fostering future projects that break out of the norm. These diverse projects span across all areas of film week.

"IFP Film Week is delving into such exciting new territories this year," says IFP Executive Director Joana Vicente. "In this changing technological landscape, it's imperative to give voices to those who think outside the box and look to not only film and television, but also web, digital, and VR platforms to get their stories out there. We're also thrilled that these voices will belong to more and more women, people of color, and members of the LGBT community."

Under the curatorial leadership of Deputy Director/Head of Programming Amy Dotson & Senior Director of Programming Milton Tabbot, forty-five projects have been selected. The slate includes narrative and non-fiction series (limited, mini and full-season series) in all formats, from VR and Snapchat-based series to comedy, drama and genre pilots. Over half of the selected projects have already shot their pilots independently; in addition, many feature veteran creatives from the film, television and web space presenting new series pitches.

Highlighted projects include:

According To My Mother, a comedic series from actor Daniel K. Isaac (Billions)

Awkward Celebrity Encounters, an animated web-comedy from Caveh Zahedi (The Show About the Show)

Big Fun, a French/American thriller series from producer of France's Hero Corp

House of Psychotic Women, from the producer of The Greasy Strangler

The Illegal, from the team behind award winning Canadian mini-series Book of Negros and the executive producer of OWN's Greenleaf

Love & Stuff, a limited, non-fiction series from director Judith Helfand (Blue Vinyl)

The Order, a dramatic thriller from director Jim Mickle (Cold In July)

Sex Ed, a drama from producers of Teen Mom & Serial: Season 2

Untitled Flint Police Project, a non-fiction series from the team behind T-Rex.

Newcomers include Shugs & Fats (2015 Gotham Award Breakthrough Series), The Come Up (2016 Series Fest Winner), and Namaste, Bitches.

For the full series slate, click here.

A number of activities will take place at IFP Film Week aimed at helping connect content creators with industry leaders in television, and new media that can help them complete their latest works and connect with audiences.

Series showrunners and creators will take part in the IFP Project Forum, the only International Co-Production Market featuring stories for all platforms. Specifically, over 3,500 meetings are set up to support the future of storytelling by connecting content creators with financiers, executives, influencers and decision-makers in film, television, and new media.

All projects will also participate in Screen Forward Pitches, an all-day, exclusive live pitching session with top television, new media and digital execs in hopes of moving their projects - and careers - forward.

20 projects will also be showcased publicly at the outdoor Screen Forward Showcase, an open to the public project featuring highlights of the new program.

Reflecting this year's inclusion of web and television projects, IFP Film Week is sponsored by HBO and Amazon Studios this year; HBO will support all documentary and non-fiction interests of the week, while Amazon Studios is committed to supporting our producers across all platforms and genres.

The Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP) champions the future of storytelling by connecting artists with essential resources at all stages of development and distribution. The organization fosters a vibrant and sustainable independent storytelling community through its year-round programs, which include Independent Film Week, Filmmaker Magazine, the Gotham Independent Film Awards and the Made in NY Media Center by IFP, a new incubator space developed with the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment. IFP represents a growing network of 10,000 storytellers around the world, and plays a key role in developing 350 new feature and documentary works each year. During its 38-year history, IFP has supported over 12,000 projects and offered resources to more than 20,000 filmmakers. More info at www.ifp.org.