"With the signing of a letter of support by Panama’s Minister of Commerce, Roberto Henriquez, The International Film Festival (IFF)which could bring thousands of high profile movie figures to Panama next year, is a big step nearer to becoming a reality.
While it’ co-founder Henk Van Der Kolk, was inToronto recently to cutting the ribbon on the newly opened Founders’ Lounge inside the Toronto International Film Festival's headquarters, Rob Brown, CEO of the planned Panama event, was busy in Panama smoothing the way to what could be one of Panama’s best tourist attractions, and serve to put the country on the map in a positive light.
The Founders Lounge was built to honor the three creators of The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) which over 36 years grew to become the world’s biggest Henk, then a feature film producer, and his partner Bill Marshall and friend Dusty Cohl, set out to create the Festivals of Festivals, it's early name. At last year’s festival which generates $170 million in direct economic benefit for Toronto, over 500,000 people saw 300 films in eleven days.
The event also boosts tourism with over 44 percent of all ticket buyers to TIFF came from outside the Province of Ontario.
The whole scene is a heart warmer for me, as earlier on I worked with Bill Marshall to help David Crombie, a little guy with a big heart come from behind to become Toronto’s much loved “Tiny Perfect Mayor.”
After the campaign I sat with Bill and Henk in a corner of The “22” a bar frequented by the movers and shakers in the communications industry while they first dreamed about things they were going to do for Toronto. How many time in a lifetime do we watch opportunities slide by?
But the long arm of coincidence, or of Bob Brown (known among the Panamanian community in Santa Clara as Chocolate, brought us together again in Panama and last November , Henk and his wife Yanka decided to join their daughter Yolanda and son-in-law Rob and moved to Panama.
From their end you will be witnessing midwives at work producing a new baby that could ultimately provide Panama with world wide recognition, and an enhanced film industry.
The First Edition is scheduled for February 1 - 7, 2012, and CEO Rob, like all fathers is
“very excited”.
The festival has already secured $1.3 million in sponsorship and private sector funding and with the government now officially on side there is sure to be more to come.
"For seven days in February, the eyes of the world will be on Panama and that builds tourism" Said Brown.
IFF Panama has received the support of every level of government from The Finance Minister, ATP (Tourism), INAC(Culture), The Panama Film Commission, MICI (Industry and Commerce), The Office of the Presidencia, and also from the film industry and arts communities of Panama.
An ambitious promotional program is under way, which will be fully covered by Newsroom."
Film Projector Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pedrosimoes7/169789089/