ODESA, JANUARY 9th, 2014, CONTEXT-PRICHERNOMORIE ― Odesa International Film Festival begins a selection of films for the programme 2014, Context-Prichernomorie correspondent reports.

The press service of OIFF noted today, 9 January.

According to the information, Odesa IFF introduces the Advisory Board of acclaimed film industry experts, which will facilitate international recognition of the festival and improve the overall festival experience. Among the members of the Board are the following film industry professionals: Kirsten Niehuus, managing director of the Medienboard Berlin Brandenburg; Simone Baumann, Eastern Europe Representative German Films; producer, screenwriter and director Valery Todorovsky (Russia); Joël Chapron, vice president of UNIFRANCE for Central and Eastern Europe countries; and Katriel Schory, executive director of the Israel Film Fund. Ukraine will be represented by Denis Ivanov (general director of Odesa IFF 2010-2013), which will no longer operate the festival management.

This year as before the selection committee of the festival will consist of Viktoria Tigipko, Alik Shpilyuk and Ilya Dyadyk. Anthelme Vidaud, former audiovisual attaché at Institut français d'Ukraine, will be joining the program department.Julia Sinkevych, which previously held the position of the head of the Film Industry Office, is assigned the executive producer of the festival.

Art mainstream feature films of high artistic value, aimed at mass audience remain the main focus of the festival programme. “This concept was formed as a result of several years of festival development, and by the audience reaction we understand that these are the movies our viewers want to watch,” Odesa IFF President Viktoria Tigipko said. “Hopefully, the Advisory Board will contribute to further improvement of the international level of the festival”.

Denis Ivanov, former general director, commented on the changes: “Odesa Film Festival has already taken its place in the international festival calendar and earned the love of the audience. We have raised a professional team that will continue to carry out the project at the same high level. In the future I plan to develop new festival and distribution projects of “Arthouse Traffic” as well as actively cooperate with the Odesa IFF as distributor and producer”.

Films eligible for submission for the International Competition are feature length films completed after 1th January 2013. The film participating in International competition should not be released or premiered in Ukraine before the dates of the festival. Any Ukrainian film or film co-produced with Ukraine completed after 1th January 2013 may be submitted for the National Competition.

Submissions for the 5th Odesa International Film Festival is open till 11th April 2014. To submit a film, please fill out the online entry form on www.oiff.com.ua. Decision of the selection committee will be announced on the official website on 11th June 2014.

The 5th edition of the festival will be held from July 11th to 19th 2014.