According to the European Audiovisual Observatory, Switzerland is ranked third in Europe for its yearly output of documentaries, with more than 70 titles in 2023. On May 19, it will unveil four of its most promising features at the Swiss Cannes Docs Showcase.
The event is jointly organized by the national promotional agency Swiss Films, Visions du Réel —the country’s sole non-fiction film festival—and Cannes Docs.
“It’s actually the very first Swiss Showcase of docs-in-progress ever at Cannes Docs!” said Pierre-Alexi Chevit, head of the sought-after doc industry event.
“We’ve been talking about it with Swiss Films for many years, and it’s now finally happening in the framework of Swiss Country of Honour at the Marché du Film this year,” he added.
“It is fabulous to have Visions du Réel as a key collaborator for this Showcase, as it is such a great festival, run by amazing people,...
The event is jointly organized by the national promotional agency Swiss Films, Visions du Réel —the country’s sole non-fiction film festival—and Cannes Docs.
“It’s actually the very first Swiss Showcase of docs-in-progress ever at Cannes Docs!” said Pierre-Alexi Chevit, head of the sought-after doc industry event.
“We’ve been talking about it with Swiss Films for many years, and it’s now finally happening in the framework of Swiss Country of Honour at the Marché du Film this year,” he added.
“It is fabulous to have Visions du Réel as a key collaborator for this Showcase, as it is such a great festival, run by amazing people,...
- 5/19/2024
- by Annika Pham
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Watermelon Pictures has acquired North American distribution rights for Palestinian director Mohamed Jabaly’s documentary Life Is Beautiful about his experiences after he became stranded in Norway in 2014 when Gaza’s borders were shut indefinitely.
The distribution agreement, which includes all North American theatrical and ancillary rights, was negotiated in Cannes by Munir Atalla, head of Production and Acquisitionat Watermelon Pictures and Esther van Messel of First Hand Films.
Jabaly was attending a film festival in Tromsø in 2014, when the borders to Gaza closed. Little did he know that it would be seven years before he could see his family again.
While waiting for the situation to change, Mohamed’s friends back home tell him to seek asylum or get married to stay in Norway. But Mohamed refuses to give up his Palestinian identity and insists on being recognized for his work.
After being denied a work permit after several appeals,...
The distribution agreement, which includes all North American theatrical and ancillary rights, was negotiated in Cannes by Munir Atalla, head of Production and Acquisitionat Watermelon Pictures and Esther van Messel of First Hand Films.
Jabaly was attending a film festival in Tromsø in 2014, when the borders to Gaza closed. Little did he know that it would be seven years before he could see his family again.
While waiting for the situation to change, Mohamed’s friends back home tell him to seek asylum or get married to stay in Norway. But Mohamed refuses to give up his Palestinian identity and insists on being recognized for his work.
After being denied a work permit after several appeals,...
- 5/19/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
On the heels of its successful world launch at IDFA, the critically-acclaimed anti-colonial pic “Our Land, Our Freedom,” sold by First Hand Films, has landed a deal with BBC Africa Eye.
“Our Land, Our Freedom,” a Kenyan/U.S./Portuguese co-production, and the upcoming India-set “Kalari,” to be pitched in Visions du Réel docu festival’s Swiss Films Previews showcase, epitomize what First Hand Films stands for.
“What’s important for First Hand Films is defending diversity, minorities, female voices and new talent,” said Esther van Messel, CEO of the doc sales, production and Swiss distribution shingle, ahead of Visions du Réel in Nyon, Switzerland.
“We are so very pleased about this sale, our very first on the film,” said the seasoned doc specialist van Messel.
Co-directed by L.A.-based Meena Nanji and her Kenyan counterpart Zippy Kimundu, the feature tells of Kenyan woman Wanjugu Kimathi’s search for the...
“Our Land, Our Freedom,” a Kenyan/U.S./Portuguese co-production, and the upcoming India-set “Kalari,” to be pitched in Visions du Réel docu festival’s Swiss Films Previews showcase, epitomize what First Hand Films stands for.
“What’s important for First Hand Films is defending diversity, minorities, female voices and new talent,” said Esther van Messel, CEO of the doc sales, production and Swiss distribution shingle, ahead of Visions du Réel in Nyon, Switzerland.
“We are so very pleased about this sale, our very first on the film,” said the seasoned doc specialist van Messel.
Co-directed by L.A.-based Meena Nanji and her Kenyan counterpart Zippy Kimundu, the feature tells of Kenyan woman Wanjugu Kimathi’s search for the...
- 4/7/2024
- by Annika Pham
- Variety Film + TV
Abramorama has acquired North American theatrical rights for Leslie Shampaine and Pip Gilmour‘s feature documentary “Call Me Dancer.”
The deal was revealed on the sidelines of Tiffcom, the film market attached to the Tokyo International Film Festival.
The film follows Manish Chauhan, a young and talented street dancer from Mumbai who struggles against his parents’ insistence that he follow a traditional path. When he accidentally walks into an inner-city dance school and encounters curmudgeonly 70-year-old Israeli ballet master Yehuda Maor, a hunger develops within him and he is determined to make it as a professional dancer, but the odds are stacked against him.
Since its world premiere at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in February, “Call Me Dancer” has won audience awards at Berkshire International Film Festival, San Francisco Dance Film Festival, Vancouver International Film Festival, Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival and Tasveer South Asian Film Festival, Seattle. The...
The deal was revealed on the sidelines of Tiffcom, the film market attached to the Tokyo International Film Festival.
The film follows Manish Chauhan, a young and talented street dancer from Mumbai who struggles against his parents’ insistence that he follow a traditional path. When he accidentally walks into an inner-city dance school and encounters curmudgeonly 70-year-old Israeli ballet master Yehuda Maor, a hunger develops within him and he is determined to make it as a professional dancer, but the odds are stacked against him.
Since its world premiere at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in February, “Call Me Dancer” has won audience awards at Berkshire International Film Festival, San Francisco Dance Film Festival, Vancouver International Film Festival, Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival and Tasveer South Asian Film Festival, Seattle. The...
- 10/25/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Emmanuel Eckert, deputy director, acquisitions at French media giant Mediawan, gave a keynote speech.
Circus documentary Fantastique from director Marjolijn Prins won the Perfect Pitch award at Connext, the Flemish film and TV showcase that took place in Antwerp this week. It was one of four winners, sharing an estimated €80,000 worth of support. They were chosen by the international delegates attending the event via the Connext app.
The documentary about a female acrobat from Guinea who faces conflict at home as she goes in pursuit of her dreams is produced by Serendipity Films. The award comes with postproduction support from Flow,...
Circus documentary Fantastique from director Marjolijn Prins won the Perfect Pitch award at Connext, the Flemish film and TV showcase that took place in Antwerp this week. It was one of four winners, sharing an estimated €80,000 worth of support. They were chosen by the international delegates attending the event via the Connext app.
The documentary about a female acrobat from Guinea who faces conflict at home as she goes in pursuit of her dreams is produced by Serendipity Films. The award comes with postproduction support from Flow,...
- 10/11/2023
- by Geoffrey Macnab
- ScreenDaily
Emmanuel Eckert, deputy director, acquisitions at French media giant Mediawan, gave a keynote speech.
Circus documentary Fantastique from director Marjolijn Prins won the Perfect Pitch award at Connext, the Flemish film and TV showcase that took place in Antwerp this week. It was one of four winners, sharing an estimated €80,000 worth of support. They were chosen by the international delegates attending the event via the Connext app.
The documentary about a female acrobat from Guinea who faces conflict at home as she goes in pursuit of her dreams is produced by Serendipity Films. The award comes with postproduction support from Flow,...
Circus documentary Fantastique from director Marjolijn Prins won the Perfect Pitch award at Connext, the Flemish film and TV showcase that took place in Antwerp this week. It was one of four winners, sharing an estimated €80,000 worth of support. They were chosen by the international delegates attending the event via the Connext app.
The documentary about a female acrobat from Guinea who faces conflict at home as she goes in pursuit of her dreams is produced by Serendipity Films. The award comes with postproduction support from Flow,...
- 10/11/2023
- by Geoffrey Macnab
- ScreenDaily
First Hand Films has taken international sales rights to German director Julia Fuhr Mann’s documentary “Life Is Not a Competition But I Am Winning,” which will premiere in Critics’ Week at the Venice Film Festival. Variety is debuting its trailer exclusively.
The film is about gender in athletics – including the issue of transgender athletes banned from competition – and “subverts stereotypes that still seem to dominate Olympic disciplines today.”
“In a poetic-radical utopia, ‘Life Is Not a Competition, But I’m Winning’ shakes up the stereotypical gender relations in competitive sports,” according to a press statement. “The film goes in search of the queer-feminist potential in the Olympic disciplines of running and sketches a world beyond rigid gender images.”
“Julia Fuhr Mann’s oeuvre has so many layers, is so carefully drawn, and tells such a strong story – we are proud and honored to work with the film,” Esther van Messel...
The film is about gender in athletics – including the issue of transgender athletes banned from competition – and “subverts stereotypes that still seem to dominate Olympic disciplines today.”
“In a poetic-radical utopia, ‘Life Is Not a Competition, But I’m Winning’ shakes up the stereotypical gender relations in competitive sports,” according to a press statement. “The film goes in search of the queer-feminist potential in the Olympic disciplines of running and sketches a world beyond rigid gender images.”
“Julia Fuhr Mann’s oeuvre has so many layers, is so carefully drawn, and tells such a strong story – we are proud and honored to work with the film,” Esther van Messel...
- 8/25/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
“It’s the place to be for non-fiction,” as one attendee put it.
A high-quality Dox:Award competition is augmenting Cph:dox’s position as the go-to documentary event of the season according to industry attendees, as its 2023 edition came to a close this weekend.
“With some festivals becoming more cutting-edge politically and artistically, we do need a place we can distribute titles, where there is a demand for the best programmes for existing and new audiences,” said Esther van Messel, founder and CEO at Swiss production, sales and distribution company First Hand Films, who said the event is ”gearing up to...
A high-quality Dox:Award competition is augmenting Cph:dox’s position as the go-to documentary event of the season according to industry attendees, as its 2023 edition came to a close this weekend.
“With some festivals becoming more cutting-edge politically and artistically, we do need a place we can distribute titles, where there is a demand for the best programmes for existing and new audiences,” said Esther van Messel, founder and CEO at Swiss production, sales and distribution company First Hand Films, who said the event is ”gearing up to...
- 3/27/2023
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Festivals
Leslie Shampaine and Pip Gilmour‘s feature documentary “Call Me Dancer” will have its world premiere at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, in competition for best documentary, on Feb. 9, followed by its New York premiere at the Dance on Camera Film Festival at the Lincoln Center on Feb. 10.
The film follows Manish Chauhan, a young and talented street dancer from Mumbai who struggles against his parents’ insistence that he follow a traditional path.When he accidentally walks into an inner-city dance school and encounters curmudgeonly 70-year-old Israeli ballet master Yehuda Maor, a hunger develops within him and he is determined to make it as a professional dancer, but the odds are stacked
against him.
Filmed in India, Israel, the U.K. and the U.S., the dance documentary features original songs by Jay Sean, music by Bangladeshi-American hip-hop artist Anik Khan and a score by British-Indian composer Nainita Desai.
Leslie Shampaine and Pip Gilmour‘s feature documentary “Call Me Dancer” will have its world premiere at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, in competition for best documentary, on Feb. 9, followed by its New York premiere at the Dance on Camera Film Festival at the Lincoln Center on Feb. 10.
The film follows Manish Chauhan, a young and talented street dancer from Mumbai who struggles against his parents’ insistence that he follow a traditional path.When he accidentally walks into an inner-city dance school and encounters curmudgeonly 70-year-old Israeli ballet master Yehuda Maor, a hunger develops within him and he is determined to make it as a professional dancer, but the odds are stacked
against him.
Filmed in India, Israel, the U.K. and the U.S., the dance documentary features original songs by Jay Sean, music by Bangladeshi-American hip-hop artist Anik Khan and a score by British-Indian composer Nainita Desai.
- 1/25/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
A new film by Rudolph Herzog entitled “300 Trillion – The Debt Trap,” about the human stories behind world debt, has been acquired by documentary specialists First Hand Films.
Herzog, who is the son of Werner Herzog, says he was “stunned” to find that “the world’s debts have risen to a stunning 300 trillion U.S. dollars.”
“In the film, we go on a journey to discover the human stories behind those debts, not just to sound out the problem but to find solutions to the global debt crisis,” said Herzog. “I wanted to make a film that captures all aspects: tragedy, wonder at human folly, and stories of resilience and hope. Arte, Ard and Neue Celluloid Fabrik proved to be excellent partners in this venture.”
Jürgen Kleinig of production company Neue Celluloid Fabrik added: “We start to developed the project a couple of years ago. In the course of the pandemic,...
Herzog, who is the son of Werner Herzog, says he was “stunned” to find that “the world’s debts have risen to a stunning 300 trillion U.S. dollars.”
“In the film, we go on a journey to discover the human stories behind those debts, not just to sound out the problem but to find solutions to the global debt crisis,” said Herzog. “I wanted to make a film that captures all aspects: tragedy, wonder at human folly, and stories of resilience and hope. Arte, Ard and Neue Celluloid Fabrik proved to be excellent partners in this venture.”
Jürgen Kleinig of production company Neue Celluloid Fabrik added: “We start to developed the project a couple of years ago. In the course of the pandemic,...
- 12/21/2022
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
The film is premiering in IDFA Masters this week.
Esther van Messel’s Swiss-based First Hand Films has swooped to take world sales rights on A Way To B by husband and wife team Jos de Putter and Clara van Gool, that is making its world premiere in the Masters section of International Film Festival Amsterdam this week.
The documentary follows the dancers of the Barcelona-based troupe Lliant la Troca, several of whom have physical disabilities. It is produced by Janneke Doolaard and Harmen Jalvingh for Doxy Films.
Mokum is handling the Dutch release of the film. De Putter is...
Esther van Messel’s Swiss-based First Hand Films has swooped to take world sales rights on A Way To B by husband and wife team Jos de Putter and Clara van Gool, that is making its world premiere in the Masters section of International Film Festival Amsterdam this week.
The documentary follows the dancers of the Barcelona-based troupe Lliant la Troca, several of whom have physical disabilities. It is produced by Janneke Doolaard and Harmen Jalvingh for Doxy Films.
Mokum is handling the Dutch release of the film. De Putter is...
- 11/14/2022
- by Geoffrey Macnab
- ScreenDaily
There are 30 projects in first physical event since 2019.
New works from One Child Nation director Jialing Zhang and Chuck Norris vs. Communism filmmaker Ilinca Calugareanu are among the 30 projects participating in Cph:forum, the financing and co-production market of Cph:dox film festival.
The Forum will run from March 28-31, and will be the first in-person edition since 2019.
Scroll down for the full list of titles
Massachusetts-based Chinese filmmaker Zhang is participating with German-Dutch co-production The Total Trust (working title), produced by Knut Jager through Germany’s Filmtank. The documentary will examine the growth of surveillance culture in China, from cameras to AI profiling.
New works from One Child Nation director Jialing Zhang and Chuck Norris vs. Communism filmmaker Ilinca Calugareanu are among the 30 projects participating in Cph:forum, the financing and co-production market of Cph:dox film festival.
The Forum will run from March 28-31, and will be the first in-person edition since 2019.
Scroll down for the full list of titles
Massachusetts-based Chinese filmmaker Zhang is participating with German-Dutch co-production The Total Trust (working title), produced by Knut Jager through Germany’s Filmtank. The documentary will examine the growth of surveillance culture in China, from cameras to AI profiling.
- 2/10/2022
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Lightyear Entertainment has acquired two documentaries that made their world premieres at the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival: Thomas Robsahm’s A-ha: The Movie and Eddie Martin’s We Were Once Kids. The former will open in theaters across the U.S. and Canada on April 8, with the latter set for release in May.
A-ha: The Movie celebrates the 40th anniversary of the synth-pop band’s irresistible single “Take on Me,” which is still one of the most played songs of the last millennium. The musicians from small-town Norway became global sensations and heartthrobs overnight when they released the song and its groundbreaking pencil-sketch animation video, seeing their newfound fame overshadow their original dream to make music. In the years since, each has taken separate roads to get back to what they loved most.
A-ha has released 15 albums to date, which have sold more than 55 million copies. The band has also earned eight MTV Awards,...
A-ha: The Movie celebrates the 40th anniversary of the synth-pop band’s irresistible single “Take on Me,” which is still one of the most played songs of the last millennium. The musicians from small-town Norway became global sensations and heartthrobs overnight when they released the song and its groundbreaking pencil-sketch animation video, seeing their newfound fame overshadow their original dream to make music. In the years since, each has taken separate roads to get back to what they loved most.
A-ha has released 15 albums to date, which have sold more than 55 million copies. The band has also earned eight MTV Awards,...
- 12/20/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Zürich- and Berlin-based sales outlet First Hand Films has acquired world rights (excluding Norway) for Håvard Bustnes’ “Name of the Game” ahead of its world premiere in IDFA’s Frontlight section, Variety has learned. The director’s previous credits include IDFA 2017 competition entry “Golden Dawn Girls” and “Two Raging Grannies.”
Bustnes’ new effort centers on controversial politician Trond Giske, who was for many years the “crown prince” of the Norwegian Labor Party. When his left-wing party loses popularity and the #MeToo movement raises awareness about sexual harassment, however, the tide turns for the once so popular Giske. Long-standing rumors of inappropriate behavior toward young party members are thrown into sharp relief when a number of women accuse him of sexual assault. The flood of media attention, leaked videos and testimonials, and the ensuing political power struggle, bring about his downfall.
Nevertheless, Giske decides to travel the country in a self-refurbished...
Bustnes’ new effort centers on controversial politician Trond Giske, who was for many years the “crown prince” of the Norwegian Labor Party. When his left-wing party loses popularity and the #MeToo movement raises awareness about sexual harassment, however, the tide turns for the once so popular Giske. Long-standing rumors of inappropriate behavior toward young party members are thrown into sharp relief when a number of women accuse him of sexual assault. The flood of media attention, leaked videos and testimonials, and the ensuing political power struggle, bring about his downfall.
Nevertheless, Giske decides to travel the country in a self-refurbished...
- 11/14/2021
- by Davide Abbatescianni
- Variety Film + TV
“A-ha The Movie,” a documentary feature on the iconic Norwegian pop band, is set to have its world premiere at Tribeca on June 12.
The band’s hit “Take On Me,” accompanied by a pioneering sketch-animation video by Steve Barron, is still one of the most played songs of the last millennium. The documentary follows the band over a period of four years, sharing the full story of how three young men followed their impossible dream of making it big. When “Take On Me” reached number 1 on Billboard in the U.S. in 1985, that dream came true.
Almost 35 years after their breakthrough, A-ha still creates magic on stage with their music and tour the world together, but behind the scenes it’s a less united front: the group members drive in separate cars to their gigs and stay apart backstage. They only meet on stage, while doing the one thing they love.
The band’s hit “Take On Me,” accompanied by a pioneering sketch-animation video by Steve Barron, is still one of the most played songs of the last millennium. The documentary follows the band over a period of four years, sharing the full story of how three young men followed their impossible dream of making it big. When “Take On Me” reached number 1 on Billboard in the U.S. in 1985, that dream came true.
Almost 35 years after their breakthrough, A-ha still creates magic on stage with their music and tour the world together, but behind the scenes it’s a less united front: the group members drive in separate cars to their gigs and stay apart backstage. They only meet on stage, while doing the one thing they love.
- 5/20/2021
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
The U.K.’s Sheffield Doc/Fest has announced 55 projects for pitching forum MeetMarket and 22 projects for the Arts Talent Market.
The events run in parallel June 9-11 as part of the wider festival, which runs June 4-13. The MeetMarket will see projects presented to industry partners and consisting of a mix of emerging talent and experienced filmmakers. The emerging talents include Agustina Comedi, Cassie Quarless, Cyril Aris, Madeleine Hunt-Ehrlich, Tom Fassaert and Usayd Younis. There are also several seasoned players, such as Andre Singer (“Meeting Gorbachev”), Andreas Voit (“Leipzig in The Fall”), Diane Quon (“Minding the Gap”), Göran Hugo Olsson (“The Black Power Mixtape”), Kellen Quinn (“Time”), Riel Roch-Decter (“All Light”), Sean Mcallister (“A Syrian Love Story”) and Sierra Pettengill (“The Reagan Show”)
The Arts Talent Market will connect 22 creatives and teams with industry representatives. The work is an almost equal split between immersive VR/Ar, and video art or installation pieces,...
The events run in parallel June 9-11 as part of the wider festival, which runs June 4-13. The MeetMarket will see projects presented to industry partners and consisting of a mix of emerging talent and experienced filmmakers. The emerging talents include Agustina Comedi, Cassie Quarless, Cyril Aris, Madeleine Hunt-Ehrlich, Tom Fassaert and Usayd Younis. There are also several seasoned players, such as Andre Singer (“Meeting Gorbachev”), Andreas Voit (“Leipzig in The Fall”), Diane Quon (“Minding the Gap”), Göran Hugo Olsson (“The Black Power Mixtape”), Kellen Quinn (“Time”), Riel Roch-Decter (“All Light”), Sean Mcallister (“A Syrian Love Story”) and Sierra Pettengill (“The Reagan Show”)
The Arts Talent Market will connect 22 creatives and teams with industry representatives. The work is an almost equal split between immersive VR/Ar, and video art or installation pieces,...
- 4/27/2021
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
The 55 projects selected for the pitching forum have been revealed.
Documentary projects about corruption in football, black representation in the arts and the explosion in Beirut are among those selected for Sheffield Doc/Fest’s 2021 pitching forum MeetMarket.
The UK documentary market will take place virtually, as it did last year as a result of the pandemic, and will run from June 9-11. The public-facing festival will include physical screenings but the market has gone online-only due to travel restrictions for the mainly international delegates.
A total of 55 projects were selected from more than 570 applications and includes productions from 31 countries,...
Documentary projects about corruption in football, black representation in the arts and the explosion in Beirut are among those selected for Sheffield Doc/Fest’s 2021 pitching forum MeetMarket.
The UK documentary market will take place virtually, as it did last year as a result of the pandemic, and will run from June 9-11. The public-facing festival will include physical screenings but the market has gone online-only due to travel restrictions for the mainly international delegates.
A total of 55 projects were selected from more than 570 applications and includes productions from 31 countries,...
- 4/26/2021
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
Zurich-based First Hand Films has snapped up the Norwegian documentary “Trust Me” – about a Justin Bieber concert fraudster. The film is directed by Emil Trier, co-director with his brother Joachim Trier of “The Other Munch,” showcased at New York’s Lincoln Center in 2018.
The pic produced by Thomas Robsahm and Nicolai Moland for Motlys, with co-production partner Zentropa Sweden, is world premiering at the Nordic:dox competition strand of Denmark’s leading documentary festival Cph:dox, running April 21-May 12.
“Trust Me” is a stranger than fiction true story echoing “Catch Me If You Can.” The documentary chronicles the startling rise and fall of young Norwegian entrepreneur of Pakistani descent Waleed Ahmed, currently serving an 11-year prison sentence in the U.S. for international fraud.
Once a media darling, hailed as “Norway’s Mark Zuckerberg” at the age of 20 for supposedly inventing a solar energy mobile, Ahmed fooled everyone in Norway before moving...
The pic produced by Thomas Robsahm and Nicolai Moland for Motlys, with co-production partner Zentropa Sweden, is world premiering at the Nordic:dox competition strand of Denmark’s leading documentary festival Cph:dox, running April 21-May 12.
“Trust Me” is a stranger than fiction true story echoing “Catch Me If You Can.” The documentary chronicles the startling rise and fall of young Norwegian entrepreneur of Pakistani descent Waleed Ahmed, currently serving an 11-year prison sentence in the U.S. for international fraud.
Once a media darling, hailed as “Norway’s Mark Zuckerberg” at the age of 20 for supposedly inventing a solar energy mobile, Ahmed fooled everyone in Norway before moving...
- 4/14/2021
- by Annika Pham
- Variety Film + TV
Kazakh writer-director-producer Zhannat Alshanova studied at the London Film School.
Kazakh writer-director-producer Zhannat Alshanova was the big winner at Trieste’s When East Meets West (Wemw) co-production forum for her feature debut project A Winner Is Seen At The Start which won there prizes including the main Film Center Serbia development award with a cash prize of €5,000. The forum ran online from January 24-28.
Alshanova, a graduate of the London Film School also received the Pop Up Film Residency award and the European Women’s Audiovisual Network (Ewa) best woman director award for the project.
A Winner Is Seen At...
Kazakh writer-director-producer Zhannat Alshanova was the big winner at Trieste’s When East Meets West (Wemw) co-production forum for her feature debut project A Winner Is Seen At The Start which won there prizes including the main Film Center Serbia development award with a cash prize of €5,000. The forum ran online from January 24-28.
Alshanova, a graduate of the London Film School also received the Pop Up Film Residency award and the European Women’s Audiovisual Network (Ewa) best woman director award for the project.
A Winner Is Seen At...
- 1/28/2021
- by Martin Blaney
- ScreenDaily
Kazakh writer-director-producer Zhannat Alshanova studied at the London Film School.
Kazakh writer-director-producer Zhannat Alshanova was the big winner at Trieste’s When East Meets West (Wemw) co-production forum for her feature debut project A Winner Is Seen At The Start which won there prizes including the main Film Center Serbia development award with a cash prize of €5,000. The forum ran online from January 24-28.
Alshanova, a graduate of the London Film School also received the Pop Up Film Residency award and the European Women’s Audiovisual Network (Ewa) best woman director award for the project.
A Winner Is Seen At...
Kazakh writer-director-producer Zhannat Alshanova was the big winner at Trieste’s When East Meets West (Wemw) co-production forum for her feature debut project A Winner Is Seen At The Start which won there prizes including the main Film Center Serbia development award with a cash prize of €5,000. The forum ran online from January 24-28.
Alshanova, a graduate of the London Film School also received the Pop Up Film Residency award and the European Women’s Audiovisual Network (Ewa) best woman director award for the project.
A Winner Is Seen At...
- 1/28/2021
- by Martin Blaney
- ScreenDaily
A feature documentary on Norwegian “Take On Me” singers A-ha will receive a worldwide release this November.
“A-ha: The Movie,” distributed internationally by Esther van Messel’s First Hand Films, will be broadcast in theaters around the world on Nov. 26, with Germany’s Salzgeber releasing the film locally and First Hand Films handling the release in Switzerland. Deals are also under way for South Korea, Italy, Belgium, Finland, Israel, Iceland and Sweden.
The premiere will be accompanied by a live-streaming event of never-before-seen footage from the band’s videos. A-ha will also perform a concert in the Norwegian capital on Nov. 28.
News of the planned global release follows the announcement of A-ha’s hit song “Take On Me” surpassing one billion views on YouTube.
The iconic video combines live action with pencil-sketch animation, and is the second song from the 1980s to reach one billion views, on the heels of...
“A-ha: The Movie,” distributed internationally by Esther van Messel’s First Hand Films, will be broadcast in theaters around the world on Nov. 26, with Germany’s Salzgeber releasing the film locally and First Hand Films handling the release in Switzerland. Deals are also under way for South Korea, Italy, Belgium, Finland, Israel, Iceland and Sweden.
The premiere will be accompanied by a live-streaming event of never-before-seen footage from the band’s videos. A-ha will also perform a concert in the Norwegian capital on Nov. 28.
News of the planned global release follows the announcement of A-ha’s hit song “Take On Me” surpassing one billion views on YouTube.
The iconic video combines live action with pencil-sketch animation, and is the second song from the 1980s to reach one billion views, on the heels of...
- 2/23/2020
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
While the process of moving towards full gender parity at festivals remains a slow slog, it’s time to put money where the movement’s mouth is and make other types of tangible steps towards lifting up women’s voices, said speakers at a panel on female filmmaking jointly hosted by Studio Babelsberg, Canada Goose and Variety, moderated by Variety international editor Manori Ravindran.
The continued underrepresentation of women despite initiatives like the renamed 50/50 for the Future movement — which launched as 50/50 by 2020 but missed that target — remains a structural problem, panelists said.
“Without money, we can’t do anything. We can’t always expect people to be severely under-financed,” said Berlin-based Swedish director Carolina Hellsgard, who estimated that although women comprise half of Germany’s film school graduates, they end up making up less than 20% of its filmmakers.
“Funding in Germany is actually taxpayers’ money. I think it’s really...
The continued underrepresentation of women despite initiatives like the renamed 50/50 for the Future movement — which launched as 50/50 by 2020 but missed that target — remains a structural problem, panelists said.
“Without money, we can’t do anything. We can’t always expect people to be severely under-financed,” said Berlin-based Swedish director Carolina Hellsgard, who estimated that although women comprise half of Germany’s film school graduates, they end up making up less than 20% of its filmmakers.
“Funding in Germany is actually taxpayers’ money. I think it’s really...
- 2/20/2020
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
When FilMart was launched 22 years ago, Hong Kong boasted of its historic role as the preeminent gateway between China and the rest of the world. That message has had to be tempered in recent years as multiple other cities have emerged with claims to be hubs, and there is now huge direct trade between suppliers and end users. But Hong Kong’s traditional strengths — a free port, the rule of law, stable currency, low tax and excellent infrastructure — have helped it survive as it weathers commercial change.
Hong Kong’s FilMart has also navigated tumultuous changes on its way to becoming the premier film and TV rights market in Asia.
The emergence of mainland Chinese companies as major buyers, sellers and co-production partners in global film and TV fueled the market’s growth and a measure of stability for many years.
During the 21st century, Chinese theatrical box office has...
Hong Kong’s FilMart has also navigated tumultuous changes on its way to becoming the premier film and TV rights market in Asia.
The emergence of mainland Chinese companies as major buyers, sellers and co-production partners in global film and TV fueled the market’s growth and a measure of stability for many years.
During the 21st century, Chinese theatrical box office has...
- 3/15/2019
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: HotDocs title gets international sales deal.
First Hand Films has boarded sales for Selma Vilhunen’s documentary feature Hobbyhorse Revolution.
Hobbyhorse Revolution was released by Tuffi Films in Finnish cinemas in March and will be released in Sweden later this year by Folkets Bio. It won two prizes at Tampere Film Festival in March and also played at HotDocs.
The film delves into the world of Finnish teenage girls who ride and groom toy horses.
“I wanted to showcase that these girls are powerful in their attempt to claim agency in their sport and, though it might seem extra-ordinary, it isn’t so different from fantasy football,” said Vilhunen. “For the girls in this film, hobbyhorsing is a real way to cope with not only the pressure of growing up but some of the bullying that comes along with it.”
Esther van Messel of First Hand Films told Screen, “Hobbyhorse Revolution made us...
First Hand Films has boarded sales for Selma Vilhunen’s documentary feature Hobbyhorse Revolution.
Hobbyhorse Revolution was released by Tuffi Films in Finnish cinemas in March and will be released in Sweden later this year by Folkets Bio. It won two prizes at Tampere Film Festival in March and also played at HotDocs.
The film delves into the world of Finnish teenage girls who ride and groom toy horses.
“I wanted to showcase that these girls are powerful in their attempt to claim agency in their sport and, though it might seem extra-ordinary, it isn’t so different from fantasy football,” said Vilhunen. “For the girls in this film, hobbyhorsing is a real way to cope with not only the pressure of growing up but some of the bullying that comes along with it.”
Esther van Messel of First Hand Films told Screen, “Hobbyhorse Revolution made us...
- 5/26/2017
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
Festival also confirms Michael Moore set to compile next year’s ‘Top 10’.
At a packed ceremony in Amsterdam last night, the 28th International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (Idfa) announced its prizes.
In previous years, the Idfa award ceremony was held during the festival’s final weekend but the event was brought forward to Wednesday night so that more industry delegates and filmmakers could attend.
Among the main prizes, Jerzy Sladkowski’s Don Juan won the Vpro Idfa Award for Best Feature-Length Documentary and Ukrainian Sheriffs by Roman Bondarchuk won the Idfa Special Jury Award for Feature-Length Documentary.
The prize for the best Dutch documentary went to Ester Gould for A Strange Love Affair With Ego.
The festival’s opening film A Family Affair by Tom Fassaert was awarded the Idfa Special Jury Award for Dutch Documentary.
Attendance / Michael Moore
Festival organisers expressed their happiness at ticket sales. Attendances fell sharply at the beginning of the festival as a direct...
At a packed ceremony in Amsterdam last night, the 28th International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (Idfa) announced its prizes.
In previous years, the Idfa award ceremony was held during the festival’s final weekend but the event was brought forward to Wednesday night so that more industry delegates and filmmakers could attend.
Among the main prizes, Jerzy Sladkowski’s Don Juan won the Vpro Idfa Award for Best Feature-Length Documentary and Ukrainian Sheriffs by Roman Bondarchuk won the Idfa Special Jury Award for Feature-Length Documentary.
The prize for the best Dutch documentary went to Ester Gould for A Strange Love Affair With Ego.
The festival’s opening film A Family Affair by Tom Fassaert was awarded the Idfa Special Jury Award for Dutch Documentary.
Attendance / Michael Moore
Festival organisers expressed their happiness at ticket sales. Attendances fell sharply at the beginning of the festival as a direct...
- 11/26/2015
- by geoffrey@macnab.demon.co.uk (Geoffrey Macnab)
- ScreenDaily
Switzerland’s future membership of the European Union’s Creative Europe framework programme has been thrown into doubt after yesterday’s vote in favour of new immigration curbs.
The measure was supported by 50.3% of the voters and risks creating a rift between Switzerland and the EU, its biggest trading partner.
In an initial reaction from Brussels, the European Commission declared on Sunday that the vote “goes against the principle of free movement of persons between the EU and Switzerland. The EU will examine the implications of this initiative on EU-Swiss relations as a whole.”
Referendum result “devastating”
Speaking exclusively to ScreenDaily last night (Sun), leading Swiss industry figures attending the Berlinale gave their initial reactions to the vote and expressed grave concerns for the future of the Swiss film industry’s relations with the rest of the European film-making community.
Catherine Anne Berger, the director of Swiss Films, described the signals given by the referendum vote as...
The measure was supported by 50.3% of the voters and risks creating a rift between Switzerland and the EU, its biggest trading partner.
In an initial reaction from Brussels, the European Commission declared on Sunday that the vote “goes against the principle of free movement of persons between the EU and Switzerland. The EU will examine the implications of this initiative on EU-Swiss relations as a whole.”
Referendum result “devastating”
Speaking exclusively to ScreenDaily last night (Sun), leading Swiss industry figures attending the Berlinale gave their initial reactions to the vote and expressed grave concerns for the future of the Swiss film industry’s relations with the rest of the European film-making community.
Catherine Anne Berger, the director of Swiss Films, described the signals given by the referendum vote as...
- 2/10/2014
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
First Hand to release its first film in Swiss cinemas in January 2014.
Zurich based doc sales powerhouse First Hand Films has revealed the first titles it will release through its new Swiss theatrical distribution arm, which was set up earlier this year in partnership with Supermarket’s Olivier Mueller and Christian Ströhle.
And Who Taught You To Drive? (aka You Drive Me Crazy), Andrea Thiele’s feature doc about expats learning and re-learning how to drive in foreign countries, will mark First Hand Films’ first release in January 2014. It will go out in Swiss cinemas as You Drive Me Crazy.
“It is a fierce and well researched documentary but it is fun and with interesting characters,” Mueller told ScreenDaily.
The company’s second release, in early 2014, will be Service Included (Service Inbegriffe) by Eric Bergkraut. The doc, which played the Zurich Festival in September, takes viewers to various traditional pubs in the Italian, French and German-speaking...
Zurich based doc sales powerhouse First Hand Films has revealed the first titles it will release through its new Swiss theatrical distribution arm, which was set up earlier this year in partnership with Supermarket’s Olivier Mueller and Christian Ströhle.
And Who Taught You To Drive? (aka You Drive Me Crazy), Andrea Thiele’s feature doc about expats learning and re-learning how to drive in foreign countries, will mark First Hand Films’ first release in January 2014. It will go out in Swiss cinemas as You Drive Me Crazy.
“It is a fierce and well researched documentary but it is fun and with interesting characters,” Mueller told ScreenDaily.
The company’s second release, in early 2014, will be Service Included (Service Inbegriffe) by Eric Bergkraut. The doc, which played the Zurich Festival in September, takes viewers to various traditional pubs in the Italian, French and German-speaking...
- 12/5/2013
- by geoffrey@macnab.demon.co.uk (Geoffrey Macnab)
- ScreenDaily
Europa Cinemas Label awarded to Tableau Noir; Fipresci prize goes to What Now? Remind Me. Talk of Marco Mueller’s return with new Palazzo project.Scroll down for full list of winners
Catalan director Albert Serra was the surprise winner of this year’s Golden Leopard in Locarno for a historical drama with a difference, Story Of My Death.
Described by Serra by as “a movie about the beauty of horror, and also about the horror of beauty,” Story Of My Death imagines an encounter between Casanova of 18th rationalism and Count Dracula from the romantic 19th century.
French co-producer Capricci Films is handling international sales on the Spanish-French co-production which will be screened in Toronto’s Wavelengths programme next month.
However, films tipped for Leopard statuettes such as Claire Simon’s Gare du Nord and David Wnendt’s Wetlands were passed over by the International Jury headed by Filipino director Lav Diaz. Moreover, local...
Catalan director Albert Serra was the surprise winner of this year’s Golden Leopard in Locarno for a historical drama with a difference, Story Of My Death.
Described by Serra by as “a movie about the beauty of horror, and also about the horror of beauty,” Story Of My Death imagines an encounter between Casanova of 18th rationalism and Count Dracula from the romantic 19th century.
French co-producer Capricci Films is handling international sales on the Spanish-French co-production which will be screened in Toronto’s Wavelengths programme next month.
However, films tipped for Leopard statuettes such as Claire Simon’s Gare du Nord and David Wnendt’s Wetlands were passed over by the International Jury headed by Filipino director Lav Diaz. Moreover, local...
- 8/18/2013
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
Social media platforms ban explicit trailer for Wetlands.
Wetlands stirs controversy
As if Charlotte Roche’s eponymous novel hadn’t already attracted enough controversial reaction on its publication, David Wnendt’s adaptation of Wetlands (Feuchtgebiete) is now generating its own kind of headlines after its world premiere in Locarno’s Competition on Sunday evening.
Ahead of its German theatrical release by Majestic Filmverleih on August 22, Facebook, Google and You Tube have removed the film’s trailer from their platforms ¨due to sexually explicit and provocative content.¨
The 12-rated trailer for the 16-rated film has now been replaced by a censored version which, Majestic assures cinema-goers, is “100% G-rated.”
“Out of consideration for our American friends, but also for all those people who sicken at very sight of their own body, we want to help protect our youth,” the distributor declared with tongue firmly in cheek.
The trailer in its original uncensored glory with an array of bodily fluids...
Wetlands stirs controversy
As if Charlotte Roche’s eponymous novel hadn’t already attracted enough controversial reaction on its publication, David Wnendt’s adaptation of Wetlands (Feuchtgebiete) is now generating its own kind of headlines after its world premiere in Locarno’s Competition on Sunday evening.
Ahead of its German theatrical release by Majestic Filmverleih on August 22, Facebook, Google and You Tube have removed the film’s trailer from their platforms ¨due to sexually explicit and provocative content.¨
The 12-rated trailer for the 16-rated film has now been replaced by a censored version which, Majestic assures cinema-goers, is “100% G-rated.”
“Out of consideration for our American friends, but also for all those people who sicken at very sight of their own body, we want to help protect our youth,” the distributor declared with tongue firmly in cheek.
The trailer in its original uncensored glory with an array of bodily fluids...
- 8/12/2013
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
Social media platforms ban explicit trailer for Wetlands.
Wetlands stirs controversy
As if Charlotte Roche’s eponymous novel hadn’t already attracted enough controversial reaction on its publication, David Wnendt’s adaptation of Wetlands (Feuchtgebiete) is now generating its own kind of headlines after its world premiere in Locarno’s Competition on Sunday evening.
Ahead of its German theatrical release by Majestic Filmverleih on August 22, Facebook, Google and You Tube have removed the film’s trailer from their platforms ¨due to sexually explicit and provocative content.¨
The 12-rated trailer for the 16-rated film has now been replaced by a censored version which, Majestic assures cinema-goers, is “100% G-rated.”
“Out of consideration for our American friends, but also for all those people who sicken at very sight of their own body, we want to help protect our youth,” the distributor declared with tongue firmly in cheek.
The trailer in its original uncensored glory with an array of bodily fluids...
Wetlands stirs controversy
As if Charlotte Roche’s eponymous novel hadn’t already attracted enough controversial reaction on its publication, David Wnendt’s adaptation of Wetlands (Feuchtgebiete) is now generating its own kind of headlines after its world premiere in Locarno’s Competition on Sunday evening.
Ahead of its German theatrical release by Majestic Filmverleih on August 22, Facebook, Google and You Tube have removed the film’s trailer from their platforms ¨due to sexually explicit and provocative content.¨
The 12-rated trailer for the 16-rated film has now been replaced by a censored version which, Majestic assures cinema-goers, is “100% G-rated.”
“Out of consideration for our American friends, but also for all those people who sicken at very sight of their own body, we want to help protect our youth,” the distributor declared with tongue firmly in cheek.
The trailer in its original uncensored glory with an array of bodily fluids...
- 8/12/2013
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
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