2003 IFP/Chicago Production Fund Winner Announced
Karen Friedberg Announced the Winner!
Friday December 6, 2002
By: Rebekah Cowing

IFP/Chicago announced a winner for the 2003 Production Fund at the 11th annual Independent Filmmakers Conference on November 9th, 2002. Karen Friedberg was awarded the Fund for her project, The King of the Tango, a coming-of-age tale based on Joe Meno's debut novel, Tender as Hellfire.

Karen received her MFA in film at Northwestern University and has written, directed, and produced a variety of short films. Her work has screened at numerous Festivals, including receiving a Certificate of Merit at the Chicago International Film Festival- Intercom for Dream Babies which screened at Women in the Director's Chair, and aired on WTTW's Image Union, along with her short Three Faces of Freud. In addition, Karen has worked in public television and taught screenwriting at Columbia College and Northwestern University.

The IFP/Chicago Production Fund will provide Friedberg with funds, equipment and services worth over $85,000 for the production of her short film to be produced in 2003.

The Fund is competitive and one grant is awarded each year to an independent filmmaker who is producing a short film made in the Midwest. The Grant has been in existence since 1999.

The Fund was developed to stimulate and encourage the independent film spirit in the Midwest; and to build relationships between film industry professionals in the Midwest region.

2003 Fund Sponsors Include: AT&T Broadband, Charter ABS, Chicago Film Office, DGA, Film Branch, Film Craft Labs, Fletcher Chicago, Illinois Arts Council, Illinois Film Office, The Independent Film Channel, Jaz Casting, Tim Kelley - Entertainment Lawyer, Kodak, Maestro-Matic, Panavision, RAH Chicago, RSL Rentals, SAG, Swell, and Tenner Paskal Casting.

Applications will be accepted for the 2004 Production Fund, in the Fall of 2003. Applicants must be IFP/Chicago members and the film must be shot in the Midwest region. The Midwest is defined as Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

The Winner of the 2001 Fund, Flying, was one of 11 shorts to be chosen for competition in the 2002 Cannes Film Festival.