In the sixth selection round of the World Cinema Fund (WCF), five film projects have been chosen for funding, from Columbia, Argentina, Angola, Israel and Iran. The jury had to chose between 81 projects submitted, from a total of 28 countries, and granted funds of € 230,000. In addition, the WCF, initiated by the Berlinale and the German Federal Cultural Foundation, together with the Goethe Institute have launched the film and event series, World Cinema Fund-Spotlights, whose first stops will be Israel, the Palestinian territories, Chile and Indonesia.
“We are delighted that the WCF supported films have been so internationally successful. Through the WCF-Spotlights, we intend to raise awareness further for the films from the regions eligible to receive.” said Berlinale Director, Dieter Kosslick. “The World Cinema Fund is recognised today in many countries as proof of an innovative European support policy. New international directors cooperate with German producers – and cinema-goers can look forward to films from lesser known regions, which would never have been seen in German cinemas without the WCF,” added Hortensia Völckers, the artistic director of the German Federal Cultural Foundation.
The funding decisions of the sixth selection round on 3rd July 2007:
Justice Must Be Seen, Director: Ra’anan Alexandrowicz (Israel), Production: BELFILMS, Tel Aviv.
Documentary, funding: 40.000 €
The House under the Water, Director: Sepideh Farsi (Iran). Production: NESHANEH FILMS involved, Teheran.
German co-production: POLA PANDORA FILMPRODUCTIONS GMBH, Berlin. Feature film, funding: 30.000 €
Agua y sal, Director: Alejo H. Taube (Argentina), Production: RUDA CINE, Buenos Aires. Feature film, funding: 50.000 €
The Wind Journeys, Director: Ciro Guerra (Columbia), Production:CIUDAD LUNAR PODUCIONES, Bogota. German co-production: Razor Film, Berlin. Feature film, funding: 60.000 €
O Grande Kilapy (Le Coup du Siècle), Director: Zezé Gamboa (Angola), Production: GAMBOA E GAMBOA, Luanda. Feature film, funding: 50.000 €
Since the founding of the WCF in October 2004, 603 projects have been submitted from 53 countries of the WCF focus regions (Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, Central Asia – these regions to be extended, from summer 2007, to include South East Asia and the Caucasus). 40 projects have received production or distribution grants of which so far 17 films have been completed.
The next deadline for applications for WCF funding is 1st August 2007.
Start of World Cinema Fund-Spotlights
The event series, World Cinema Fund-Spotlights, was initiated in cooperation with the Goethe Institute to showcase the work of the WCF: selected WCF funded films are to be shown, initially in Israel, the Palestinian territories, Chile and Indonesia, in order to inform film makers and producers in those regions about the WCF. In addition to the series of films, workshops and case studies on the WCF funded films are planned, to take place during local festivals in the respective Goethe Institutes. These will be presented by the WCF project managers and representatives of the Goethe Institute.
“The WCF has an important role in supporting cultural development and inter-cultural dialogue. The WCF-Spotlights events in our institutes complement the exchange on cultural identity and the networking of film industry contacts,” remarked Detlef Gericke-Schönhagen from the Film Department of the Goethe Institute.
WCF-Spotlights-Programme:
6/07/2007 Jerusalem (at the Jerusalem Film Festival 5 – 14/07/2007)
El Otro (Ariel Rotter) and Faro-La Reine des Eaux (Salif Traoré) as well as case studies on Ghussoun (Yaron Shani & Scandar Copti) and on Zion and his brother (Eran Merav)
10/07/2007 Ramallah Paradise Now (Hany Abu-Assad) and Saratan (Ernest Abdyjaparov) as well as case study on Ghussoun
Santiago de Chile (at the Sanfic Film Festival 14–20/8/2007)
5-6 films (Programme to be arranged) as well as case studies on 16/8 on El Cielo La Tierra y La Lluvia (José Luis Torres Leiva) and Huacho (Alejandro Fernandez)
Jakarta (at the Jakarta International Film Festival 8–17/12/2007)
5-6 films as well as case studies (Programme to be arranged)
The World Cinema Fund is an initiative of the German Federal Cultural Foundation and the Berlin International Film Festival in cooperation with the Goethe Institute.
“We are delighted that the WCF supported films have been so internationally successful. Through the WCF-Spotlights, we intend to raise awareness further for the films from the regions eligible to receive.” said Berlinale Director, Dieter Kosslick. “The World Cinema Fund is recognised today in many countries as proof of an innovative European support policy. New international directors cooperate with German producers – and cinema-goers can look forward to films from lesser known regions, which would never have been seen in German cinemas without the WCF,” added Hortensia Völckers, the artistic director of the German Federal Cultural Foundation.
The funding decisions of the sixth selection round on 3rd July 2007:
Justice Must Be Seen, Director: Ra’anan Alexandrowicz (Israel), Production: BELFILMS, Tel Aviv.
Documentary, funding: 40.000 €
The House under the Water, Director: Sepideh Farsi (Iran). Production: NESHANEH FILMS involved, Teheran.
German co-production: POLA PANDORA FILMPRODUCTIONS GMBH, Berlin. Feature film, funding: 30.000 €
Agua y sal, Director: Alejo H. Taube (Argentina), Production: RUDA CINE, Buenos Aires. Feature film, funding: 50.000 €
The Wind Journeys, Director: Ciro Guerra (Columbia), Production:CIUDAD LUNAR PODUCIONES, Bogota. German co-production: Razor Film, Berlin. Feature film, funding: 60.000 €
O Grande Kilapy (Le Coup du Siècle), Director: Zezé Gamboa (Angola), Production: GAMBOA E GAMBOA, Luanda. Feature film, funding: 50.000 €
Since the founding of the WCF in October 2004, 603 projects have been submitted from 53 countries of the WCF focus regions (Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, Central Asia – these regions to be extended, from summer 2007, to include South East Asia and the Caucasus). 40 projects have received production or distribution grants of which so far 17 films have been completed.
The next deadline for applications for WCF funding is 1st August 2007.
Start of World Cinema Fund-Spotlights
The event series, World Cinema Fund-Spotlights, was initiated in cooperation with the Goethe Institute to showcase the work of the WCF: selected WCF funded films are to be shown, initially in Israel, the Palestinian territories, Chile and Indonesia, in order to inform film makers and producers in those regions about the WCF. In addition to the series of films, workshops and case studies on the WCF funded films are planned, to take place during local festivals in the respective Goethe Institutes. These will be presented by the WCF project managers and representatives of the Goethe Institute.
“The WCF has an important role in supporting cultural development and inter-cultural dialogue. The WCF-Spotlights events in our institutes complement the exchange on cultural identity and the networking of film industry contacts,” remarked Detlef Gericke-Schönhagen from the Film Department of the Goethe Institute.
WCF-Spotlights-Programme:
6/07/2007 Jerusalem (at the Jerusalem Film Festival 5 – 14/07/2007)
El Otro (Ariel Rotter) and Faro-La Reine des Eaux (Salif Traoré) as well as case studies on Ghussoun (Yaron Shani & Scandar Copti) and on Zion and his brother (Eran Merav)
10/07/2007 Ramallah Paradise Now (Hany Abu-Assad) and Saratan (Ernest Abdyjaparov) as well as case study on Ghussoun
Santiago de Chile (at the Sanfic Film Festival 14–20/8/2007)
5-6 films (Programme to be arranged) as well as case studies on 16/8 on El Cielo La Tierra y La Lluvia (José Luis Torres Leiva) and Huacho (Alejandro Fernandez)
Jakarta (at the Jakarta International Film Festival 8–17/12/2007)
5-6 films as well as case studies (Programme to be arranged)
The World Cinema Fund is an initiative of the German Federal Cultural Foundation and the Berlin International Film Festival in cooperation with the Goethe Institute.
