DAB Co-Production Forum

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Directors Across Borders 4th Regional Co-production forum

Report

Directors Across Borders (DAB) is a regional co-production forum implemented annually within the framework of Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival. DAB facilitates regional co-production, and brings together directors and producers of new film-projects from the Caucasus and nearby regions (Georgia, Russia, Turkey, Iran, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, and etc.) and links them with international producers, financiers, representatives of festivals, film funds and other possible partners from all over the world.

This year the 4th DAB Regional Co-Production Forum was held for the fourth time already and two main events took place within its framework:
- DAB Script and Project Development Workshop (13-15 July, 2010), which invited 10 projects from the countries of the region (namely: Armenia, Turkey, Russia, Georgia, Spain) and

- 2nd Armenia-Turkey Short and Documentary Workshop (12-14 July, 2010)- for projects aimed at co-production between Armenia and Turkey.

Over 40 projects were submitted for the both above mentioned events. 10 feature projects from Armenia, Georgia, Turkey, Kazakhstan were selected for the DAB forum and 6 shorts and documentaries from Armenia and Turkey were selected for the ATCP workshop. Around 20 cinema experts from the most prestigious cinema funds and workshops were hosted by the forum as trainers and guest speakers. The three -day forum agenda included more than 20 individual meetings with the script and project development trainers, around 10 presentations on the various film funds and workshops, as well as a number of guest lectures. Among the guest speakers of the forum were Veronique Cayla (CNC, France), Ludmila Cvikova (Hubert Bals Fund of the International Film Festival Rotterdam, The Netherlands), Jay Jeon (Pusan Promotion Plan of Pusan International Film Festival, South Korea), Michael Wiedemann (Filmstiftung NRW, Germany), Ulf Sigvardson (Goteborg Film Festival Fund, Sweden), Alan Fountain (European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs, Luxembourg), Kirill Razlogov (Moscow Co-production forum, Russia), Graziella Bildesheim and Alessandra Pastore (MAIA Workshop, Italy). Distinguished directors such as Rob Nilsson and Krzystof Zanussi shared their experience in the film industry with the young participants of the forum.

The ATCP development workshop hosted Melek Ulagay Taylan from Ajans 21 in Turkey and Jennifer Sabbah from Boa Films in France as trainers, as well as Cigdem Mater Utku from Anadolu Kultur in Turkey. The ATCP agenda included guest lectures by Fatih Akin, Semih Kaplanoglu and Serge Avetikyan.
The competition pitch session of the ATCP was held on the 14th July.

The project “Family Tree” by Harut Kbeyan from Armenia was awarded a development grant of 3000 USD and “Puppet Theatre” by Canay Ozden from Turkey and the Armenian/Lebanese project “A Tour in the Streets of Istanbul” by Nigol Besjian were granted 2000 USD each for development.

The competition pitch session of the DAB forum was held on the 15th July. A development grant of 5000 USD was granted to the young Turkish filmmaker Baris Hancigullari for his project “Leila, Once Again”. The project “Misfire” by David Matevossian and Arthur Sargsyan was chosen to be given the opportunity to attend the MAIA Workshop in Italy.

The Directors Across Borders co-production forum and Armenia –Turkey Cinema Platform short and documentary development workshop were made possible with the financial support of the U.S. Embassy in Armenia, Hubert Bals Fund of the International Film Festival Rotterdam and the European Union in Armenia.

Selection results

The 4th Directors Across Borders Regional Co-production forum will be held on 13-15 July, 2010 within the framework of GOLDEN APRICOT IFF. The forum highly appreciates the interest of the producers and directors around the workshop and thanks all the interested filmmakers for the projects submissions.

This year the forum agenda will include script and project development workshops followed by the competition pitch session, as well as a number of guest lectures and presentations on various industry funds and workshops. This year DAB will also give development award/grants for the best projects identified during the pitching sessions. Not only does this provide needed financial assistance so filmmakers from the region can also explore international markets to realize their films, it’s also the competition motivates filmmakers to bring exceptional, creative and well prepared ideas to pitch to the international jurors and trainers.

Here is the list of the DAB selected projects for this year:

20 Steps Underground, dir. Beso Solomonashvili, prod. Vladimer Katcharava, Georgia

Chaika, dir. Miguel Angel Jimenez, prod. Zurab Magalashvili, Georgia- Spain

Florist, dir./prod. Jeff Kalousdian, Armenia

Leila, Once Again, dir. Baris Hanciogullari, prod. Cem Oztufekci, Turkey

Lost Grave, dir./prod. Mujde Arslan, Turkey

Misfire, dir. Arthur Sargsyan, prod. David Matevossian, Armenia

On the Tightrope, dir. Levon Minasian, prod. Inna Sahakyan, Armenia

Shining Waltz, dir./prod. Mariam Ohanyan, Armenia

Transparent Roofs, dir. Lusine Sargsyan, prod. Aram Shahbazyan, Armenia

Voice of My Father, dir. Orhan Eskikoy, Zeynel Dogan, prod. Nadir Operli, Ozgur Dogan, Turkey

Trainers:

Phyllis Mollet
Phyllis Mollet is an independent consultant with a strong expertise in international film festivals. She has been working in the film industry since 1993, first as Secretary-General and Founding Director of the European Producers’ Club which groups together major European film producers and acts as a network, a think tank and a lobby for European-related production issues. In 1999, she joined FIAPF, the International Federation of Film Producers Associations, as Director of Festivals. As such, she managed the festivals’ regulation policy of this organisation, including the accreditation and quality control of 60 international film festivals throughout the world, as well as updating and implementing FIAPF’s International Festival Regulations.

An independent consultant since 2003, she is an adviser to festivals and audiovisual companies, for which she makes quality evaluations, sets up programmes and retrospectives, coordinates with international guests. She also acts as a trainer for young film professionals within workshops and seminars set up by both training organisations and film festivals. She is an expert for the EU MEDIA Development Programme. She has served on the juries of many festivals including Berlin, Kiev, Sochi, Trentcin (Slovakia), Mumbai, Haifa, Setubal (Portugal), Madeira.

Born in Switzerland, educated and trained in France, she is currently living and working in Paris. She graduated in international relations from Sciences-Po Paris (the Paris Institute for Political Studies) and in Russian civilization from the Paris School of Eastern Languages. She later also underwent professional training in cultural management. She is fluent in French, German, English and Spanish. Phyllis Mollet is a member of the European Film Academy.

Graziella Bildesheim
Founder and Managing Director of Fabulafilm, a production and training company established in Rome in 2003. Development expert and consultant for the Media Programme of the EU (1994 - 2004), RAI Cinema (2001 – 2002) and SGRIN Wales Development Agency in 2004. Head of Studies and Director of MAIA WORKSHOPS, a training programme for emerging European producers, supported by the Media Programme since 2006. Director of HERMES, a training programme developed with the Council of Europe and Eurimages and implemented in 2009 for producers of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. Coordinator of NEW CINEMA NETWORK, the co-production market of the Rome International Film Festival, in 2006 and 2007.

As producer, Graziella has been involved in the development and financial packaging of feature and documentary films in co-production with European and international partners since 1993.

Graziella lectures on script analysis and project development at the Centro Sperimentale / National Film School in Italy. Between 2005 and 2007, she also launched and held the only course in Italy for professional script readers. She is member of the European Film Academy.