Swedish director Ruben Östlund, who won Cannes Film Festival’s Palme d’Or for “The Square” and “Triangle of Sadness,” was among the guests at the German Films and Medienboard Reception on May 18 in the garden of the Mondrian Hotel in Cannes.
Östlund, who is in the Riviera resort to promote his latest production, “The Entertainment System Is Down,” was accompanied by Philippe Bober of Coproduction Office, one of the film’s producers, and Erik Hemmendorf of Plattform Produktion, Östlund’s Swedish producer. (They are pictured above.)
German Films, which is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, was represented at the event by managing director Simone Baumann, and Medienboard, which is a film fund for the Berlin-Brandenburg region, was represented by its CEO Kirsten Niehuus. Variety was the media partner for the reception.
Among the other guests attending were Karim Aïnouz, director of “Motel Destino,” which plays in this year’s Competition section at Cannes.
Östlund, who is in the Riviera resort to promote his latest production, “The Entertainment System Is Down,” was accompanied by Philippe Bober of Coproduction Office, one of the film’s producers, and Erik Hemmendorf of Plattform Produktion, Östlund’s Swedish producer. (They are pictured above.)
German Films, which is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, was represented at the event by managing director Simone Baumann, and Medienboard, which is a film fund for the Berlin-Brandenburg region, was represented by its CEO Kirsten Niehuus. Variety was the media partner for the reception.
Among the other guests attending were Karim Aïnouz, director of “Motel Destino,” which plays in this year’s Competition section at Cannes.
- 5/21/2024
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
German Films celebrated its 70th anniversary at Cannes on Sunday, with its guests looking back but also looking forward.
“It has gotten much better,” Managing Director Simone Baumann told Variety at the event.
“We’ve had Oscar-winning ‘All Quiet on the Western Front,’ Oscar-nominated ‘The Teachers’ Lounge’ [for best international feature], films by Wim Wenders and with Sandra Hüller! Sure, Wim showed a Japanese movie and Sandra a French one [‘Perfect Days’ and ‘Anatomy of a Fall’], but it doesn’t matter: It’s more ‘mixed’ these days and I am proud of it, to be honest.”
At Cannes, 14 German productions and co-productions have been selected this year, including Match Factory’s main competition offerings “Motel Destino” by Karim Aïnouz – who also attended the bash – and Miguel Gomes’ “Grand Tour.” Run Way Pictures is behind Mohammad Rasoulof’s anticipated “The Seed of the Sacred Fig.”
As festivals get “more competitive,” underlines Baumann, international collabs are here to stay.
“It has gotten much better,” Managing Director Simone Baumann told Variety at the event.
“We’ve had Oscar-winning ‘All Quiet on the Western Front,’ Oscar-nominated ‘The Teachers’ Lounge’ [for best international feature], films by Wim Wenders and with Sandra Hüller! Sure, Wim showed a Japanese movie and Sandra a French one [‘Perfect Days’ and ‘Anatomy of a Fall’], but it doesn’t matter: It’s more ‘mixed’ these days and I am proud of it, to be honest.”
At Cannes, 14 German productions and co-productions have been selected this year, including Match Factory’s main competition offerings “Motel Destino” by Karim Aïnouz – who also attended the bash – and Miguel Gomes’ “Grand Tour.” Run Way Pictures is behind Mohammad Rasoulof’s anticipated “The Seed of the Sacred Fig.”
As festivals get “more competitive,” underlines Baumann, international collabs are here to stay.
- 5/20/2024
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
After four Oscar wins for “All Quiet on the Western Front” last year and the Oscar nomination for “The Teachers’ Lounge” this year, Germany’s film sector seemed to be on the up, but while a government plan to revamp the country’s film funding system is broadly welcomed, its painfully slow progress is also causing some anxiety.
The fact that Cannes’ various sections contain not one feature by a German filmmaker may be seen as a cause for concern, but 13 German productions and co-productions have been selected. This underscores how Germany’s current funding structures nurture co-productions, which in turn benefits local producers. For example, both Karim Aïnouz’s “Motel Destino” and Miguel Gomes’ “Grand Tour” in the Competition section have Germany’s Match Factory Productions as a co-producer.
The Berlinale was a better showcase for German talent, with Matthias Glasner picking up the screenplay award for “Dying,” and...
The fact that Cannes’ various sections contain not one feature by a German filmmaker may be seen as a cause for concern, but 13 German productions and co-productions have been selected. This underscores how Germany’s current funding structures nurture co-productions, which in turn benefits local producers. For example, both Karim Aïnouz’s “Motel Destino” and Miguel Gomes’ “Grand Tour” in the Competition section have Germany’s Match Factory Productions as a co-producer.
The Berlinale was a better showcase for German talent, with Matthias Glasner picking up the screenplay award for “Dying,” and...
- 5/15/2024
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Ongoing protests in Berlin against the war in Gaza — a conflict triggered by the Hamas attacks on Israel on Oct. 7 — reached former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and attendees of the Berlin Film Festival’s European Film Market this week following concerted efforts by some international cultural workers to boycott and target German cultural institutions.
Clinton, in town for the Feb. 19 World Forum event organized by Cinema for Peace, was met by loud protests, criticizing U.S. support for Israel, as she began speaking on stage. Cinema for Peace organizers dismissed the action, saying: “Seven out of 1,000 guests expressed a different opinion, not a special occurrence to comment on in a democracy with free speech.”
The event followed a Feb. 18 protest at the EFM, where activists laid down on the front steps of the Gropius Bau drenched in mock blood with a sign reading, “Welcome to the Red Carpet.
Clinton, in town for the Feb. 19 World Forum event organized by Cinema for Peace, was met by loud protests, criticizing U.S. support for Israel, as she began speaking on stage. Cinema for Peace organizers dismissed the action, saying: “Seven out of 1,000 guests expressed a different opinion, not a special occurrence to comment on in a democracy with free speech.”
The event followed a Feb. 18 protest at the EFM, where activists laid down on the front steps of the Gropius Bau drenched in mock blood with a sign reading, “Welcome to the Red Carpet.
- 2/24/2024
- by Ed Meza
- Variety Film + TV
European Orgs Could Step Up Ukrainian Biz Support as Filmmakers and Supporters Point to Funding Gaps
European film agencies, festivals and organizations could do more to support Ukrainian filmmakers, the head of Germany’s state film promotion body, German Films, says.
Simone Baumann, managing director of German Films — which supports the promotion of national filmmakers at festivals and events worldwide — says there is a lot of talk at festival panels and industry gatherings of supporting Ukrainians, but little financial backing.
“Festivals, especially the Berlinale, are trying to help by giving the Ukrainians a discount on the European Film Market booth, but there are not many other organisations that are helping them pay their way,” Baumann says.
“It could be better. In Cannes last year, it was the Estonians and German Films that supported the Ukrainian pavilion. Poland has also been helping — many Ukrainian (and Belarusian) filmmaker have got asylum there, and they are trying to help with projects too.”
One example of good practice, she says,...
Simone Baumann, managing director of German Films — which supports the promotion of national filmmakers at festivals and events worldwide — says there is a lot of talk at festival panels and industry gatherings of supporting Ukrainians, but little financial backing.
“Festivals, especially the Berlinale, are trying to help by giving the Ukrainians a discount on the European Film Market booth, but there are not many other organisations that are helping them pay their way,” Baumann says.
“It could be better. In Cannes last year, it was the Estonians and German Films that supported the Ukrainian pavilion. Poland has also been helping — many Ukrainian (and Belarusian) filmmaker have got asylum there, and they are trying to help with projects too.”
One example of good practice, she says,...
- 2/19/2024
- by Nick Holdsworth
- Variety Film + TV
Mubi has acquired a majority stake in Amsterstam and Brussels-based distributor Cineart.
Led by Marc Smit and Stephan De Potter, Cineart focuses on releasing independent films across Benelux. Over the years, it has handled titles such as Slumdog Millionaire, The Artist, Son Of Saul, The Worst Person In The World, The Whale and The Zone Of Interest.
Cineart is the latest European company acquisition by streamer and distributor Mubi. Two years ago, Mubi acquired sales agent and production company The Match Factory and Match Factory Productions.
In a statement, Mubi said that Cineart’s management team will continue to lead...
Led by Marc Smit and Stephan De Potter, Cineart focuses on releasing independent films across Benelux. Over the years, it has handled titles such as Slumdog Millionaire, The Artist, Son Of Saul, The Worst Person In The World, The Whale and The Zone Of Interest.
Cineart is the latest European company acquisition by streamer and distributor Mubi. Two years ago, Mubi acquired sales agent and production company The Match Factory and Match Factory Productions.
In a statement, Mubi said that Cineart’s management team will continue to lead...
- 2/6/2024
- ScreenDaily
Simone Baumann’s contract as managing director of German Films has been extended for another five years, by the promotional body’s supervisory board.
The extension comes as the organization promoting German cinema worldwide celebrates the 70th anniversary of its creation.
“Simone Baumann has successfully managed the fortunes of German Films since 2019, including during the pandemic, with wisdom, foresight and great commitment,” said Chair Philipp Kreuzer.
“Under her leadership, the German Films team has launched and overseen new initiatives, organised successful Oscar campaigns and bolstered the international networking activities,” he added. “ We are delighted that Simone Baumann will be accompanying German Films for another five years to successfully master the upcoming challenges for German cinema abroad.“
Baumann studied Philosophy in the Russian city of Rostov-on Don and then worked as a research assistant at the Humboldt University in Berlin.
She broken into film via documentary at German broadcaster Mdr in Dresden,...
The extension comes as the organization promoting German cinema worldwide celebrates the 70th anniversary of its creation.
“Simone Baumann has successfully managed the fortunes of German Films since 2019, including during the pandemic, with wisdom, foresight and great commitment,” said Chair Philipp Kreuzer.
“Under her leadership, the German Films team has launched and overseen new initiatives, organised successful Oscar campaigns and bolstered the international networking activities,” he added. “ We are delighted that Simone Baumann will be accompanying German Films for another five years to successfully master the upcoming challenges for German cinema abroad.“
Baumann studied Philosophy in the Russian city of Rostov-on Don and then worked as a research assistant at the Humboldt University in Berlin.
She broken into film via documentary at German broadcaster Mdr in Dresden,...
- 2/6/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
German Films has extended the contract of managing director Simone Baumann for another five years.
Baumann has been managing director of the German film promotion agency since 2019.
The contract extension was announced by the supervisory board of the German Films, which is chaired by Philipp Kreuzer.
German Films’ activities include co-operating with international festivals, the staging of festivals of German Films abroad, the promotion of young talent, distribution support and organising the selection procedure for the German entry for the Oscar for Best International Feature Film. It celebrates its 70th anniversary this year.
“Simone Baumann has successfully managed the fortunes...
Baumann has been managing director of the German film promotion agency since 2019.
The contract extension was announced by the supervisory board of the German Films, which is chaired by Philipp Kreuzer.
German Films’ activities include co-operating with international festivals, the staging of festivals of German Films abroad, the promotion of young talent, distribution support and organising the selection procedure for the German entry for the Oscar for Best International Feature Film. It celebrates its 70th anniversary this year.
“Simone Baumann has successfully managed the fortunes...
- 2/6/2024
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: German Films, the agency that promotes German cinema globally, has unveiled the seven participants for the ninth edition of its annual Face to Face campaign, which include talents who have worked on projects ranging from television series such as Deutschland ‘89 and Kafka to feature film Turning Tables.
This year’s edition, which is dubbed Face to Face with German Films – The Filmmakers, will showcase seven filmmakers who have made a lasting impact on the German film industry with their creative and artistic work. The initiative is considered a prominent platform for showcasing German talent to the international film and television worlds.
The participants this year are: actor Jan Bülow; writer and director Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay; actor Banafshe Hourmazdi; writer-director Moritz Müller-Preißer; production designer Mona Cathleen Otterbach; writer-director Eva Trobisch; and writer-director Soleen Yusef.
They are following in the footsteps of such respected filmmakers as internationally renowned stars Sandra Hüller,...
This year’s edition, which is dubbed Face to Face with German Films – The Filmmakers, will showcase seven filmmakers who have made a lasting impact on the German film industry with their creative and artistic work. The initiative is considered a prominent platform for showcasing German talent to the international film and television worlds.
The participants this year are: actor Jan Bülow; writer and director Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay; actor Banafshe Hourmazdi; writer-director Moritz Müller-Preißer; production designer Mona Cathleen Otterbach; writer-director Eva Trobisch; and writer-director Soleen Yusef.
They are following in the footsteps of such respected filmmakers as internationally renowned stars Sandra Hüller,...
- 1/18/2024
- by Diana Lodderhose
- Deadline Film + TV
More than 200 key European film professionals have published an open letter expressing their shock and concern over the unexplained, sudden firing of long-time Flanders Image boss Christian De Schutter.
Producer Mike Goodridge at Good Chaos, International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) co-founder and head of industry Adriek van Nieuwenhuyzen, German Films MD Simone Baumann, Tribeca Artistic Director Frédéric Boyer, Haut et Court Head Of Acquisitions Laure Calliol; Goodfellas Head Of Sales Eva Diederix and Oscar-nominated director Stijn Coninx are among the signatories.
“We the undersigned are professionals in the film industry who are concerned about the termination of employment of our well respected and long-time colleague, Christian De Schutter, from Flanders Image,” they wrote.
They said they had been shocked by both the termination and the manner in which it had been handled by Koen Van Bockstal, CEO of parent body Flanders Audiovisual Fund (Vaf).
“We all learned of De Schutter...
Producer Mike Goodridge at Good Chaos, International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) co-founder and head of industry Adriek van Nieuwenhuyzen, German Films MD Simone Baumann, Tribeca Artistic Director Frédéric Boyer, Haut et Court Head Of Acquisitions Laure Calliol; Goodfellas Head Of Sales Eva Diederix and Oscar-nominated director Stijn Coninx are among the signatories.
“We the undersigned are professionals in the film industry who are concerned about the termination of employment of our well respected and long-time colleague, Christian De Schutter, from Flanders Image,” they wrote.
They said they had been shocked by both the termination and the manner in which it had been handled by Koen Van Bockstal, CEO of parent body Flanders Audiovisual Fund (Vaf).
“We all learned of De Schutter...
- 1/12/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
They claim the Flemish cultural sector will now suffer without De Schutter’s expertise and international contacts.
Over 150 leading figures from the European and international industry have signed an open letter in support of Christian De Schutter, former managing director of Flanders Image, whose sudden removal from his role was announced in a short email sent by Koen Van Bockstal, CEO of Flanders Audiovisual Fund (Vaf), on December 20.
“We’re all flummoxed by the situation and as his longtime colleagues we think we deserve some sort of explanation. We know that many people in Belgium, including your leading filmmakers, are also confused and angered,...
Over 150 leading figures from the European and international industry have signed an open letter in support of Christian De Schutter, former managing director of Flanders Image, whose sudden removal from his role was announced in a short email sent by Koen Van Bockstal, CEO of Flanders Audiovisual Fund (Vaf), on December 20.
“We’re all flummoxed by the situation and as his longtime colleagues we think we deserve some sort of explanation. We know that many people in Belgium, including your leading filmmakers, are also confused and angered,...
- 1/12/2024
- by Geoffrey Macnab
- ScreenDaily
The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival’s Eastern Promises industry strand has unveiled the winners of it’s project showcases, which took place at the fest from July 2-4.
This year’s edition presented 27 film projects that were screened across the festival’s three established programs: Works in Progress, Works in Development – Feature Launch, and First Cut+, competing for awards with a total value of 115,000 Eur.
In the Works in Progress sidebar, the post-production development prize went to filmmaker Klára Tasovská for her feature I Am Not Everything I Want to Be. The pic is produced by Lukáš Kokeš. The award consists of post-production services in Upp and Soundsquare.
Discussing the pic, the jury, featuring Esra Demirkiran, Festival Coordinator, Trt Sinema, Petr Tichý, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Barrandov Studio, Oscar Alonso, Festival Manager, Latido Films, Nadia Ben Rachid, Film Editor, and Agustina Chiarino, Producer, Bocacha Films,...
This year’s edition presented 27 film projects that were screened across the festival’s three established programs: Works in Progress, Works in Development – Feature Launch, and First Cut+, competing for awards with a total value of 115,000 Eur.
In the Works in Progress sidebar, the post-production development prize went to filmmaker Klára Tasovská for her feature I Am Not Everything I Want to Be. The pic is produced by Lukáš Kokeš. The award consists of post-production services in Upp and Soundsquare.
Discussing the pic, the jury, featuring Esra Demirkiran, Festival Coordinator, Trt Sinema, Petr Tichý, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Barrandov Studio, Oscar Alonso, Festival Manager, Latido Films, Nadia Ben Rachid, Film Editor, and Agustina Chiarino, Producer, Bocacha Films,...
- 7/5/2023
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
‘Bikechess,’ a Dark Comedy About Journalism in Kazakhstan, Wins Karlovy Vary Works in Progress Award
Assel Aushakimova’s dark comedy about journalism in Kazakhstan “Bikechess” has won the Karlovy Vary Film Festival’s Works in Progress award, which runs as part of the festival’s industry section, Eastern Promises. The section is focused on feature film projects from Central and Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the former Soviet Union, the Middle East and North Africa.
The Kazakh film follows Dina, who works as a journalist for the national television station. The stories she is asked to report on are becoming increasingly absurd and full of praise for the government. Her love life is limited to a few secret meetings with her married cameraman. Dina looks after her young sister, a lesbian activist, who regularly finds herself in trouble with the authorities.
The jury said: “Pointing out through comedic eyes the absurdity to which the state can go to hide deeper issues, the jury...
The Kazakh film follows Dina, who works as a journalist for the national television station. The stories she is asked to report on are becoming increasingly absurd and full of praise for the government. Her love life is limited to a few secret meetings with her married cameraman. Dina looks after her young sister, a lesbian activist, who regularly finds herself in trouble with the authorities.
The jury said: “Pointing out through comedic eyes the absurdity to which the state can go to hide deeper issues, the jury...
- 7/5/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
The 37 national film institutes that are members of European Film Promotion have elected a new Efp board of directors at the general assembly on May 23 during the Cannes Film Festival. The board consists of seven members, with their term of office lasting for two years.
Five of the current members remain on the board, including Simone Baumann, managing director of German Films, as new vice president, Daniela Elstner, executive director UniFrance, Eda Koppel, head of marketing at Estonian Film Institute, Stine Oppegaard, manager, international relations, feature films, Norwegian Film Institute, and Markéta Santrochová, head of Czech Film Center, who has been re-elected as Efp president.
Newly elected to the board are Christian De Schutter, managing director of Flanders Image, and Rastislav Steranka, director of the National Cinematographic Centre of the Slovak Film Institute.
“As member of such a great European network, I am delighted to serve another term on the...
Five of the current members remain on the board, including Simone Baumann, managing director of German Films, as new vice president, Daniela Elstner, executive director UniFrance, Eda Koppel, head of marketing at Estonian Film Institute, Stine Oppegaard, manager, international relations, feature films, Norwegian Film Institute, and Markéta Santrochová, head of Czech Film Center, who has been re-elected as Efp president.
Newly elected to the board are Christian De Schutter, managing director of Flanders Image, and Rastislav Steranka, director of the National Cinematographic Centre of the Slovak Film Institute.
“As member of such a great European network, I am delighted to serve another term on the...
- 5/26/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
New board members include execs from Flanders Image and the Slovak Film Institute.
European Film Promotion has elected a new board of directors, adding two new members: Christian De Schutter, managing director of Flanders Image and Rastislav Steranka, director of the National Cinematographic Centre of the Slovak Film Institute.
The 37 national film institutes of European Film Promotion (Efp) elected them to the board at a General Assembly held during Cannes.
The board consists of seven members, with their term of office lasting for two years.
Five of the current members were re-elected to the board including: Simone Baumann, managing director German Films,...
European Film Promotion has elected a new board of directors, adding two new members: Christian De Schutter, managing director of Flanders Image and Rastislav Steranka, director of the National Cinematographic Centre of the Slovak Film Institute.
The 37 national film institutes of European Film Promotion (Efp) elected them to the board at a General Assembly held during Cannes.
The board consists of seven members, with their term of office lasting for two years.
Five of the current members were re-elected to the board including: Simone Baumann, managing director German Films,...
- 5/24/2023
- by Tim Dams
- ScreenDaily
Kirsten Niehuus, CEO at Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, which funds films and TV series production in the Berlin region, and Simone Baumann, managing director of German Films, which promotes and supports the release of German films abroad, welcomed a wide array of guests to their garden party at the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday.
Three Medienboard-funded films are in this year’s Competition: Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania’s “Four Daughters,” Austrian filmmaker Jessica Hausner’s “Club Zero,” and U.S. helmer Wes Anderson’s “Asteroid City.”
Niehuus told Variety: “Those are three very different productions, but it shows the spectrum [of films] that Medienboard supports.” Tunisian films, like “Four Daughters,” need international co-production funding to get made, she said, and “we believe in world cinema, so were very happy [to back it].” Hausner is “one of the most impressive female filmmakers [in the world], and I think there should be more female filmmakers on the Croisette and every other ‘A’ festival,...
Three Medienboard-funded films are in this year’s Competition: Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania’s “Four Daughters,” Austrian filmmaker Jessica Hausner’s “Club Zero,” and U.S. helmer Wes Anderson’s “Asteroid City.”
Niehuus told Variety: “Those are three very different productions, but it shows the spectrum [of films] that Medienboard supports.” Tunisian films, like “Four Daughters,” need international co-production funding to get made, she said, and “we believe in world cinema, so were very happy [to back it].” Hausner is “one of the most impressive female filmmakers [in the world], and I think there should be more female filmmakers on the Croisette and every other ‘A’ festival,...
- 5/22/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Filmmakers from Belarus who have fled government repression and state-sponsored violence have launched an independent Belarusian film academy to represent the country’s cinema artists in exile.
The Academy’s founders include producer Volia Chajkouskaya (Yoyogi); directors Aliaksei Paluyan (Courage), Darya Zhuk (Crystal Swan) and Andrei Kutsila (When Flowers are Not Silent); festival programmer Igor Soukmanov; and film critic Irena Kaciałovič.
Thousands of Belarusians fled the country in the wake of the brutal government crackdown on peaceful pro-democracy protestors who began mass demonstrations following the contested 2020 presidential election, in which authoritarian leader Aliaksandr Lukashenka claimed victory despite widespread evidence of voting fraud.
Independent artists living in Belarus are under “constant threat of persecution, imprisonment and torture,” the group, which calls itself the Belarusian Independent Film Academy (BIFA), said in a statement Friday. “As well as a need to leave the country in order to continue working without state repression and...
The Academy’s founders include producer Volia Chajkouskaya (Yoyogi); directors Aliaksei Paluyan (Courage), Darya Zhuk (Crystal Swan) and Andrei Kutsila (When Flowers are Not Silent); festival programmer Igor Soukmanov; and film critic Irena Kaciałovič.
Thousands of Belarusians fled the country in the wake of the brutal government crackdown on peaceful pro-democracy protestors who began mass demonstrations following the contested 2020 presidential election, in which authoritarian leader Aliaksandr Lukashenka claimed victory despite widespread evidence of voting fraud.
Independent artists living in Belarus are under “constant threat of persecution, imprisonment and torture,” the group, which calls itself the Belarusian Independent Film Academy (BIFA), said in a statement Friday. “As well as a need to leave the country in order to continue working without state repression and...
- 2/10/2023
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A new independent film academy has launched out of Belarus to support the country’s independent artists.
The Belarusian Film Academy (BIFA) will officially launch during this month’s Berlin Film Festival, where an industry presentation will be made in partnership with the European Film Market.
The org has been set up in response to a “constant threat” of persecution, imprisonment and torture against independent artists living in Belarus, who are forced to leave the country in order to work without state repression. Belarus neighbors both Ukraine and Russia, and has supported Russia in its nearly year-long war against Ukraine. Belarus allowed Moscow to stage part of its invasion from Belarusian territory in February 2022, and has also enabled missiles to strike Ukraine from within its borders.
The founding members of the new academy include: Volia Chajkouskaya, Aliaksei Paluyan (film director), Darya Zhuk (film director), Irena Kaciałovič (film critic), Andrei Kutsila...
The Belarusian Film Academy (BIFA) will officially launch during this month’s Berlin Film Festival, where an industry presentation will be made in partnership with the European Film Market.
The org has been set up in response to a “constant threat” of persecution, imprisonment and torture against independent artists living in Belarus, who are forced to leave the country in order to work without state repression. Belarus neighbors both Ukraine and Russia, and has supported Russia in its nearly year-long war against Ukraine. Belarus allowed Moscow to stage part of its invasion from Belarusian territory in February 2022, and has also enabled missiles to strike Ukraine from within its borders.
The founding members of the new academy include: Volia Chajkouskaya, Aliaksei Paluyan (film director), Darya Zhuk (film director), Irena Kaciałovič (film critic), Andrei Kutsila...
- 2/1/2023
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
The Czech Film Commission, the body that promotes the Czech Republic to the international world, had its website hacked last week by Russian hackers after posting an article promoting the country as a safe place to shoot in the context of the war in Ukraine. Speaking at a roundtable discussion hosted by the Odesa Film Festival at Karlovy Vary’s Industry Days section, Czech Film Commission head Pavlina Zipkova told delegates of the news and urged people not to visit its main site as it was attacked from a virus “from Russia” after the article, which clearly distanced the Czech Republic from the Russian Federation’s military activities, was posted.
Zipkova said that the Czech Republic is “ready to help [Ukrainian filmmakers] but a virus from Russia” targeted the site after publication of this article. Hackers infiltrated the website leaving one small sentence saying,“f**k, u ve been hacked!” on a white page.
Zipkova said that the Czech Republic is “ready to help [Ukrainian filmmakers] but a virus from Russia” targeted the site after publication of this article. Hackers infiltrated the website leaving one small sentence saying,“f**k, u ve been hacked!” on a white page.
- 7/4/2022
- by Diana Lodderhose
- Deadline Film + TV
Hackers posted a message saying “fuck, u ve been hacked”.
Russian hackers have targeted the website of the Czech Film Commission, taking down a page that laid out details of safe film production in the Czech Republic, according to Film Commission head Pavlina Zipkova today in Karlovy Vary.
“Please don’t visit the Czech Film Commission website, because it has been attacked by a virus – actually from Russia,” said Zipkova, who was speaking on a panel about ‘The Impact of the War in Ukraine on the International Film Industry’, as part of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (Kviff) industry offering.
Russian hackers have targeted the website of the Czech Film Commission, taking down a page that laid out details of safe film production in the Czech Republic, according to Film Commission head Pavlina Zipkova today in Karlovy Vary.
“Please don’t visit the Czech Film Commission website, because it has been attacked by a virus – actually from Russia,” said Zipkova, who was speaking on a panel about ‘The Impact of the War in Ukraine on the International Film Industry’, as part of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (Kviff) industry offering.
- 7/4/2022
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
The Canadian Intl. Documentary Festival, better known as Hot Docs, has revealed its first slate of Special Presentation films for this year’s festival, running April 28 to May 8 in Toronto and streaming online.
World premieres include “The Talented Mr. Rosenberg,” a lurid look into the story of infamous Toronto con man Albert Rosenberg, a.k.a. the Yorkville Swindler; “Million Dollar Pigeons,” a charming introduction to the competitive world of pigeon racing; and “The Quiet Epidemic,” an investigation into Lyme disease dating back to 1975 that reveals why ticks, and the diseases they carry, have been allowed to spread globally.
The Special Presentations will also include the international premieres of “Aftershock,” the story of two bereaved Black fathers seeking justice, legislation and medical accountability in an unspoken U.S. crisis: maternal health care; “The American Dream and Other Fairy Tales,” an exploration by Abigail Disney, Walt Disney’s great-niece, of the...
World premieres include “The Talented Mr. Rosenberg,” a lurid look into the story of infamous Toronto con man Albert Rosenberg, a.k.a. the Yorkville Swindler; “Million Dollar Pigeons,” a charming introduction to the competitive world of pigeon racing; and “The Quiet Epidemic,” an investigation into Lyme disease dating back to 1975 that reveals why ticks, and the diseases they carry, have been allowed to spread globally.
The Special Presentations will also include the international premieres of “Aftershock,” the story of two bereaved Black fathers seeking justice, legislation and medical accountability in an unspoken U.S. crisis: maternal health care; “The American Dream and Other Fairy Tales,” an exploration by Abigail Disney, Walt Disney’s great-niece, of the...
- 3/15/2022
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
The Locarno Film Festival’s Locarno Pro initiative dedicated to pics in post is set to look at German films that are in their final stage of production for its upcoming edition.
The fest, located in the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland, in a statement said that the initiative, now in its tenth edition, will celebrate the up-and-coming cinema of a country that has been “crucial to the history” of the fest. Locarno Pro is now looking closer to home after being a springboard for pics from Colombia, Mexico, Chile, Brazil, Israel, Poland, the Baltic Countries, Portugal, Serbia and Switzerland itself.
“German filmmakers and producers and the work they have given us has been at the heart of so many memorable editions of the Locarno Film Festival, the fest said in a statement.
Locarno organizers noted that German cinema was the subject of an expansive retro titled “Beloved and Rejected” in...
The fest, located in the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland, in a statement said that the initiative, now in its tenth edition, will celebrate the up-and-coming cinema of a country that has been “crucial to the history” of the fest. Locarno Pro is now looking closer to home after being a springboard for pics from Colombia, Mexico, Chile, Brazil, Israel, Poland, the Baltic Countries, Portugal, Serbia and Switzerland itself.
“German filmmakers and producers and the work they have given us has been at the heart of so many memorable editions of the Locarno Film Festival, the fest said in a statement.
Locarno organizers noted that German cinema was the subject of an expansive retro titled “Beloved and Rejected” in...
- 2/17/2022
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
As well as providing a showcase for international films, the Berlinale is also a platform for German cinema. There are more than 130 German films and co-productions screening across the festival and the European Film Market.
Pre-pandemic, in 2019, 237 German films were produced a year, but only 10 to 20 a year perform well internationally, according to Simone Baumann, managing director of German Films, which promotes Teutonic movies abroad. Of the total worldwide admissions for European films in 2019, 6% were German films, compared with 18% for French films, according to the European Audiovisual Observatory.
To up the performance of local films, German Films is seeking to begin its promotional work earlier in the life of a project, such as at works-in-progress sessions at festivals like Les Arcs. The objective is to catch the eye of festival programmers, distributors and sales agents at an early stage.
Thorsten Ritter, executive VP acquisitions, sales and marketing at Beta Cinema,...
Pre-pandemic, in 2019, 237 German films were produced a year, but only 10 to 20 a year perform well internationally, according to Simone Baumann, managing director of German Films, which promotes Teutonic movies abroad. Of the total worldwide admissions for European films in 2019, 6% were German films, compared with 18% for French films, according to the European Audiovisual Observatory.
To up the performance of local films, German Films is seeking to begin its promotional work earlier in the life of a project, such as at works-in-progress sessions at festivals like Les Arcs. The objective is to catch the eye of festival programmers, distributors and sales agents at an early stage.
Thorsten Ritter, executive VP acquisitions, sales and marketing at Beta Cinema,...
- 2/13/2022
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
German Films, an agency that promotes German cinema worldwide, has announced the talent who will feature in its 7th annual Face to Face With German Films campaign. The high-profile platform sets out to bring international visibility to the wealth of ground-breaking talent working in film and TV in Germany, and shaping the future of the industry.
This year’s selected talent are documentary writer-director Sarah Noa Bozenhardt (“Among Us Women”), actor-producer-writer Sara Fazilat (“Nico”), actor-director Jerry Hoffmann (“Shahada”), film editor Julia Kovalenko (“System Crasher”), writer-director Matthias Luthardt (“Pingpong”), cinematographer and director Zamarin Wahdat (“Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl)”) and actor Anne Zander (“For Jojo”).
After spotlighting well-known actors, writers and directors such as Saskia Rosendahl (“Lore”), Alexander Fehling, Burhan Qurbani (“Berlin Alexanderplatz”) and Jonas Nay in its first five years, last year’s Face to Face With German Films – The Filmmakers campaign broadened its...
This year’s selected talent are documentary writer-director Sarah Noa Bozenhardt (“Among Us Women”), actor-producer-writer Sara Fazilat (“Nico”), actor-director Jerry Hoffmann (“Shahada”), film editor Julia Kovalenko (“System Crasher”), writer-director Matthias Luthardt (“Pingpong”), cinematographer and director Zamarin Wahdat (“Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl)”) and actor Anne Zander (“For Jojo”).
After spotlighting well-known actors, writers and directors such as Saskia Rosendahl (“Lore”), Alexander Fehling, Burhan Qurbani (“Berlin Alexanderplatz”) and Jonas Nay in its first five years, last year’s Face to Face With German Films – The Filmmakers campaign broadened its...
- 1/18/2022
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
To the uninitiated, Princess Diana biopic “Spencer” might appear like the quintessential British film, albeit with a Chilean director and an American star. But it is, in fact, German, Simone Baumann, managing director of German Films, says. It’s a German-u.K. co-production to be exact, but shot in Germany, with a German producer, Komplizen Film, on board, and 70% of the financing was German.
Other German co-productions this year include Wes Anderson’s “The French Dispatch,” with Studio Babelsberg as a co-producer, as well as a host of arthouse films not in the German language, such as Leos Carax’s “Annette,” which was co-produced by Detailfilm, Michelangelo Frammartino’s “Il Buco,” co-produced by Essential Filmproduktion, and Tatiana Huezo’s “Prayers for the Stolen,” co-produced by Match Factory Productions.
At AFM, there are 31 German productions and co-productions screening, represented by nine German sales companies, gathered under the German Films umbrella. German...
Other German co-productions this year include Wes Anderson’s “The French Dispatch,” with Studio Babelsberg as a co-producer, as well as a host of arthouse films not in the German language, such as Leos Carax’s “Annette,” which was co-produced by Detailfilm, Michelangelo Frammartino’s “Il Buco,” co-produced by Essential Filmproduktion, and Tatiana Huezo’s “Prayers for the Stolen,” co-produced by Match Factory Productions.
At AFM, there are 31 German productions and co-productions screening, represented by nine German sales companies, gathered under the German Films umbrella. German...
- 11/1/2021
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Speakers debated whether strict film funding rules were having a negative impact on the films greenlit.
What do Pablo Larrain’s Spencer and Kornel Mundruczó’s Evolution both have in common?
Technically, they are German films because they have German producers - Komplizen Film and Match Factory Productions respectively - serving as majority partners in the co-production structures.
But German film critics are hard to convince and report with almost undiluted Schadenfreude that “again, there’s no German film” when major international festivals announce their line-ups.
As Simone Baumann, CEO of German Films, explained, Germany was a partner in no...
What do Pablo Larrain’s Spencer and Kornel Mundruczó’s Evolution both have in common?
Technically, they are German films because they have German producers - Komplizen Film and Match Factory Productions respectively - serving as majority partners in the co-production structures.
But German film critics are hard to convince and report with almost undiluted Schadenfreude that “again, there’s no German film” when major international festivals announce their line-ups.
As Simone Baumann, CEO of German Films, explained, Germany was a partner in no...
- 10/6/2021
- by Martin Blaney
- ScreenDaily
In today’s Global Bulletin, Cannes creche returns; Andrei Konchalovsky to deliver Russian Key Buyers Event keynote; European Film Promotion elects board; drama series “The Holiday” sets lead cast; Canada opens women talent development initiatives; and Chinese blockbuster “The Eight Hundred” to premiere at Udine.
The Cannes Marché du Film and Parenting at Film Festivals are back with their daycare creche initiative Le Ballon Rouge, which was a success when introduced in 2019.
The daycare center, housed in a Covid-safe public school in the area, is available for children aged six months to 12 years from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and for a maximum of six hours at a time for each child during the Cannes Film Festival from July 7-14. In addition, a baby lounge will be available at the Palais.
Badges for the children and their caregivers will be provided by the Marché du Film for free.
Adef, British Film Institute,...
The Cannes Marché du Film and Parenting at Film Festivals are back with their daycare creche initiative Le Ballon Rouge, which was a success when introduced in 2019.
The daycare center, housed in a Covid-safe public school in the area, is available for children aged six months to 12 years from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and for a maximum of six hours at a time for each child during the Cannes Film Festival from July 7-14. In addition, a baby lounge will be available at the Palais.
Badges for the children and their caregivers will be provided by the Marché du Film for free.
Adef, British Film Institute,...
- 5/27/2021
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Unifrance and German Films executives among new members.
European Film Promotion (Efp) has elected a new board of directors, including senior figures from Unifrance and German Films.
The film promotion organisation has named three members newly appointed to the board: Daniela Elstner, UniFrance executive director; Simone Baumann, German Films managing director; and Eda Koppel, head of marketing at the Estonian Film Institute.
Returning to the board are Markéta Šantrochová, head of Czech Film Center; Stine Oppegaard, manager, international relations feature films at the Norwegian Film Institute; Arben Zharku, director of the Kosovo Cinematography Center; and Briony Hanson, director of film at the British Council.
European Film Promotion (Efp) has elected a new board of directors, including senior figures from Unifrance and German Films.
The film promotion organisation has named three members newly appointed to the board: Daniela Elstner, UniFrance executive director; Simone Baumann, German Films managing director; and Eda Koppel, head of marketing at the Estonian Film Institute.
Returning to the board are Markéta Šantrochová, head of Czech Film Center; Stine Oppegaard, manager, international relations feature films at the Norwegian Film Institute; Arben Zharku, director of the Kosovo Cinematography Center; and Briony Hanson, director of film at the British Council.
- 5/27/2021
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: German Films, the agency that promotes German cinema globally, has unveiled participants for the sixth edition of its Face To Face With German Films campaign, which this year will be dedicated to local talent across all aspects of the filmmaking world. In previous years, the program has focussed on promoting actors, directors or writers at one time, but the 2021 edition will highlight local talent with different backgrounds and artistic approaches, whose works span across all facets of the business.
This year’s participants, who are all female, are: composer Freya Arde, a German Film Music Award winner for her work on Nelly’s Adventure; costume designer Ulé Barcelos, whose bold and colorful work was seen on 2020 German Oscar entry System Crasher; director Sarah Blaßkiewitz, whose debut Precious Ivie wrapped last summer; Berlin-based actor Tua El-Fawwal, star of German teen drama series Druck; Annekatrin Hendel, the prolific director of Berlin...
This year’s participants, who are all female, are: composer Freya Arde, a German Film Music Award winner for her work on Nelly’s Adventure; costume designer Ulé Barcelos, whose bold and colorful work was seen on 2020 German Oscar entry System Crasher; director Sarah Blaßkiewitz, whose debut Precious Ivie wrapped last summer; Berlin-based actor Tua El-Fawwal, star of German teen drama series Druck; Annekatrin Hendel, the prolific director of Berlin...
- 2/16/2021
- by Diana Lodderhose
- Deadline Film + TV
The first two episodes of Sky’s Euro series Romulus, about the events that led to the foundation of Rome, will launch at the Rome Film Festival next month. Produced by Sky, Cattleya and Groenlandia, the show comes from director Matteo Rovere, marking his TV debut, and will star Andrea Arcangeli, Marianna Fontana and Francesco Di Napoli. The ten episodes were filmed in archaic Latin by Rovere alongside Michele Alhaique ed Enrico Maria Artale. Set eight centuries before Christ, the series charts an archaic and brutal world where the tribes of the Lega Latina have lived for years under the leadership of the king of Alba, but drought and famine are threatening peace and the life of the cities. ITV Studios is handling international sales. The show will debut in Italy on Sky.
A joint New York-based office for German Films and the Goethe-Institut will open from October 1 with €50,000 in support from the German government.
A joint New York-based office for German Films and the Goethe-Institut will open from October 1 with €50,000 in support from the German government.
- 9/29/2020
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Pictured: Peter Herrmann, chairman of German Films, Michael Weber of The Match Factory, and Simone Baumann, managing director of German Films.
Simone Baumann, the managing director of German Films, celebrated the many German co-productions screening in the Cannes Film Festival at the promotional agency’s cocktail party Saturday at Villa Rothschild in Cannes.
“Germany is one of the strongest and most attractive countries for co-productions, worldwide,” Baumann said. “There are 11 German-international co-productions in this year’s official selections here in Cannes at the festival, five of which are in Competition. That’s quite impressive and we are proud of this.”
The German co-productions in Competition were Terrence Malick’s “A Hidden Life,” Elia Suleiman’s “It Must Be Heaven,” Jessica Hausner’s “Little Joe,” Marco Bellocchio’s “The Traitor” and Corneliu Porumboiu’s “The Whistlers.” In Un Certain Regard, the Teutonic co-pros were Albert Serra’s “Liberté” and Karim Aïnouz...
Simone Baumann, the managing director of German Films, celebrated the many German co-productions screening in the Cannes Film Festival at the promotional agency’s cocktail party Saturday at Villa Rothschild in Cannes.
“Germany is one of the strongest and most attractive countries for co-productions, worldwide,” Baumann said. “There are 11 German-international co-productions in this year’s official selections here in Cannes at the festival, five of which are in Competition. That’s quite impressive and we are proud of this.”
The German co-productions in Competition were Terrence Malick’s “A Hidden Life,” Elia Suleiman’s “It Must Be Heaven,” Jessica Hausner’s “Little Joe,” Marco Bellocchio’s “The Traitor” and Corneliu Porumboiu’s “The Whistlers.” In Un Certain Regard, the Teutonic co-pros were Albert Serra’s “Liberté” and Karim Aïnouz...
- 5/20/2019
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Simone Baumann to replace new Berlinale director Mariette Rissenbeek at German Films.
After months of speculation in the German film industry, independent producers Simone Baumann and Helge Albers have now been appointed as the new managing directors of German Films Service + Marketing and Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein, respectively.
Baumann, who has been representing German Films in Central and Eastern Europe since 2003 in addition to her role overseeing documentary production at Leipzig-based Saxonia Entertainment, was confirmed as the successor to the present incumbent Mariette Rissenbeek at a meeting of the promotion agency’s supervisory board in Munich yesterday (3 December).
55-year-old Baumann will...
After months of speculation in the German film industry, independent producers Simone Baumann and Helge Albers have now been appointed as the new managing directors of German Films Service + Marketing and Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein, respectively.
Baumann, who has been representing German Films in Central and Eastern Europe since 2003 in addition to her role overseeing documentary production at Leipzig-based Saxonia Entertainment, was confirmed as the successor to the present incumbent Mariette Rissenbeek at a meeting of the promotion agency’s supervisory board in Munich yesterday (3 December).
55-year-old Baumann will...
- 12/4/2018
- by Martin Blaney
- ScreenDaily
Simone Baumann to replace new Berlinale director Mariette Rissenbeek at German Films.
After months of speculation in the German film industry, independent producers Simone Baumann and Helge Albers have now been appointed as the new managing directors of German Films Service + Marketing and Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein, respectively.
Baumann, who has been representing German Films in Central and Eastern Europe since 2003 in addition to her role overseeing documentary production at Leipzig-based Saxonia Entertainment, was confirmed as the successor to the present incumbent Mariette Rissenbeek at a meeting of the promotion agency’s supervisory board in Munich yesterday (3 December).
55-year-old Baumann will...
After months of speculation in the German film industry, independent producers Simone Baumann and Helge Albers have now been appointed as the new managing directors of German Films Service + Marketing and Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein, respectively.
Baumann, who has been representing German Films in Central and Eastern Europe since 2003 in addition to her role overseeing documentary production at Leipzig-based Saxonia Entertainment, was confirmed as the successor to the present incumbent Mariette Rissenbeek at a meeting of the promotion agency’s supervisory board in Munich yesterday (3 December).
55-year-old Baumann will...
- 12/4/2018
- by Martin Blaney
- ScreenDaily
German industry agency German Films, whose Managing Director Mariette Rissenbeek is leaving to become the co-head of the Berlin Film Festival, has appointed producer Simone Baumann to the role. The independent producer, whose credits include documentaries Under The Sun and Khodorkovsky, has been representative of German Films in Central and Eastern Europe since 2003. She will assume the role from February 1, 2019 and will be based in Munich.
The promotion body’s board met in Munich yesterday to agree to a business plan of €4.9M. The 2019 plan includes one-off activities such as a German Focus at the Sunny Side Of The Docs documentary market. The board also decided to increase the distribution support for German films abroad by 15% due to what they said was “an above-average increase in the demand for funding in the past two years.” The group also elected the six-person supervisory board for the two years from January 2019 to...
The promotion body’s board met in Munich yesterday to agree to a business plan of €4.9M. The 2019 plan includes one-off activities such as a German Focus at the Sunny Side Of The Docs documentary market. The board also decided to increase the distribution support for German films abroad by 15% due to what they said was “an above-average increase in the demand for funding in the past two years.” The group also elected the six-person supervisory board for the two years from January 2019 to...
- 12/4/2018
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Simone Baumann has been chosen to take over as managing director of movie promotion agency German Films, replacing Mariette Rissenbeek, who has been appointed as executive director of the Berlin Film Festival.
Baumann, who starts her new role Feb. 1, has been German Films’ representative in Central and Eastern Europe since 2003; she is also an independent producer. The decision was made at a meeting on Monday in Munich by German Films’ supervisory board, which is chaired by Peter Herrmann.
“[Baumann] has not only produced award-winning, courageous and controversial documentaries, but also tirelessly championed international cooperation,” Herrmann said. “In her work on behalf of German Films in Central and Eastern Europe, she has created and maintained a closely knit and efficient network with all of the relevant representatives of the film industry.”
Baumann said: “I have been representing the interests of German cinema in Eastern Europe for the past 16 years and have come...
Baumann, who starts her new role Feb. 1, has been German Films’ representative in Central and Eastern Europe since 2003; she is also an independent producer. The decision was made at a meeting on Monday in Munich by German Films’ supervisory board, which is chaired by Peter Herrmann.
“[Baumann] has not only produced award-winning, courageous and controversial documentaries, but also tirelessly championed international cooperation,” Herrmann said. “In her work on behalf of German Films in Central and Eastern Europe, she has created and maintained a closely knit and efficient network with all of the relevant representatives of the film industry.”
Baumann said: “I have been representing the interests of German cinema in Eastern Europe for the past 16 years and have come...
- 12/4/2018
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Sergey Dvortsevoy’s Russian drama Ayka wins best film.
Russian director Sergey Dvortsevoy’s Ayka, about a young woman attemping to survive after abandoning her baby in Moscow, was the big winner at Germany’s Filmfestival Cottbus (Nov 6-11), taking home the best film prize in the feature competition as well as prize of the ecumenical jury.
Ayka, which is Dvortsevoy’s second feature, premiered in competition at Cannes earlier this year and is Kazakhstan’s entry for the best foreign- language film Oscar category. The Match Factory is handling international sales.
Russian films regularly garner the main prize in...
Russian director Sergey Dvortsevoy’s Ayka, about a young woman attemping to survive after abandoning her baby in Moscow, was the big winner at Germany’s Filmfestival Cottbus (Nov 6-11), taking home the best film prize in the feature competition as well as prize of the ecumenical jury.
Ayka, which is Dvortsevoy’s second feature, premiered in competition at Cannes earlier this year and is Kazakhstan’s entry for the best foreign- language film Oscar category. The Match Factory is handling international sales.
Russian films regularly garner the main prize in...
- 11/12/2018
- by Martin Blaney
- ScreenDaily
65 filmmaker teams from around the world will pitch to international and UK decision makers.
Sheffield Doc/Fest (June 7-12) has revealed the titles that will pitch for funding at the 14th edition of its MeetMarket initiative.
A total of 65 filmmaker teams from 20 countries will pitch to international and UK decision makers for research, development and production funding. Around 300 decision makers from 20 countries are expected with execs from YouTube, ESPN, Starz and The Financial Times.
At the Alternate Realities Market, which includes digital titles, a further 25 Vr and interactive projects will pitch in one-to-one meetings to a range of specialist decision makers.
Sheffield Doc/Fest (June 7-12) has revealed the titles that will pitch for funding at the 14th edition of its MeetMarket initiative.
A total of 65 filmmaker teams from 20 countries will pitch to international and UK decision makers for research, development and production funding. Around 300 decision makers from 20 countries are expected with execs from YouTube, ESPN, Starz and The Financial Times.
At the Alternate Realities Market, which includes digital titles, a further 25 Vr and interactive projects will pitch in one-to-one meetings to a range of specialist decision makers.
- 4/24/2018
- by Orlando Parfitt
- ScreenDaily
Trieste event welcomed 350 industry professionals this year.
Women producers were the big winners at the seventh edition of Trieste’s When East Meets West (Wemw) co-production forum, which was attended by more than 350 industry professional from over 30 countries.
The Wemw jury awarded the Cnc Development Award to Italian producer Erica Barbiani for her pitch of Hungarian director Peter Kerekes’ new documentary Wishing On A Star.
Two free accreditations to Cannes’ Producers Network went to Cecilia Frugiuele for Bosnian filmmaker Una Gunjak’s debut feature Alfa and to Georgia’s Tekla Machavariani for Marine Gulbiani’s documentary Before Father Is Back, about two Muslim girls waiting for their fathers to come home from abroad.
The Turkish producer-director team of Anna Maria Aslanoglu and Nazli Elif Durlu went home with the Flow Postproduction Award for Durlu’s feature debut Zuhal.
Film London’s Helena Mackenzie and Mia Co-Production Market’s Alexia De Vito were in Trieste to present the Trl...
Women producers were the big winners at the seventh edition of Trieste’s When East Meets West (Wemw) co-production forum, which was attended by more than 350 industry professional from over 30 countries.
The Wemw jury awarded the Cnc Development Award to Italian producer Erica Barbiani for her pitch of Hungarian director Peter Kerekes’ new documentary Wishing On A Star.
Two free accreditations to Cannes’ Producers Network went to Cecilia Frugiuele for Bosnian filmmaker Una Gunjak’s debut feature Alfa and to Georgia’s Tekla Machavariani for Marine Gulbiani’s documentary Before Father Is Back, about two Muslim girls waiting for their fathers to come home from abroad.
The Turkish producer-director team of Anna Maria Aslanoglu and Nazli Elif Durlu went home with the Flow Postproduction Award for Durlu’s feature debut Zuhal.
Film London’s Helena Mackenzie and Mia Co-Production Market’s Alexia De Vito were in Trieste to present the Trl...
- 1/25/2017
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
Tricking the North Korean government into letting you shoot an unauthorized documentary in the communist country is punishable by decades in prison — or worse — but that’s exactly what Russian director Vitaly Mansky did for the 2015 film “Under the Sun.” Released by Icarus films, the movie had its North American theatrical premiere Wednesday at Film Forum in New York.
Read More: Under the Sun’ Review: A Terrifying Glimpse Inside North Korea’s Dictatorship
After two years of negotiations with North Korean authorities, Mansky received an invitation to document the life of an eight-year-old girl and her parents in the capital city of Pyongyang, only to learn upon arrival that every frame of his film would be scripted and controlled by state workers to create a piece of propaganda. “He realized that he didn’t have any freedom, that they wouldn’t let him go anywhere by himself, and that he...
Read More: Under the Sun’ Review: A Terrifying Glimpse Inside North Korea’s Dictatorship
After two years of negotiations with North Korean authorities, Mansky received an invitation to document the life of an eight-year-old girl and her parents in the capital city of Pyongyang, only to learn upon arrival that every frame of his film would be scripted and controlled by state workers to create a piece of propaganda. “He realized that he didn’t have any freedom, that they wouldn’t let him go anywhere by himself, and that he...
- 7/7/2016
- by Graham Winfrey
- Indiewire
The festival’s industry event featured 20 work-in-progress projects.
Bulgarian filmmaker Svetla Tsotsorkova’s Thirst and the Czech directorial duo Petr Kazda and Tomás Weinreb’s I, Olga Hepnarova [pictured] were declared joint winners of the Best Film in the New Europe - New Names competition at this year’s Vilnius International Film Festival (March 31 - April 14).
Speaking at the awards ceremony in the Lithuanian capital’s historic National Philharmonic Hall, International Jury member and Chilean film critic Pamela Biénzobas explained that the splitting of the top prize was “to acknowledge the diversity of cinematographic styles.”
Other awards included best acting prizes to Thirst’s Monika Naydenova and Our Everyday Life’s Uliks Fehmiu, and Best Director to Poland’s Agnieszka Smoczynska for her feature debut The Lure.
Meanwhile, the Best Film honour in the Baltic Gaze competition was won this year by Vitaly Mansky’s documentary Under The Sun ahead of such titles as Tomasz Wasilewski’s United...
Bulgarian filmmaker Svetla Tsotsorkova’s Thirst and the Czech directorial duo Petr Kazda and Tomás Weinreb’s I, Olga Hepnarova [pictured] were declared joint winners of the Best Film in the New Europe - New Names competition at this year’s Vilnius International Film Festival (March 31 - April 14).
Speaking at the awards ceremony in the Lithuanian capital’s historic National Philharmonic Hall, International Jury member and Chilean film critic Pamela Biénzobas explained that the splitting of the top prize was “to acknowledge the diversity of cinematographic styles.”
Other awards included best acting prizes to Thirst’s Monika Naydenova and Our Everyday Life’s Uliks Fehmiu, and Best Director to Poland’s Agnieszka Smoczynska for her feature debut The Lure.
Meanwhile, the Best Film honour in the Baltic Gaze competition was won this year by Vitaly Mansky’s documentary Under The Sun ahead of such titles as Tomasz Wasilewski’s United...
- 4/15/2016
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
Funds Mdm and Fff Bayern are providing more than $9.4m (€8.6m).
New films by Gore Verbinski, Steve Barron and Margarethe von Trotta are among the projects backed with more than $9.4m (€8.6m) by two German regional funds, Mdm and Fff Bayern, in their latest funding sessions.
Mdm stumped up $437,000 (€400,000) production support for Verbinski’s horror film A Cure For Wellness, which wraps shooting today (July 24) at the Hohenzollern Castle in Baden-Württemberg’s Hechingen, the ancestral seat of the imperial House of Hohenzollern.
The cast for the production by Blind Wink Productions, New Regency and Studio Babelsberg includes Dane deHaan, Mia Goth and Jason Isaacs, and 20th Century Fox is planning a Us theatrical release in September 2016.
A Cure For Wellness is the third major international project co-produced by Studio Babelsberg this year after serving as a partner on Eddie The Eagle, starring Taron Egerton and Hugh Jackman, and for the fifth season of the Us series Homeland...
New films by Gore Verbinski, Steve Barron and Margarethe von Trotta are among the projects backed with more than $9.4m (€8.6m) by two German regional funds, Mdm and Fff Bayern, in their latest funding sessions.
Mdm stumped up $437,000 (€400,000) production support for Verbinski’s horror film A Cure For Wellness, which wraps shooting today (July 24) at the Hohenzollern Castle in Baden-Württemberg’s Hechingen, the ancestral seat of the imperial House of Hohenzollern.
The cast for the production by Blind Wink Productions, New Regency and Studio Babelsberg includes Dane deHaan, Mia Goth and Jason Isaacs, and 20th Century Fox is planning a Us theatrical release in September 2016.
A Cure For Wellness is the third major international project co-produced by Studio Babelsberg this year after serving as a partner on Eddie The Eagle, starring Taron Egerton and Hugh Jackman, and for the fifth season of the Us series Homeland...
- 7/24/2015
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
New film from The Tribe director among projects at Odessa.
New films by award-winning Ukrainian director Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy (The Tribe), documentary filmmaker Vitaly Mansky (Pipeline) and Lithuania’s Sharunas Bartas (Freedom) are among over two dozen projects being presented at the Odessa International Film Festival’s industry section, the Film Industry Office (Fio, July 14-17).
Bartas’ drama Frost, which is being structured as a co-production between Ukraine, Lithuania and France, tells the story of a young Lithuanian’s experiences as he drives his truck with humanitarian aid from Vilnius to Ukraine.
The $936,000 (€850,000) production by Odessa-based Truman Production is one of ten feature film projects competing for a prize to be judged by a jury made up of the producers Guillaume de Seille, Raymond van der Kaaij and Anna Katchko as well as Meetings on the Bridge chief Gülin Üstün.
The pitching line-up this year ranges from Sebastian Saam’s black comedy-thriller Midnight In Uman (working title) through...
New films by award-winning Ukrainian director Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy (The Tribe), documentary filmmaker Vitaly Mansky (Pipeline) and Lithuania’s Sharunas Bartas (Freedom) are among over two dozen projects being presented at the Odessa International Film Festival’s industry section, the Film Industry Office (Fio, July 14-17).
Bartas’ drama Frost, which is being structured as a co-production between Ukraine, Lithuania and France, tells the story of a young Lithuanian’s experiences as he drives his truck with humanitarian aid from Vilnius to Ukraine.
The $936,000 (€850,000) production by Odessa-based Truman Production is one of ten feature film projects competing for a prize to be judged by a jury made up of the producers Guillaume de Seille, Raymond van der Kaaij and Anna Katchko as well as Meetings on the Bridge chief Gülin Üstün.
The pitching line-up this year ranges from Sebastian Saam’s black comedy-thriller Midnight In Uman (working title) through...
- 7/8/2015
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
Producer-director Andrey Silvestrov’s The Ice Hole was named the winner of the first Screen International Best Pitch Award at the Moscow Business Square (Mbs).
The €400,000 comedy by Silvestrov’s new company Cooperation Propub is based on characters who are typical to the modern world: an artist, an oligarch, the Russian president and an alcoholic.
The ironic and tragic view of modern Russia also received an award sponsored by the Russian company Cosmosfilm.
In addition, the Finnish post-production house Post Control offered production services as a prize to Elizaveta Stishova’s Suleiman Mountain by Trikita Entertainment, which is being developed as part of the B’Est training programme.
The Mgap entertainment legal practice donated a prize of legal advice to the documentary project Baubxy about the Bauhaus and Vkhutemas movements by Sergei Shanovich.
Valeriy Polienko’s 1990s-set drama Kosa was selected by the Russian crowdfunding platform Planeta.ru to receive professional advice on its production.
The award-winning...
The €400,000 comedy by Silvestrov’s new company Cooperation Propub is based on characters who are typical to the modern world: an artist, an oligarch, the Russian president and an alcoholic.
The ironic and tragic view of modern Russia also received an award sponsored by the Russian company Cosmosfilm.
In addition, the Finnish post-production house Post Control offered production services as a prize to Elizaveta Stishova’s Suleiman Mountain by Trikita Entertainment, which is being developed as part of the B’Est training programme.
The Mgap entertainment legal practice donated a prize of legal advice to the documentary project Baubxy about the Bauhaus and Vkhutemas movements by Sergei Shanovich.
Valeriy Polienko’s 1990s-set drama Kosa was selected by the Russian crowdfunding platform Planeta.ru to receive professional advice on its production.
The award-winning...
- 6/24/2015
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
Ivan Ostrochovský’s boxer drama Goat (Koza) has been named Best Film at the 20th Vilnius International Film Festival.
The film, which had its world premiere in the Berlinale’s Panorama section in February, won the ¨New Europe - New Names¨ competition at the festival, which ran from March 19 to April 2.
The film, about a former Olympic boxer who goes on a punishing ‘tour’ to raise some fast cash, also took home the Cicae Art Cinema Award.
Goat (Koza), which won the works in progress prize at last year’s Karlovy Vary, is handled internationally by fledgling sales company Pluto Film.
The ¨New Europe - New Names¨ jury, which included Chilean director Cristián Jiménez, Israeli actress Hadas Yaron, and Romanian actor Vlad Ivanov, gave its award for Best Director to Ukraine’s Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy for The Tribe and its acting honours to Hungary’s Márton Kristóf (Afterlife) and Bulgaria’s Margita Gosheva (The Lesson).
Meanwhile, the Baltic...
The film, which had its world premiere in the Berlinale’s Panorama section in February, won the ¨New Europe - New Names¨ competition at the festival, which ran from March 19 to April 2.
The film, about a former Olympic boxer who goes on a punishing ‘tour’ to raise some fast cash, also took home the Cicae Art Cinema Award.
Goat (Koza), which won the works in progress prize at last year’s Karlovy Vary, is handled internationally by fledgling sales company Pluto Film.
The ¨New Europe - New Names¨ jury, which included Chilean director Cristián Jiménez, Israeli actress Hadas Yaron, and Romanian actor Vlad Ivanov, gave its award for Best Director to Ukraine’s Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy for The Tribe and its acting honours to Hungary’s Márton Kristóf (Afterlife) and Bulgaria’s Margita Gosheva (The Lesson).
Meanwhile, the Baltic...
- 4/7/2015
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
Projects range from a film about centenarians to documentaries about renowned hunger striker Bobby Sands, Winnie Mandela, Ratko Mladic and Madonna’s backing dancers.Scroll down for full list of projects
Idfa (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam) has unveiled the 50 titles that will be presented at its international co-finance and production market, the Idfa Forum (Nov 24-26).
At the market, filmmakers and producers will present their documentary projects to commissioning editors from international television stations and other financiers with the aim of completing finance for their documentary projects.
A total of 50 projects have been selected for the upcoming Idfa Forum, including new projects by Heddy Honigmann, Janus Metz and Vitaly Mansky.
The Idfa 2014 programme contains 17 documentaries that were presented as projects at previous editions of the Idfa Forum.
Projects selected for this year’s Idfa Forum will be pitched in a variety of settings: the central pitches in the main auditorium of the Compagnietheater, the round table...
Idfa (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam) has unveiled the 50 titles that will be presented at its international co-finance and production market, the Idfa Forum (Nov 24-26).
At the market, filmmakers and producers will present their documentary projects to commissioning editors from international television stations and other financiers with the aim of completing finance for their documentary projects.
A total of 50 projects have been selected for the upcoming Idfa Forum, including new projects by Heddy Honigmann, Janus Metz and Vitaly Mansky.
The Idfa 2014 programme contains 17 documentaries that were presented as projects at previous editions of the Idfa Forum.
Projects selected for this year’s Idfa Forum will be pitched in a variety of settings: the central pitches in the main auditorium of the Compagnietheater, the round table...
- 10/14/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Talya Lavie’s Zero Motivation won the Grand Prix at this year’s Odessa International Film Festival (Oiff), overshadowed in its final days by the shooting down of a Malaysian Airways plane.
Lavie’s debut feature, handled internationally by The Match Factory, was voted by the festival-goers to receive the Golden Duke statuette and the $12,000 cash prize.
Director Lavie and actress Shani Klein were accompanied on stage by the Israel Film Fund Katriel Schory to accept the Grand Prix from the hands of the Oiff president Viktoriya Tigipko.
News of the Malaysian Airways plane tragedy broke early on Thursday evening during a reception in honour of Turkish films showing at the festival.
A minute’s silence was held in memory of the crash victims ahead of Gogol Wives’ documentary Pussy vs Putin that evening.
On Friday, another minute of silence was held at the beginning of the awards ceremony in memory of the aeroplane’s passengers as well...
Lavie’s debut feature, handled internationally by The Match Factory, was voted by the festival-goers to receive the Golden Duke statuette and the $12,000 cash prize.
Director Lavie and actress Shani Klein were accompanied on stage by the Israel Film Fund Katriel Schory to accept the Grand Prix from the hands of the Oiff president Viktoriya Tigipko.
News of the Malaysian Airways plane tragedy broke early on Thursday evening during a reception in honour of Turkish films showing at the festival.
A minute’s silence was held in memory of the crash victims ahead of Gogol Wives’ documentary Pussy vs Putin that evening.
On Friday, another minute of silence was held at the beginning of the awards ceremony in memory of the aeroplane’s passengers as well...
- 7/21/2014
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
Talya Lavie’s Zero Motivation won the Grand Prix at this year’s Odessa International Film Festival (Oiff), overshadowed in its final days by the shooting down of a Malaysian Airways plane.
Lavie’s debut feature, handled internationally by The Match Factory, was voted by the festival-goers to receive the Golden Duke statuette and the $12,000 cash prize.
Director Lavie and actress Shani Klein were accompanied on stage by the Israel Film Fund Katriel Schory to accept the Grand Prix from the hands of the Oiff president Viktoriya Tigipko.
News of the Malaysian Airways plane tragedy broke early on Thursday evening during a reception in honour of Turkish films showing at the festival.
A minute’s silence was held in memory of the crash victims ahead of Gogol Wives’ documentary Pussy vs Putin that evening.
On Friday, another minute of silence was held at the beginning of the awards ceremony in memory of the aeroplane’s passengers as well...
Lavie’s debut feature, handled internationally by The Match Factory, was voted by the festival-goers to receive the Golden Duke statuette and the $12,000 cash prize.
Director Lavie and actress Shani Klein were accompanied on stage by the Israel Film Fund Katriel Schory to accept the Grand Prix from the hands of the Oiff president Viktoriya Tigipko.
News of the Malaysian Airways plane tragedy broke early on Thursday evening during a reception in honour of Turkish films showing at the festival.
A minute’s silence was held in memory of the crash victims ahead of Gogol Wives’ documentary Pussy vs Putin that evening.
On Friday, another minute of silence was held at the beginning of the awards ceremony in memory of the aeroplane’s passengers as well...
- 7/21/2014
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
With the conflict between Ukraine and neighbouring Russia escalating over the weekend, the organisers of the Odessa International Film Festival (Oiff) have reaffirmed their determination to stage the fifth edition from July 11-19.
“We will do everything possible for it to happen,” the festival declared in a communiqué, explaining that “while grieving for the deceased [on the Maidan Square in Kiev], we must think about the future”.
In response to the events of the past weeks, Oiff’s 2014 line-up will include films about the role of civil society in Ukraine and in the world.
“2014 is going to be a difficult year, so the festival will run without any unnecessary glitz,” the festival observed. “All the efforts will be focused on maintaining the festival’s international level and selecting a top-quality line-up.”
Oiff’s international profile has been given a boost by an Advisory Board consisting of Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg’s Kirsten Niehuus, Unifrance’s Joël Chapron, the Israel Film Fund’s Katriel Schory, German...
“We will do everything possible for it to happen,” the festival declared in a communiqué, explaining that “while grieving for the deceased [on the Maidan Square in Kiev], we must think about the future”.
In response to the events of the past weeks, Oiff’s 2014 line-up will include films about the role of civil society in Ukraine and in the world.
“2014 is going to be a difficult year, so the festival will run without any unnecessary glitz,” the festival observed. “All the efforts will be focused on maintaining the festival’s international level and selecting a top-quality line-up.”
Oiff’s international profile has been given a boost by an Advisory Board consisting of Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg’s Kirsten Niehuus, Unifrance’s Joël Chapron, the Israel Film Fund’s Katriel Schory, German...
- 3/3/2014
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
Cannes’ Critics’ Week project to support the next generation of film critics plus news on plans for the 36th Moscow film festival and changes at Odessa.
Cannes’ Semaine de la Critique (Critics’ Week) is following film festivals such as Rotterdam, Berlin, Warsaw and Locarno to launch an initiative supporting the next generation of film critics.
Film critics aged 22-30 from Romania, Argentina, Mexico and France are invited to apply for four places to attend this year’s Cannes Film Festival and review films of the Critics’ Week with the help of an editorial coordinator.
In addition, the young critics will serve on the newly created France 4 Visionary Award Jury – with a film-maker as jury president – to present its award to one of the seven films in Critics’ Week line-up.
More details here: http://www.semainedelacritique.com/En/jeunes_talents.php
Moscow reveals 2014 plans
This year’s Moscow International Film Festival (June 19-28) will also be giving a break...
Cannes’ Semaine de la Critique (Critics’ Week) is following film festivals such as Rotterdam, Berlin, Warsaw and Locarno to launch an initiative supporting the next generation of film critics.
Film critics aged 22-30 from Romania, Argentina, Mexico and France are invited to apply for four places to attend this year’s Cannes Film Festival and review films of the Critics’ Week with the help of an editorial coordinator.
In addition, the young critics will serve on the newly created France 4 Visionary Award Jury – with a film-maker as jury president – to present its award to one of the seven films in Critics’ Week line-up.
More details here: http://www.semainedelacritique.com/En/jeunes_talents.php
Moscow reveals 2014 plans
This year’s Moscow International Film Festival (June 19-28) will also be giving a break...
- 2/12/2014
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
New projects by Peter Greenaway, Pavel Lungin and Valeria Gai Germanika are among 18 feature films selected to be pitched at the fifth edition of Moscow Business Square’s Co-Production Forum.
This will be the second time that Greenaway is at the Forum after presenting his project Food Of Love, based on Thomas Mann’s novella Death In Venice, there last year. His pitch then won him the $40,000 (€30,000) Best Pitch award sponsored by the new Moscow production complex Glavkino.
This time the Welsh-born director will be introducing Eisenstein In Guanajuato, which recounts the time the 33-year-old Russian director fell briefly, but intensely in love in a small Mexican town while researching for the never completed picture Que viva México! in Mexico between 1929-1931.
At last year’s Odessa International Film Festival, Greenaway told ScreenDaily that “99% of the financing” was in place for this project and he hoped at the time to shoot in Mexico at the end of...
This will be the second time that Greenaway is at the Forum after presenting his project Food Of Love, based on Thomas Mann’s novella Death In Venice, there last year. His pitch then won him the $40,000 (€30,000) Best Pitch award sponsored by the new Moscow production complex Glavkino.
This time the Welsh-born director will be introducing Eisenstein In Guanajuato, which recounts the time the 33-year-old Russian director fell briefly, but intensely in love in a small Mexican town while researching for the never completed picture Que viva México! in Mexico between 1929-1931.
At last year’s Odessa International Film Festival, Greenaway told ScreenDaily that “99% of the financing” was in place for this project and he hoped at the time to shoot in Mexico at the end of...
- 6/12/2013
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
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