No. 4 / 2015 ECFA’S CHILDREN’S FILM FIRST CONFERENCE SEPTEMBER 2015 BRUSSELS NOVEMBER on September 24Th More Than 100 Experts Gathered in Brussels

No. 4 / 2015 ECFA’S CHILDREN’S FILM FIRST CONFERENCE SEPTEMBER 2015 BRUSSELS NOVEMBER On September 24th more than 100 experts gathered in Brussels. The Chil- dren’s Film First Conference was inspired by the desire to improve the prac- EDITORIAL tice and status of those working in film education and children’s film and as a result turned out to be ‘a groundbreaking success’. 100 AROUND ONE TABLE ECFA is reaching an historical landmark. The 100th member has signed their subscription form, as we speak. We’re truly happy about this spectacular growth. But with such an expansion, it’s getting more and more difficult to reach out to each individual member. Particularly for an organisation ran by volunteers – which is what we are. That’s why ECFA needs a more elaborate communication strategy and that’s where ECFA wants to invest in the near future.

These actions can be seen from ECFA’s new Creative Europe application. After the Children’s Film First Conference, our new project proposal will be all about professionalisation and communication. ECFA’s website will soon be the subject of a drastic upgrade and discussions are held about the ECFA Journal’s further development, possibly supplemented with regular contacts through newsletters. And with this overwhelming amount of new members, we’re planning an extra Journal’s edition to introduce you to all the new faces around the table. ECFA saw the need to build on this confidence by kick-starting a new era for professionals in film literacy for children. The CFF project was the first step inthis But the most important form of communication, process. The project concluded in a seminar in the beautiful decorum of the Royal and the one that is keeping ECFA alive, is com- Flemish Theatre. The program fulfilled everyone’s needs, with a menu ranging from munication in the flesh. In various festivals and presentations to hands-on workshops, from an utterly enthused keynote speech to meetings, in ECFA juries but evidently also at the a manual on youngster’s festival participation, and media education’s latest most annual AGM. You’ll read everything about this inspiring tools and models. Here you can find a short selection of appealing quotes: year’s AGM’s new formula on page 9. Until then, all your advice and suggestions for ECFA’s new communication policy are more than welcome at [email protected].

Gert Hermans

Iris Verhoeven (JEFF Festival, Belgium): Julie Ward (Member of Parliament): Boudewijn Koole: “In the anthill, 92% of “The festival’s group of young volunteers “People have faced torture and prison for the colony has no concern other than is our cultural connection to local young- using media to communicate, therefore building, working and foraging. While sters.” teaching youngsters how to use media is 8% of the ants appear to do nothing. of primary importance!” Could it be that they are artists?”

ECFA Journal No. 4 - 2015 - 1 - Marta Nieto Postigo (Drac Magic, Spain – The MashUp Table: a portable on-the-spot- The audience was talked through the on the right): “Since schools don’t have the editing device, playfully introducing an au- process of using the Green Screen app. money to go to the cinema, we take activity dience to the essential building blocks of Delegates tried their hand at movie-mak- into the schools.” cinema. ing in a lively end to the day.

ECFA insists on expressing its thankfulness towards Creative Europe for their support. Kathy Loizou (Director of the CFF Confer- ence): “This is only the beginning of our collective journey in developing our skills and practice so that we can continue to inspire young people in their creativity. ECFA is prepared to take a strategic role onwards!” The content of the CFF Conference is outlined in detail in a report, to be downloaded on: http://www.childrensfilmfirst.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/CFF-6.11.2015.pdf.

DOXS 2015 What is a documentary? “A film about people having problems” was the not so irrational answer from a young boy in the audience during the recent doxs! festival (3 – 8 November) in Duisburg, Germany. This forces the festival’s qualified selection team to continuously search for the right balance between situations to be recognised by every young audience, or problems situated ‘far from home’. Even more than through the excellent film selection, the doxs! festival stands out for its debate culture. Every session compiles several short documentaries for one target age, and after every film a lively discussion unfolds between moderator and audience. Moderators always seem to find the right tone, and the commitment of the young people is overwhelming. Often they feel personally affected by movies and they are willing to share this sentiment with the other students present, sometimes concluding in a collective statement. The perfect example came at the screenings of ‘My Dearest F#cking Phone’ by Eef Hilgers (Netherlands). In her short film she outlined multiple aspects of mobile phone use: addiction, changing social patterns, a diminished self-confidence etc. Hilgers: “Instead of tackling the world’s bigger issues, I wanted to make a movie about things that affect us all. I found my main character through asking numerous students to write a letter to their phone. In her letter Claudia expressed precisely the core of the problem.” Which was recognised by the audience, considered the frank enthusiasm with which debaters took a stand or testified about their own addiction. Once again, the debate proved to be an enormous enrichment to the screening. In Doxspot the doxs! team presents another remarkable film in their selection.

DOXSPOT Grosse Klappe 2015 JEG ER KUBA was awarded with the Eu- ropean film prize for political youth docu- I AM KUBA (JEG ER KUBA) mentaries, ‘Grosse Klappe’ at the doxs! festival 2015. The ten adolescent jury Kuba and his little brother are home members were impressed by the stirring alone. Since the collapse of the family atmosphere and the visual imagery. Their business their parents work abroad, as jury statement explained: “The film suc- decent jobs are hard to find in Poland. ceeds at telling a story about a childhood I am Kuba This situation is exemplary for the finan- that is marked by the parents’ absence cial development in many Eastern Euro- with very clear and at the same time un- Kultur/Wissenschaft. pean countries after the cessation of the obtrusive images.” Director Åse Sven- Tel. +49 -341-300-72-73 EU job barrier. Because of similar rea- heim Drivenes accomplished “a highly sons approximately 100,000 Polish chil- personal, deeply emotional and detailed doxs! festival for children & dren are on their own or supervised by portrait and gives the audience an under- youth documentaries is dedicated different people. Twelve-year old Kuba standing of a widely unknown subject in to children & youth documentaries, feels left alone and overburdened by tak- a very moving way.” doxs! supports a unique mission: pre- ing care of his brother. He loves his par- senting contemporary European docu- ents’ short visits but even more he hates Director: Åse Svenheim Drivenes mentaries with the aim to create a pro- the goodbyes. He starts to revolt. To riot. NO / PL / DE, 2014, 58’ found dialogue between filmmakers The school gets involved. Urgently a de- Camera: Michal Jarosinski, Jacek and young audiences. Doxs! is em- cision needs to be made, if not, the family Gruszka bedded in the Duisburger Filmwoche. will fall apart. Music: Erik Myhr Production: Sant & Usant www.do-xs.de. Contact: Gudrun Som- Screen Copy: MDR, programme section mer & Julia Niessen.

ECFA Journal No. 4 - 2015 - 2 - EKREM ERGÜN ABOUT HÖRDUR The News Section: “Helplessly lost between two worlds” Films, Awards, Festivals and Aylin is equally furious as desperate. Bullied at school by her stuck-up class- mates, while at home she has to take care of her little brother. One day, Aylin other events strikes back… literally. As a result she is sent to a horse stable to do community Kineko Int. Children’s Film Festival; To- service. She doesn’t feel at ease at the farm, until she looks into the eyes of a kyo, Japan horse named Hördur, and the world turns around, not with the approval of her Best Feature Film: „Birds of Passage“ by father. Ekrem Ergün, a German director with Turkish roots, has made an entertain- Olivier Ringer, Belgium, 2015. Best Short: ing film about girls and horses which is already booked for numerous upcoming „Home Sweet Home“ by Romain Mazevet festivals. & Pierre Clenet, France, 2013. The ‘teenage girls and horses’ genre has You show the Turkish community as www.kinder.co.jp always been popular. What did you think rather isolated. Is there more segrega- Fantoche Int. Animation Film Festival; you could add to it? tion than integration? Baden, Switzerland Ekrem Ergün: Most of the heroines in ‘horse Ergün: I don’t think integration is a good Children’s Jury Award: „Lila“ by Carlos Las- films’ are middle-class, well educated. Be- word for the process of starting a new life cano, Spain, 2014. Children’s Audience sides that I have never seen a Turkish girl in a foreign society. Integration implicates Award: „Johnny Express“ by Kyungmin horse riding in Germany. Reasons for that that the new ones have to get rid of their Woo, South Korea, 2014. are mainly economical but maybe also cul- identity. If we could find a way not to scare www.fantoche.ch tural. What would happen if I placed a real people off, but to educate them and their girl, a girl facing severe problems, into this children well, there is a good chance for a Buster – Int. Film Festival for Children & often romanticised horse world? Would she bright and peaceful future. In the end that Youth; Copenhagen, Denmark find the strength and self-confidence to is what every parent wants. Int. Jury: Best Film for Children: „My Skinny solve her problems? How would her family Sister“, by Sanna Lenken, Sweden, 2014, react to that? I think in the long history of I found the tragedy of the barbecue also receiving Best Script Award. horse films that story has never been told in scene really moving. Young People’s Jury: Best Film: „Young Ergün: If there is one thing that Turkish Germany before. Tiger“ by Cyprien Vial, France, 2015. Best people love to do, it’s barbecuing. That Young Actress: Abby Hoes for „Nena“ by scene shows how the father Hasan Saskia Diesing, Netherlands & Germany, doesn’t even succeed in the simplest 2014. Best Short: „The Cut“ by Geneviève thing in life: to create a moment of happi- Dulude-Decelles, Canada, 2014. ness with his family. Children Jury: Best Film: „Operation Arc- Hasan’s relationship with his daugh- tic“ by Grethe Bøe-Waal, Norway, 2014. ter also includes warm moments. Best Child Actress: Helena Pieske for „The Ergün: They have a silent agreement that Spiderwebhouse“ by Mara Eibl-Eibesfeldt, works as long as both partners do their Germany, 2014. share. After Aylin is punished for fighting Audience award: „Captain Sabertooth and in school, Hasan feels betrayed. While the Lama Rama Treasure” by Lisa Marie Do you understand what exactly could things don’t work out too well for him, Gamlem & John Andreas Andersen, Nor- be this magical bond between girls and Aylin has the time of her life with Hördur. way, 2014. horses? In HÖRDUR it’s an almost phys- It foreshadows the conflict in this family: www.buster.dk ical sensation. things have to change! When Hasan de- Ergün: I grew up among sisters. Being the AniFest Rozafa Int. Film Festival; Shko- cides on going back to Turkey he crosses youngest in the family made me kind of a dra, Albania a line: Aylin no longer accepts his deci- secret-keeper for them. I had to buy them Children’s Jury: Best Film: „Lune“ by Thom- sions, which will lead to the grand finale. cigarettes or deliver love-letters. I witnessed as Leroux & Patrick Delage, France, 2014. Almila Bagriacik (Aylin) is a great actress how they dealt with emotions and with the Int. Jury: Best Film for Teenagers: „Home- with an ability to observe people. Like journey of growing up. I for myself discov- breakers“ by Marko Pekkanen, Finland, she found inspiration for Aylin by observ- ered that women have the advantage of 2014, also receiving the award of all juries ing her young sister. She did a great job! showing their feelings, sharing them with for Best Film of the Festival. others. Men often aren’t raised that way, Award for ‚Rights of Children‘: „Stela“ by which is a pity. The magical bond between Ainhoa Menendez, Spain, 2014. girls and horses is about sharing love and www.anifestrozafa.org trust, even in public. It´s like looking some- Lucas Int. Children’s Film Festival; one deeply into the eyes and then the world Frankfurt, Germany stops turning. Lucas Jury (4 children & 4 professionals) The picture you paint from the Turkish Awards: Best Feature: „The Singing Pond“ community is not 100% positive: a lack by Indika Ferdinando, Sri Lanka, 2014. of willingness to work, kids growing up Best Live Action Short: „Johnny Bakru“ by in front of the television… Ineke Houtman, Netherlands, 2014. Best Ergün: This picture is just the description of Were the horses fun to work with? Animated Short: „About a Mother“ by Dina Ergün: For a horse film our budget was the situation Aylin is living in. All characters Velikovskaya, Russia, 2015. rather limited so we had to work fast. But are all helplessly lost between two worlds: Young People Jury: Sir Peter Ustinov still the horses gave us many wonder- on one hand the conservative working class Award: „Bahavior“ by Ernesto Daranas, ful moments. One Head of Department Turkish immigrant workers, on the other Cuba, 2014. Sir Peter Ustinov Award for came to me one day and said that work- hand a western world full of both opportuni- Best Young Actor: Gijs Blom for „Painkill- ing with horses was the best thing he did ties and failures. I’m the son of a very poor ers“ by Tessa Schram, Netherlands, 2014. over the past 8 years, because it made Turkish family and for me the only way out ECFA Award: „About a Girl“ by Mark Mon- him happy. Which is a compliment for the of that predicament was going to school heim, Germany, 2014. horses, I presume. (GH) and not doing what my parents wanted me Audience Award: „Mister Twister on Stage“ to do. Which you could call ‘emancipation’. Festival contact: Renate Zylla, by Barbara Bredero, Netherlands, 2014. [email protected]. www.lucas-filmfestival.de

ECFA Journal No. 4 - 2015 - 3 - Filmfest - Children’s & Youth Film Festi- PETTY PRODUCTION FACTS val „Michel“; Hamburg, Germany Children’s Jury Award: „Little Gangsters“ by ELLA BELLA BINGO & THE BICYCLE THIEF Arne Toonen, Netherlands, 2015. www.michel-kinderfilmfest.de Due to a popular animated TV-series, the name ‘Ella Bella Bingo’ ex- cites every Norwegian pre-schooler. But with an animated feature in Schlingel – Int. Film Festival for Children the making, soon Ella’s charisma will infect a much more international & Young Audience; Chemnitz, Germany audience. Henry turns five and gets a brand new bicycle for his birth- Int. Children Jury’s Awards: Best Film: day. His best friend Ella is excited, now they can go biking together. „Paw“ by Robert-Adrian Pejó, Hungary, The next morning, Henry’s bike is stolen and Ella feels guilty, as she 2015; Best Child Actor: Félix Bossuet for was the one who told him not to have it locked. Together the two kids „Belle and Sébastien, The Adventure Con- start a detective agency, and their work will affect everyone at the tinues“ by Christian Duguay (France, 2015). Sunshine Garden village. Professionals’ Jury: Best Film for Children: „Birds of Passage“ by Olivier Ringer, Bel- The film, directed by Atle Blakseth after a script by Endre Lund Erik- gium & France, 2015; Best Junior Film (11- sen, further explores the evolving friendship between Ella and Henry throughout their search 13): „Enclave“ by Goran Radovanovic, Ser- for the bicycle. The producer is Frank Mosvold (for Kool Produktion), whom you might remem- bia & Germany, 2015. ber as one of the leading personalities behind the Kristiansand Children’s Film Festival. Even Junior Jury: „Labyrinthus“ by Douglas Bo- if “We make children laugh” is Kool Production’s mission statement, the film might equally swell, Belgium, 2014. make his audience burst out singing, as ELLA BELLA BINGO & THE BICYCLE THIEF will be Young People Jury: „Young Tiger“ by Cypri- presented in the form of a musical. The animated feature is to be completed in March 2017. an Vial, France, 2014. Contact: Frank Mosvold, [email protected]; www.mosvoldstudios.com. DEFA Prize: „We are Young. We are Strong“ Watch the trailer here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d49k1kPoabA. by Burhan Qurbani, Germany, 2014. Goethe Institute Award: „Sanctuary“ by Marc Brummund, Germany, 2014. „Sanctu- ary“ also received a „Fair Play“ Award. ECFA Award: „Enclave“; also receiving the STORM AIN’T OVER MR. FROG: CROWD-FUNDED award of the int. film critics’ Fipresci Jury. The Danish toddler documentary I’M DISTRIBUTION Professionals’ Jury for Short & Animated THAI (STORM) was already called “a Using crowd-funding to support film distri- Films: Best Animation: „The Little Man“ by shiny little diamond” in the ECFA Journal. bution... this innovative concept was put in Radek Beran, Czech Republic & Slovakia; In the film by Kaspar Astrup Schröder, use for the Dutch distribution of WIPLALA, Best Short: „My Stuffed Granny“ by Effie three-year-old Storm moved to Thailand and will be used again for MR. FROG. The Pappa, UK & Greece, 2014. and explored its new world with an open idea comes from Fabienne van Dillen and Audience Award: „The Secret Society of mind. Recently the second part of the In The Air, a small scale distribution com- Souptown“ by Margus Paju, Estonia, 2014. documentary was completed, in which pany working for Dutch producer Bos Bros. Lifetime Achievement Award: Gert K. Mün- Storm returns to his native country Den- Fabienne van Dillen: “The concept with tefering (children & family programmer for mark. For Danish television Storm’s ad- single investors supporting our marketing WDR in Cologne, one of the biggest public ventures were treated to a series, which and distribution campaign seems to work. TV stations in Germany). got re-edited for the international market The estimated budget for MR. FROG was www.ff-schlingel.de (in consultation with Belgian distributor € 450,000, and this is what we’ve collected. Jekino) into one 45’ film, combining the Youth Film Festival „Giffoni Macedonia“; Investors usually are not random specula- most relevant episodes of the two series. Skopje, Macedonia tors but have a certain commitment: they Best Film 10+: „I Give You My Word 2“ by Jekino paid much attention to the dub- have a heart for children’s films and sympa- Aleksandar Karpilovsky, Russia, 2015. bing: a documentary for pre-schoolers is thy for the work that we do.” Best Film 12+: „Sanctuary“ by Marc Brum- not a common format, so the youngest audience needs a voice that raises con- Can this formula be copied blindly by every mund, Germany, 2015. distributor, for every children’s film? Van Dil- Best Film 16+: „Sixteen“ by Rob Brown, fidence and that is able to bring across ‘everyday reality’ as a remarkable adven- len: “The credibility of Bos Bros is an impor- USA, 2013. tant asset. Based on the other successful www.giffoni.mk ture. While I’M THAI focused on ‘change’, part two shows recognisable scenes from films that Bos Bros already produced, the Kinderfilmfest; Münster, Germany life at home and at school. STORM is ir- investors trust in MR. FROG’s potential. Audience Award: „The Contest“ by Martin resistibly beautiful in its daily banality. Just like WIPLALA, MR. FROG is based Miehe-Renard, Denmark 2013. on a book by a successful author, whose www.kinderfilmfest-muenster.de earlier adaptations like ALFIE THE LITTLE WEREWOLF and THE HORROR BUS Cinekid – Int. Film, TV & New Media Fes- were instant box office hits.” Does the con- tival for Children & Young People; Am- cept have other advantages? “All the many sterdam, The Netherlands small investors feel somehow connected to Int. Jury’s Awards: Best Film for Children: the film. Therefore, they’ll help promoting „The New Kid“ by Rudi Rosenberg, France, it through the social media. In that way we 2015. Best Domestic Film for Children: combine funding with the building of a new „Little Gangsters“ by Arne Toonen, Nether- and broad marketing platform.” lands, 2015. Best Short: „Two Friends“ by Natalia Chernysheva, France, 2015. MR. FROG (director: Anna van der Heide, Audience Award: „The Invisible Boy“ by Ga- Alongside the film, Jekino developed script: Mieke de Jong) will be released in briele Salvatore, Italy, 2014. a workshop to introduce pre-schoolers July 2016 and tells about a rather peculiar Young People‘s MovieZone Award: „The to the idea of “looking at reality”, which teacher. “Sometimes I’m a frog. That’s my New Kid”. eventually can be done by making them big secret nobody knows.” The kids all think Burny Bos Talent Award for Upcoming operate the camera. the teacher is trying to be funny. Until one Scriptwriter: Jean Koolen for „Over het wa- day he arrives at school with duckweed in Contact info: Sara Stockmann, ter”. his hair, his clothes all wet and torn. The [email protected], www.cinekid.nl teacher has been attacked by a stork… www.sonntagpictures.com. More info: Fabienne van Dillen, [email protected]. ECFA Journal No. 4 - 2015 - 4 - FESTIVALS & EVENTS Short Film Festival; Uppsala, Sweden KINOKINO IN ZAGREB Children Jury Award: „How Ky Turned Into Niels“ by Els van Driel, Netherlands, 2014. The organisational and creative team of the Zagreb Film Festival (www.zff.hr) www.shortfilmfestival.com recently launched ‘KinoKino’ - an International Film Festival for Children’. Int. Children’s Film Festival; Chicago, Inspiration for this project came from ‘cinema’ as a multi-use space that can be used for USA learning, hangouts, discussions and entertainment, thus making the cinema an important Best of the Fest Award & Liv Ullmann Peace cultural and social meeting point. By creating this experience, we wish to make a differ- Prize: „Adama”, by Simon Rouby & Julien ence in raising new generations of cinema goers. Lilti, France, 2015. Programmer’s Choice: KinoKino’s premiere edition is scheduled for March 2016 in Zagreb, at Cinema Europa, „The Boy and the World“ by Ale Abreu, Bra- which is this year celebrating its 90th anniversary and represents one of the most impor- zil, 2013. Best Film by Emerging Director: tant cultural venues in the city of Zagreb. The “shiny little diamond” program will comprise „The Little Blond Boy with a White Sheep“ of approximately 30 international fiction films for children (<14), including recent features by Eloi Henriod, France, 2013. Teachers‘ and shorts, and special programs including film classics. One young and one profes- Choice: „Natural Sciences“ by Matias Luc- sional jury will be deciding on the best entries. Apart from films, KinoKino will host a num- chesi, Argentina, 2014. Best Film for Young ber of themed workshops for children, mentored by experts in various fields (film, music, Children (2-5): „Rita and Crocodile“ by Siri theatre, architecture, sociology, philosophy etc.). The idea is to give children a chance Melchior, Denmark, 2014. to spend time at the cinema before and after the screenings, filled with learning and fun. Children Jury: Best Live Action Feature, 1st: „Labyrinthus” by Douglas Boswell, Bel- In September we chose the visual identity for KinoKi- gium, 2014; 2nd: „Code M“ by Dennis Bots, no through a public call. The simple visual identity Netherlands, 2015. Best Live Action Short, designed by Draga Komparak perfectly conveys the 1st: „Dreaming of Peggy Lee” by James festival’s message: within the logo each letter has a Everett, UK, 2014; 2nd: „Myna and Asterix“ space. Together they make a coherent and harmonious by Kenny Basumatery, India, 2014. Best unity. The letters seemingly ‘jumping around’ symbolise Documentary Short, 1st: „A Place in the the ever vibrant medium of film, as well as the infinite Middle” by Dean Hamer, USA, 2014; 2nd: blooming imagination of children. „Mo’s Bows“ by Jennifer Treuting & Kris- In December the KinoKino website (www.kinokino.hr) will be activated. In the meantime ten McGregor, USA, 2015. Best Animated please follow all the news about the festival on our Facebook page / KinoKino – Int. Film Feature, 1st: „When Marnie Was There” by Festival for Children. (Selma Mehadžić, project manager). Hiromasa Yonebayashi, Japan, 2015; 2nd: Info: Selma Mehadžić ([email protected]) & Katarina Crnčić ([email protected]). „Zarafa” by Rémi Bezançon & Jean-Chris- tophe Lie, France & Belgium, 2015. Best Animated Short, 1st: „One, Two, Three” by Yulia Aronova, France & Switzerland, 2015; JUST FILM CELEBRATES 15TH ANNIVERSARY IN TALLINN 2nd: „The Crow and the Fox” by Pascal Ad- The Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) offeris its audience a selection of recent ant, France & Belgium, 2014. films from various countries. The mission of ‘Black Nights’ is the promotion of film culture Youth Jury: Best Live Action Short: 1st: in Estonia and fostering communication among cinema professionals. PÖFF combines „Kacey Mottet Klein, Birth of an Actor” by Ur- four simultaneous festivals: the main festival (giving its name to the whole event), and the sula Meier, Switzerland, 2015; 2nd: „Yussef sub-festivals Animated Dreams (animation), Sleepwalkers (student & short films) and... Is Complicated” by Vaughn Stein, UK, 2014. the children & youth film section Just Film. Best Animated Short: 1st: „Mythopolis” by Alexandra Hetmerová, Czech Republic, In its 15th festival edition ECFA member Just Film comprises a competition and special 2013; 2nd: „Amelia & Duarte” by Alice Gui- film programmes, aimed at young people. The Just Film Festival is held every Novem- maraes & Monica Santos, Portugal, 2015. ber, simultaneously with PÖFF, showcasing around 50 titles. “Some will make you cry, Adult Jury: Best Live Action Feature: 1st: some will make you laugh, and some might just change your life. In terms of audience „Birds of Passage” by Olivier Ringer, Bel- numbers the festival has become one of the most popular children and youth events in gium, 2015; 2nd: „Labyrinthus”. Best Live Estonia, with around 15,000 movie lovers attending screenings every year,” says festival Action Short: 1st: „Way of the Danube” by co-operator Kairi Valling. Sabin Dorohoi, Romania, 2013; 2nd: „Pic- nic” by Jure Pavlovic, Croatia, 2015. Best And indeed, most screenings are well attended by an experienced audience who seems Documentary Short, 1st: „Andrew with not to be surprised by a rather extreme selection policy. “Just Film walks on boundaries, Great Fanfare” by André Hörmann, Ger- just like the youth,” says Just Film manager Mikk Granström. “Testing the limits means many, 2014; 2nd: „Sisi and Wanwan” by discovering and trying out new and exciting things, while taking care not to accidentally Annelies Kruk, Netherlands, 2015. Best fall on the wrong side of the line. It is not necessarily bad to discover the world on one’s Animated Feature, 1st: „Adama”; 2nd: „The own – it can also be interesting, beautiful and bittersweet.” That explains the density Boy and the World”. Best Animated Short: of the festival selection that contains films testifying about 1st: „My Home” by Phuong Mai Nguyen, teenage pregnancy in KEEPER (Guillaume Senez, Belgium France, 2014; 2nd: „Amelia & Duarte”. / Suisse), the appalling conditions of life for Ukrainian street www.cicff.org children in the documentary CROCODILE GENNADIY (Teve Hoover, USA / Ukraine), harsh social realism in THE VIOLA- Kinderfilmtage im Ruhrgebiet; Essen, TORS (Helen Walsh, UK), or sexual excesses and a moral Mühlheim & Oberhausen, Germany wasteland in AMATEUR TEENS (Niklaus Hilber, Suisse) or Best Young Actress: Hanna Binke for THE HEROES OF EVIL (Zoe Berriatua, Spain), titles that so „Windstorm 2“ by Katja von Garnier, Ger- far were seldom picked up for the youth festival circuit. many, 2015. Best Film: „Ghosthunters – On Icy Trails“ by Nevertheless the jury decided to award a film that emphati- Tobias Baumann, Germany, 2015. cally celebrates the sincerity of youth: 14+ (Andrei Zaitsev) www.kinderfilmtage-ruhr.de combines a subtle, critical approach towards the world of young people in Russia today, with a story about two inno- Filem’on Children’s Film Festival; Brus- cent teenagers, and the bond with their parents. (GH) sels, Belgium www.poff.ee, www.justfilm.ee. Best Feature for Children: „The Shamer’s

ECFA Journal No. 4 - 2015 - 5 - Daughter“ by Kenneth Kainz, Denmark, CHILDREN’S SECTION WINS HEARTS AND MINDS AT Norway, Czech Republic, 2015. Best MUMBAI FILM FESTIVAL Short for Children: „The Present“ by Jacob Frey, Germany, 2014. Best TV- Beyond the glamour of the 17th Jio Short: „Kalle Kran“ by Johan Hagelbäck, MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, hidden Denmark, 2014. Best Belgium Short for from the limelight was a small move- Children: „The Tie“ by An Vrombaut, Bel- ment that heralded something unique gium, 2014. Best Feature for Teenagers: for the world of young audiences in the city. Thousands of children were „Spartacus & Cassandra“ by Ioanis Nu- Its early morning and sleepy guards at introduced to world cinema through guet, France, 2015. Best Short for Teen- the multiplex are taken aback by the en- ‘Half Ticket’ – the festival’s new chil- agers: „The Sense of Touch“ by Jean- ergy of a thousand cheering, boisterous dren’s film section. Charles Mbotti Malolo, France, 2015. kids from the aged 5–15 years who are www.filemon.be The specially curated package including happy merely to be out of the classroom. Doxs! – Documentaries for Children & SONG OF THE SEA, ADAMA, BIRDS OF Inside, after watching the film, education Young People; Duisburg, Germany PASSAGE, CELESTIAL CAMEL, among experts discuss its subject and form, they Young People’s Jury: „I am Kuba“ by Åse others and the yet little seen home-grown ask questions and the engaged kids re- Svenheim Drivenes, Norway, Poland, production OTTAL, offered the widest va- spond with a keen awareness. Besides 2014. riety of films that are artistically distinct watching and discussing films, children www.do-xs.de and yet also speak to each other. also participated in a screen writing workshop led by creative giants of the Indian The children’s jury awarded the ‘Golden Nordic Filmdays / Films for Children & film industry – Zoya Akhtar, Imtiaz Ali and Gateway for the Best Children’s Feature’ Young People; Lübeck, Germany Avinash Arun. A team of child reporters to OTTAL from India, a beautiful lyrical Children Jury Award: „Operation Arctic“ covered the event. by Grethe Bøe-Waal, Norway, 2014. tale of a young boy who herds ducks in Young People‘s Jury Award: „Other Girls“ the backwaters of Kerala with his aged In the post screening discussion after by Esa Illi, Finland, 2015. grandfather. The second Best Feature the Brazilian animated feature THE BOY www.filmtage.luebeck.de went to the thrilling OPERATION ARC- AND THE WORLD, a 14 year old boy TIC. The votes of the Children’s Jury for says before watching the film he thought Shorts went to two exquisite Russian ani- 2D animation was passé, but now he Forthcoming festivals & mations: ‘My Grandfather was a Cherry realises that each film requires its own events Tree’ and ‘About a Mother’. unique form and that sometimes 2D can be even more compelling than the famed El Meu Primer Festival; Barcelona, The significance of this section can be Pixar 3D animations. The discussion also Spain gauged by a simple fact: almost half of all had children in tears while likening the November 14 - 29th 2015 Indians are 18 years or younger. Monica displacement of poor people in Brazil to www.elmeuprimerfestival.com/?lg=2 Wahi, Curator of ‘Half Ticket’ and Director displacement of slums in Mumbai. Int. Documentary Film Festival IDFA; of the South Asian Children’s Cinema Fo- Amsterdam, Netherlands rum: “By identifying this half as an impor- Regular festival patrons were amazed to November 18 - 29th 2015 tant segment, the festival hopes to create see so many uniformed students in their www.idfa.nl visibility and value for stories that speak midst. A few years down the line, they directly to them, and particularly for films will be back, to stand in line as adults de- Int. Film Festival, Children’s Section that can help counter the alarming rise of manding to see the best of cinema from “Enfant Terribles”; Gijon, Spain intolerance and violence in our society.” around the world. (Satyen K. Bordoloi) November 20 - 28th 2015 www.gijonfilmfestival.com PACK MAGIC, SLOW CINEMA FOR CHILDREN Kodomo Int. Film Festival; Okinawa, Japan Pack Magic is a Drac Magic-connected the films are November 21 - 23rd 2015 Catalan distributor of films for children, available with www.kiffo.kukuruvision.com focusing on the dissemination of titles audio-descrip- that stimulate aesthetic sensitivity, emo- tion (through Festival Int. de Cinéma du grain à dé- tional education and the transmitting ArtAccés app, a moudre; Gonfreville l’Orcher, France of social and cultural values. The Pack system for mo- November 21 - 29th 2015 Magic films are intended for a 2-9 years bile devices that www.dugrainademoudre.net audience. In the catalogue, you will find can reproduce Int. Children’s Film Fest; Graz, Liezen, recent films alongside classics that were synchronously Kapfenberg, Eibiswald, Austria popular amongst generations. the audio-description of the November 22 - 28th 2015 Pack Magic puts care and rigor in select- film from an www.kinderfilmfestival.at/steiermark ing films appropriate to the skills and sen- acoustic fingerprint) and subtitles. Olympia Int. Film Festival for Children sibilities of young children. Their promo- & Young People; Pyrgos, Greece tional material is designed to stimulate This new distribution offer by Drac Magic November 28 - December 5th 2015 curiosity and to foster the fancy for movie builds further upon a project that flour- www.olympiafestival.gr going from a very young age. Inspired by ished from 1977–2005. Pack Magic in- the ‘slow movement’, the films are per- cludes a partnership with two more enti- Int. Young Audience Film Festival Ale meated by a harmonious, natural rhythm ties: Associació Cultural Cavall Fort and Kino!; Poznan, Poland in the characters, spaces and land- Rialles, with whom a catalogue was put November 29 - December 6th 2015 scapes, and a varied artistic approach in together of 41 films for children, repre- www.alekino.com drawings or art direction. senting the best of international cinema, from LITTLE ANNA, CIRKELINE and Children’s Film Festival; Kraków, Po- Pack Magic promotes the normalisation THE JOURNEY TO MELONIA to EMIL & land of the Catalan language. Therefore all IDA and PHANTOM BOY. December 6 - 8th 2015 films are dubbed into Catalan, although in www.ffdd.pl/aktualnosci/?lang=en the future there will be Spanish versions Contact: [email protected]; too. For the visually or hearing impaired, www.packmagic.cat.

ECFA Journal No. 4 - 2015 - 6 - FILMS ON THE HORIZON Lola Kenya Screen - Audiovisual Media Festival for Children & Youth; Nairobi, New European films for children or young people which are ready to be discov- Kenya ered for your programmes. More information and more films can be found atwww. December 7 - 12th 2015 ecfaweb.org/ecfnet/films.php. Producers, distributors and sales agents are kindly www.lolakenyascreen.org invited to inform us of their new releases. Children’s Film Festival; Seattle, USA Adama Monkey Business from A to Z January 21 - 31st 2016 Animated Film, France, 2015 Feature Film, Netherlands, 2015 www.childrensfilmfestivalseattle.org Directors: Simon Rouby & Julien Lilti Director: Johan Nijenhuis Int. Children’s Film Festival; Dhaka, Prod.: Naïa Prod., Pipangaï, France 3 Prod.: Farmhouse Tv & Film BV Bangladesh Cinéma, Albatros Prod. World Sales: Mountain Road Entertain- January 23 - 29th 2016 World Sales: Picture Tree Int., Zur Börse ment, Bergweg 12, 1217 SC Hilversum, www.cfs-bangladesh.com 12, 10247 Berlin, Germany Netherlands Phone: ++49 -30-4208-248-14 Phone: ++31 -35-623-55-59 JEFF Europees Jeugdfilmfestival; Ant- E-Mail: [email protected] E-Mail: [email protected] werp & Brugge, Belgium www.picturetree-international.com www.mountainroad.nl January 31 - February 14th 2016 www.jeugdfilmfestival.be April and the Twisted World The New Kid Feature Film, France, 2015 Children Film Festival - Cine Junior; Val Director: Rudi Rosenberg de Marne, France Prod.: Récifilms, Cinéfrance, D8 Films February 3 - 16th 2016 World Sales: Indie Sales, 32, Rue Wash- www.cinemapublic.org ington 75008 Paris, France Anima – Int. Animation Film Festival; Phone: ++33-1-44-83-02-27 Brussels, Belgium E-Mail: [email protected] February 5 - 14th 2016 Animated Film, France, Belgium, 2015 www.indiesales.eu www.animafestival.be Directors: Christian Desmares & Franck Phantom Boy Ekinci Int. Filmfestival, Generation; Berlin, Animated Film, Belgium & France, 2015 Prod.: Je Suis Bien Content, Kaibou Prod. Germany Directors: Jean-L. Felicioli & Alain Gagnol World Sales: Studiocanal Int. Sales, 1, February 11 - 21th 2016 Prod.: Folimage. Place du spectacle, 92130 Issy-les Moulin- www.berlinale.de World Sales: Lumiere, Hof Ter Mere 28, eaux, France 9000 Gent, Belgium Phone: ++33-1-71-35-35-35 Youth Film Festival; Glasgow, Scotland Phone: ++32-9-277-05-20 www.studiocanal.com/de/international- February 12 - 15th 2016 E-Mail: [email protected] sales/line-up www.glasgowfilm.org/gyff www.folimage.fr/fr/production/en-cours/ Jack’s Birthday Wish phantom-boy-117.htm SehPferdchen – Kinderfilmfest; Han- Feature Film, Netherlands, 2015 nover, Germany Director: Anne de Clercq Secret Society of Souptown February 21 - March 2nd 2016 Feature Film, Estonia & Finland, 2015 Prod. & World Sales: 2CFILM www.filmfest-sehpferdchen.de Director: Margus Paju Danzigerkade 5, 1013 AP Amsterdam, Prod. & World Sales: Nafta Films Luxembourg City Film Festival; Luxem- Netherlands Soo 4, Tallinn, Estonia bourg www.2cfilm.nl Phone: ++372-683-66-60 February 25 - March 6th 2016 The Little Man E-Mail: [email protected] www.luxfilmfest.lu Animated Film, Czech Rep. & Slovakia, www.nafta.ee Int. Children’s Film Festival; New York, 2015 USA Director: Radek Beran Social Suicide Feature Film, UK, 2015 February 26 - March 20th 2016 Prod.: Bedna Films, Fantomas Prod. Director: Bruce Webb www.gkids.com World Sales: Czech Television, Telexport Prod. & World Sales: Quarry Island Films Programme Sales, Kavci Hory, 14070 FIFEM Int. Children’s Film Festival; 22 Holmbush Road, Putney, London Praha 4, Czech Republic Montreal, Canada SW15 3LE, UK Phone: ++42-2-61-13-70-47 February 27 - March 6th 2016 Phone: ++44-077-63-908-066 E-Mail: [email protected] www.fifem.com E-Mail: [email protected] www.czech-tv.cz/sales www.socialsuicidethefilm.com Cartoon Movie; Lyon, France Long Way North March 2 - 4th 2016 Animated Film, France, 2015 Who Killed Nelson Nutmeg? www.cartoon-media.eu Feature Film, UK, 2015 Director: Rémi Chayé Directors: Tim Clague & Danny Stack Youngabout – Int. Film Festival for Prod.: Sacrebleu Prod., Maybe Movies- Prod. & World Sales: Nelson Nutmeg Young People; Bologna, Italy World Sales: Urban Distribution Int. Pictures Ltd March 5 - 12th 2016 14, Rue du 18 Août, 93100 Montreuil, E-Mail: [email protected] www.youngabout.com France www.nelsonnutmegpictures.com Phone: ++33-1-48-70-46-56 BUFF Film Festival; Malmö, Sweden E-Mail: [email protected] Grotto March 14 - 19th 2016 www.urbandistrib.com Feature Film, Italy, 2015 www.facebook.com/buff.festival Director: Micol Pallucca Microbe and Gasoline Prod. & World Sales: Thalia Film More information on all these festivals Feature Film, France, 2015 E-Mail: [email protected] you will find on our website: Director: Michel Gondry www.thaliafilm.it www.ecfaweb.org/ecfnet/festivals.php Prod.: Partizan Films, Studiocanal World Sales: Studiocanal Int. Sales More information on all these films you (address see above) will find on our website: www.studiocanal.fr/cid34691/microbe-et- www.ecfaweb.org/ecfnet/films.php gasoil.html#

ECFA Journal No. 4 - 2015 - 7 - THE PHANTOM BOY UNIVERSE Leo is 11 years old, lives in New York, wears a cap on his bald head and is seriously ill. But what is very special about Leo? Leo is able to leave his body and fly around, passing through walls just like a phantom. Together with Alex, a police officer in a wheelchair, he chases a mysterious gangster, ‘The Man with the Broken Face’ as co-director Alain Gagnol calls him. When a journalist investigating a story falls in to the hands of the villain, Phantom Boy is called to arms: he has 24 hours to save New York City from total destruction. During the Ciné-Jeune de l’Aisne Festival in Saint-Quentin Gagnol spoke about the artistic inspirations of PHANTOM BOY. Hopper they learned how characters in added in each version of the animatic brightly lit decors retreat into the shad- with ever greater precision. A very impor- ows. tant step was the application of the shadows, for which PHANTOM BOY used the The character design goes back to the classic film noir models. Over the bare same comic strip examples. The fact that character sketches were dragged trans- Phantom Boy is actually sick, grants him parencies with shadow patterns - if the an extra strong graphic presence that di- characters move, so do the shadows. rectly refers to the drawings of Stan Lee. Gagnol made the film together with Jean- Only in the last phase, computer effects “In the sixties Lee gave superheroes a Loup Felicioli, who followed a classic art (e.g. rain) were added. On the computer, human dimension: his characters were education and was once a restorer of paint- the filmmakers lowered the number of often tortured or depressed.” Gagnol ings. Thus he was undeniably influenced frames per second from 24 to 12, in order shows images of Daredevil’s mental de- by the great masters. But his graphic in- to preserve an artisan feel, deliberately cline, emaciated and delirious in a room spiration for PHANTOM BOY came mainly reducing the fluency so as not to contrast full of rubbish. Or Iron Man in a sweaty al- from American superhero comics, with their with the hand-drawn sequences. cohol delirium. The Man with the Broken distinct metropolitan character and their vi- Face, the most notable pictorial appear- sion on urbanisation. Director Alain Gagnol ance in the film, refers directly to THE IN- shows illustrations in which buildings com- VISIBLE MAN (James Whale, 1933) with pletely overshadow the characters (Bat- his glasses and bandaged head, while man, Spider-Man). “Naive illustrations, but his cloak and hat could have been stolen their framing is phenomenal and they strove from The Joker’s wardrobe. for a unique form of photorealism. This style has influenced numerous films, and not just The voice cast (including Audrey Tatou) The choice to work with 3D computer in the obvious superhero genre.” Gagnol was an important element in the charac- animation was not mandatory; it was not shows drawings from Batman comics that ter design. Immediately after finishing the a goal in itself. 3D in this film is a tool, look like TAXI DRIVER stills, with char- script, the voices were recorded. Later for example to make a pile-up look cred- acters in tight jeans, strolling through the the lip-sync graphics were put onto those ible or to simply increase the number of streets of New York. dialogues. Alain Gagnol’s son Gaspard cars and pedestrians on the streets. In did the voice of Phantom Boy. “We used In A CAT IN PARIS the duo Gagnol–Felicioli total a team of 60 people worked on the his voice for the test versions, but the re- already brought to life the architecture of film, two years to complete the script and sult was so good that we decided to keep Paris. The contrast with New York is enor- about three years for the animation. All him on for the movie. He was 13 years mous; graceful cast-iron balconies versus animation was done digitally, hand drawn old, right before his crystal-clear voice ir- tight windows and angular skyscrapers. on tablets, so that throughout the mak- revocably broke.” “When the going gets tough for Phantom ing something barely got preserved on Boy, New York turns into a ghost town, The set designs were created with chalk paper. Regretfully, as everybody agrees, abandoned and desolate.” Inspiration came on paper and then were scanned, to pre- despite the film’s beautiful design, the not only for countless photos but also from serve a bit of the original ‘grain’. In these rare original chalk and pencil drawings Woody Allen’s MANHATTAN. From Edward sets characters and movements were have a timeless charm. (GH)

‘ENCLAVE’ WINS SCHLINGEL rope’s gaze manipulated by western ECFA AWARD media, the problems are getting worse. How do we evolve towards a civil society, like the international forces tried to This year’s Schlingel award ceremony establish?” turned into a surprising triumph for the Serbian-German coproduction ENCLAVE. ENCLAVE doesn’t make a political state- Within grim scenery the film pictures a Ser- ment. “I’m an artist. What I care about is bian family living in an enclave in Albanian love, hope and creating things of beauty.” Kosovo. Every day Nenad has to endure the But did politics somehow interfere in the nerve-racking ride to school in an armoured film making process? “We didn’t get the generations.” Radovanovic explained car, attacked with stones thrown by Alba- permission to film in Kosovo. We shot in about the current situation in Kosovo, nian villagers. The hostile climate carries on central Serbia, recreating a small Alba- where a minority of Christian Serbs live at home, where his gruff father swears by nian border village. alongside a Muslim Albanian population. alcohol, gloomy silence and harsh corporal The input of the actors was crucial. Meto “In 2004, after Kosovo’s independence, punishment. Then, with the arrival of a new Jovanovski (playing Nenad’s grandfa- there were revenge attacks and arsons clock in the belfry of the Serbian church, ther) is Albanian, the other actors were against the Serbs. NATO took a side things take a dramatic turn for Nenad… mainly Kosovar Serbs. Like Denis Muric and looked the other way. Even if nowa- (playing shepherd boy Bashkim), who In the Schlingel Festival, Serbian director days the situation has become quieter, has a Muslim father and a Serbian moth- Goran Radovanovic told about his motiva- still there are conflicts. The hatred is still er. Their ancestry might have helped the tion to make this beautifully balanced, slow there. With the Serbs living in enclaves, children to better understand their roles.” paced film: “After my generation destroyed Muslim fundamentalism gaining power, Contact: Sein+Hain Film, everything, this film should give hope to new Serbian police being corrupted and Eu- [email protected].

ECFA Journal No. 4 - 2015 - 8 - ECFA NEWS NEW CONCEPT FOR ECFA’s AGM THE CHILDREN’S FILM FIRST ROMA IN ITALY DATABASES As another substantial result of the Chil- dren Film First project, ECFA proudly presents you: three new databases created in the last year and made available through ECFA’s website www.ecfaweb. org. Those new databases include: 1.Children’s Literacy Professionals – in- ECFA’s AGM 2015 formation about the roles of, and contact details for, people in a range of disci- Since ECFA wants to facilitate its mem- A new European project applying for an plines connected to film literacy for young bers with the best possible circumstances associate partnership with ECFA: “To- people in Europe. for networking, from 2016 on we’ll invest in gether against discrimination and for the 2. Feature Film Study Guides – lists optimising the concept of the Annual Gen- promotion of the rights to education” is a study guides (in their original language) eral Meeting. Again this year, we’re hoping project based in Italy, focusing on Roma available for a range of European films to meet as many members as possible in children and teens living in Milan, Rome (currently 107 titles). Where permissions Berlin, on Saturday 13 February, at 16.00 in and Bari. The project is cofounded by the are available the guides are embedded in a new location: the Vertretung des Freista- European Union’s programme on Jus- the database. ates Sachsen beim Bund, a 15 minute walk tice. Partners are the associations BIR, 3. Short Films. from Potsdamer Platz. The AGM will imme- UPRE and Spirit Romanesc. Roma and diately be followed by a networking diner Italian children together will be involved and an evening party at the same location, ECFA CLIP for 18 months in cinema and theatre hosting the ECFA Award ceremony and a workshops to create an awareness cam- bar, handled by ECFA member Copenha- paign against racism and stereotyping gen Bombay. There is no possible reason of Roma people. ECFA member Nuovo to miss such ‘ein Abend in Berlin’! Fantarca will be responsible for the cre- More info in the next ECFA Journal. ation of a series of short films with the young participants. THANK YOU, More info: Rosa Fero, CECILIA! [email protected]. Cecilia Grubb has ECFA has its own trailer. This beautiful JOURNAL’S EXTRA EDITION finished working as a piece of animation was made by young festival producer at BUFF, the international Never before has ECFA attracted so participants of the animation workshop film festival for children and young people many new members in one year. Too in the Pula Film Festival and offered to in Malmö, Sweden. As a consequence of many to individually present them in the us by Tanja Milicic. In bright colours, the this she has also left her position in the pages of the ECFA Journal. Therefore, trailer reflects the childlike fantasy and ECFA board. Her tasks at BUFF are tempo- later this year, we will publish an extra the love for film, that ECFA aims to foster. rarily taken care of by festival director Julia newsletter to introduce you to all those This ‘sign board’ of our organisation will Jarl and head of programming Daniel Lun- new faces around the ECFA table. 2015’s soon be available in different formats on dquist. ECFA’s next AGM will decide about new members will soon receive an invita- the ECFA website. Cecilia’s vacant seat in the board. We thank tion to make themselves known to all our Cecilia for her years of devotion to ECFA readers. and children’s films in general, and wish her all the very best from now on.

ECFA Awards Titles recently listed for the ECFA Award 2015: - Lucas Int. Children’s Film Festival (Frankfurt am Main, Germany): ABOUT A GIRL (Mark Monheim, Germany). - Schlingel – Int. Film Festival for Children & Young Audience (Chemnitz, Germany): ENCLAVE (Goran Radovanovic, Serbia / Germany). - Int. Children’s & Youth Film Festival (Oulu, Fin- land): OPERATION ARCTIC (Grethe Bøe-Waal, Norway). - KINOdiseea - Int. Children’s Film Festival (Bucha- rest, Romania): BIRDS OF PASSAGE (Olivier & Yves Ringer, Belgium)

Soon all ECFA members will be contacted regard- Operation Arctic ing the voting for the final ECFA Award 2015.

ECFA Journal No. 4 - 2015 - 9 - FILM IN FOCUS YOSEF BARAKI ABOUT MINA WALKING MINA WALKING might just be one of the strongest feminine testimonies you’ve ever seen. Twelve-year-old Mina from Kabul has her hands full: keeping house and earn- ing money for her father and grandfather. She has long since become accustomed to not expecting any praise for her sacrifice. She rarely finds time to play with friends. Things get even worse when it slowly dawns on her what kind of arrangements her ECFA Journal father makes and where he has suddenly got money from… Director Yosef Baraki, living in Canada, was at the Schlingel Festival. Published by ECFA European Children’s Film Association Is that why you casted Farzana Nawabi as Rue du Pavillon 3 Mina? Baraki: Before I arrived in Afghanistan B-1030 Bruxelles I spoke to 3 or 4 girls through Skype and im- Phone: +32 (0)2 242 54 09 mediately noticed they were very shy, look- Fax: +32 (0)2 242 74 27 ing to their parents and trying to be nice. I E-mail: [email protected] understood that was the way for an Afghan Website: www.ecfaweb.org girl to behave. When Farzana came in, immediately something changed. She was as- Please send press releases, advertise- sertive, loud, talkative, making jokes. I had ments, questions & information to only 19 days to shoot the film. If I casted Jekino - Gert Hermans Yosef Baraki: After I finished school I had someone with maybe a better look but a dif- See address above to decide whether I was going to work as ferent attitude, I probably wouldn’t be able E-mail: [email protected] an assistant, or doing what I wanted to do. to bring out Mina’s character in 19 days. But I decided to make my first film instead. I Farzana stands very close to Mina. Moreover Contributors to this issue: went to Afghanistan, my home country. the background of her parents, who are the- Gert Hermans (Editor) Having been disconnected from my coun- atre actors, made our work easier, because Adam Graham, Reinhold Schöffel, Fe- try while living abroad, I tried to find a way in general it’s not common for an Afghan girl lix Vanginderhuysen, Julia Niessen, back into the culture by learning from peo- to act with a group of men in public. Gudrun Sommer, Kathy Loizou, Jac- ple. The most accessible way to do that qui Wells, Renate Zylla, Ekrem Ergün, was through the street children. They were With Afghan people not exactly living Frank Mosvold, Fabienne van Dillen, always there on the street corner, selling in luxury, I would expend to find a great Selma Mehadžić, Marta Nieto Postigo, their toys or whatever they could get. They solidarity among them. But on the streets Monica Wahi, Satyen K. Bordoloi, Kairi have developed very good English by sell- there’s hardly any solidarity to find. Bara- Valling, Elise van Beurden, Daniel Lun- ing to foreigners. I started spending time ki: Solidarity is hard to find when everybody dquist, Rosa Fero, Yosef Baraki. with them, observing them. is fighting for himself and his family to sur- vive. During my days in Afghanistan, I wit- Proofreading: Adam Graham What did you see? Baraki: I noticed there nessed an incredible solidarity and niceness Design: Sam Geuens & Marc Henneco was a group of two boys in their twenties in people. But on the street, among the less ECFA website: Udo Lange and two young girls, ten or eleven years fortunate, life is different. Those people have old. One girl was making more money, she ECFA’s goal is to support cinema for been damaged for over 40 years and have found ways to hustle, to be a better sales- children and youth in its cultural, eco- nothing to rely on. woman. I started asking myself: what hap- nomical, aesthetic, social, political and pens to her when she goes home at night? In the ending scene, the balance between educational aspects. Since 1988 ECFA Does she have someone to take care of optimism and pessimism is very peculiar. brings together a wide range of Euro- her? Does she have a house or is she Baraki: Mina makes her own decision. Up pean film professionals and associa- homeless? I wanted to tell a simple story until this point she was always living for her tions, producers, directors, distributors. about this girl, showing what would happen father and grandfather, but now she starts liv- ECFA aims to set up a working structure to her in seven days. ing for herself. I didn’t want to create a happy in every European country for films for ending that was not representative for how children and young people, a structure Is Mina representative for all street chil- people feel in Afghanistan today. It had to be adapted to Europe’s multicultural inter- dren in Afghanistan? Baraki: I found out one step in the right direction. ests. that street children often are orphaned or their parents are disabled, sometimes be- When filming on the streets, did reality For more information and memberships cause of the war. Mina, a girl on the lower sometimes interfere with your story? (€ 200 per year): end of the Afghan class system, has to take Baraki: All the time, but that’s what I wanted. I ECFA care of a parent who is addicted to opium, invited reality. I didn’t have a script, but I had European Children’s Film Association which is unfortunately a common thing to a treatment, an outline. Every day we drove Phone: +32 (0)2 242 54 09 happen. It shows how this country is rely- to a location. I gave my actors a structure: E-mail: [email protected] ing on its youth to guide it into the modern this is the scene, this is where it should be- www.ecfaweb.org age, but the youth can’t move on, they’re gin and end, but everything in between is up The European Children’s Film Distribu- stuck helping their parents who are ill- to us now. We improvised and then filmed. tion Network: starred by the war. Thus a lot of reality oozed in. For instance www.ecfaweb.org/network.htm when filming the procession for grandfather’s Databases on children’s film festivals, Is Mina’s assertiveness representative funeral, we needed 5 men and a kart. We ran Baraki: Her sales agents, distributors and TV-pro- for young Afghani girls? around Kabul, looking for an old man with character is a product of her environment. grammers interested in European films a donkey, asking him to be in our film. We She spends all the time outside around for children. offered him money for two hours work, but older boys, which is dangerous. Mina has when making a movie, two hours easily turns to develop this attitude. Her aggression into eight. All this we incorporated in the film. comes out of her survival instinct. If she Most of what you see are just people on the had a middle class upbringing with a fam- street whom we asked to be in the film. (GH) ily, it wouldn’t be common for an Afghan girl to be this driven by aggression. Read the full version of this interview on http://www.ecfaweb.org/projects/filmmaking.

ECFA Journal No. 4 - 2015 - 10 -