The Film Collaborative

The Film Collaborative
Non-profit organization
Industry Film Distribution
Founded 2010
Headquarters Los Angeles, California, United States
Products Independent Film
Website http://www.thefilmcollaborative.org/

The Film Collaborative (TFC) is the first non-profit, full-service provider dedicated to the distribution of independent film, including narrative features, documentaries and shorts. Based in Los Angeles, The Film Collaborative services filmmakers worldwide and is a distributor of art house, independent and world cinema.

History

Officially launched in 2010, The Film Collaborative is a service-oriented, educational organization aimed at empowering filmmakers to reach audiences directly.[1] TFC educates filmmakers about new distribution opportunities with the objective to eliminate middle-men and unfair contract terms. An ardent advocate of new media/digital distribution, TFC encourages filmmakers to embrace the power of viral and social networking.

Founder Orly Ravid,[2] a sales/acquisitions and distribution veteran, was named one of the "Brave Thinkers of Indie Film" in 2010 by Ted Hope on his Hope For Film blog.[3] Ravid is a frequent panelist/moderator at film festivals and industry conferences worldwide.

A priority of The Film Collaborative is guiding filmmakers through the distribution process to develop a DIY strategy suitable for their film. TFC offers distribution, educational and marketing services to independent filmmakers seeking to reach traditionally under served audiences. They also assist filmmakers with festival and educational bookings and outreach. Recent festival films include: The Invisble War, Mosquita Y Mari, A Fierce Green Fire, Eyes Wide Open, Undertow (Contracorriente), Adventures of Power, A Small Act, We Were Here, The Owls, Shut Up Little Man!, Weekend, Leave It on the Floor, All About Evil, and August.

Undertow (Contracorriente) won the World Cinema Audience Award in the Dramatic category at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.[4] Undertow (Contracorriente) was the official Peruvian selection for Best Foreign Language Film at the 83rd Academy Awards.[5][6] and TFC's inaugural theatrical film release.

After The Invisible War‍ '​s premiere screening at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, an anonymous married couple approached one of the film's subjects and offered to pay for her jaw surgery from injuries sustained during her rape.[7] A searing and emotionally charged film, The Invisible War went on to win the Audience Award.[8]

Education

In late 2011, The Film Collaborative began a series of lectures, seminars and workshops at U.S. film schools. In an effort to help prepare them for life after film school, the series will educate and inform students about their rights and current distribution resources and avenues.

Films

The Film Collaborative has consulted with many filmmakers, optimizing their distribution opportunities, without taking any rights.

Year Film Director Distributor Nominations Awards
2012 The Invisible War Kirby Dick Sundance 2012 – Audience Award
Mosquita Y Mari Aurora Guerrero Wolfe Video Cinefestival 2012 – Best Narrative Feature, Torino LGBT – Queer Award, Pink Apple Film Festival – Audience Award
A Fierce Green Fire Mark Kitchell
2011 An African Election Jarreth Merz DogWoof! (UK) Independent Spirit Award 2011 – Best Documentary
Revenge of the Electric Car Chris Paine
Weekend Andrew Haigh IFC Films (US) SXSW 2011 – Audience Award – Emerging Visions, Outfest 2011 – Grand Jury Award – Outstanding International Feature – Drama
We Were Here David Weisman Red Flag Releasing Independent Spirit Award 2011 – Best Documentary
2010 Gasland Josh Fox New Video Group 2011 Academy Award Nominee – Best Documentary
Undertow (Contracorriente) Javier Fuentes-León The Film Collaborative Sundance 2010 – World Audience Award – Drama
2009 Eyes Wide Open Haim Tabakman NAV/The Film Collaborative (US), Peccadillo Pictures (UK) Ghent 2009 – Best Picture, Cannes 2009 – Un Certain Regard

Releases

In early 2011, The Film Collaborative created Fest Selects, a series of short film collections. Their first release, partnered with First Run Features, is a compilation of the best gay and lesbian shorts from international film festivals, such as Outfest, Frameline and Iris Prize.

Released on 13 September 2011, TFC's book Selling Your FIlm Without Selling Your Soul, co-authored with Jon Reiss and Sheri Candler, complies case studies of hybrid, DIY and P2P independent film distribution. Some of the films included are: The Cosmonaut, The Best and the Brightest, Sita Sings the Blues, Note by Note, Bass Ackwards, Adventures of Power, Violet Tendencies, American: The Bill Hicks Story, Undertow (Contracorriente).

Theatrical

Year Film Release Date Director Nominations Awards
2012 Mosquita Y Mari TBD Aurora Guerrero
2010 Undertow (Contracorriente) September 17 Javier Fuentes-León Sundance 2010 – World Audience Award – Drama Category
2009 Eyes Wide Open Haim Tabakman Ghent 2009 – Best Picture, Cannes 2009 – Un Certain Regard

DVD

Year Film Release Date Distributor
2011 Fest Selects: Best Gay Shorts, Vol. 1 May 17 First Run Features
Fest Selects: Best Lesbian Shorts, Vol. 1 May 17 First Run Features

Book

Year Film Release Date Distributor
2011 Selling Your Film Without Selling Your Soul September 13 Presented by PreScreen and Area23

References

  1. ↑ "New Non-Profit Aims to Rep & Support Indie Films". indieWIRE. January 28, 2010.
  2. ↑ "Women to Blog About". indieWIRE: Sydney's Buzz. July 15, 2010.
  3. ↑ "Brave Thinkers of Indie Film, 2010 Edition". Hope for Film. December 14, 2010.
  4. ↑ "Sundance 2010: Winners Announced!". rottentomatoes.com. 2011-01-31.
  5. ↑ "TFC Box Office". The Numbers. as of April 2011. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ↑ "TFC Box Office". Box Office Mojo. as of April 2011. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ↑ "'Invisible War' Exposes Widespread Rape, Cover-Up in U.S. Military". The Wrap. January 21, 2012.
  8. ↑ "'Beasts of the Southern Wild' Wins Top Sundance Award". Reuters. January 29, 2012.

External links