Coming soon: Find out which five SA films are heading to Cannes Film Festival

Adelaide Film Festival is giving 10 SA filmmakers a leg up in Cannes. Find out who they are here.

Things are about to get “reel” for a group of Adelaide filmmakers who are showcasing their latest projects at next month’s Cannes Film Festival.

Regarded as the most prestigious event in the world of cinema, Festival de Cannes (Cannes Film Festival) is famous for its competition and its top award, Palme d’Or, for the best film.

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But it also hosts Cannes Marche du Film, which is the largest and arguably most important film market in the world, and that is where our 10 filmmakers and five feature film projects come in.

It’s thanks to a partnership between the Adelaide Film Festival and the market.

Dubbed the AFF x Cannes, the partnership is all about “connecting producers and directors to the global film market”.

To qualify, film projects had to be finished or near complete and looking for an international sales agent.

The group of directors and producers will get to network and, importantly, present their feature films – all of which are in the post-production (near complete) stage – at the Adelaide Film Festival Goes to Cannes showcase on Friday, May 17.

Sales agents, investors and programmers will be in the audience.

A still from Lesbian Space Princess. Picture: Supplied

A still from Kangaroo Island. Picture: Supplied

The movies in the showcase include Lesbian Space Princess (directors Emma Hough-Hobbs and Leela Varghese), Kangaroo Island (director Timothy Piper), With or Without You (director Kelly Schilling), The Iron Winter (director Kasimir Burgess) and Mockbuster (director Anthony Frith).

A still from The Iron Winter. Picture: Supplied

Varghese, Piper and Schilling will represent their films along with Mockbuster writer and producer Sandy Cameron and The Iron Winter producer Ben Golotta. Other filmmakers in the delegation include Travis Akbar, Nara Wilson, Josh Trevorrow, Lisa Scott and Matt Vesely.

A still from With or Without You. Picture: Supplied

“Development and support for the filmmaking community is a critical part of Adelaide Film Festival’s strategy and this exciting collaboration will see the festival leverage its extensive networks and strong relationship with Cannes to connect Australian filmmakers to the global market and showcase South Australia as a centre of creative endeavour,” Adelaide Film Festival CEO and creative director Mat Kesting said.

A still from Mockbuster. Picture: Supplied

Margaret Pomeranz, Mat Kesting and Tilda Cobham-Hervey at the 2023 Adelaide Film Festival AFF opening night. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

AFF x Cannes is funded by the Government of South Australia, Department for Premier and Cabinet, with the South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC) funding the participation of two First Nations South Australian filmmakers, Wilson and Trevorrow.