The 2006 edition of the ever-expanding Atlantic Film Festival looks to be the largest ever - and will put new titles by Sarah Polley and Michael Mabbott on the big screen while playing matchmaker with filmmakers from Australia, South Africa and other territories.

Among the features at the 26th annual festival, running Sept. 14-23 in Halifax, are Away from Her, Polley's feature directorial debut; Citizen Duane, a new comedy by Mabbott (The Life and Hard Times of Guy Terrifico); and A Stone's Throw, another first effort, by producer-turned-director Camelia Frieberg (Wilby Wonderful, The Sweet Hereafter). AFF will open with The Journals of Knud Rasmussen, by Norman Cohn and Zacharias Kunuk.

As one of the last stops on Canada's festival circuit - following Montreal's World Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival - the AFF has worked hard to create a niche market, says executive director Gregor Ash.

"Our festival is well curated," says Ash." Our reputation around the world is good. We are a filmmaker's festival."

Its Strategic Partners sideshow is a proven draw, bringing in producers, financiers and broadcasters for more than 600 prescheduled meetings, looking for copros or other deals. This year's spotlight countries include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the U.K.

"The whole event is structured so that it's very practical," says conference director Jan Miller. "It's a working event designed for producers by producers. It's very appealing for anyone seeking to finance or distribute their films."

Keynote speakers at SP include former United Artists president Bingham Ray and Meyer Shwarzstein, founder of Ohio-based prodco Brainstorm Media.

SP will also host delegates from The Weinstein Company, Australia's Beyond Films, the U.K.'s Ingenious Media, Alchemy TV and Southern Light, and Toronto's Barna-Alper Productions.

AFF organizers are enthusiastic about the growing Inspired Industry series, designed to nurture the regional industry. Four Atlantic Canada writers - Eva Madden, David Middleton, Sarah Steele and Tara Thorne - have been selected to develop their first-draft feature-length screenplays at an intensive weekend workshop, Inspired Scripts. One will be earmarked for up to $30,000 in development financing from The Harold Greenberg Fund and Telefim Canada.

In the same vein, the Inspired Music program attempts to bridge the gap between the Maritimes music and film industries by developing a promotional CD.

"We want to help musicians have access to productions. So people will use local talent if they are making a film or video game," says Ash.

In 2005, the AFF had to contend with a date conflict with the now-defunct New Montreal FilmFest. This year, its closing night gala coincides with an NHL exhibition game at Halifax's Metro Centre and a Rolling Stones concert.

"There's always something that pops up," says festival director Lia Rinaldo, laughing. "We did a great act in counterprogramming. We have scheduled [Susanne Bier's] After the Wedding to close the festival. We know who our audience is and it won't cross over with the Stones. We will close in a big happy way."

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