The second edition of the Cannes Market’s Investors Circle will see 10 filmmakers, including Ruben Östlund and Nadav Lapid, present their latest projects to private investors.
The directors and their lead producers will pitch their films, which range from €1-20m in budget, on May 19 at an invitation-only event in the Plage des Palmes.
Alongside Östlund and Lapid is Japanese filmmaker Chie Hayakawa, whose debut Plan 75 received a Camera d’Or special mention in 2022. Other directors include Irish filmmaker Lorcan Finnegan, who is already at the festival for Midnight Screenings title The Surfer, and Italian director Laura Samani who...
The directors and their lead producers will pitch their films, which range from €1-20m in budget, on May 19 at an invitation-only event in the Plage des Palmes.
Alongside Östlund and Lapid is Japanese filmmaker Chie Hayakawa, whose debut Plan 75 received a Camera d’Or special mention in 2022. Other directors include Irish filmmaker Lorcan Finnegan, who is already at the festival for Midnight Screenings title The Surfer, and Italian director Laura Samani who...
- 4/30/2024
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Cannes Marché du Film has unveiled the four film industry professionals who will select the projects for the second edition of its Investors Circle initiative.
The one-day event – taking place within the framework of this year’s market, running from May 14 to 22 – is aimed at connecting elevated, international feature film projects with film financiers and high-net worth individuals with a desire to invest in cinema.
This year’s selection committee comprises Arte France Cinéma CEO Remi Burah; French film and TV biz entrepreneur Serge Hayat; Georgian cinema professional Tamara Tatishvili, who is currently head of the International Film Festival Rotterdam’s Hubert Bals Fund, and Korean co-production expert Wonsun Shin.
The projects are gathered through a combination of networking and scouting as well as direct submissions to the Cannes Marché du Film up until February 29. The Selection Committee will meet throughout March to decide the final line-up.
Aleksandra Zakharchenko,...
The one-day event – taking place within the framework of this year’s market, running from May 14 to 22 – is aimed at connecting elevated, international feature film projects with film financiers and high-net worth individuals with a desire to invest in cinema.
This year’s selection committee comprises Arte France Cinéma CEO Remi Burah; French film and TV biz entrepreneur Serge Hayat; Georgian cinema professional Tamara Tatishvili, who is currently head of the International Film Festival Rotterdam’s Hubert Bals Fund, and Korean co-production expert Wonsun Shin.
The projects are gathered through a combination of networking and scouting as well as direct submissions to the Cannes Marché du Film up until February 29. The Selection Committee will meet throughout March to decide the final line-up.
Aleksandra Zakharchenko,...
- 2/6/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Vanja Kaludjercic, festival director of the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) made an impassioned opening-night speech that broached how film festivals can make space for emotional and complex conversations about geo-politics, ahead of the gala screening of Jonathan Ogilvie’s New Zealand comedy drama Head South.
“The Israeli invasion of Gaza has joined headlines of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and become the cause of heated and often incandescent and immovable opinions, with furious expression of convictions, hurled with vitriol on social media and in the pages of quality newspapers alike,” said Kaludjercic.
“Whether it’s this or that. Choose.
“The Israeli invasion of Gaza has joined headlines of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and become the cause of heated and often incandescent and immovable opinions, with furious expression of convictions, hurled with vitriol on social media and in the pages of quality newspapers alike,” said Kaludjercic.
“Whether it’s this or that. Choose.
- 1/26/2024
- ScreenDaily
Tamara Tatishvili is going full steam into her first edition of the International Film Festival Rotterdam, which runs Jan. 25 – Feb. 4, following her appointment as the head of the festival’s funding arm, the Hubert Bals Fund. She started full-time in early January.
“I will use the festival to connect to professionals outside of IFFR, hosting informal think tank meetings with industry professionals, producers and sales agents within a close environment to see what their observations and ideas are, and how this could feed into the future thinking strategies of Hubert Bals Fund,” she tells Variety.
She went on to emphasize the importance of festivals from a funder’s point of view. “Festivals are key platforms to connect the stories funds help create to audiences. Audience engagement is a key topic. Funders and producers believe films need to be made to reach audiences. It’s how you create impact and how...
“I will use the festival to connect to professionals outside of IFFR, hosting informal think tank meetings with industry professionals, producers and sales agents within a close environment to see what their observations and ideas are, and how this could feed into the future thinking strategies of Hubert Bals Fund,” she tells Variety.
She went on to emphasize the importance of festivals from a funder’s point of view. “Festivals are key platforms to connect the stories funds help create to audiences. Audience engagement is a key topic. Funders and producers believe films need to be made to reach audiences. It’s how you create impact and how...
- 1/25/2024
- by Rafa Sales Ross
- Variety Film + TV
Selection includes new projects from prize winning directors Martika Ramirez Escobar, Leonardo Martinelli and Le Bao.
International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR)’s Hubert Bals Fund (Hbf) has selected ten feature film projects for its 2023 Script and Project Development Support scheme.
The ten projects, which will receive a grant of €10,000 to support their development, were selected from more than 760 applications. The fund aims to support new and diverse voices from across the globe, mainly backing those on their debut or second fiction feature projects.
Filipino director Martika Ramirez Escobar follows her Sundance-winning Leonor Will Never Die (2022) with Daughters Of The Sea,...
International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR)’s Hubert Bals Fund (Hbf) has selected ten feature film projects for its 2023 Script and Project Development Support scheme.
The ten projects, which will receive a grant of €10,000 to support their development, were selected from more than 760 applications. The fund aims to support new and diverse voices from across the globe, mainly backing those on their debut or second fiction feature projects.
Filipino director Martika Ramirez Escobar follows her Sundance-winning Leonor Will Never Die (2022) with Daughters Of The Sea,...
- 11/9/2023
- by Tim Dams
- ScreenDaily
Fund supports filmmakers from countries where funding and infrastructure is lacking or restrictive.
Tamara Tatishvili has been appointed as head of International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR)’s global film fund, the Hubert Bals Fund.
A strategy consultant, producer and programmer, Tatishvili is a former director of the Georgian National Film Center and is currently head of studies at Medici, a training and exchange forum for decision makers of international public film funds.
She will take up the position heading the Hubert Bals Fund following the departure of its previous head, Bianca Taal. Taal took over last year following a major restructure at the IFFR.
Tamara Tatishvili has been appointed as head of International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR)’s global film fund, the Hubert Bals Fund.
A strategy consultant, producer and programmer, Tatishvili is a former director of the Georgian National Film Center and is currently head of studies at Medici, a training and exchange forum for decision makers of international public film funds.
She will take up the position heading the Hubert Bals Fund following the departure of its previous head, Bianca Taal. Taal took over last year following a major restructure at the IFFR.
- 9/4/2023
- by Tim Dams
- ScreenDaily
Awards
The European Film Academy has revealed the nominations for Lux – The European Audience Film Award. The award is presented by the European Parliament and the European Film Academy in partnership with the European Commission and Europa Cinemas.
The nominated films are: “20,000 Species of Bees” by Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren (Spain); “The Teacher’s Lounge” by İlker Çatak (Germany); “Fallen Leaves” by Aki Kaurismäki; “On the Adamant” by Nicolas Philibert; and “Smoke Sauna Sisterhood” by Anna Hints.
The five nominated films will now be subtitled in all 24 EU languages. The winner will be determined by the general public and the members of the European Parliament (each holding 50% of the vote) and announced during an awards ceremony in March 2024.
European Film Academy chair and president of the Lux jury Mike Downey said: “We know that cinema not only enhances the imagination but also shows our entire world in multiple perspectives and...
The European Film Academy has revealed the nominations for Lux – The European Audience Film Award. The award is presented by the European Parliament and the European Film Academy in partnership with the European Commission and Europa Cinemas.
The nominated films are: “20,000 Species of Bees” by Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren (Spain); “The Teacher’s Lounge” by İlker Çatak (Germany); “Fallen Leaves” by Aki Kaurismäki; “On the Adamant” by Nicolas Philibert; and “Smoke Sauna Sisterhood” by Anna Hints.
The five nominated films will now be subtitled in all 24 EU languages. The winner will be determined by the general public and the members of the European Parliament (each holding 50% of the vote) and announced during an awards ceremony in March 2024.
European Film Academy chair and president of the Lux jury Mike Downey said: “We know that cinema not only enhances the imagination but also shows our entire world in multiple perspectives and...
- 9/4/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Olivér Rudolf’s “My Mother, the Monster” has won the Eurimages Co-Production Development Award at Sarajevo Film Festival’s CineLink, its industry section that featured projects from Southeast Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.
The Hungarian feature film project, which is produced by Genovéva Petrovits at Kino Alfa, received a cash prize of €20,000.
The film focuses on Éva, a mother in her forties who is disappointed with her life and tired of feeling insignificant. She finds a new identity behind a scary monster mask which liberates her.
The Post Republic Award, in the CineLink Work in Progress section, went to “One of Those Days Where Hemme Dies,” directed by Murat Fıratoğlu. The project, which is produced by Nefes Polat at Turkey’s Nefes Films, receives post-production services worth €30,000.
The film shows one day in the life of Eyüp, a poor guy in the city, working hard drying and salting tomatoes under the summer sun.
The Hungarian feature film project, which is produced by Genovéva Petrovits at Kino Alfa, received a cash prize of €20,000.
The film focuses on Éva, a mother in her forties who is disappointed with her life and tired of feeling insignificant. She finds a new identity behind a scary monster mask which liberates her.
The Post Republic Award, in the CineLink Work in Progress section, went to “One of Those Days Where Hemme Dies,” directed by Murat Fıratoğlu. The project, which is produced by Nefes Polat at Turkey’s Nefes Films, receives post-production services worth €30,000.
The film shows one day in the life of Eyüp, a poor guy in the city, working hard drying and salting tomatoes under the summer sun.
- 8/17/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
While the lineup of Cannes Film Market’s newly launched initiative Cannes Investors Circle has remained under wraps, Variety has learned about four of the nine projects which were pitched during the invitation-only event.
The initiative was created by the film market’s new executive director Guillaume Esmiol to connect VIP private investors with select filmmakers and producers boasting a stellar track records. Curated by experts such as Medici’s Tamara Tatishvili, Arte Cinema’s Rémi Burah and financier Serge Hayat, the nine projects are budgeted between €2 million and €12 million. Among these are “Dracula: The Second Coming” directed by Radu Jude; “Rivo Alto,” directed by Clément Cogitore (“The Wakhan Front”) and produced by Jean-Christophe Reymond at Kazak Productions (“Titane”); “The Girl” directed by Marina Ziolkowski (“But You Look So Good”) and produced by Philippe Gompel (“Cherry”) at Manny Films; and “The Birthday Party” directed by Miguel Angel Jimenez (“Chaika”) and...
The initiative was created by the film market’s new executive director Guillaume Esmiol to connect VIP private investors with select filmmakers and producers boasting a stellar track records. Curated by experts such as Medici’s Tamara Tatishvili, Arte Cinema’s Rémi Burah and financier Serge Hayat, the nine projects are budgeted between €2 million and €12 million. Among these are “Dracula: The Second Coming” directed by Radu Jude; “Rivo Alto,” directed by Clément Cogitore (“The Wakhan Front”) and produced by Jean-Christophe Reymond at Kazak Productions (“Titane”); “The Girl” directed by Marina Ziolkowski (“But You Look So Good”) and produced by Philippe Gompel (“Cherry”) at Manny Films; and “The Birthday Party” directed by Miguel Angel Jimenez (“Chaika”) and...
- 5/22/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
The awards aim to celebrate outstanding and sustainable work in the world of film and TV production, locations and studios.
Leading figures in the TV and film world have joined the judging panel for Screen International’s inaugural Global Production Awards taking place at the Cannes Film Festival in May this year.
Judges so far announced include Elvis producer Schuyler Weiss, president of production and development at Bazmark; Amazon Studios’ head of worldwide production and post-production, Tim Clawson; producer and former Sundance executive Bird Runningwater; and the Association of Film Commissioners International’s (Afci) executive director, Jaclyn Philpott.
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Leading figures in the TV and film world have joined the judging panel for Screen International’s inaugural Global Production Awards taking place at the Cannes Film Festival in May this year.
Judges so far announced include Elvis producer Schuyler Weiss, president of production and development at Bazmark; Amazon Studios’ head of worldwide production and post-production, Tim Clawson; producer and former Sundance executive Bird Runningwater; and the Association of Film Commissioners International’s (Afci) executive director, Jaclyn Philpott.
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- 3/8/2023
- by Screen staff
- ScreenDaily
More than 70 speakers from 17 countries, including “Skam” showrunner Julie Andem, “It Takes Two” game creator/filmmaker Josef Fares, and top commissioners from Viaplay, Netflix, Amazon Studios, Dr, Svt, Nrk and Yle will take center stage at Göteborg Film Festival’s TV Drama Vision.
The festival’s flagship drama confab will run Feb. 1-2 both on-site in Sweden’s second largest city, and online, with all streamed sessions open to accredited professionals.
A record 542 delegates – including 39 online visitors – have signed up for the sold-out event, set under the overarching theme “Navigating Disruption and Cultivating Talent.”
”It’s been a challenge to set the core of this year’s program, considering the drastic changes in the drama industry, fuelled by the macroeconomic uncertainties, streaming wars and changing strategies,” acknowledges TV Drama Vision honcho Cia Edström. “But our top industry guests will offer inspiring best-practices on how to navigate these changing times, cultivate talent and innovate in storytelling.
The festival’s flagship drama confab will run Feb. 1-2 both on-site in Sweden’s second largest city, and online, with all streamed sessions open to accredited professionals.
A record 542 delegates – including 39 online visitors – have signed up for the sold-out event, set under the overarching theme “Navigating Disruption and Cultivating Talent.”
”It’s been a challenge to set the core of this year’s program, considering the drastic changes in the drama industry, fuelled by the macroeconomic uncertainties, streaming wars and changing strategies,” acknowledges TV Drama Vision honcho Cia Edström. “But our top industry guests will offer inspiring best-practices on how to navigate these changing times, cultivate talent and innovate in storytelling.
- 1/23/2023
- by Annika Pham
- Variety Film + TV
The panel explored the most elaborate national policy on inclusion in some of the selected countries.
Taking inclusion seriously can reap financial benefits, according to the British Film Institute’s [BFI] director of industry and international affairs, Neil Peplow, who spoke at Sarajevo Film Festival’s CineLink Industry Days.
“For us, this is an opportunity. This isn’t a burden, it’s a benefit. There are people from diverse backgrounds who are talented, who don’t think this is an industry for [them],” Peplow said. ”There are stories that we haven’t yet heard that actually hit a market that is financially viable.
Taking inclusion seriously can reap financial benefits, according to the British Film Institute’s [BFI] director of industry and international affairs, Neil Peplow, who spoke at Sarajevo Film Festival’s CineLink Industry Days.
“For us, this is an opportunity. This isn’t a burden, it’s a benefit. There are people from diverse backgrounds who are talented, who don’t think this is an industry for [them],” Peplow said. ”There are stories that we haven’t yet heard that actually hit a market that is financially viable.
- 8/21/2022
- by Ellie Calnan
- ScreenDaily
The 2022 Nostradamus report was launched in Cannes by the Göteborg Film Festival.
Transforming working conditions across the industry should offer financial, artistic, and efficiency benefits directly. That’s one message in the 2022 Nostradamus report, launched in Cannes yesterday by the Göteborg Film Festival.
The ninth report, which is usually published each January, looks at the near-future of the audiovisual industries by talking to industry experts with analysis by author Johanna Koljonen. This year’s report is entitled “Imagining a Sustainable Industry.”
Questions posed by the report include “How can we build a long-term sustainable industry, taking into consideration financial, social as well as environmental perspectives?...
Transforming working conditions across the industry should offer financial, artistic, and efficiency benefits directly. That’s one message in the 2022 Nostradamus report, launched in Cannes yesterday by the Göteborg Film Festival.
The ninth report, which is usually published each January, looks at the near-future of the audiovisual industries by talking to industry experts with analysis by author Johanna Koljonen. This year’s report is entitled “Imagining a Sustainable Industry.”
Questions posed by the report include “How can we build a long-term sustainable industry, taking into consideration financial, social as well as environmental perspectives?...
- 5/24/2022
- by Wendy Mitchell
- ScreenDaily
“They don’t see you, they don’t hear you” said one panellist.
The Cannes Film Festival was criticised for not being inclusive enough during a diversity panel session at the UK Pavilion yesterday (22 May).
Yolonda Brinkley, the founder and executive director of Diversity In Cannes, an initiative to promote inclusion in Cannes, called out the festival for only programming one film from a Black female director in competition in the event’s 75-year history, the French-Senegalese director Mati Diop’s 2019 title Atlantics.
Brinkley formed Diversity In Cannes after she attended the festival for the first time in 2009, and found...
The Cannes Film Festival was criticised for not being inclusive enough during a diversity panel session at the UK Pavilion yesterday (22 May).
Yolonda Brinkley, the founder and executive director of Diversity In Cannes, an initiative to promote inclusion in Cannes, called out the festival for only programming one film from a Black female director in competition in the event’s 75-year history, the French-Senegalese director Mati Diop’s 2019 title Atlantics.
Brinkley formed Diversity In Cannes after she attended the festival for the first time in 2009, and found...
- 5/23/2022
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
The CineLink Talks run August 14-19.
Screen International and Documentary Campus once again teamed up with the Sarajevo Film Festival (September 13-20) to host CineLink Talks, an online programme of panels for the festival’s 2021 industry strand.
The series of 60-minute CineLink Talks ran from August 15-19. Topics included filmmaking during the pandemic, working with streamers, female filmmaker quotas, mental health in the film industry and new models for distribution; and masterclasses with filmmakers Mads Brugger and Alexander Nanau.
The talks are available to watch in full below.
In conversation with filmmaker Mads Brugger
Moderator: Damir Šagolj
What have producers...
Screen International and Documentary Campus once again teamed up with the Sarajevo Film Festival (September 13-20) to host CineLink Talks, an online programme of panels for the festival’s 2021 industry strand.
The series of 60-minute CineLink Talks ran from August 15-19. Topics included filmmaking during the pandemic, working with streamers, female filmmaker quotas, mental health in the film industry and new models for distribution; and masterclasses with filmmakers Mads Brugger and Alexander Nanau.
The talks are available to watch in full below.
In conversation with filmmaker Mads Brugger
Moderator: Damir Šagolj
What have producers...
- 8/19/2021
- by Screen staff
- ScreenDaily
The School of Film Advancement’s (Sofa) workshop — usually held physically in Tbilisi, Georgia — will go online for a second consecutive year due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Sofa is a program of workshops that focuses on cultural managers and film entrepreneurs rather than producers and directors.
The 2021 workshop will focus on the marketing and finance strategies of the projects involved. The participants include Victoria Aleksanyan (Armenia), Elkjana Gjipali (Albania), Stefanie Gödicke (Germany), Rufat Hasanov (Azerbaijan), Leonid Kalitenya (Belarus), Jasna Pintarič (Slovenia), Janka Pozsonyi (Hungary), Philipp Maurice Raube (Germany), Willy Rollé (Germany/France) and Rita Stanelytė (Lithuania).
The participants will benefit from the experience of a panel of experts that includes Renaud Redien-Collot, Peter Rommel, Sabine Schmitt, Tamara Tatishvili, Levan Nanobashvili, Carolina Jochheim and Wato Tsereteli.
Nikolaj Nikitin, Sofa director, said: “Sofa and Georgia will remain a perfect match [online]. We are very happy to cooperate with our precious Georgian...
Sofa is a program of workshops that focuses on cultural managers and film entrepreneurs rather than producers and directors.
The 2021 workshop will focus on the marketing and finance strategies of the projects involved. The participants include Victoria Aleksanyan (Armenia), Elkjana Gjipali (Albania), Stefanie Gödicke (Germany), Rufat Hasanov (Azerbaijan), Leonid Kalitenya (Belarus), Jasna Pintarič (Slovenia), Janka Pozsonyi (Hungary), Philipp Maurice Raube (Germany), Willy Rollé (Germany/France) and Rita Stanelytė (Lithuania).
The participants will benefit from the experience of a panel of experts that includes Renaud Redien-Collot, Peter Rommel, Sabine Schmitt, Tamara Tatishvili, Levan Nanobashvili, Carolina Jochheim and Wato Tsereteli.
Nikolaj Nikitin, Sofa director, said: “Sofa and Georgia will remain a perfect match [online]. We are very happy to cooperate with our precious Georgian...
- 3/16/2021
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
With this partnership, the Lfc supports both the presence of its local members in the network and the initiatives organised by the Ewa in Lithuania. The Lithuanian Film Centre (Lfc) has become a patron of the European Women’s Audiovisual Network (Ewa), it was announced today. With this new partnership, the Lfc supports both the presence of its local members in the network and the initiatives organised by the Ewa in Lithuania. This collaboration should lead to more activities that empower and enhance female presence in the Lithuanian industry, including panel discussions, career-boosting mentoring programmes, and other events that aim to promote the gender-equality agenda in the local and European audiovisual sector. It should be noted that the Lfc is the only institution in Eastern Europe that supports the Ewa, paving the way for future collaborations in the region. Regarding the backing that the network will receive, Tamara Tatishvili, strategy and.
- 11/19/2020
- Cineuropa - The Best of European Cinema
One of the main panels at Odesa’s Cinema Backstage focused on the role of the fund, the upcoming changes and the way Ukraine can actively participate. One of the pillars of the Odesa International Film Festival’s Film Industry Office, Cinema Backstage is dedicated to the most important trends in the industry, especially in Eastern Partnership countries. The programme is curated by Tamara Tatishvili, former Georgian representative at Eurimages, and at this edition, three major topics were discussed: the participation of Ukraine in Eurimages; creativity and mental stability for producers, artists, directors, actors and other industry professionals in the face of current challenges; and gender stereotypes in storytelling under cultural and historical pressure. During the opening panel, Sergio Garcia de Leániz, project manager at Eurimages, and Eurimages national representatives Iole Giannattasio for Italy and producer Vladimir Yatsenko for Ukraine, discussed the role of the organisation, the future of Ukraine as a.
For the first time, industry professionals from Azerbaijan and Armenia will take part in the School of Film Advancement workshops, starting with the first online one 18-28 August. Update (21 August): Sofa has announced the experts, tutors and guests for its 8th edition. Each participant has an individually picked mentor that perfectly fits the project’s needs. Another three tutors additionally working with them at budget, presentation and concept papers. The experts are: Jeffrey Bowers, Senior Curator at vimeo (USA); Silvia Cibien, General Delegate at Eurovod (France); Jakub Duszyński, Head of Acquisitions and Creative Director at Gutek Film (Poland); Marit van den Elshout, Head of Iffr Pro at International Film Festival Rotterdam (Netherlands); Heike-Melba Fendel, Founder of Barbarella Entertainment (Germany); Jurate Pazikaite, Managing Director at Vilnius Film Office (Lithuania); Jay Rinsky, Founder of Little Cinema (USA); Rasha Salti, independent curator and writer (Lebanon/Germany); and Tamara Tatishvili, Head of Training at Medici.
At the Film Industry Office awards ceremony, it wasn’t just emerging filmmakers who got their moment in the spotlight. There was cause for celebration during the last day of the Film Industry Office, the industry section of the tenth Odesa International Film Festival, culminating in an awards ceremony that provided some welcome surprises. “You won’t find it in the agenda; it was not in the press release. But it’s something that comes from the bottom of my heart,” said visibly moved general producer Juliya Sinkevych, teaming up with Tamara Tatishvili to present the first award of the evening to the Israel Film Fund’s Katriel Schory for his outstanding contribution to the film industry. “It’s a very moving moment, especially here in Odesa – my roots are in this city,” admitted the recipient, taking to the stage to a standing ovation. “I did what I could in my 21 years as.
The Ukraine industry is steadily building, but serious challenges remain.
The need to support the development of the film industry in Ukraine through international ties was in sharp focus at the Odesa International Film Festival yesterday (July 17), with delegates arriving in the seaside city to attend a conference focused on the benefits of co-production.
“The most important issue for us today is to bring Ukrainian cinema to the international landscape,” said festival president Viktoriya Tigipko in her opening address. “Co-producing is crucial for us. We see the opportunity to do much more.”
One immediate boost to the industry would be...
The need to support the development of the film industry in Ukraine through international ties was in sharp focus at the Odesa International Film Festival yesterday (July 17), with delegates arriving in the seaside city to attend a conference focused on the benefits of co-production.
“The most important issue for us today is to bring Ukrainian cinema to the international landscape,” said festival president Viktoriya Tigipko in her opening address. “Co-producing is crucial for us. We see the opportunity to do much more.”
One immediate boost to the industry would be...
- 7/18/2019
- by Tom Grater
- ScreenDaily
The second edition of Cinema: Backstage, previously focusing on gender equality, shone the spotlight on international co-productions during an engaging event that favoured practice over theory. Kick-started by Viktoriya Tigipko, president of the Odesa International Film Festival, as well as general producer Julia Sinkevich, the second edition of “Cinema: Backstage - Why Co-productions? Pure Financing or Cultural Enhancement?” left no stone unturned – at least as far as the ever-evolving world of international co-productions is concerned. Divided into two parts and moderated by Tamara Tatishvili, the event saw experts such as Roberto Olla, executive director of the Council of Europe’s Eurimages Film Fund, Israel Film Fund veteran Katriel Schory, managing director of Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg Kirsten Niehuus, head of the Ukrainian State Film Agency Philip Ilienko and the Romanian Film Center’s Alex Traila swap war stories but also share their hopes for the future. “I entered the world of co-productions for.
Avishai Sivan’s “Lot’s Wife” won the inaugural Goralska Award at the 13th edition of Pitch Point, the Israeli projects showcase which runs alongside the Jerusalem Film Festival.
Set up at Ronen Ben Tal at Plan b Productions, the fantasy-filled “Lot’s Wife” follows a religious couple who has a child born with two heads, named Noah and Lot. Lot is wicked, Noah good-hearted. After Noah dies and his head is detached, Lot sets on a challenge to overcome his nature.
The Goralska Award came with a cash prize of €20,000. Now in production, “Lot’s Wife” marks Sivan’s follow-up to “Tikkun,” which won the top prize at the Jerusalem festival in 2015 and was released in the U.S. by Kino Lorber.
The jury, composed of Kirsten Niehuus (Medienboard Berlin Brandenburg), Cedomir Kolar (Asap Films), Dominique Welinski (Dw), Tamara Tatishvili (Eurimages) and Gabor Greiner (Films Boutique), praised “Lot’s...
Set up at Ronen Ben Tal at Plan b Productions, the fantasy-filled “Lot’s Wife” follows a religious couple who has a child born with two heads, named Noah and Lot. Lot is wicked, Noah good-hearted. After Noah dies and his head is detached, Lot sets on a challenge to overcome his nature.
The Goralska Award came with a cash prize of €20,000. Now in production, “Lot’s Wife” marks Sivan’s follow-up to “Tikkun,” which won the top prize at the Jerusalem festival in 2015 and was released in the U.S. by Kino Lorber.
The jury, composed of Kirsten Niehuus (Medienboard Berlin Brandenburg), Cedomir Kolar (Asap Films), Dominique Welinski (Dw), Tamara Tatishvili (Eurimages) and Gabor Greiner (Films Boutique), praised “Lot’s...
- 7/30/2018
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Avishai Sivan’s Lot’s Wife scoops top award.
Avishai Sivan’s film project Lot’s Wife has clinched the new $23,200 Goralska Award prize at the 13th edition of Jerusalem Film Festival’s (Jff) Pitch Point event, which is aimed at connecting Israeli filmmakers with international partners.
Described by the director as a cross-genre horror, fantasy, freak-show work, the picture revolves around a Hasidic couple’s two-headed baby. Going by the names of Noah and Lot, the two heads have opposite good and evil natures. When the virtuous Noah dies and his head is detached, Lot tries to mend his ways.
Avishai Sivan’s film project Lot’s Wife has clinched the new $23,200 Goralska Award prize at the 13th edition of Jerusalem Film Festival’s (Jff) Pitch Point event, which is aimed at connecting Israeli filmmakers with international partners.
Described by the director as a cross-genre horror, fantasy, freak-show work, the picture revolves around a Hasidic couple’s two-headed baby. Going by the names of Noah and Lot, the two heads have opposite good and evil natures. When the virtuous Noah dies and his head is detached, Lot tries to mend his ways.
- 7/29/2018
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
Jerusalem Film Festival’s industry sidebar, Pitch Point, has unveiled its selection of projects, including new works from Avishai Sivan, Shira Geffen (“Jellyfish”), Keren Yedaya (“My Treasure”), and Tawfik Abu Wael (“Atash”).
Among the 10 projects selected for Pitch Point is “Lot’s Wife,” Sivan’s follow-up to “Tikkun,” which won the top prize at the Jerusalem fest in 2015. Set up at Ronen Ben Tal at Plan b Productions, “Lot’s Wife” centers on a religious couple who, after 10 years of childlessness, has a child born with two heads, named Noah and Lot. Lot is wicked, Noah good-hearted. After Noah dies and his head is detached, Lot sets on a challenge to overcome his nature.
Geffen will present “A Responsible Adult,” which is being produced by Elad Gavish at Marker Films.The project follows Maya, a 13-year-old girl who goes on a school trip and whose father joins the group as...
Among the 10 projects selected for Pitch Point is “Lot’s Wife,” Sivan’s follow-up to “Tikkun,” which won the top prize at the Jerusalem fest in 2015. Set up at Ronen Ben Tal at Plan b Productions, “Lot’s Wife” centers on a religious couple who, after 10 years of childlessness, has a child born with two heads, named Noah and Lot. Lot is wicked, Noah good-hearted. After Noah dies and his head is detached, Lot sets on a challenge to overcome his nature.
Geffen will present “A Responsible Adult,” which is being produced by Elad Gavish at Marker Films.The project follows Maya, a 13-year-old girl who goes on a school trip and whose father joins the group as...
- 7/2/2018
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Tikkun director among Israeli filmmakers presenting at 13th edition of showcase.
Ahead of the 2018 Jerusalem Film Festival (July 26 – Aug 5), the projects for the annual Pitch Point competition have been unveiled.
Held on July 27 and 28, the initiative, now in its 13th year, is an opportunity for Israeli filmmakers to showcase in-progress projects to attending international film industry, with a view to forging co-production ties.
The 2018 showcase includes new works from Avishai Sivan, Shira Geffen, Keren Yedaya, That Lovely Girl), and Tawfik Abu Wael (Cannes 2004 Fipresci prize winner Atash).
The Pitch Point jury this year is comprised of Kirsten Niehuus (Medienboard Berlin...
Ahead of the 2018 Jerusalem Film Festival (July 26 – Aug 5), the projects for the annual Pitch Point competition have been unveiled.
Held on July 27 and 28, the initiative, now in its 13th year, is an opportunity for Israeli filmmakers to showcase in-progress projects to attending international film industry, with a view to forging co-production ties.
The 2018 showcase includes new works from Avishai Sivan, Shira Geffen, Keren Yedaya, That Lovely Girl), and Tawfik Abu Wael (Cannes 2004 Fipresci prize winner Atash).
The Pitch Point jury this year is comprised of Kirsten Niehuus (Medienboard Berlin...
- 6/29/2018
- by Tom Grater
- ScreenDaily
Projects from Belgium and Italy triumph.
The ninth edition of the Les Arcs Industry Village, held as part of the Les Arcs European Film Festival in the French Alps (Dec 16-23), has unveiled its two works in progress winners.
Source: Les Arcs European Film Festival
A jury consisting of Charles Tesson, artistic director of Cannes Critics’ Week, Elad Samorzik, artistic director of the Jerusalem Film Festival, and Tamara Tatishvili, producer of Georgian thriller Hostages, selected the winners from 15 projects.
Of those projects, eight were eligible for the TitraFilm Award, which comes with €10,000 of post-production services for image and/or sound. The award was granted to Girl from director Lukas Dhont (Belgium) producer Dirk Impens of Menuet (Belgium), with Frakas Productions (Belgium) and Topkapi Films (Netherlands).
The film, a Belgium-Netherlands co-production, follows a 15-year-old transgender girl who is born in a boy’s body. While undergoing her gender realignment procedure, she...
The ninth edition of the Les Arcs Industry Village, held as part of the Les Arcs European Film Festival in the French Alps (Dec 16-23), has unveiled its two works in progress winners.
Source: Les Arcs European Film Festival
A jury consisting of Charles Tesson, artistic director of Cannes Critics’ Week, Elad Samorzik, artistic director of the Jerusalem Film Festival, and Tamara Tatishvili, producer of Georgian thriller Hostages, selected the winners from 15 projects.
Of those projects, eight were eligible for the TitraFilm Award, which comes with €10,000 of post-production services for image and/or sound. The award was granted to Girl from director Lukas Dhont (Belgium) producer Dirk Impens of Menuet (Belgium), with Frakas Productions (Belgium) and Topkapi Films (Netherlands).
The film, a Belgium-Netherlands co-production, follows a 15-year-old transgender girl who is born in a boy’s body. While undergoing her gender realignment procedure, she...
- 12/19/2017
- by Tom Grater
- Screen Daily Test
Projects from Belgium and Italy triumph.
The ninth edition of the Les Arcs Industry Village, held as part of the Les Arcs European Film Festival in the French Alps (Dec 16-23), has unveiled its two works in progress winners.
Source: Les Arcs European Film Festival
A jury consisting of Charles Tesson, artistic director of Cannes Critics’ Week, Elad Samorzik, artistic director of the Jerusalem Film Festival, and Tamara Tatishvili, producer of Georgian thriller Hostages, selected the winners from 15 projects.
Of those projects, eight were eligible for the TitraFilm Award, which comes with €10,000 of post-production services for image and/or sound. The award was granted to Girl from director Lukas Dhont (Belgium) producer Dirk Impens of Menuet (Belgium), with Frakas Productions (Belgium) and Topkapi Films (Netherlands).
The film, a Belgium-Netherlands co-production, follows a 15-year-old transgender girl who is born in a boy’s body. While undergoing her gender realignment procedure, she harbours dreams of becoming a ballerina.
The project...
The ninth edition of the Les Arcs Industry Village, held as part of the Les Arcs European Film Festival in the French Alps (Dec 16-23), has unveiled its two works in progress winners.
Source: Les Arcs European Film Festival
A jury consisting of Charles Tesson, artistic director of Cannes Critics’ Week, Elad Samorzik, artistic director of the Jerusalem Film Festival, and Tamara Tatishvili, producer of Georgian thriller Hostages, selected the winners from 15 projects.
Of those projects, eight were eligible for the TitraFilm Award, which comes with €10,000 of post-production services for image and/or sound. The award was granted to Girl from director Lukas Dhont (Belgium) producer Dirk Impens of Menuet (Belgium), with Frakas Productions (Belgium) and Topkapi Films (Netherlands).
The film, a Belgium-Netherlands co-production, follows a 15-year-old transgender girl who is born in a boy’s body. While undergoing her gender realignment procedure, she harbours dreams of becoming a ballerina.
The project...
- 12/19/2017
- by Tom Grater
- ScreenDaily
Berlin premiere clocks deals for UK sales outfit WestEnd.
London-based sales agent WestEnd Films has inked a raft of deals on its hijack thriller Hostages.
The Georgia-Russia-Poland co-production has sold to France (Kinovista), Scandinavia (Lucky Dogs), Italy (Merlino), Spain (Karma), Eastern Europe pay TV (HBO) and China (Jushi).
WestEnd picked up the film ahead of this year’s Berlinale, where it premiered in the festival’s Panorama strand.
Screen’s review called it “a breathlessly tense piece of work” and it was picked as one of the festival’s top movies by Screen’s critics.
Directed by Georgian-born filmmaker Rezo Gigineishvili, the film tells the real-life story of a botched aircraft hijacking perpetrated by a group of privileged youngsters in Soviet-Georgia in 1983.
It was produced by Gigineishvili through Nebo Film Company, alongside Mikhail Fenogenov from Russia, independent Georgian producer Tamara Tatishvili, and Vladimer Katcharava through Georgia’s 20 Steps Productions,
Oscar-winning Ida producer Ewa Puszczynska is a co-producer...
London-based sales agent WestEnd Films has inked a raft of deals on its hijack thriller Hostages.
The Georgia-Russia-Poland co-production has sold to France (Kinovista), Scandinavia (Lucky Dogs), Italy (Merlino), Spain (Karma), Eastern Europe pay TV (HBO) and China (Jushi).
WestEnd picked up the film ahead of this year’s Berlinale, where it premiered in the festival’s Panorama strand.
Screen’s review called it “a breathlessly tense piece of work” and it was picked as one of the festival’s top movies by Screen’s critics.
Directed by Georgian-born filmmaker Rezo Gigineishvili, the film tells the real-life story of a botched aircraft hijacking perpetrated by a group of privileged youngsters in Soviet-Georgia in 1983.
It was produced by Gigineishvili through Nebo Film Company, alongside Mikhail Fenogenov from Russia, independent Georgian producer Tamara Tatishvili, and Vladimer Katcharava through Georgia’s 20 Steps Productions,
Oscar-winning Ida producer Ewa Puszczynska is a co-producer...
- 8/3/2017
- by tom.grater@screendaily.com (Tom Grater)
- ScreenDaily
Godless wins Special Jury Prize and Best Actress.Scroll down for the full list of winners
Turkish director Mehmet Can Mertoğlu’s Album has won the Heart of Sarajevo for Best Feature Film at this year’s Sarajevo Film Festival (Aug 12-20).
The comedy, which premiered in Critics’ Week at Cannes in May, follows a middle class Turkish couple who try to cover up the forgery of their family history.
The decision was made by a jury led by Palestinian director Elia Suleiman. The award comes with a prize of $18,000 (€16,000).
Album producer Yoel Meranda commented when receiving the award: “Many people here know that most of the stuff that helped this film get made happened in Sarajevo. It started in Sarajevo, and it’s amazing that we have completed this circle.”
Ralitza Petrova’s Godless was awarded two prizes: the Special Jury prize and Best Actress for lead Irena Ivanova.
The Bulgarian-French-Danish...
Turkish director Mehmet Can Mertoğlu’s Album has won the Heart of Sarajevo for Best Feature Film at this year’s Sarajevo Film Festival (Aug 12-20).
The comedy, which premiered in Critics’ Week at Cannes in May, follows a middle class Turkish couple who try to cover up the forgery of their family history.
The decision was made by a jury led by Palestinian director Elia Suleiman. The award comes with a prize of $18,000 (€16,000).
Album producer Yoel Meranda commented when receiving the award: “Many people here know that most of the stuff that helped this film get made happened in Sarajevo. It started in Sarajevo, and it’s amazing that we have completed this circle.”
Ralitza Petrova’s Godless was awarded two prizes: the Special Jury prize and Best Actress for lead Irena Ivanova.
The Bulgarian-French-Danish...
- 8/20/2016
- by tom.grater@screendaily.com (Tom Grater)
- ScreenDaily
Ten projects from South-East Europe, Middle East and North Africa comprise Sarajevo’s Work in Progress section.
Sarajevo Film Festival’s (Aug 12-20) Works in Progress strand is set to present the line-up of projects, which will compete for three awards during the festival’s Industry Days on Aug 17-18.
Ten projects in post-production - from Southeast Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and the Caucasus region - will be screened to about 40 industry decision-makers who are active on the supply end of the chain: funders, sales agents, distributors, broadcasters and festival programmers.
Prizes will include the traditional post-production in-kind awards from Slovenia’s Restart (€20,000) and Berlin-based The Post Republic (€50,000), as well as a newly established €30,000 cash prize from Turkish broadcaster Trt.
The jury is comprised of Jan Naszewski of New Europe Film Sales, Giona A. Nazzaro from the Venice Film Festival Critics’ Week, Michael Reuter of The Post Republic and a representative from the Trt.[p...
Sarajevo Film Festival’s (Aug 12-20) Works in Progress strand is set to present the line-up of projects, which will compete for three awards during the festival’s Industry Days on Aug 17-18.
Ten projects in post-production - from Southeast Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and the Caucasus region - will be screened to about 40 industry decision-makers who are active on the supply end of the chain: funders, sales agents, distributors, broadcasters and festival programmers.
Prizes will include the traditional post-production in-kind awards from Slovenia’s Restart (€20,000) and Berlin-based The Post Republic (€50,000), as well as a newly established €30,000 cash prize from Turkish broadcaster Trt.
The jury is comprised of Jan Naszewski of New Europe Film Sales, Giona A. Nazzaro from the Venice Film Festival Critics’ Week, Michael Reuter of The Post Republic and a representative from the Trt.[p...
- 8/17/2016
- by vladan.petkovic@gmail.com (Vladan Petkovic)
- ScreenDaily
Ten projects from South-East Europe, Middle East and North Africa will compete for industry awards.
Sarajevo Film Festival’s (Aug 12-20) Works in Progress strand has revealed the line-up of projects which will compete for three awards during the festival’s Industry Days on Aug 17 and 18.
Prizes will include the traditional post-production in-kind awards from Slovenia’s Restart (€20,000) and Berlin-based The Post Republic (€50,000), as well as a newly established €30,000 cash prize from Turkish broadcaster Trt.
The jury is comprised of Jan Naszewski of New Europe Film Sales, Giona A. Nazzaro from the Venice Film Festival Critics’ Week, Michael Reuter of The Post Republic and a representative from the Trt.
The projects will be presented to funders, sales agents, distributors, broadcasters and festival programmers, including representatives of Bankside Films, the Berlin International Film Festival, Bir Film, Celluloid Dreams, Coproduction Office, the Directors’ Fortnight, Elle Driver, the Festival de Cannes, Indie Sales, Lumiere, The Match...
Sarajevo Film Festival’s (Aug 12-20) Works in Progress strand has revealed the line-up of projects which will compete for three awards during the festival’s Industry Days on Aug 17 and 18.
Prizes will include the traditional post-production in-kind awards from Slovenia’s Restart (€20,000) and Berlin-based The Post Republic (€50,000), as well as a newly established €30,000 cash prize from Turkish broadcaster Trt.
The jury is comprised of Jan Naszewski of New Europe Film Sales, Giona A. Nazzaro from the Venice Film Festival Critics’ Week, Michael Reuter of The Post Republic and a representative from the Trt.
The projects will be presented to funders, sales agents, distributors, broadcasters and festival programmers, including representatives of Bankside Films, the Berlin International Film Festival, Bir Film, Celluloid Dreams, Coproduction Office, the Directors’ Fortnight, Elle Driver, the Festival de Cannes, Indie Sales, Lumiere, The Match...
- 8/5/2016
- by vladan.petkovic@gmail.com (Vladan Petkovic)
- ScreenDaily
Directors Chanya Button, Adrian Sitaru, Xavier Seron scoop prizes; festival reveals works in progress winners.
UK filmmaker Chanya Button’s debut feature as director and producer, Burn Burn Burn, was voted by the audience at the Odessa International Film Festival (Oiff) as the winner of this year’s Grand Prix.
Producer Daniel-Konrad Cooper accepted the Golden Duke statuette on behalf of the production team from Oiff’s festival president Victoria Tigipko during the gala closing ceremony in the Black Sea city’s historic National Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet.
Button’s melancholic comedy had premiered at last year’s London Film Festival and is being handled internationally by Urban Distribution International.
International Competition
Meanwhile, the International Competition jury - headed by the UK writer Christopher Hampton and also including Oiff 2015 winner Eva Neymann, Us writer-director-actor Alex Ross Perry, producer Rebecca O’Brien and producer-director Uberto Pasolini - gave the Golden Duke statuette for Best Film to...
UK filmmaker Chanya Button’s debut feature as director and producer, Burn Burn Burn, was voted by the audience at the Odessa International Film Festival (Oiff) as the winner of this year’s Grand Prix.
Producer Daniel-Konrad Cooper accepted the Golden Duke statuette on behalf of the production team from Oiff’s festival president Victoria Tigipko during the gala closing ceremony in the Black Sea city’s historic National Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet.
Button’s melancholic comedy had premiered at last year’s London Film Festival and is being handled internationally by Urban Distribution International.
International Competition
Meanwhile, the International Competition jury - headed by the UK writer Christopher Hampton and also including Oiff 2015 winner Eva Neymann, Us writer-director-actor Alex Ross Perry, producer Rebecca O’Brien and producer-director Uberto Pasolini - gave the Golden Duke statuette for Best Film to...
- 7/25/2016
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: President of international sales and distribution Jeffrey Greenstein and his team hit the Croisette with sales rights to a host of hot titles including ensemble drama The Circus and Day Of The Dead.
The Circus is scheduled to commence shooting in September with Imogen Poots lined up to star alongside Charlotte Rampling, Pal Sverre Hagen, Ariane Labed and Holliday Grainger.
Terrence Malick will serve as executive producer on the story from St. Tisa and Millimeter Films about a man and his daughter who experience love, magic and loss against the backdrop of a travelling circus. Nu Image holds worldwide rights excluding Scandinavia.
Producers are Thor Halvorssen, Anthony Lucero and Suliko Tsulukidze. Joining Malick on the executive producers roster are Ilene Feldman, Tamara Tatishvili, Nu Image founder Avi Lerner and Millennium Films president Mark Gill. Noshre Chkhaidze is line producer and Dave Matthews is composing original music.
Production is set to commence shortly on Day Of The Dead with Hector Hernandez...
The Circus is scheduled to commence shooting in September with Imogen Poots lined up to star alongside Charlotte Rampling, Pal Sverre Hagen, Ariane Labed and Holliday Grainger.
Terrence Malick will serve as executive producer on the story from St. Tisa and Millimeter Films about a man and his daughter who experience love, magic and loss against the backdrop of a travelling circus. Nu Image holds worldwide rights excluding Scandinavia.
Producers are Thor Halvorssen, Anthony Lucero and Suliko Tsulukidze. Joining Malick on the executive producers roster are Ilene Feldman, Tamara Tatishvili, Nu Image founder Avi Lerner and Millennium Films president Mark Gill. Noshre Chkhaidze is line producer and Dave Matthews is composing original music.
Production is set to commence shortly on Day Of The Dead with Hector Hernandez...
- 5/9/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
School of Film Agents celebrated its third edition in Wroclaw, Poland, bringing together, once again, some of the best and most promising young players active in the European film industry today. The unique, core philosophy behind Sofa is the initiative's continuous commitment to strengthening the film landscape of countries in Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Caucasus States where unstable political and economical conditions result in an underdeveloped film industry.
Sofa-Founder Nikolaj Nikitin: "Granted, many films from these countries are being successfully screened at the big film festivals. Nonetheless, they are still lacking the necessary infrastructure and institutional support that not only acknowledges and strengthens the position of film as an art form and relevant socio-cultural and economic factor, but also backs the much-needed film mediators managing these initiatives - such as film festival-makers, distributors and cinema operators."
The Program
Ten intensive days of workshop participation were made available to the eight film agents and their top-class tutors, where, together, they were given the opportunity to successfully develop and push their promising ideas forward towards realization. Strengths and weaknesses of the projects pitched were openly and constructively discussed in close dialogue with some of the biggest names in the European film industry. Lectures and panel discussions dealing with the central topics at hand were visited and numerous in-depth one-to-one meetings took place. In comparison to last year's edition, this year, an intensive exchange between mentors and participants was able to take place already in advance guaranteeing optimal preparation for the workshop activities ahead.
The film agents and their film projects
In its third year, Sofa was, once again, able to pave the way towards realization for eight particularly committed projects. The eight participants were selected out of over one hundred applicants in total - the rising number of applications in 2015 is a clear confirmation of the growing popularity of Sofa.
The goal of strengthening the regional film culture and industries in their respective countries unified most of the participants' projects in 2015. Additionally the production and distribution of European co-productions within the international theatrical market also took center stage at this year's Sofa edition.
With her project Lviv Film Commission the Ukrainian participant Olha Reiter pursued the establishment of the first regional film commission in the Ukraine, a project which already commenced with its important work in August earlier this year.
The Dushanbe Documentary Film Center from Sergey Chutkov serves as a place for film education in Tajikistan - a platform providing space, equipment and seminars for the production of documentary films by young filmmakers.
The project Criss-Cross Film Lab developed by the Serbian participant Milica Bozanic would also like to provide a space for workshops and networking. In addition to bringing together young filmmakers with producers, business skills and marketing strategies will also be taught.
A mobile film educational project will be put into motion by the Polish participant Malgorzata Tusk. With her project Cinebus - Mobile Center of Audiovisual Education she would like to bring the already well-established workshop initiative "Film Spring Open" (led by the world-renowned Dop Slawomir Idziak) into light in Poland.
With his project Cuz We Are Talented, the Czech participant Michal Kracmer plans to steer the attention to young talents from countries in Central Europe while promoting co-productions between these countries.
Conceptualized as a full-service agency, the project Kaleidoscope, developed by the Slovakian participant Katarina Tomkova, intends to offer consultation and internationalization strategies from script to theatrical release.
The Romanian participant Dorina Oarga aims to digitize student films from the National University of Theatre and Film Archive and make them available online with her project Cinepub 2nd Life - a pilot project with the intention of preserving the film heritage of Romania.
Creating new visibility for ambitious children's films is the goal of the möwe. derKinderFilmVerleih, conceptualized by the German Sofa-participant Hella Riehl.
The Lecturers
Each of the eight participants had a tutor by his/her side offering project feedback from his/her own special and professional perspective. The following mentors lent their expertise to Sofa this year: Claudia Dillmann (Deutsches Filminstitut, Frankfurt), Maciej Jakubczyk (New Horizons Association, Wroclaw), Matthijs Wouter Knol (European Film Market, Berlin), Roberto Olla (Eurimages, Strasbourg), Katriel Schory (Israel Film Fund, Tel Aviv), Riina Sildos (Baltic Event, Tallinn), Tamara Tatishvili (Ablabudafilm, Tbilisi) und Kristina Trapp (Eave, Luxemburg). An additional lecture dealing with the topic of Marketing and Consumer Psychology was presented by Domenico la Porta (Cineuropa, Brussels).
Four further experts - each of whom have been an integral part of the Sofa-Team since the inception of the initiative - accompanied the participants from the first day to the very last of the workshop. Participants were able to develop individually tailored marketing strategies for their projects with Renaud Redien-Collot (Novancia Business School, Paris), while Pitching Expert Sibylle Kurz (Frankfurt am Main) ensured that projects are presented with a sense of confidence and ease. Oliver Baumgarten (Programme Director, Max Ophüls Preis, Saarbrücken) und Oscar-Winner Ewa Puszczynska (Opus Film, Lodz) were also present, offering individual feedback-meetings aimed at stylistically and conceptually enhancing the participants' concept drafts as well as helping them to work out appropriate budgeting and realistic timeline schemes for their projects.
The Sofa-participants and lecturers were invited to attend a Film-Preview of the Cannes-premiered Swedish-Polish co-production "The Here After" in Wroclaw's largest arthouse cinema. After the screening director Magnus von Horn and producer Mariusz Wlodarski spoke about opportunities within and the challenges facing the European co-production scene.
Film culture for the future - success stories
A look back at the last two editions of Sofa proves that the pan-European Thinktank dedicated to the future of cinema is truly making waves with sustainable signs of change and the first projects bearing fruit. Many of the projects from the last two years have been able to be successfully realized or are close to realization and implementation.
The Eurimage-backed Serbian Sofa-project Fbo - Festival Box Office by Sonja Topalovic was launched as a beta version in February at the Berlinale. A presentation of the interactive online-database for film festivals followed in the Spring in Cannes. Meanwhile, Fbo is closely cooperating with the Film Center Serbia, officially evaluating for them the number of visitors and ticket sales of art house theaters participating at Serbian film festivals. Moreover, negotiations are continuously taking place with numerous international film festivals, not only keeping the project's network flow in full-swing, but also helping to supplement their valuable database at the same time. As an innovative business tool, Fbo has long-term, world-wide plans to evaluate the success of art house films screened at festivals, thereby giving key players in the industry invaluable insight into understanding public taste.
Leana Jalukse's project Doktok - a distribution initiative for Estonian documentary films was able to be realized with the help of Sofa. Leana was also able to participate in a six-week German language course in Munich where she completed a creative internship with Beta Cinema. This combination of language training with professional internship possibilities is the result of cooperation between Sofa and the Goethe-Institut Prague and will be continued in 2016. Former Sofa-participants Anna Bielak (Poland) and Gábor Böszörményi (Hungary) have also been able to take part in a German language course whilst building up their networks of German business contacts.
The Romanian Sofa-project Transilvania Film Fund by Cristian Hordila is close to being fully implemented and the Lithuanian Sofa-project Front - Film Republic of Networked Theatres by Kestutis Drazdauskas is making headway with the digitalization of cultural centers in Lithuania. The first agreements with local government administrative agencies have been reached and plans are being made to incorporate the private sector into the overall financing scheme of the project. Kestutis is also working out further financial support with Fatima Djoumer (Europe Cinemas), who plans to visit with him in Lithuania this Fall.
Sofa-Founder Nikolaj Nikitin: "Granted, many films from these countries are being successfully screened at the big film festivals. Nonetheless, they are still lacking the necessary infrastructure and institutional support that not only acknowledges and strengthens the position of film as an art form and relevant socio-cultural and economic factor, but also backs the much-needed film mediators managing these initiatives - such as film festival-makers, distributors and cinema operators."
The Program
Ten intensive days of workshop participation were made available to the eight film agents and their top-class tutors, where, together, they were given the opportunity to successfully develop and push their promising ideas forward towards realization. Strengths and weaknesses of the projects pitched were openly and constructively discussed in close dialogue with some of the biggest names in the European film industry. Lectures and panel discussions dealing with the central topics at hand were visited and numerous in-depth one-to-one meetings took place. In comparison to last year's edition, this year, an intensive exchange between mentors and participants was able to take place already in advance guaranteeing optimal preparation for the workshop activities ahead.
The film agents and their film projects
In its third year, Sofa was, once again, able to pave the way towards realization for eight particularly committed projects. The eight participants were selected out of over one hundred applicants in total - the rising number of applications in 2015 is a clear confirmation of the growing popularity of Sofa.
The goal of strengthening the regional film culture and industries in their respective countries unified most of the participants' projects in 2015. Additionally the production and distribution of European co-productions within the international theatrical market also took center stage at this year's Sofa edition.
With her project Lviv Film Commission the Ukrainian participant Olha Reiter pursued the establishment of the first regional film commission in the Ukraine, a project which already commenced with its important work in August earlier this year.
The Dushanbe Documentary Film Center from Sergey Chutkov serves as a place for film education in Tajikistan - a platform providing space, equipment and seminars for the production of documentary films by young filmmakers.
The project Criss-Cross Film Lab developed by the Serbian participant Milica Bozanic would also like to provide a space for workshops and networking. In addition to bringing together young filmmakers with producers, business skills and marketing strategies will also be taught.
A mobile film educational project will be put into motion by the Polish participant Malgorzata Tusk. With her project Cinebus - Mobile Center of Audiovisual Education she would like to bring the already well-established workshop initiative "Film Spring Open" (led by the world-renowned Dop Slawomir Idziak) into light in Poland.
With his project Cuz We Are Talented, the Czech participant Michal Kracmer plans to steer the attention to young talents from countries in Central Europe while promoting co-productions between these countries.
Conceptualized as a full-service agency, the project Kaleidoscope, developed by the Slovakian participant Katarina Tomkova, intends to offer consultation and internationalization strategies from script to theatrical release.
The Romanian participant Dorina Oarga aims to digitize student films from the National University of Theatre and Film Archive and make them available online with her project Cinepub 2nd Life - a pilot project with the intention of preserving the film heritage of Romania.
Creating new visibility for ambitious children's films is the goal of the möwe. derKinderFilmVerleih, conceptualized by the German Sofa-participant Hella Riehl.
The Lecturers
Each of the eight participants had a tutor by his/her side offering project feedback from his/her own special and professional perspective. The following mentors lent their expertise to Sofa this year: Claudia Dillmann (Deutsches Filminstitut, Frankfurt), Maciej Jakubczyk (New Horizons Association, Wroclaw), Matthijs Wouter Knol (European Film Market, Berlin), Roberto Olla (Eurimages, Strasbourg), Katriel Schory (Israel Film Fund, Tel Aviv), Riina Sildos (Baltic Event, Tallinn), Tamara Tatishvili (Ablabudafilm, Tbilisi) und Kristina Trapp (Eave, Luxemburg). An additional lecture dealing with the topic of Marketing and Consumer Psychology was presented by Domenico la Porta (Cineuropa, Brussels).
Four further experts - each of whom have been an integral part of the Sofa-Team since the inception of the initiative - accompanied the participants from the first day to the very last of the workshop. Participants were able to develop individually tailored marketing strategies for their projects with Renaud Redien-Collot (Novancia Business School, Paris), while Pitching Expert Sibylle Kurz (Frankfurt am Main) ensured that projects are presented with a sense of confidence and ease. Oliver Baumgarten (Programme Director, Max Ophüls Preis, Saarbrücken) und Oscar-Winner Ewa Puszczynska (Opus Film, Lodz) were also present, offering individual feedback-meetings aimed at stylistically and conceptually enhancing the participants' concept drafts as well as helping them to work out appropriate budgeting and realistic timeline schemes for their projects.
The Sofa-participants and lecturers were invited to attend a Film-Preview of the Cannes-premiered Swedish-Polish co-production "The Here After" in Wroclaw's largest arthouse cinema. After the screening director Magnus von Horn and producer Mariusz Wlodarski spoke about opportunities within and the challenges facing the European co-production scene.
Film culture for the future - success stories
A look back at the last two editions of Sofa proves that the pan-European Thinktank dedicated to the future of cinema is truly making waves with sustainable signs of change and the first projects bearing fruit. Many of the projects from the last two years have been able to be successfully realized or are close to realization and implementation.
The Eurimage-backed Serbian Sofa-project Fbo - Festival Box Office by Sonja Topalovic was launched as a beta version in February at the Berlinale. A presentation of the interactive online-database for film festivals followed in the Spring in Cannes. Meanwhile, Fbo is closely cooperating with the Film Center Serbia, officially evaluating for them the number of visitors and ticket sales of art house theaters participating at Serbian film festivals. Moreover, negotiations are continuously taking place with numerous international film festivals, not only keeping the project's network flow in full-swing, but also helping to supplement their valuable database at the same time. As an innovative business tool, Fbo has long-term, world-wide plans to evaluate the success of art house films screened at festivals, thereby giving key players in the industry invaluable insight into understanding public taste.
Leana Jalukse's project Doktok - a distribution initiative for Estonian documentary films was able to be realized with the help of Sofa. Leana was also able to participate in a six-week German language course in Munich where she completed a creative internship with Beta Cinema. This combination of language training with professional internship possibilities is the result of cooperation between Sofa and the Goethe-Institut Prague and will be continued in 2016. Former Sofa-participants Anna Bielak (Poland) and Gábor Böszörményi (Hungary) have also been able to take part in a German language course whilst building up their networks of German business contacts.
The Romanian Sofa-project Transilvania Film Fund by Cristian Hordila is close to being fully implemented and the Lithuanian Sofa-project Front - Film Republic of Networked Theatres by Kestutis Drazdauskas is making headway with the digitalization of cultural centers in Lithuania. The first agreements with local government administrative agencies have been reached and plans are being made to incorporate the private sector into the overall financing scheme of the project. Kestutis is also working out further financial support with Fatima Djoumer (Europe Cinemas), who plans to visit with him in Lithuania this Fall.
- 11/12/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Tinatin Kajrishvili, Aida Begic, Hüseyin Karabey films among lineup.
Sarajevo Film Festival’s co-production market CineLink, which will take place during the final days of the festival’s 21st edition (Aug 14-22), has unveiled its full selection.
Nine projects have been added to the previously announced eight, including three guest projects from Qatar, Syria and Russia.
The selection targets projects from established regional names, which are in advanced stage of development and financing.
The line-up includes Georgian director Tinatin Kajrishvili’s Manji, the filmmaker’s second feature after 2014 Berlinale title Brides.
Also featured is A Ballad, the third film by Bosnian film-maker Aida Begić, who won awards at Cannes with Snow in 2008 and Children Of Sarajevo in 2012.
Coming from Turkey is Hamarat Apartment, the new feature by Hüseyin Karabey, whose feature debut My Marlon And Brando received the Heart of Sarajevo for Best Actress for Ayca Damgaci in 2008, and whose last outing Come To My Voice won the...
Sarajevo Film Festival’s co-production market CineLink, which will take place during the final days of the festival’s 21st edition (Aug 14-22), has unveiled its full selection.
Nine projects have been added to the previously announced eight, including three guest projects from Qatar, Syria and Russia.
The selection targets projects from established regional names, which are in advanced stage of development and financing.
The line-up includes Georgian director Tinatin Kajrishvili’s Manji, the filmmaker’s second feature after 2014 Berlinale title Brides.
Also featured is A Ballad, the third film by Bosnian film-maker Aida Begić, who won awards at Cannes with Snow in 2008 and Children Of Sarajevo in 2012.
Coming from Turkey is Hamarat Apartment, the new feature by Hüseyin Karabey, whose feature debut My Marlon And Brando received the Heart of Sarajevo for Best Actress for Ayca Damgaci in 2008, and whose last outing Come To My Voice won the...
- 6/25/2015
- ScreenDaily
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