GRAND CAYMAN, 10th June 2016 – The upcoming CAYFILM Cayman International Film Festival will not only mark the exponential growth of the annual event but also a growing partnership with Cayman Media Park, which is part of the Cayman Enterprise City (CEC) Special Economic Zone.

“We are very excited to be working closely with the Festival as there are great synergies between our organizations. We see a significant role for us in the effort to develop the Cayman Islands into a globally significant film hub,” said CEC CEO Charlie Kirkconnell. “The future of the festival and our partnership with CAYFILM, we believe, is boundless!”

Started only a couple of years ago, the CAYFILM Festival is now a “must-attend” on the list of
hundreds of international film stars, production firms, and other film industry mavens.

This year’s festival includes the presentation of more than 200 films, dozens of panels and workshops on the ins and outs of filmmaking (from the initial concept all the way to post- production and distribution), and the attendance of numerous industry luminaries.

“Having stars like Zoe Saldana and dozens of Hollywood writers, directors and industry professionals is amazing,” said Festival Director Tony Mark. “But we also focus ‘beyond the glitz,’ and are bringing so many people who do the challenging work in the trenches to move a screenplay from the creative spark to the screen. We’re particularly excited about having the OSCAR-winning special effects team from the original Star Wars trilogy who will be hosting workshops and panels. This year’s CAYFILM will be a veritable film school of knowledge!”

It is that concept that has brought CAYFILM and CEC together. The visionaries behind CAYFILM
have also launched Cayman Media Academy (CMA), which is an advocate and educator of

Cayman’s young filmmakers, helping make accessible previously elusive career opportunities
for many of Cayman’s youth.

CMA will offer courses in different film related studies; the Cayman Islands are well-positioned as a prime location for filmmaking and CMA will help make this a reality. CMA has the ability to develop a talented local workforce that can eventually fill the jobs that are starting to be created within Cayman Media Park, which is part of the Cayman Enterprise City Special Economic Zone.

“Cayman Islands are a natural fit – with a great natural setting – for this project,” Mark said.

The master plan for Cayman Enterprise City’s campus is being designed to include pre-and post- production facilities, animation studios, and the team is working towards providing a
permanent home for Cayman Media Academy on the campus, with facilities including a
soundstage and equipment availability.

“CAYFILM is thrilled to be working with Cayman Enterprise City to help attract overseas filmmakers and productions into the Cayman Media Park. CAYFILM also hopes to develop the Cayman Media Academy in conjunction with the Cayman Media Park and its fabulous resources” said Tony. “We’ve already spoken to dozens of industry players about the Cayman Islands, including a group that already has a multi-picture deal with Netflix!”

The long-term thinking is that the festival will be the central attractor to the international film community that will foster the growth of the local industry.

About CayFilm Cayman International Film Festival 2016

CayFilm Cayman International Film Festival is an annual multi-day spectacular event designed to create new interest and excitement about the Cayman Islands as a world-class filming destination. Included in the festival will be daily film screenings, question-and-answer sessions with filmmakers, panel discussions, workshops, exclusive premiere screenings, and celebrity gala events. It is our vision to open up the Cayman Islands to the film industry around the world whilst opening up the world to Cayman’s young and aspiring filmmakers.

The Festival team is also working to develop the Cayman Media Academy (CMA) under the CayFilm umbrella to educate Cayman’s youth by offering classes and qualifications relating to different career fields within the industry. This will be run throughout the year with the eventual goal of having a full-time degree program available at our own physical location. Young children will have their own specially designed programs to inspire and give confidence about their own unique abilities as filmmakers.

About Cayman Enterprise City

Cayman Enterprise City is the Cayman Islands’ award-winning Special Economic Zone, focused on knowledge- based industries, technology companies and specialized services businesses. With a dedicated Government Authority and guaranteed fast-track processes, International companies can quickly and efficiently establish a genuine physical presence in Cayman. Over 170 companies have already set up in the zone where businesses can take advantage of Cayman’s jurisdictional benefits which include zero corporate tax, zero income tax and

zero capital gains tax, along with a raft of special zone concessions and incentives. These concessions were designed to attract international companies from five specific high-tech sectors; internet science and technology, media and new-media ventures, commodities and derivatives, and maritime services.