Top prizes were handed out by the CineGouna Platform (Cgp) at the El Gouna Film Festival this week to projects in various stages of inception or completion. Winning a $15,000 prize for a project in development, “Theft of Fire” is Palestinian filmmaker Amer Shomali’s hybrid documentary, retelling the true story of an art heist “that never happened” to steal back antiquities pilfered from Palestinian lands by former Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Dayan.
Produced by Rashid Abdelhamid, the film is in the early stages of development but has already secured Canadian co-production.
“She Was Not Alone” won the equivalent Cgp Award for a film in postproduction. Produced by Huda Al Kadhimi and Huma Gupta and directed by Iraq’s Hussein Al-Asadi, the documentary gives a character portrait of Fatima, a nomad who tends for her buffalos in the poisoned marshes of Iraq as her island and way of life are threatened...
Produced by Rashid Abdelhamid, the film is in the early stages of development but has already secured Canadian co-production.
“She Was Not Alone” won the equivalent Cgp Award for a film in postproduction. Produced by Huda Al Kadhimi and Huma Gupta and directed by Iraq’s Hussein Al-Asadi, the documentary gives a character portrait of Fatima, a nomad who tends for her buffalos in the poisoned marshes of Iraq as her island and way of life are threatened...
- 12/21/2023
- by John Bleasdale
- Variety Film + TV
The film is inspired by one of Turkey’s most bloody political massacres, which took place in 1978.
Turkish filmmaker and Berlinale regular Burak Cevik has completed shooting his nextt film Nothing In Its Place, a drama that focuses on one of Turkey’s most bloody political massacres.
Cevik’s The Pillar Of Salt (2018), Belonging (2019) and Forms Of Forgetting (2023) each premiered in the Berlinale Forum.
Inspired by a true story, Nothing In Its Place follows a group of five leftist youths in 1978 who believed in an unarmed socialist revolution. In the middle of the night, two right-wing youths raid their meeting and decide to kill them.
Turkish filmmaker and Berlinale regular Burak Cevik has completed shooting his nextt film Nothing In Its Place, a drama that focuses on one of Turkey’s most bloody political massacres.
Cevik’s The Pillar Of Salt (2018), Belonging (2019) and Forms Of Forgetting (2023) each premiered in the Berlinale Forum.
Inspired by a true story, Nothing In Its Place follows a group of five leftist youths in 1978 who believed in an unarmed socialist revolution. In the middle of the night, two right-wing youths raid their meeting and decide to kill them.
- 9/28/2023
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
It’s not a coincidence that Volker Schlöndorff’s latest film The Forest Maker, the environmental essay documentary about Australian agronomist Tony Rinaudo, who found a way to grow trees in the most barren areas of Africa, is opening the 27th Sofia International Film Festival kicking off Thursday in the Bulgarian capital.
One of the major film festivals in Eastern Europe is going green, and the veteran German filmmaker, winner of the Palme d’Or and what was then called the best foreign language Oscar for The Tin Drum (1979), will plant the first tree of the future Sofia Film Festival Forest.
“We wanted to remind ourselves of our deep connection to the land and our power to be agents of change together. We wish to engage the public in the global vision of sustainable development of society and a responsible attitude towards nature”, the festival organizers said about the green...
One of the major film festivals in Eastern Europe is going green, and the veteran German filmmaker, winner of the Palme d’Or and what was then called the best foreign language Oscar for The Tin Drum (1979), will plant the first tree of the future Sofia Film Festival Forest.
“We wanted to remind ourselves of our deep connection to the land and our power to be agents of change together. We wish to engage the public in the global vision of sustainable development of society and a responsible attitude towards nature”, the festival organizers said about the green...
- 3/16/2023
- by Stjepan Hundic
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Selection includes 17 Russian projects and 9 international.
Russian state film body Roskino and project market When East Meets West (Wemw) have selected 26 projects for Wemw Goes To Russia, a new international co-production forum to run during the upcoming Key Buyers Event: Digital (June 8-10).
Some 17 Russian projects and nine international works from eight different countries will participate in the co-production pitching, through which they will be able to meet Russian producers and access a minority co-production support granted by the Russian Ministry of Culture, up to Rub 10m.
The inaugural edition of Wemw Goes To Russia is part of the third annual Key Buyers Event: Digital.
Russian state film body Roskino and project market When East Meets West (Wemw) have selected 26 projects for Wemw Goes To Russia, a new international co-production forum to run during the upcoming Key Buyers Event: Digital (June 8-10).
Some 17 Russian projects and nine international works from eight different countries will participate in the co-production pitching, through which they will be able to meet Russian producers and access a minority co-production support granted by the Russian Ministry of Culture, up to Rub 10m.
The inaugural edition of Wemw Goes To Russia is part of the third annual Key Buyers Event: Digital.
- 6/3/2021
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Buzzy co-production has won several grants and awards over the past year.
Paris-based sales company Luxbox is launching sales this EFM on Turkish director Selman Nacar’s debut feature Between Two Dawns, about a young man facing a moral dilemma after a worker is injured in his family’s factory.
It is the first feature of Colombia Mfa film programme alumni Nacar who is now working on his second feature Hesitation Wound.
Turkey’s Kuyu Film, Karma Film and Fol Film lead produce in co-production with Arizona Productions (France) Libra Film (Romania) and Nephilim Producciones (Spain) and with the support of Turkish broadcaster Trt.
Paris-based sales company Luxbox is launching sales this EFM on Turkish director Selman Nacar’s debut feature Between Two Dawns, about a young man facing a moral dilemma after a worker is injured in his family’s factory.
It is the first feature of Colombia Mfa film programme alumni Nacar who is now working on his second feature Hesitation Wound.
Turkey’s Kuyu Film, Karma Film and Fol Film lead produce in co-production with Arizona Productions (France) Libra Film (Romania) and Nephilim Producciones (Spain) and with the support of Turkish broadcaster Trt.
- 2/23/2021
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
Line-up includes 10 docs and 11 fiction films, mostly from Asia, with several European productions and co-productions.
New works from filmmakers including Chang Tso-chi, Huang Ji, Pierre Sarraf, Tan Chui Mui and Jessey Tsang are among the 21 projects selected for the Work-in-Progress section (Wip) of this year’s Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf).
The Wip projects will be presented online alongside the main programme of Haf (March 15-17) and Hong Kong Filmart (March 15-18). Most are at the post-production stage, with several currently in production. The line-up includes 10 documentaries and 11 fiction films, mostly from Asia, with several European productions and co-productions.
New works from filmmakers including Chang Tso-chi, Huang Ji, Pierre Sarraf, Tan Chui Mui and Jessey Tsang are among the 21 projects selected for the Work-in-Progress section (Wip) of this year’s Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf).
The Wip projects will be presented online alongside the main programme of Haf (March 15-17) and Hong Kong Filmart (March 15-18). Most are at the post-production stage, with several currently in production. The line-up includes 10 documentaries and 11 fiction films, mostly from Asia, with several European productions and co-productions.
- 2/2/2021
- by Liz Shackleton
- ScreenDaily
The Asia Pacific Screen Academy honoured regional filmmakers at a special presentation on Australia’s Gold Coast last night (November 26).
Thailand-based producer Soros Sukhum took home the 2020 Fiapf Award for Outstanding Achievement in Film in the Asia Pacific region. Sukhum is well regarded for work in the Thai indie space, launching the careers of Aditya Assarat, Sivaroj Kongsakul, Anocha Suwichakornpong, and Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit. His latest credit is Memoria, the English language debut for director Apichatpong Weerasethakul, starring Tilda Swinton.
Hosted by Iranian born Australian presenter Leila McKinnon, the ceremony also awarded its Young Cinema Award to Indian filmmaker Akshay Indikar for Chronicle Of Space (Sthalpuran), with a Special Mention going to Australian Stephen Maxwell Johnson for High Ground.
The Apsa Presentation Ceremony marked the end of the 2020 Apsa Forum, a week-long series of panels and roundtable events delivered both in person and digitally, with participants from 18 countries.
The MPA Apsa Academy Film Fund...
Thailand-based producer Soros Sukhum took home the 2020 Fiapf Award for Outstanding Achievement in Film in the Asia Pacific region. Sukhum is well regarded for work in the Thai indie space, launching the careers of Aditya Assarat, Sivaroj Kongsakul, Anocha Suwichakornpong, and Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit. His latest credit is Memoria, the English language debut for director Apichatpong Weerasethakul, starring Tilda Swinton.
Hosted by Iranian born Australian presenter Leila McKinnon, the ceremony also awarded its Young Cinema Award to Indian filmmaker Akshay Indikar for Chronicle Of Space (Sthalpuran), with a Special Mention going to Australian Stephen Maxwell Johnson for High Ground.
The Apsa Presentation Ceremony marked the end of the 2020 Apsa Forum, a week-long series of panels and roundtable events delivered both in person and digitally, with participants from 18 countries.
The MPA Apsa Academy Film Fund...
- 11/27/2020
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
Soros Sukhum received the outstanding achievement prize.
Palestinian director Annemarie Jacir and Filipino producer Bianca Balbuena are among the winners at the 2020 Asia Pacific Screen Awards (Apsa), which held a special award presentation in Australia’s Gold Coast.
The pair were two of four recipients of $25,000 each through the Apsa Academy Film Fund which awards projects at script development stage.
In receiving the grant towards her project All Before You, Jacir becomes the first filmmaker to receive the Apsa grant on two occasions. She was previously awarded for 2017 film Wajib, which premiered at Locarno, winning five prizes including the special prize for best film.
Palestinian director Annemarie Jacir and Filipino producer Bianca Balbuena are among the winners at the 2020 Asia Pacific Screen Awards (Apsa), which held a special award presentation in Australia’s Gold Coast.
The pair were two of four recipients of $25,000 each through the Apsa Academy Film Fund which awards projects at script development stage.
In receiving the grant towards her project All Before You, Jacir becomes the first filmmaker to receive the Apsa grant on two occasions. She was previously awarded for 2017 film Wajib, which premiered at Locarno, winning five prizes including the special prize for best film.
- 11/26/2020
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Thai producer Soros Sukhum was Thursday honored with the Fiapf Award for outstanding achievement in film in the Asia Pacific region. The prize was presented as part of a heavily revamped Asia Pacific Screen Awards ceremony, at Gold Coast in Australia’s Queensland.
The Young Cinema Award was won by Indian filmmaker Akshay Indikar for “Chronicle of Space” (“Sthalpuran”), with a special mention going to Australia’s Stephen Maxwell Johnson for “High Ground.”
Earlier this year the Apsa Awards event’s future had seemed deeply clouded due to twin hits from financial problems and the coronavirus. Normally, a dozen prizes are awarded to artistic films from across the vast Unesco-defined Asia region.
In June, the Brisbane City Council and its offshoot Brisbane Marketing, notified Apsa organizers that they would not be able to fund the event due to the impact of the coronavirus on the city’s budget.
The...
The Young Cinema Award was won by Indian filmmaker Akshay Indikar for “Chronicle of Space” (“Sthalpuran”), with a special mention going to Australia’s Stephen Maxwell Johnson for “High Ground.”
Earlier this year the Apsa Awards event’s future had seemed deeply clouded due to twin hits from financial problems and the coronavirus. Normally, a dozen prizes are awarded to artistic films from across the vast Unesco-defined Asia region.
In June, the Brisbane City Council and its offshoot Brisbane Marketing, notified Apsa organizers that they would not be able to fund the event due to the impact of the coronavirus on the city’s budget.
The...
- 11/26/2020
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Stephen Johnson’s High Ground earned a special mention from The Young Cinema Award jury at this evening’s Asia Pacific Screen Awards, held on the Gold Coast.
Set in 1930s Arnhem Land, High Ground follows young Aboriginal man Gutjuk (Jacob Junior Nayinggul), who in a bid to save the last of his family teams up with ex-soldier Travis (Simon Baker) to track down the most dangerous warrior in the Territory – his uncle.
The Apsa jury praised the assured direction of Johnson, noting his film gave “voice to the issue of brutal colonisation.” Jack Thompson, Apsa president and star of the film, accepted the honour on behalf of the director.
High Ground premiered at the Berlin Film Festival and also stars Callan Mulvey, Witiyana Marika, Caren Pistorius and Ryan Corr. Madman Entertainment will release the drama, written by Chris Anastassiades and produced by David Jowsey, Johnson, Marika, Maggie Miles and Greer Simpkin,...
Set in 1930s Arnhem Land, High Ground follows young Aboriginal man Gutjuk (Jacob Junior Nayinggul), who in a bid to save the last of his family teams up with ex-soldier Travis (Simon Baker) to track down the most dangerous warrior in the Territory – his uncle.
The Apsa jury praised the assured direction of Johnson, noting his film gave “voice to the issue of brutal colonisation.” Jack Thompson, Apsa president and star of the film, accepted the honour on behalf of the director.
High Ground premiered at the Berlin Film Festival and also stars Callan Mulvey, Witiyana Marika, Caren Pistorius and Ryan Corr. Madman Entertainment will release the drama, written by Chris Anastassiades and produced by David Jowsey, Johnson, Marika, Maggie Miles and Greer Simpkin,...
- 11/26/2020
- by Jackie Keast
- IF.com.au
The 6-day conference will run online from November 20-26.
Singaporean filmmaker Anthony Chen, and Mouly Surya from Indonesia are among the speakers confirmed for the second annual Asia Pacific Screen Forum, which will run online from November 20-26.
Events in the six-day conference will be accessible to participants across the continent, as well as in-person at the Home Of The Arts venue in Gold Coast, Australia.
The schedule includes panels, smaller-scale roundtable discussions, and a screening programme.
Chen, whose second feature Wet Season was recently selected as Singapore’s entry for the 2020 Oscar international feature award, will take part in...
Singaporean filmmaker Anthony Chen, and Mouly Surya from Indonesia are among the speakers confirmed for the second annual Asia Pacific Screen Forum, which will run online from November 20-26.
Events in the six-day conference will be accessible to participants across the continent, as well as in-person at the Home Of The Arts venue in Gold Coast, Australia.
The schedule includes panels, smaller-scale roundtable discussions, and a screening programme.
Chen, whose second feature Wet Season was recently selected as Singapore’s entry for the 2020 Oscar international feature award, will take part in...
- 10/27/2020
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
“It has given us a renewed hope in cinema.”
Hot on the heels of the Venice film festival, the San Sebastián Film Festival has safely pulled off (fingers crossed) the second major film event held during a global coronavirus pandemic. International film stars (most based in Europe) including Johnny Depp, Matt Dillon and Viggo Mortensen made the journey to the Basque town and enjoyed the festival and industry activities in a socially distanced way.
Seating arrangements in theatres involved alternate empty seats and a strict pre-booking system. Disinfectant gel dispensers were at the entrance and exit of all venues and...
Hot on the heels of the Venice film festival, the San Sebastián Film Festival has safely pulled off (fingers crossed) the second major film event held during a global coronavirus pandemic. International film stars (most based in Europe) including Johnny Depp, Matt Dillon and Viggo Mortensen made the journey to the Basque town and enjoyed the festival and industry activities in a socially distanced way.
Seating arrangements in theatres involved alternate empty seats and a strict pre-booking system. Disinfectant gel dispensers were at the entrance and exit of all venues and...
- 9/26/2020
- by Elisabet Cabeza
- ScreenDaily
“It has given us a renewed hope in cinema.”
Hot on the heels of the Venice film festival, the San Sebastián Film Festival has safely pulled off (fingers crossed) the second major film event held during a global coronavirus pandemic. International film stars (most based in Europe) including Johnny Depp, Matt Dillon and Viggo Mortensen made the journey to the Basque town and enjoyed the festival and industry activities in a socially distanced way.
Seating arrangements in theatres involved alternate empty seats and a strict pre-booking system. Disinfectant gel dispensers were at the entrance and exit of all venues and...
Hot on the heels of the Venice film festival, the San Sebastián Film Festival has safely pulled off (fingers crossed) the second major film event held during a global coronavirus pandemic. International film stars (most based in Europe) including Johnny Depp, Matt Dillon and Viggo Mortensen made the journey to the Basque town and enjoyed the festival and industry activities in a socially distanced way.
Seating arrangements in theatres involved alternate empty seats and a strict pre-booking system. Disinfectant gel dispensers were at the entrance and exit of all venues and...
- 9/26/2020
- by Elisabet Cabeza
- ScreenDaily
Turkish-French-Romanian co-production “Between Two Dawns,” helmed by Turkish writer-director Selman Nacar and produced by Burak Çevik of Kuyu Film and Diloy Gülün of Karma Films, is taking part in Wip Europa – a section devoted to projects in post-production – at the San Sebastian Film Festival.
At Wip Europe, the filmmakers showed a picture-locked version of the film, a drama that takes place when a worker is severely injured in a sheet factory run by the family of Kadir. To protect the family business, Kadir is forced to conspire in a cover-up that alters the lives of the people involved and unveils long-held secrets.
“The film takes place over the course of 24 hours,” says Nacar. “I always wanted to make a film that takes place over a short amount of time. Then I want to show how human beings can change psychologically and emotionally in that short time. The scenes are all filmed in one shot.
At Wip Europe, the filmmakers showed a picture-locked version of the film, a drama that takes place when a worker is severely injured in a sheet factory run by the family of Kadir. To protect the family business, Kadir is forced to conspire in a cover-up that alters the lives of the people involved and unveils long-held secrets.
“The film takes place over the course of 24 hours,” says Nacar. “I always wanted to make a film that takes place over a short amount of time. Then I want to show how human beings can change psychologically and emotionally in that short time. The scenes are all filmed in one shot.
- 9/25/2020
- by Kaleem Aftab
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Gravitas Ventures has acquired North American rights to Van Ditthavong’s feature directorial debut All Roads To Pearla (formerly known as Sleeping In Plastic), which had its world premiere at the 2019 Austin Film Festival. The crime-thriller stars Alex MacNicoll, Addison Timlin, Corin Nemec, Nick Chinlund and Dash Mihok. The film dark coming-of-age tale is set in a small Texas town and follows a high school wrestler who gets entangled with a beautiful drifter and her psychopathic lover. Pic is produced by Derek D. Brown, Red Sanders of Red Entertainment and Van Ditthavong of goPop Films. It will be released in select theaters and available on demand September 25. The distribution deal was negotiated by Gravitas’ Brendan Gallagher and Igor Princ of Princ Films on behalf of the filmmakers. Earlier this week, Gravitas announced the acquisition of Sundance 2020 documentary The Mole Agent.
The Sarajevo Film Festival, which shifted its upcoming event...
The Sarajevo Film Festival, which shifted its upcoming event...
- 8/7/2020
- by Andreas Wiseman and Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
The selection will be screened to industry representatives online.
Sarajevo Film Festival’s CineLink Industry Days has chosen nine feature projects from Southeast Europe and the Middle East/North Africa region for its work-in-progress strand.
The seven fiction and two documentary projects will be presented online to industry professionals, with the aim of assisting completion and enhancing distribution possibilities.
The projects will compete for three awards: the Post Republic award, the CineLink Iridium award, and the Turkish National Radio Television award.
The five-person jury selecting the winners consists of Vanja Kaludjercic, new festival director at International Film Festival Rotterdam; Tobias Pausinger,...
Sarajevo Film Festival’s CineLink Industry Days has chosen nine feature projects from Southeast Europe and the Middle East/North Africa region for its work-in-progress strand.
The seven fiction and two documentary projects will be presented online to industry professionals, with the aim of assisting completion and enhancing distribution possibilities.
The projects will compete for three awards: the Post Republic award, the CineLink Iridium award, and the Turkish National Radio Television award.
The five-person jury selecting the winners consists of Vanja Kaludjercic, new festival director at International Film Festival Rotterdam; Tobias Pausinger,...
- 8/7/2020
- by 1101321¦Ben Dalton¦26¦
- ScreenDaily
The Albanian project directed by Suela Bako was deemed the best of the six pitched at the event, which was held entirely online, while the Croatian project Four Days at the Sea was also awarded. At its first edition, the Dot.on.the.map Industry Days co-production and networking platform succeeded in eliminating physical borders and uniting industry professionals across the Mediterranean and Europe. The platform, which was forced to run digitally from 9-11 April, owing to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, is organised by the Cyprus Film Days International Film Festival, the Cultural Services of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport and Youth and the Rialto Theatre. At the pitching session, which was attended by more than 40 professionals from 17 countries, the six projects (see the news) were presented by their producers and directors, and the jury, comprising French producer Guillaume De Seille, Moroccan producer Lamia Chraibi and connecting cottbus co-production market.
El Gouna Film Festival’s co-financing platform meted out $250,000 in prizes.
Lebanese directors Ely Dagher and Remi Itani have scooped the official $15,000 top prizes for their respective feature documentary projects Harvest and A Long Breath at the El Gouna Film Festival’s CineGouna SpringBoard co-financing and industry platform in Egypt.
Dagher’s Harvest was presented alongside 12 other projects in development, spanning both fiction and non-fiction.
It follows a young woman who returns to her home city of Beirut after a long time away and reconnects with her old life. It will be Dagher’s first feature after his short film...
Lebanese directors Ely Dagher and Remi Itani have scooped the official $15,000 top prizes for their respective feature documentary projects Harvest and A Long Breath at the El Gouna Film Festival’s CineGouna SpringBoard co-financing and industry platform in Egypt.
Dagher’s Harvest was presented alongside 12 other projects in development, spanning both fiction and non-fiction.
It follows a young woman who returns to her home city of Beirut after a long time away and reconnects with her old life. It will be Dagher’s first feature after his short film...
- 9/27/2019
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
Line-up includes new titles from Yosep Anggi Noen, Hussein Hassan, Ash Mayfair and Hu Jia.
Busan International Film Festival (Biff)’s Asian Project Market has unveiled the 29 projects selected for this year’s edition of the financing and co-production event (October 6-8).
The line-up includes Silah And The Man With Two Names, the new project from Indonesian director Yosep Anggi Noen, whose latest film The Science Of Fictions will premiere in competition at this year’s Locarno.
Other projects of note include Black And White Photo, from Nepali filmmaker Rajesh Prasad Khatri, which received development funding from Biff’s Asian Cinema Fund...
Busan International Film Festival (Biff)’s Asian Project Market has unveiled the 29 projects selected for this year’s edition of the financing and co-production event (October 6-8).
The line-up includes Silah And The Man With Two Names, the new project from Indonesian director Yosep Anggi Noen, whose latest film The Science Of Fictions will premiere in competition at this year’s Locarno.
Other projects of note include Black And White Photo, from Nepali filmmaker Rajesh Prasad Khatri, which received development funding from Biff’s Asian Cinema Fund...
- 8/8/2019
- by Liz Shackleton
- ScreenDaily
The 10th Odesa film festival closed on Saturday, July 20.
Projects from Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova were among the prize winners of this year’s Pitching and Work in Progress competitions at Odesa International Film Festival (Oiff).
Before announcing the winners of the Pitching competition, former Israel Film Fund chief Katriel Schory said that it had ¨not been easy¨ for the international jury, which included producers Karsten Stöter (Rohfilm) and Guillaume de Seille (Arizona Films), to come to a final decision on which would be named the best project among the 12 pitches.
According to Schory, ¨it was one of the longest...
Projects from Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova were among the prize winners of this year’s Pitching and Work in Progress competitions at Odesa International Film Festival (Oiff).
Before announcing the winners of the Pitching competition, former Israel Film Fund chief Katriel Schory said that it had ¨not been easy¨ for the international jury, which included producers Karsten Stöter (Rohfilm) and Guillaume de Seille (Arizona Films), to come to a final decision on which would be named the best project among the 12 pitches.
According to Schory, ¨it was one of the longest...
- 7/21/2019
- by Martin Blaney
- ScreenDaily
Mohamed Siam, Emre Akay and Myriam El Hajj will be among the filmmakers heading to Turkey.
Mohamed Siam, Emre Akay and Myriam El Hajj will be among the filmmakers heading to Turkey for the 14th edition of the Meetings on the Bridge project meeting, running April 11-12 within the framework of the 38th Istanbul Film Festival (April 5-16).
Egyptian documentarian Mohamed Siam, whose last feature Amal opened the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (Idfa) in 2017, will present his first fiction feature project, Blood And Honey (Carnaval).
Siam describes it as comedy mixing ingredients from Amal – which followed a young female revolutionary...
Mohamed Siam, Emre Akay and Myriam El Hajj will be among the filmmakers heading to Turkey for the 14th edition of the Meetings on the Bridge project meeting, running April 11-12 within the framework of the 38th Istanbul Film Festival (April 5-16).
Egyptian documentarian Mohamed Siam, whose last feature Amal opened the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (Idfa) in 2017, will present his first fiction feature project, Blood And Honey (Carnaval).
Siam describes it as comedy mixing ingredients from Amal – which followed a young female revolutionary...
- 3/22/2019
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
Nobody Likes Me
The Czech directing duo behind the starkly entertaining 2016 debut I, Olga Hepnarova (read review) have been putting together their sophomore project, Nobody Likes Me. Produced by the directors along with Vojtech Fric of love.Frame, the film co-produced by France’s Guillaume de Seille of Arizona Productions, Sylvia Panakovia of Slovakia’s Arina, and Spoon in Czech Republic. I, Olga Hepnarova, based on the true story of a 22-year-old mass murderer in 1973 Prague, opened the Berlin Panorama in 2016.
Gist: Nobody Likes Me tells the story of Sara, an independent young woman who works as a secretary at an army headquarters in Prague.…...
The Czech directing duo behind the starkly entertaining 2016 debut I, Olga Hepnarova (read review) have been putting together their sophomore project, Nobody Likes Me. Produced by the directors along with Vojtech Fric of love.Frame, the film co-produced by France’s Guillaume de Seille of Arizona Productions, Sylvia Panakovia of Slovakia’s Arina, and Spoon in Czech Republic. I, Olga Hepnarova, based on the true story of a 22-year-old mass murderer in 1973 Prague, opened the Berlin Panorama in 2016.
Gist: Nobody Likes Me tells the story of Sara, an independent young woman who works as a secretary at an army headquarters in Prague.…...
- 1/3/2019
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Santiago, Chile — A leading voice in Chilean auteur cinema, Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner Alejandro Fernández Almendras has stepped way outside the box with his latest feature, “Hra,” a black and white film set in the Czech Republic, which participated at this year’s Santiago International Film Festival (Sanfic) Works in Progress.
The film takes place in the world of a young theater director in a diminutive town in the Czech Republic. With an upcoming performance of a play of his own writing, based on Euripide’s “Fedra,” everything begins to crumble around Petr, played by longtime Czech standout Jiří Mádl, when he gets involved with one of the actresses in the production.
A bad idea under most any circumstances, it’s all the worse since he is married, and has a newborn child at home. After his wife leaves him, Petr reevaluates his life, and desperately strives to earn...
The film takes place in the world of a young theater director in a diminutive town in the Czech Republic. With an upcoming performance of a play of his own writing, based on Euripide’s “Fedra,” everything begins to crumble around Petr, played by longtime Czech standout Jiří Mádl, when he gets involved with one of the actresses in the production.
A bad idea under most any circumstances, it’s all the worse since he is married, and has a newborn child at home. After his wife leaves him, Petr reevaluates his life, and desperately strives to earn...
- 8/26/2018
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Pluto Film boards Siberia-set feature.
Ahead of its premiere in the Horizons Competition at the Venice Film Festival, The Man Who Surprised Everyone has been boarded for world sales by Berlin-based Pluto Film.
Directed by Natasha Merkulova and Aleksey Chupov, the feature follows a fearless state forest guard in Siberia. One day, he finds out he only has two months to live, and decides to make a desperate attempt to trick death by taking the identity of a woman. It stars Evgeniy Tsiganov and Natalya Kudryashowa.
The project was produced by Katia Filipova, from Russia’s Pan Atlantic Studio, alongside...
Ahead of its premiere in the Horizons Competition at the Venice Film Festival, The Man Who Surprised Everyone has been boarded for world sales by Berlin-based Pluto Film.
Directed by Natasha Merkulova and Aleksey Chupov, the feature follows a fearless state forest guard in Siberia. One day, he finds out he only has two months to live, and decides to make a desperate attempt to trick death by taking the identity of a woman. It stars Evgeniy Tsiganov and Natalya Kudryashowa.
The project was produced by Katia Filipova, from Russia’s Pan Atlantic Studio, alongside...
- 8/21/2018
- by Tom Grater
- ScreenDaily
Durban — With the four-day Durban FilmMart building a bridge between African filmmakers and the international market, 16 projects from across the continent arrive in South Africa this week for pitching sessions with potential co-producers, broadcasters, sales agents, investors, and other industry experts from around the world.
“The projects are at various stages of development. We do each year attempt to create a balance between what presents as strong projects, as well as new emerging talents,” said Toni Monty, head of the Durban Film Office, which jointly organizes the Dfm along with the Durban Int’l. Film Festival and the eThekwini Municipality. “This is important to ensure that we not only present filmmakers that have a fairly established profile and need to get their next project out there, but also to tap into the undercurrent and ensure we are bringing new talents into the marketplace.”
Here’s a look at the eight...
“The projects are at various stages of development. We do each year attempt to create a balance between what presents as strong projects, as well as new emerging talents,” said Toni Monty, head of the Durban Film Office, which jointly organizes the Dfm along with the Durban Int’l. Film Festival and the eThekwini Municipality. “This is important to ensure that we not only present filmmakers that have a fairly established profile and need to get their next project out there, but also to tap into the undercurrent and ensure we are bringing new talents into the marketplace.”
Here’s a look at the eight...
- 7/19/2018
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Plzen winnners also announced.
Rainer Sarnet’s dark folklore fairytale November received the €10,000 Golden Lily award for best film at goEast’s closing ceremony in Wiesbaden, Germany on Tuesday (24 April).
The International Jury headed by Golden Bear winner Ildikó Enyedi praised the Estonian filmmaker’s third feature ”for the powerful vision, the true poetry, the free humour” as well as “the courage of the producer [Katrin Kissa] to fight for this vision.”
Produced by Homeless Bob Production, November is handled internationally by the UK-based sales company One Eyed Films.
Meanwhile, the City of Wiesbaden’s Best Director Award went to...
Rainer Sarnet’s dark folklore fairytale November received the €10,000 Golden Lily award for best film at goEast’s closing ceremony in Wiesbaden, Germany on Tuesday (24 April).
The International Jury headed by Golden Bear winner Ildikó Enyedi praised the Estonian filmmaker’s third feature ”for the powerful vision, the true poetry, the free humour” as well as “the courage of the producer [Katrin Kissa] to fight for this vision.”
Produced by Homeless Bob Production, November is handled internationally by the UK-based sales company One Eyed Films.
Meanwhile, the City of Wiesbaden’s Best Director Award went to...
- 4/26/2018
- by Martin Blaney
- ScreenDaily
Israeli title Fig Tree among selection.
The Sarajevo Film Festival (Aug 11-18) has revealed its line-up of Work in Progress titles set to participate at the event’s industry strand CineLink.
The 10 titles include Balkan projects, as well as several from further afield, such as Alamork Davidian’s Fig Tree, which recently won an award at Jerusalem Film Festival’s Pitch Point competition, and Reem Saleh’s Lebanon-Egypt doc What Comes Around.
The projects will be presented to around 40 industry delegates, and a jury consisting of Paolo Bertolin (Venice Film Festival), Paz Lazaro (Berlin International Film Festival), Hedi Zardi (LuxBox), Petra Gobel (The Post Republic) and Serkan Yildirim (Trt) will award three prizes: the Post Republic Award (€50,000 in kind), the CineLink Restart Award (€20,000 in kind), and the Turkish National Radio Television Award (€30,000 in cash).
Sarajevo’s head of industry Jovan Marjanovic commented: “The CineLink Work in Progress strand has proved to be incredibly effective for both the...
The Sarajevo Film Festival (Aug 11-18) has revealed its line-up of Work in Progress titles set to participate at the event’s industry strand CineLink.
The 10 titles include Balkan projects, as well as several from further afield, such as Alamork Davidian’s Fig Tree, which recently won an award at Jerusalem Film Festival’s Pitch Point competition, and Reem Saleh’s Lebanon-Egypt doc What Comes Around.
The projects will be presented to around 40 industry delegates, and a jury consisting of Paolo Bertolin (Venice Film Festival), Paz Lazaro (Berlin International Film Festival), Hedi Zardi (LuxBox), Petra Gobel (The Post Republic) and Serkan Yildirim (Trt) will award three prizes: the Post Republic Award (€50,000 in kind), the CineLink Restart Award (€20,000 in kind), and the Turkish National Radio Television Award (€30,000 in cash).
Sarajevo’s head of industry Jovan Marjanovic commented: “The CineLink Work in Progress strand has proved to be incredibly effective for both the...
- 7/26/2017
- by tom.grater@screendaily.com (Tom Grater)
- ScreenDaily
Summer 1993 and My Happy Family also take home prizes from Ukrainian festival.
Peter Brosen and Jessica Woodworth’s fourth feature King Of The Belgians received the Golden Duke Grand Prix - based on voting by festival-goers - at the eighth Odesa International Film Festival (Oiff, July 14 - 22), which came to a close on Saturday evening.
The International Competition jury, headed up by German director Christian Petzold and including actress Sibel Kekilli and Romanian producer-director-festival organiser Tudor Giurgiu, awarded the prize for best international feature film to Catalan director Carla Simón’s autobiographical film Summer 1993.
Handled internationally by New Europe Film Sales, Simón’s film had its world premiere in the Berlinale’s Generation Kplus sidebar where it won the international jury’s grand prix and the Gwff best first feature award.
Meanwhile, My Happy Family by the directorial duo Nana & Simon continued its successful international festival career by picking up the jury’s awards for best director...
Peter Brosen and Jessica Woodworth’s fourth feature King Of The Belgians received the Golden Duke Grand Prix - based on voting by festival-goers - at the eighth Odesa International Film Festival (Oiff, July 14 - 22), which came to a close on Saturday evening.
The International Competition jury, headed up by German director Christian Petzold and including actress Sibel Kekilli and Romanian producer-director-festival organiser Tudor Giurgiu, awarded the prize for best international feature film to Catalan director Carla Simón’s autobiographical film Summer 1993.
Handled internationally by New Europe Film Sales, Simón’s film had its world premiere in the Berlinale’s Generation Kplus sidebar where it won the international jury’s grand prix and the Gwff best first feature award.
Meanwhile, My Happy Family by the directorial duo Nana & Simon continued its successful international festival career by picking up the jury’s awards for best director...
- 7/24/2017
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
Other winners include Mikhail Red’s Eerie and Bu Wei’s Man Of Sin.
At the 21st Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (Bifan) today, the Network of Asian Fantastic Films (Naff)’s project market wrapped its tenth edition with the top Bucheon Award going to Taneli Mustonen’s Finnish horror film The Twin.
Scroll down for the full list of awards
The Bucheon Award comes with KW15m ($13,400).
Selected to the Nordic Genre Invasion showcase, The Twin follows a family that moves to the Japanese countryside in search of redemption after one of their twins is killed in a car accident.
Mustonen’s horror film Lake Bodom is currently showing in Bifan’s World Fantastic Red section.
Speaking about his project, Mustonen (pictured, top left with producer Aleksi Hyvarinen) said, “We came here and to be honest, I was rather scared to be pitching it to anyone for the first time. We learned...
At the 21st Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (Bifan) today, the Network of Asian Fantastic Films (Naff)’s project market wrapped its tenth edition with the top Bucheon Award going to Taneli Mustonen’s Finnish horror film The Twin.
Scroll down for the full list of awards
The Bucheon Award comes with KW15m ($13,400).
Selected to the Nordic Genre Invasion showcase, The Twin follows a family that moves to the Japanese countryside in search of redemption after one of their twins is killed in a car accident.
Mustonen’s horror film Lake Bodom is currently showing in Bifan’s World Fantastic Red section.
Speaking about his project, Mustonen (pictured, top left with producer Aleksi Hyvarinen) said, “We came here and to be honest, I was rather scared to be pitching it to anyone for the first time. We learned...
- 7/18/2017
- by hjnoh2007@gmail.com (Jean Noh)
- ScreenDaily
All the winners from the event in Cluj.
Nana & Simon’s (Nana Ekvtimishvili and Simon Gross) My Happy Family was the big winner this weekend at the Transilvania International Film Festival (Tiff) in Romania’s Cluj, clinching the $16,822 (€15,000) Transilvania Trophy.
In addition, the film’s lead actress Ia Shugliashvili was presented with the best performance award for her first acting role as a woman giving her life a radical change on her 52nd birthday.
The competition jury, which included producers Andras Muhi and Elizabeth Karlsen and film critic Geoff Andrew, presented the best directing award to Icelandic film-maker Gudmundur Arnar Gudmundsson for his debut Heartstone which was also voted by the festival-goers as the winner of this year’s Audience Award.
The jury gave its special jury award to UK film-maker Francis Lee’s debut God’s Own Country (pictured) and made a special mention of Glory, the second feature by the Bulgarian co-directing team of [link...
Nana & Simon’s (Nana Ekvtimishvili and Simon Gross) My Happy Family was the big winner this weekend at the Transilvania International Film Festival (Tiff) in Romania’s Cluj, clinching the $16,822 (€15,000) Transilvania Trophy.
In addition, the film’s lead actress Ia Shugliashvili was presented with the best performance award for her first acting role as a woman giving her life a radical change on her 52nd birthday.
The competition jury, which included producers Andras Muhi and Elizabeth Karlsen and film critic Geoff Andrew, presented the best directing award to Icelandic film-maker Gudmundur Arnar Gudmundsson for his debut Heartstone which was also voted by the festival-goers as the winner of this year’s Audience Award.
The jury gave its special jury award to UK film-maker Francis Lee’s debut God’s Own Country (pictured) and made a special mention of Glory, the second feature by the Bulgarian co-directing team of [link...
- 6/12/2017
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
All the winners from the event in Cluj.
Nana & Simon’s (Nana Ekvtimishvili and Simon Gross) My Happy Family was the big winner this weekend at the Transilvania International Film Festival (Tiff) in Romania’s Cluj, clinching the $16,822 (€15,000) Transilvania Trophy.
In addition, the film’s lead actress Ia Shugliashvili was presented with the best performance award for her first acting role as a woman giving her life a radical change on her 52nd birthday.
The competition jury, which included producers Andras Muhi and Elizabeth Karlsen and film critic Geoff Andrew, presented the best directing award to Icelandic film-maker Gudmundur Arnar Gudmundsson for his debut Heartstone which was also voted by the festival-goers as the winner of this year’s Audience Award.
The jury gave its special jury award to UK film-maker Francis Lee’s debut God’s Own Country and made a special mention of Glory, the second feature by the Bulgarian co-directing team of Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov...
Nana & Simon’s (Nana Ekvtimishvili and Simon Gross) My Happy Family was the big winner this weekend at the Transilvania International Film Festival (Tiff) in Romania’s Cluj, clinching the $16,822 (€15,000) Transilvania Trophy.
In addition, the film’s lead actress Ia Shugliashvili was presented with the best performance award for her first acting role as a woman giving her life a radical change on her 52nd birthday.
The competition jury, which included producers Andras Muhi and Elizabeth Karlsen and film critic Geoff Andrew, presented the best directing award to Icelandic film-maker Gudmundur Arnar Gudmundsson for his debut Heartstone which was also voted by the festival-goers as the winner of this year’s Audience Award.
The jury gave its special jury award to UK film-maker Francis Lee’s debut God’s Own Country and made a special mention of Glory, the second feature by the Bulgarian co-directing team of Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov...
- 6/12/2017
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
Companies including Xyz, Wild Bunch and Media Asia are set to attend.Scroll down for list of projects
Projects from 13 countries will be presented at this year’s edition of Focus Asia, the co-production market held at Udine Far East Film Festival April 26-28.
More than 100 sales agents and financiers will gather for the event, including representatives of Xyz, Media Asia, M-Line, Showbox, Wild Bunch, Reel Suspects, and M-Appeal.
While last year’s inaugural edition of Focus Asia featured screenings and events built around finished projects, this year’s crop are all in the early stages of development.
The selection was curated from 72 submissions by a committee featuring representatives of the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival and the Nordisk Film & Fond’s Nordic Genre Boost.
The project teams are from countries including Japan, Indonesia, France, Sweden, Italy, Singapore and Laos.
The Udine Far...
Projects from 13 countries will be presented at this year’s edition of Focus Asia, the co-production market held at Udine Far East Film Festival April 26-28.
More than 100 sales agents and financiers will gather for the event, including representatives of Xyz, Media Asia, M-Line, Showbox, Wild Bunch, Reel Suspects, and M-Appeal.
While last year’s inaugural edition of Focus Asia featured screenings and events built around finished projects, this year’s crop are all in the early stages of development.
The selection was curated from 72 submissions by a committee featuring representatives of the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival and the Nordisk Film & Fond’s Nordic Genre Boost.
The project teams are from countries including Japan, Indonesia, France, Sweden, Italy, Singapore and Laos.
The Udine Far...
- 3/30/2017
- by tom.grater@screendaily.com (Tom Grater)
- ScreenDaily
Stormy awards sees Greek Academy blast government.
Argyris Papadimitropoulos’s (Wasted Youth) drama Suntan was the big winner at the Iris Hellenic Film Academy Awards on Tuesday evening (March 21) winning six prizes out of the 11 for which it was nominated including best film and director.
The film, which played in the Rotterdam, Brussels, Edinburgh, SXSW, Odessa and Jeonju festivals, was also awarded best screenplay, best actor for Makis Padimitriou and best supporting actress for Elli Tringou.
The Faliro House, Marni and Oxymoron production is a bitter sweet drama about a middle-aged doctor on a Greek island whose life turns upside down when he gets embroiled with a group of hedonist tourists.
The film is widely tipped to be Greece’s submission in the best foreign language category at next year’s Oscars.
World sales are handled by Us outlet Visit Films. Strand Releasing is the Us distributor.
Also winning awards was Tasos Boulmetis’ coming of age story...
Argyris Papadimitropoulos’s (Wasted Youth) drama Suntan was the big winner at the Iris Hellenic Film Academy Awards on Tuesday evening (March 21) winning six prizes out of the 11 for which it was nominated including best film and director.
The film, which played in the Rotterdam, Brussels, Edinburgh, SXSW, Odessa and Jeonju festivals, was also awarded best screenplay, best actor for Makis Padimitriou and best supporting actress for Elli Tringou.
The Faliro House, Marni and Oxymoron production is a bitter sweet drama about a middle-aged doctor on a Greek island whose life turns upside down when he gets embroiled with a group of hedonist tourists.
The film is widely tipped to be Greece’s submission in the best foreign language category at next year’s Oscars.
World sales are handled by Us outlet Visit Films. Strand Releasing is the Us distributor.
Also winning awards was Tasos Boulmetis’ coming of age story...
- 3/22/2017
- by alexisgrivas@yahoo.com (Alexis Grivas)
- ScreenDaily
Stormy awards sees Greek Academy blast government.
Argyris Papadimitropoulos’s (Wasted Youth) drama Suntan swept the Iris Hellenic Film Academy Awards on Tuesday evening (March 21) winning six prizes out of the 11 for which it was nominated including best film and director.
The film, which played in the Rotterdam, Brussels, Edinburgh, SXSW, Odessa and Jeonju festivals, was also awarded best screenplay, best actor for Makis Padimitriou and best supporting actress for Elli Tringou.
The Faliro House, Marni and Oxymoron production is a bitter sweet drama about a middle-aged doctor on a Greek island whose life turns upside down when he gets embroiled with a group of hedonist tourists.
The film is widely tipped to be Greece’s submission in the best foreign language category at next year’s Oscars.
World sales are handled by Us outlet Visit Films. Strand Releasing is the Us distributor.
Also winning awards was Tasos Boulmetis’ coming of age story Mythopathy, which won three...
Argyris Papadimitropoulos’s (Wasted Youth) drama Suntan swept the Iris Hellenic Film Academy Awards on Tuesday evening (March 21) winning six prizes out of the 11 for which it was nominated including best film and director.
The film, which played in the Rotterdam, Brussels, Edinburgh, SXSW, Odessa and Jeonju festivals, was also awarded best screenplay, best actor for Makis Padimitriou and best supporting actress for Elli Tringou.
The Faliro House, Marni and Oxymoron production is a bitter sweet drama about a middle-aged doctor on a Greek island whose life turns upside down when he gets embroiled with a group of hedonist tourists.
The film is widely tipped to be Greece’s submission in the best foreign language category at next year’s Oscars.
World sales are handled by Us outlet Visit Films. Strand Releasing is the Us distributor.
Also winning awards was Tasos Boulmetis’ coming of age story Mythopathy, which won three...
- 3/22/2017
- by alexisgrivas@yahoo.com (Alexis Grivas)
- ScreenDaily
The winners of the 2017 Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum have been announced.
Tommy Tom Chung-sing’s Impossible Split was presented with the Haf Award for a Hong Kong project at the close of this year’s Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf, March 13-15).
NARAtive Film 2017-2018, to be directed by Iranian filmmaker Ida Panahandeh and produced by Japan’s Naomi Kawase, won the Haf Award for a non-Hong Kong project. Both awards come with a cash prize of $19,000 (Hk$150,000).
Impossible Split, produced by Hong Kong director Adam Wong (The Way We Dance), is based on the true story of Hong Kong bowling athlete Wu Siu-hong, who was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 30. Panahandeh’s project is a contemporary Shakespeare adaptation with a female character in a main role.
The iQiyi award, presented by the Beijing-based streaming platform, went to Yang Long’s The Patient, produced by Zhou...
Tommy Tom Chung-sing’s Impossible Split was presented with the Haf Award for a Hong Kong project at the close of this year’s Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf, March 13-15).
NARAtive Film 2017-2018, to be directed by Iranian filmmaker Ida Panahandeh and produced by Japan’s Naomi Kawase, won the Haf Award for a non-Hong Kong project. Both awards come with a cash prize of $19,000 (Hk$150,000).
Impossible Split, produced by Hong Kong director Adam Wong (The Way We Dance), is based on the true story of Hong Kong bowling athlete Wu Siu-hong, who was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 30. Panahandeh’s project is a contemporary Shakespeare adaptation with a female character in a main role.
The iQiyi award, presented by the Beijing-based streaming platform, went to Yang Long’s The Patient, produced by Zhou...
- 3/16/2017
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
The winners of the 2017 Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum have been announced.
Tommy Tom Chung-sing’s Impossible Split was presented with the Haf Award for a Hong Kong project at the close of this year’s Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf, March 13-15).
NARAtive Film 2017-2018, to be directed by Iranian filmmaker Ida Panahandeh and produced by Japan’s Naomi Kawase, won the Haf Award for a non-Hong Kong project. Both awards come with a cash prize of $19,000 (Hk$150,000).
Impossible Split, produced by Hong Kong director Adam Wong (The Way We Dance), is based on the true story of Hong Kong bowling athlete Wu Siu-hong, who was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 30. Panahandeh’s project is a contemporary Shakespeare adaptation with a female character in a main role.
The iQiyi award, presented by the Beijing-based streaming platform, went to Yang Long’s The Patient, produced by Zhou...
Tommy Tom Chung-sing’s Impossible Split was presented with the Haf Award for a Hong Kong project at the close of this year’s Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf, March 13-15).
NARAtive Film 2017-2018, to be directed by Iranian filmmaker Ida Panahandeh and produced by Japan’s Naomi Kawase, won the Haf Award for a non-Hong Kong project. Both awards come with a cash prize of $19,000 (Hk$150,000).
Impossible Split, produced by Hong Kong director Adam Wong (The Way We Dance), is based on the true story of Hong Kong bowling athlete Wu Siu-hong, who was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 30. Panahandeh’s project is a contemporary Shakespeare adaptation with a female character in a main role.
The iQiyi award, presented by the Beijing-based streaming platform, went to Yang Long’s The Patient, produced by Zhou...
- 3/16/2017
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
Victors on the night included Russian-French co-pro Jumpman and UK ghost story Martyrs’ Lane.
The 2017 edition of CineMart, the industry arm of the International Film Festival Rotterdam (Iffr), crowned its winners tonight (Feb 1) at a ceremony held at primary festival venue De Doelen.
A total of 26 projects from 24 countries participated in the 34rd edition of the long-running co-production market. Four prizes were handed out on the night.
The CineMart jury was comprised of Uldis Dimiševskis, head of production and development at National Film Centre of Latvia, producer Annamaria Lodato and Anton Scholten, co-founder of leading Dutch post-production and VFX house Filmmore.
The Eurimages Co-Production Development Award, worth €20,000, went to Jumpman, a Russia-France co-pro from writer-director Ivan I. Tverdovsky, his third feature following 2016 Karlovy Vary jury prize-winning Zoology and Corrections Class in 2014. Mila Rozanova of Moscow’s New People Film Company is producing the project, which also has Guillaume de Seille of Paris-based Arizona Productions as a co-producer...
The 2017 edition of CineMart, the industry arm of the International Film Festival Rotterdam (Iffr), crowned its winners tonight (Feb 1) at a ceremony held at primary festival venue De Doelen.
A total of 26 projects from 24 countries participated in the 34rd edition of the long-running co-production market. Four prizes were handed out on the night.
The CineMart jury was comprised of Uldis Dimiševskis, head of production and development at National Film Centre of Latvia, producer Annamaria Lodato and Anton Scholten, co-founder of leading Dutch post-production and VFX house Filmmore.
The Eurimages Co-Production Development Award, worth €20,000, went to Jumpman, a Russia-France co-pro from writer-director Ivan I. Tverdovsky, his third feature following 2016 Karlovy Vary jury prize-winning Zoology and Corrections Class in 2014. Mila Rozanova of Moscow’s New People Film Company is producing the project, which also has Guillaume de Seille of Paris-based Arizona Productions as a co-producer...
- 2/1/2017
- by tom.grater@screendaily.com (Tom Grater)
- ScreenDaily
This year’s event features an unprecedented increase in women directors and a new work-in-progress lab.
The Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (Mar 13-15), which has its 15th edition this year, has revealed its lineup of 25 projects.
Unprecedentedly, nearly half of the projects are from female directors, about a third are by first-time directors and two rarely seen genres at Haf are included - science fiction and gothic thriller.
As with previous editions, Hong Kong has a strong presence with five projects, including Derek Chiu’s No.1 Chung Ying Street, a drama about the 1967 riots in Hong Kong; Sobel Chan’s The Goddess, a tribute to classic 1930s Chinese films; new director Sunny Chan’s Man On The Dragon, a comedy-drama about five middle-aged men who take part in a dragon boat competition; new director Tom Chung-sing’s Impossible Split, about a bowling athlete who becomes a world champion despite a fatal disease, produced by She...
The Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (Mar 13-15), which has its 15th edition this year, has revealed its lineup of 25 projects.
Unprecedentedly, nearly half of the projects are from female directors, about a third are by first-time directors and two rarely seen genres at Haf are included - science fiction and gothic thriller.
As with previous editions, Hong Kong has a strong presence with five projects, including Derek Chiu’s No.1 Chung Ying Street, a drama about the 1967 riots in Hong Kong; Sobel Chan’s The Goddess, a tribute to classic 1930s Chinese films; new director Sunny Chan’s Man On The Dragon, a comedy-drama about five middle-aged men who take part in a dragon boat competition; new director Tom Chung-sing’s Impossible Split, about a bowling athlete who becomes a world champion despite a fatal disease, produced by She...
- 1/18/2017
- by screenasia@yahoo.com (Silvia Wong)
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Off-beat, buddy road movie, which world premiered at Dubai in December, due to screen at Unifrance Rendez-vous in Paris.
Paris-based Loco Films has taken on world sales of Egyptian filmmaker Sherif El Bendary’s debut feature Ali, The Goat, And Ibrahim about a young man who sets off on a journey of self-discovery across Egypt in the company of his beloved pet goat Nada.
Ali Sobhy plays the titular Ali opposite Ahmed Magdy as tormented sound engineer and travelling companion Ibrahim, who joins the Egyptian odyssey.
“We fell in love with the film. It’s very humorous with a strong premise: a man who is deeply in love with his goat who sets off on a colourful journey across Egypt,” said Loco Films founding chief Laurent Danielou.
“They cast 2,000 goats for the role!” he added. “It’s a feel-good movie, which is original, exotic, funny and slightly crazy – in perfect sync with Loco.”
The deal covers...
Paris-based Loco Films has taken on world sales of Egyptian filmmaker Sherif El Bendary’s debut feature Ali, The Goat, And Ibrahim about a young man who sets off on a journey of self-discovery across Egypt in the company of his beloved pet goat Nada.
Ali Sobhy plays the titular Ali opposite Ahmed Magdy as tormented sound engineer and travelling companion Ibrahim, who joins the Egyptian odyssey.
“We fell in love with the film. It’s very humorous with a strong premise: a man who is deeply in love with his goat who sets off on a colourful journey across Egypt,” said Loco Films founding chief Laurent Danielou.
“They cast 2,000 goats for the role!” he added. “It’s a feel-good movie, which is original, exotic, funny and slightly crazy – in perfect sync with Loco.”
The deal covers...
- 1/12/2017
- ScreenDaily
New Horizons Studio 2016
Organized within the framework of the 16th T-Mobile New Horizons International Film Festival, the 7th edition of the New Horizons Studio took place from 24 to 26 July in Wrocław, the 2016 European Capital of Culture.
The most important training program of the T-Mobile New Horizons International Film Festival has two objectives: to teach, during three days, young European directors and producers about the workings of the international film market, particularly production, promotion and distribution, and to raise awareness of the importance of the pitch in the film pre-production process. In relation to the latter, it offers, as a matter of fact, training in pitching to twenty-four participants from ten countries all over Europe.
Apart from the aforementioned intense three-day teachings and lectures on production, promotion and distribution of a film, the participants also had the opportunity to take part in team-to-expert sessions about the pitch itself during which they discussed,...
Organized within the framework of the 16th T-Mobile New Horizons International Film Festival, the 7th edition of the New Horizons Studio took place from 24 to 26 July in Wrocław, the 2016 European Capital of Culture.
The most important training program of the T-Mobile New Horizons International Film Festival has two objectives: to teach, during three days, young European directors and producers about the workings of the international film market, particularly production, promotion and distribution, and to raise awareness of the importance of the pitch in the film pre-production process. In relation to the latter, it offers, as a matter of fact, training in pitching to twenty-four participants from ten countries all over Europe.
Apart from the aforementioned intense three-day teachings and lectures on production, promotion and distribution of a film, the participants also had the opportunity to take part in team-to-expert sessions about the pitch itself during which they discussed,...
- 8/31/2016
- by Tara Karajica
- Sydney's Buzz
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: Ukraine film industry set to receive fivefold cash injection and first rebate scheme.
Ukraine’s new Cinema Law could see a massive cash injection for the State Film Agency and the introduction of a cash rebate scheme from 2017.
Speaking at the fifth edition of the Odessa International Film Festival’s Film Industry Office this week, Philip Illienko, head of the Ukrainian State Film Agency, explained that the Cinema Law had already passed its first reading in the national parliament and is expected to be finally adopted in a second reading this autumn.
¨The provisions [of the new Law] will be revolutionary for our industry and we will say goodbye to many Soviet elements which have still existed [in the flm funding legislation],¨ Illienko said.
According to the draft law going through parliament, the Film Agency would expect to receive financial support equal to 0.2% of Ukraine’s state budget from 2017, which would be equivalent to $55.2m (€50m), a substantial increase on the Film Agency’s current...
Ukraine’s new Cinema Law could see a massive cash injection for the State Film Agency and the introduction of a cash rebate scheme from 2017.
Speaking at the fifth edition of the Odessa International Film Festival’s Film Industry Office this week, Philip Illienko, head of the Ukrainian State Film Agency, explained that the Cinema Law had already passed its first reading in the national parliament and is expected to be finally adopted in a second reading this autumn.
¨The provisions [of the new Law] will be revolutionary for our industry and we will say goodbye to many Soviet elements which have still existed [in the flm funding legislation],¨ Illienko said.
According to the draft law going through parliament, the Film Agency would expect to receive financial support equal to 0.2% of Ukraine’s state budget from 2017, which would be equivalent to $55.2m (€50m), a substantial increase on the Film Agency’s current...
- 7/22/2016
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
Amazon Studios’ Ted Hope to reveal “vision for film”; works in progress winner to receive new award worth more than $100,000.
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (July 1-9) has announced its industry programme and the projects selected for its works in progress and Eurimages Lab Project awards.
The line-up includes an in conversation event with Ted Hope, head of motion picture production at Amazon Studios, who will offer his future vision for film.
The festival will also host mark 20 years since the death of Czech filmmaker František (Frank) Daniel with a workshop, where Daniel’s teaching methods will be presented by analysing the film Some Like It Hot.
Other events will provide insight into the Czech Republic’s production benefits; panels on approaches to film education in Europe; and the 10th annual conference of Europa Distribution.
In addition, the European Parliament will unveil the 10 films nominated for the 10th Lux Film Prize; the Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program...
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (July 1-9) has announced its industry programme and the projects selected for its works in progress and Eurimages Lab Project awards.
The line-up includes an in conversation event with Ted Hope, head of motion picture production at Amazon Studios, who will offer his future vision for film.
The festival will also host mark 20 years since the death of Czech filmmaker František (Frank) Daniel with a workshop, where Daniel’s teaching methods will be presented by analysing the film Some Like It Hot.
Other events will provide insight into the Czech Republic’s production benefits; panels on approaches to film education in Europe; and the 10th annual conference of Europa Distribution.
In addition, the European Parliament will unveil the 10 films nominated for the 10th Lux Film Prize; the Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program...
- 6/21/2016
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
New partner organisations from Egypt, Nepal and SingaporeScroll down for full list
International Film Festival Rotterdam (Iffr) has selected 61 emerging film producers from 26 countries to the 16th edition of Rotterdam Lab.
Rotterdam Lab is organised by Iffr’s co-production market, CineMart, in collaboration with various partner organisations involved in the training of young producers, as well as funding bodies.
Rotterdam Lab is a five-day training workshop for emerging producers designed to provide the means to create and expand their international network and boost their confidence and skills to navigate the world of international finance, sales and distribution and markets.
Another aim of Rotterdam Lab is to support its participants setting up or adapting their companies within the quickly changing media landscape. The participants are nominated by the 29 CineMart partners. This year, Rotterdam Lab welcomes Arab Cinema Center (Egypt), Docskool (Nepal) and Singapore Film Commission as new partners.
The Rotterdam Lab programme includes panel discussions on topics such as...
International Film Festival Rotterdam (Iffr) has selected 61 emerging film producers from 26 countries to the 16th edition of Rotterdam Lab.
Rotterdam Lab is organised by Iffr’s co-production market, CineMart, in collaboration with various partner organisations involved in the training of young producers, as well as funding bodies.
Rotterdam Lab is a five-day training workshop for emerging producers designed to provide the means to create and expand their international network and boost their confidence and skills to navigate the world of international finance, sales and distribution and markets.
Another aim of Rotterdam Lab is to support its participants setting up or adapting their companies within the quickly changing media landscape. The participants are nominated by the 29 CineMart partners. This year, Rotterdam Lab welcomes Arab Cinema Center (Egypt), Docskool (Nepal) and Singapore Film Commission as new partners.
The Rotterdam Lab programme includes panel discussions on topics such as...
- 1/30/2016
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Details revealed of 10 upcoming European features seeking distribution and sales agents.Scroll down for project details
Les Arcs European Film Festival (Dec 12-19) hosted its fifth annual Work in Progress event on Monday (Dec 14), offering industry a first look at 10 forthcoming features and documentaries from across Europe – eight of which are directed by female film-makers.
Hosted by the festival’s artistic director, Frederic Boyer, directors and producers seeking sales agents and distribution introduced short clips of their films before discussing the productions, 2,000m up at the French ski resort.
A jury comprising Karlovy Vary artistic director Karel Och, Locarno artistic director Carlo Chatrain and Haugesund managing director Gyda Velvin Myklebust chose Elina Psykou’s Son Of Sofia as the winner of the Digimage prize, worth €4,000 in services from post-production lab Monal Group [more here].
At the end of the event, Eurimages took the opportunity to announce that Les Arcs was one of four festivals selected for its new Lab...
Les Arcs European Film Festival (Dec 12-19) hosted its fifth annual Work in Progress event on Monday (Dec 14), offering industry a first look at 10 forthcoming features and documentaries from across Europe – eight of which are directed by female film-makers.
Hosted by the festival’s artistic director, Frederic Boyer, directors and producers seeking sales agents and distribution introduced short clips of their films before discussing the productions, 2,000m up at the French ski resort.
A jury comprising Karlovy Vary artistic director Karel Och, Locarno artistic director Carlo Chatrain and Haugesund managing director Gyda Velvin Myklebust chose Elina Psykou’s Son Of Sofia as the winner of the Digimage prize, worth €4,000 in services from post-production lab Monal Group [more here].
At the end of the event, Eurimages took the opportunity to announce that Les Arcs was one of four festivals selected for its new Lab...
- 12/14/2015
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Stephen Page.s innovative debut Spear is one of five nominees for the Unesco award in the 9th Asia Pacific Screen Awards. Adapted from Page.s original work, Spear tells a contemporary Aboriginal story through movement and dance as it follows young Aboriginal man Djali as he journeys through his community to understand what it means to be a man with ancient traditions in a modern world.
The producer is John Harvey, co-produced with Page.s Bangarra Dance Theatre and supported by he Adelaide Film Festival.s Hive Fund. The film had its world premiere in the discovery program at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Determined by the Apsa international jury, the Unesco award recognises outstanding contribution to the promotion and preservation of the cultural diversity through the medium of film.
In previous years the prize-winner was selected from all Apsa-nominated films. For the first time this year, five films...
The producer is John Harvey, co-produced with Page.s Bangarra Dance Theatre and supported by he Adelaide Film Festival.s Hive Fund. The film had its world premiere in the discovery program at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Determined by the Apsa international jury, the Unesco award recognises outstanding contribution to the promotion and preservation of the cultural diversity through the medium of film.
In previous years the prize-winner was selected from all Apsa-nominated films. For the first time this year, five films...
- 10/5/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Biff co-founder and honorary director Kim Dong-ho has been appointed as president of the international jury for this year’s Asia Pacific Screen Awards (Apsa).
Kim will be joined on the jury by award-winning Bangladeshi filmmaker Mostofa Sarwar Farooki; director/writer/curator and Beijing Film Academy Professor, Zhang Xianmin; Malaysian writer-director U-Wei Bin Hajisaari; Russian writer-director Alexei Popogrebsky; and Iranian actress Negar Javaherian.
Attending a joint Apsa, Unesco, Mpa reception in Busan, Kim announced the nominations for the Apsa Unesco Award, presented annually for outstanding contribution to the promotion and preservation of cultural diversity through the medium of film.
In previous years, all Apsa-nominated films were eligible for the award, while this year a shortlist of five films has been nominated.
The five nominated films are:
Miaoyan Zhang for A Corner Of Heaven (China, France) – produced by Miaoyan Zhang, Guillaume de Seille.
Ella Manzheeva for The Gulls (Russia) – produced by Elena Glikman, Yaroslav Zhivov...
Kim will be joined on the jury by award-winning Bangladeshi filmmaker Mostofa Sarwar Farooki; director/writer/curator and Beijing Film Academy Professor, Zhang Xianmin; Malaysian writer-director U-Wei Bin Hajisaari; Russian writer-director Alexei Popogrebsky; and Iranian actress Negar Javaherian.
Attending a joint Apsa, Unesco, Mpa reception in Busan, Kim announced the nominations for the Apsa Unesco Award, presented annually for outstanding contribution to the promotion and preservation of cultural diversity through the medium of film.
In previous years, all Apsa-nominated films were eligible for the award, while this year a shortlist of five films has been nominated.
The five nominated films are:
Miaoyan Zhang for A Corner Of Heaven (China, France) – produced by Miaoyan Zhang, Guillaume de Seille.
Ella Manzheeva for The Gulls (Russia) – produced by Elena Glikman, Yaroslav Zhivov...
- 10/4/2015
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
The Asia Pacific Screen Awards today announced the nominees in the youth, animation and documentary feature film categories for the 9th annual awards.
Also announced was the international jury who will determine the winners in these three categories before the November 26 ceremony at Brisbane.s City Hall.
The Australian contenders are Deane Taylor's Blinky Bill: The Movie and Molly Reynold's feature documentary Another Country,. in which David Gulpili. attempts to make sense of the contradictions of the modern Aboriginal experience. The nominees for best youth feature are Mina Walking (Afghanistan, Canada), Set Me Free (Geo-in, Republic of Korea), A Corner of Heaven (Tiantang jiaoluo, People.s Republic of China, France), Mustang (Turkey, Qatar, France, Germany), and River (Gtsngbo, People.s Republic of China), a recipient of the Apsa Academy Children.s Film Fund, written and directed by Apsa Academy member Songtaijia. Vying for best documentary feature are The Look of Silence (Indonesia,...
Also announced was the international jury who will determine the winners in these three categories before the November 26 ceremony at Brisbane.s City Hall.
The Australian contenders are Deane Taylor's Blinky Bill: The Movie and Molly Reynold's feature documentary Another Country,. in which David Gulpili. attempts to make sense of the contradictions of the modern Aboriginal experience. The nominees for best youth feature are Mina Walking (Afghanistan, Canada), Set Me Free (Geo-in, Republic of Korea), A Corner of Heaven (Tiantang jiaoluo, People.s Republic of China, France), Mustang (Turkey, Qatar, France, Germany), and River (Gtsngbo, People.s Republic of China), a recipient of the Apsa Academy Children.s Film Fund, written and directed by Apsa Academy member Songtaijia. Vying for best documentary feature are The Look of Silence (Indonesia,...
- 9/29/2015
- by Staff writer
- IF.com.au
The sixth edition of the New Horizons Studio kicked off on 26 July 2015 within the framework of the 15th T-Mobile New Horizons International Film Festival in Wrocław, Poland.
During the event, young directors and producers from Europe learned about the mechanisms of the international film market, the accent being especially put on production, promotion and distribution. During two days, and in small groups, they discussed their projects and career plans with experts and were also trained to pitch their projects. In that regard, the aim of the New Horizons Studio is to raise awareness of the pitch in a film pre-production process and it offered training in pitching to 24 participants from all over Europe. According to Joanna Łapińska, the head of the New Horizons Studio and the artistic director of the T-Mobile New Horizons International Film Festival, the program wants to show the participants that “while the international film business may seem inaccessible and closed, it’s actually waiting for [them] with numerous opportunities”.
The selected participants were Emilie Aussel (France), Marta Bacewicz, Ana Brzezińska, Ben Brand (Holland), Kacper Czubak, Marcin Dudziak, Marija Fridinovaite (Romania), Marcin Filipowicz, Jasiek Gorący, Marta Habior, Cristi Iftime (Romania), Grzegorz Jaroszuk, Karolina Kołtun, Michał Korynek, Michal Kráčmer (Czech Rep.), Justyna Mytnik, Magdalena Puzmujźniak, Margarida Rego (Portugal), Beata Rzeźniczek, Wojtek Stuchlik, Michał Szcześniak, Giedrius Tamosevicius (Lithuanina), Fritz Urschitz (Austria) and Vladilen Vierny (France).
The best pitch was awarded with a package offered by the London Film Academy and postproduction services from CeTa, an audiovisual technology center based in Wrocław. This year, the team made up of Wojtek Stuchlik, Beata Rzeźniczek and Ben Brand won the pitching competition.
The following speakers shared their know-how with the New Horizons Studio participants: David Pope and Gavin Humphries of the London Film Academy, James Mullighan of the Cork Film Festival, producers Raymond Phathanavirangoon and Guillaume de Seille, the distribution consultant Beatrice Naumann, Katarzyna Karwan of Premium Films, and, last but not least Ewa Puszczyńska, the producer of the Academy Award winning film Ida. From the point of view of the co-founder and joint principal of the London Film Academy and founder of Lfa productions, Anna MacDonald, these industry professionals “are among the best in their fields.”
James Mullighan, one of the aforementioned participating experts stated that the New Horizons Studio “is one of the best organized and most potent film talent development events [he has] ever come across.” According to him, it “ brings together the most important new voices in Poland and beyond, and provides them with a safe place to develop their projects, and then show them to the global industry .”
Moreover, the program included an insightful masterclass by Magnus von Horn and Mariusz Włodarski, the director-producer team of "The Here After," the Polish-Swedish coproduction that premiered in Cannes’s Directors’ Fortnight earlier this year and was screened at the festival. The masterclass was the highlight of the event. Magnus von Horn was born in Sweden and graduated from the Polish National Film School in Łódź. He described "The Here After’s" genesis and how his debut film got selected in Cannes while Mariusz Włodarski shared his experience of working on the project, his role as a producer in the film’s success and the marketing strategy he has planned for it. In fact, "The Here After" is a fruit of the friendship between Magnus and Mariusz who started working together during their studies, getting to know each other and each other’s working methods.
Over the past five years, these workshops have already trained more than 100 graduates from Poland and abroad. Thanks to the involvement of the national cultural institutes this year’s list of participants included - besides 16 Polish filmmakers - 9 people from Austria, Czech Republic, Holland, France, Lithuania, Portugal and Romania. This training program was organized by the New Horizons Association, the London Film Academy and the Creative Europe Desk Poland with the support of the Lithuanian Film Center, the Cinessonne Festival in Paris, the Czech Center, the Embassy of the Netherlands, the Instituto Camoes, the Romanian Cultural Institute and the Austrian Cultural Forum in Warsaw. In Łapińska’s opinion, this group “ has worked together for several years” and is, in her view, “a fantastic force backing the New Horizons Studio”.
During the event, young directors and producers from Europe learned about the mechanisms of the international film market, the accent being especially put on production, promotion and distribution. During two days, and in small groups, they discussed their projects and career plans with experts and were also trained to pitch their projects. In that regard, the aim of the New Horizons Studio is to raise awareness of the pitch in a film pre-production process and it offered training in pitching to 24 participants from all over Europe. According to Joanna Łapińska, the head of the New Horizons Studio and the artistic director of the T-Mobile New Horizons International Film Festival, the program wants to show the participants that “while the international film business may seem inaccessible and closed, it’s actually waiting for [them] with numerous opportunities”.
The selected participants were Emilie Aussel (France), Marta Bacewicz, Ana Brzezińska, Ben Brand (Holland), Kacper Czubak, Marcin Dudziak, Marija Fridinovaite (Romania), Marcin Filipowicz, Jasiek Gorący, Marta Habior, Cristi Iftime (Romania), Grzegorz Jaroszuk, Karolina Kołtun, Michał Korynek, Michal Kráčmer (Czech Rep.), Justyna Mytnik, Magdalena Puzmujźniak, Margarida Rego (Portugal), Beata Rzeźniczek, Wojtek Stuchlik, Michał Szcześniak, Giedrius Tamosevicius (Lithuanina), Fritz Urschitz (Austria) and Vladilen Vierny (France).
The best pitch was awarded with a package offered by the London Film Academy and postproduction services from CeTa, an audiovisual technology center based in Wrocław. This year, the team made up of Wojtek Stuchlik, Beata Rzeźniczek and Ben Brand won the pitching competition.
The following speakers shared their know-how with the New Horizons Studio participants: David Pope and Gavin Humphries of the London Film Academy, James Mullighan of the Cork Film Festival, producers Raymond Phathanavirangoon and Guillaume de Seille, the distribution consultant Beatrice Naumann, Katarzyna Karwan of Premium Films, and, last but not least Ewa Puszczyńska, the producer of the Academy Award winning film Ida. From the point of view of the co-founder and joint principal of the London Film Academy and founder of Lfa productions, Anna MacDonald, these industry professionals “are among the best in their fields.”
James Mullighan, one of the aforementioned participating experts stated that the New Horizons Studio “is one of the best organized and most potent film talent development events [he has] ever come across.” According to him, it “ brings together the most important new voices in Poland and beyond, and provides them with a safe place to develop their projects, and then show them to the global industry .”
Moreover, the program included an insightful masterclass by Magnus von Horn and Mariusz Włodarski, the director-producer team of "The Here After," the Polish-Swedish coproduction that premiered in Cannes’s Directors’ Fortnight earlier this year and was screened at the festival. The masterclass was the highlight of the event. Magnus von Horn was born in Sweden and graduated from the Polish National Film School in Łódź. He described "The Here After’s" genesis and how his debut film got selected in Cannes while Mariusz Włodarski shared his experience of working on the project, his role as a producer in the film’s success and the marketing strategy he has planned for it. In fact, "The Here After" is a fruit of the friendship between Magnus and Mariusz who started working together during their studies, getting to know each other and each other’s working methods.
Over the past five years, these workshops have already trained more than 100 graduates from Poland and abroad. Thanks to the involvement of the national cultural institutes this year’s list of participants included - besides 16 Polish filmmakers - 9 people from Austria, Czech Republic, Holland, France, Lithuania, Portugal and Romania. This training program was organized by the New Horizons Association, the London Film Academy and the Creative Europe Desk Poland with the support of the Lithuanian Film Center, the Cinessonne Festival in Paris, the Czech Center, the Embassy of the Netherlands, the Instituto Camoes, the Romanian Cultural Institute and the Austrian Cultural Forum in Warsaw. In Łapińska’s opinion, this group “ has worked together for several years” and is, in her view, “a fantastic force backing the New Horizons Studio”.
- 8/14/2015
- by Tara Karajica
- Sydney's Buzz
Titles include London Stories from Hana Makhmalbaf [pictured].Scroll down for full selection
Busan’s Asian Project Market (Apm) has announced this year’s line-up to include Hana Makhmalbaf’s London Stories and Yu Lik Wai’s A Mean To An End.
In its 18th year, the co-production market will showcase 30 projects from 15 countries including the UK, China, Vietnam and Iraq.
Up to last year, Apm selected a total of 442 projects of which 200 were completed and screened at film festivals around the world.
Organizers noted a rising trend of international co-productions tailored from the pre-production stage, not only between Asian countries but also European and Asian countries.
This year’s line-up also includes up-and-coming directors such as 2014 Cannes Un Certain Regard film Titli director Janu Behl with family comedy Agra, a India-France co-production, and 2014 Rotterdam invitee Siti director Eddie Cahyono with The Wasted Land, a story about an Indonesian peasant who is ready to do anything she can...
Busan’s Asian Project Market (Apm) has announced this year’s line-up to include Hana Makhmalbaf’s London Stories and Yu Lik Wai’s A Mean To An End.
In its 18th year, the co-production market will showcase 30 projects from 15 countries including the UK, China, Vietnam and Iraq.
Up to last year, Apm selected a total of 442 projects of which 200 were completed and screened at film festivals around the world.
Organizers noted a rising trend of international co-productions tailored from the pre-production stage, not only between Asian countries but also European and Asian countries.
This year’s line-up also includes up-and-coming directors such as 2014 Cannes Un Certain Regard film Titli director Janu Behl with family comedy Agra, a India-France co-production, and 2014 Rotterdam invitee Siti director Eddie Cahyono with The Wasted Land, a story about an Indonesian peasant who is ready to do anything she can...
- 8/3/2015
- by hjnoh2007@gmail.com (Jean Noh)
- ScreenDaily
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