Australia Joins EAVE Ties That Bind for First Time at Far East Fest

Australia is sending its first-ever delegation to Ties That Bind, EAVE‘s flagship European-Asian co-production training program, with two Asian Australian filmmakers joining the initiative’s annual session in Udine, Italy, where it runs alongside the Far East Film Festival and Focus Asia through April 30.

Industry development specialist Sheree Ramage shepherded the delegation to Udine, bringing filmmakers Ana Tiwary and Katrina Irawati Graham – both of whom work under the banner of indiVisual films – international – into the fold. The pair are developing a slate of projects spanning co-productions between Australia and Indonesia, Myanmar, South Korea, Nepal, France and Germany.

Active for more than 15 years, Ties That Bind is a specialized initiative from EAVE (European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs), a producer training organization focused on European-Asian co-production. The program has placed alumni at Cannes, Berlinale, Venice and Locarno, among other major festivals. This year’s Udine edition gathers 15 participants across project and career tracks for sessions with prominent buyers, financiers and co-production partners from both regions. Tiwary and Graham will shadow European and Asian teams through the program’s full schedule of industry meetings and events.

“More than one third of Australians are first or second generation migrants,” Ramage said. “We are geographically interconnected with Asia and have powerful historic ties to Europe. It makes sense that we strengthen and reflect what is already there. On top of this, Australia has a range of excellent co-production treaties and incentives that invite international collaboration. Through Ties That Bind, we are creating pathways for more Australian filmmakers to make their mark in world cinema.”

The Australian participation is backed by Screen Australia and Screen Queensland.