CONTENTS

Introduction by Dita Rietuma, Director, National Film Centre of Latvia 5

Film Programme LOOKING BACK TO THE FUTURE 6 BSD PROJECTS

18°C Ukraine 10 A Loss of Something Ever Felt Estonia/Colombia/Sweden 12 Alice in the Land Croatia/Germany/USA 14 Artyom’s Upbringing Belarus/Poland 16 Between Two Wars Ukraine/Latvia/Germany 18 The Christmas Tree Case Armenia 20 Eating an Elephant Russia 22 The Earth Is Blue like An Orange Ukraine 24 Fragments of Humanity Finland 26 From Sevnica to the White House Slovenia 28 The Harbor Lithuania 30 The Immortal Estonia/Latvia 32 Into the Bank Sweden/Norway 34 Lessons in Democracy Poland 36 My Favourite War Latvia/Norway 38 My Mother – the State Latvia 40 The New Imperium Russia 42 The Other Side of the River Germany/Slovenia 44 The Rossellinis Italy/Latvia 46 The Russian Way Russia 48 Santorini Weddings Germany 50 Small Footprint Estonia 52 Stalin Today Germany/Georgia 54 Time Travel – From Bonn to Speia Moldova 56

Decision Makers 59

Tutors 65

List of Participants 69 BALTIC SEA FORUM FOR DOCUMENTARIES 2o18

F l avou r s of Conviction of BSD 2017 Bridges of Time

Bridges of Time – that’s the name of the film the three Baltic States – Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia – created together, which will open this year’s Baltic Sea Docs film programme. Bridges of Time is a conceptual work – a film that premiered in the three Baltic States in this most significant ied. Among the Baltic Sea Docs recognized documentary film year for Latvia, Lithuania and projects is a study of the family of professionals and exceptional Estonia – the centennial. The film legendary director Roberto Ros- creatives. Thank you to them for is about films and people – direc- sellini, the story of an ecologically- their time and desire to continue, tors who, in the 1960s, created a oriented commune, and of the alongside the Baltic Sea Docs proj- particular poetic documentary wedding paradise of Santorini that ect authors, to create this special film language, thus finding a way has become hell for the “natives” “bridge of time” – this animate, vi- to defy the stranglehold of ideol- …As is often the case, Baltic Sea tal, incisive, talented documentary ogy. Much has happened since Docs projects are socially astute film process. I would like to wish the 1960s when Seleckis, Franks, and topical. The project authors the Baltic Sea Docs project authors Brauns, Soosaar, Verba and oth- strive to analyze complicated that their ideas and efforts turn ers made their first films. And political and social processes in into powerful films and unique even this legendary Baltic docu- Europe, Russia and the world. In works of art that speak to viewers mentary film generation didn’t total, 24 creative teams – from the in many countries. start from nothing. Their percep- Baltics, Moldova, Belarus, Geor- tion of the power of film language gia, Slovenia, Norway, Ukraine, I hope that the 22nd Baltic Sea Docs is rooted in the powerful, laconic Russia, Germany, Finland and proves a valuable experience for film language of documentary other countries – will present their both Forum participants and the trailblazers (Flaherty, Vertov). film projects. That most of them experts. And that the Baltic Sea are co-productions confirms that Docs process inspires new ideas, The development of documen- Baltic Sea Docs continues to carry fosters cooperation between docu- tary film is like a bridge of time, out one of its most essential mis- mentary filmmakers and distribut- a process that weaves together sions – to foster creative coopera- ers, and helps powerful documen- the past and present into a single tion between documentary film- tary films in reaching audiences! flow. Present-day documentary makers of various nations, and the film will also be created – by the screening of documentary films in authors whose projects have been different countries and film distri- selected for Baltic Sea Docs. bution platforms. Dita Rietuma The thematic spectrum and I’m very happy that the Baltic Sea Director stylistic palette is extremely var- Docs panel of experts will include National Film Centre of Latvia

ƒ Photo: Agnese Zeltiņa | Photo: Kristaps Kalns  5 Film Programme looking back to the future Film Programme looking back to the future

the enthusiasts trying to protect and the city of Magadan. Modern day Island of the Hungry our 12,000 year-old food legacy. In population decline in Russia’s Far East is Screenings at a time where large biotech compa- also being resolved by human relocation. Ghosts In 2014, thousands of refugees from the nies propagate hybrid and geneti- Donbas region of Ukraine were re-housed Dir. Gabrielle Brady, Chromosom Film cally modified seeds in the name Cinema K.Suns Production, WDR, 94 min, 2018, Germany/UK/ in Magadan, Yakutsk and other areas. Australia/USA of profit, farmers, scientists and indigenous seed keepers fight a Riga, 83/85 Elizabetes Str. David-and-Goliath-worthy battle to defend the future of our food. A Bridges of Time troubling yet inspiring story that Dir. Kristīne Briede, Audrius Stonys, VFS Films, encourages us to appreciate the Studio Nominum, Vesilind, 78 min, 2018, Latvia/ Lithuania/Estonia fantastic diversity of seeds.

In 2015 the WHO announced that glypho- sate (the main ingredient in the herbicide ■ Australia’s Christmas Island’s Roundup), which is widely used in the Wednesday SEPTEMBER 5 17.oo Golden Dawn Girls original inhabitants are the forty farming sector, is most likely carcinogenic Dir. Havard Bustness, 94 min, 2017, Norway/Denmark/Finland million land crabs that travel in in humans. EU authorities have, however, 18.3o masse from the island’s jungle to come to the conclusion that it is not, and Bridges of Time EU member states voted to extend the use Dir. Kristine Briede, Audrius Stonys, 78 min, 2018, Latvia/Lithuania/Estonia 19.oo The Cleaners its coastline once a year. The first of glyphosate for another 5 years. Ger- Before the screening – meeting with filmmakers and protagonists Dir. Hans Block, Moritz Riesewieck, 88 min, 2018, Germany/Brazil humans only migrated here less many’s supportive position was pivotal to ■ Baltic documentary film played Moderator: film critic Zane Balčus than a century ago, and local is- the vote. In June 2018, the German biotech an important role during the landers still perform special rituals company Bayer became the manufacturer Soviet era. The main emphasis was 21.oo The Island of Hungry Ghosts of Roundup when it became owner of the 21.oo to help their wandering souls find on visuality and use of metaphor, Golden Dawn Girls Dir. Gabrielle Brady, 94 min, 2018, Germany/United Kingdom/Australia/USA peace. Poh Lin is a trauma coun- world’s largest seed company, Monsanto. Dir. Havard Bustness, 94 min, 2017, Norway/Denmark/Finland and though the official cinematic sellor who also lives on the island. language was propaganda-based, Sunday September 9 She works with the asylum seekers the films were also a poetic tribute Thursday September 6 who are being held in great secre- Kolyma: Road of Bones to Life and Humanity. This film cy in a remote detention facility. A Dir. Stanisław Mucha, TAG/TRAUM showcases those exceptional 13.oo Of Fathers and Sons striking, visually impressive film Filmproduktion, 85 min, 2017, Germany/Russia 18.oo works and their directors – indi- Seed: The Untold Story Dir. Talal Derki, 99 min, 2017, Germany/Syria/Lebanon that stands out due to the empa- viduals who expound their ideas Dir. Taggart Siegel, Jon Betz, 94 min, 2016, USA thy shown towards the portrayed and views decades after the After the screening – panel discussion on seed diversity in Latvia 15.oo The Island of Hungry Ghosts individuals. creation of their masterpieces: Moderator: journalist Sandra Kropa Dir. Gabrielle Brady, 94 min, 2018, Germany/United Kingdom/Australia/USA Australia’s refugee policy calls for asylum Herz Frank, Uldis Brauns, Ivars 21.oo seekers who arrive in Australia by boat to Seleckis, Mark Soosaar, Andres The Cleaners 17.oo Kolima: Road of Bones be detained and held in remote territo- Sööt, Robertas Verba, Henrikas Dir. Hans Block, Moritz Riesewieck, 88 min, 2018, Germany/Brazil ries – such as Christmas Island and other Šablevičius and Aivars Freimanis. Dir. Stanislaw Mucha, 85 min, 2017, Germany/Russia offshore processing facilities thousands of kilometres away in Pacific Ocean nation- ■ “Goulash?” asked the young Several “Baltic New Wave” films have not 19.oo Over the Limit states – before being sent back home. only been included among the all-time- Friday September 7 The largest number of asylum seekers in woman, popping her head out Dir. Marta Prus, 74 min, 2017, Poland/Germany/Finland classics in their respective countries, but the Christmas Island facility was almost from the hotdog stand on the icy are also recognized internationally. One 18.oo Granny Project 3,000, while the registered local popula- Kolyma roadside. Director of the most awarded is Ivars Seleckis’ tion is 1,843, according to the latest data. Stanisław Mucha’s question “Šķērsiela” (“The Crossroad Street”), which Dir. Balint Revesz, 89 min, 2017, Hungary/United Kingdom 21.oo Granny Project Dir. Balint Revesz, 89 min, 2017, Hungary/United Kingdom though, was about the gulag, and won the European Film Award for Best After the screening – meeting with film director Balint Revesz he was surprised that in this place, Documentary in 1990. In turn, Estonian for years the location of Soviet director Mark Soosaar’s film “Woman 21.oo Seed: The Untold Story From Kihnu” premiered in 1975 at the Of Fathers and Sons prison and labour camps, the Cinémathèque Française in Paris, where Dir. Talal Derki, 99 min, 2017, Germany/Syria/Lebanon Dir. Taggart Siegel, Jon Betz, Collective Eye Films, 94 min, 2016, USA word would be unknown to it was introduced by none other than Jean someone. The filmmakers set out Rouch. on an unusual journey across Saturday September 8 Russia’s Far East, from the harbour city Magadan, known as the Over the Limit 11.oo Kolima: Road of Bones “Gateway to Hell”, all the way to Yakutsk, the coldest city on earth. Dir. Marta Prus, Telemark, Marianna Films, Dir. Stanislaw Mucha, 85 min, 2017, Germany/Russia Ventana Film, ARTE GEIE, 74 min, 2017, Poland/ With an ironic take on the absurdi- Germany/Finland ties, the film captures this region’s 13.oo Over the Limit contemporary portrait – though Dir. Marta Prus, 74 min, 2017, Poland/Germany/Finland ■ Miraculous and vital, seeds have always seemingly in the shadow of been worshipped and treasured the forever-frozen past. 14.4o Seed: The Untold Story since the dawn of humankind. Still, many seed varieties have Political prisoners were sent to Kolyma Dir. Taggart Siegel, Jon Betz, 94 min, 2016, USA disappeared during the last from 1932. From 1932 to 1937, the head century, including, for example, of the first Kolyma camp was the Chekist 94% of seeds from produce once Eduards Bērziņš. Under his leadership the prisoners were forced to work in the gold grown in the USA. The film follows “You’re not a human being, you’re 6 The films will be screened in their original language with subtitles in English mines and construct the Kolyma Road 7 Film Programme looking back to the future

an athlete,” 20-year-old Rita is government forces are in control of most the lives of the content modera- reprimanded by one of her of the Syrian territory, save for an autono- tors. Although the moderators’ coaches as she’s preparing to mous region in the country’s northeast – jobs are shrouded in secrecy, some The Democratic Federation of Northern represent Russia at the Olympics Syria, commonly known as Rojava. of them are willing to talk. This in Brazil. However gracefully Rita documentary thriller raises catches rings or rolls a ball, the questions about the reality hidden coaches always expect more from behind the social media utopia. At her. The film Over the Limit Granny Project what point do attempts to ward off exposes the merciless Russian Dir. Bálint Révész, Gallivant Film, Új Budapest radicalization and the prolifera- athlete training system, and the Filmstudió, 89 min, 2017, Hungary/UK tion of fake news become danger- subtle editing and effective sound ous censorship? design allows us to sense Rita’s state of mind. Is the superhuman Facebook announced that they plan to effort really worth it? increase the number of cleaners they use. There is a lack of workers, though, and many of those employed in this field are Women’s rhythmic gymnastics has been an suffering from PTSD. In 2017, Microsoft Olympic event since 1952. From that time content moderators, whose daily task was the Soviet and later Russian gymnasts have to sift through content containing vio- medalled in practically every Olympic lence against children, sued the company Games and World Championships. Irina ■ Three young men decide to get for insufficient psychological support. Viner is one of the all-time most successful to know their grandmothers rhythmic gymnastics coaches – her trainees better – for one she’s a Holocaust have received 16 medals in 6 Olympic surviving Hungarian communist, Games, 10 of them gold. for another an English spy, and for Golden Dawn Girls the third – a dancer who grew up Dir. Håvard Bustnes, UpNorth Film, House Of in Nazi Germany. Together with Real, Napafilms, 94 min, 2017, Norway/Denmark/ Of Fathers and Sons their grandsons, the grannies Finland Dir. Talal Derki, Basis Berlin Filmproduktion, embark on an unusual journey Ventana Film, Cinema Group Production, into the past to once again relive Sudwestrundfunk, 99 min, 2017, Germany/Syria/ their younger days. The open and Lebanon witty inter-generational dialogue PROJECTS emphasizes the value of relation- ships between grandparents and grandchildren.

The three young men became friends ■ As disturbing portrait of pres- while studying at university. During their studies they headed to Serbia to shoot a ent-day political reality – Norwe- short film, and one night after filming gian director Håvard Bustnes Bálint told his friends about his grand- explores behind the scenes of the ■ Director Talal Derki returns to mother and her incredible life. “Wait, my Greek far-right nationalist party, his homeland of Syria to spend friend, until you hear about mine,” the Golden Dawn. While several key two years with a radical Islamist other two chimed in... male party members are behind family. His camera focuses mainly bars, accused of carrying out on the children, providing an organized crime activities, their extremely rare insight into the The Cleaners daughters, wives and mothers raising of the next generation of Dir. Hans Block, Moritz Riesewieck, Gebrueder have stepped into leadership roles. Jihadists from a very early age. The Beetz Filmproduktion, Grifa Filmes, I Wonder With an upcoming election, story centres on Osama (13) and Pictures, 88 min, 2018, Germany/Brazil Ourania, Eugenia and Dafni his brother Ayman (12). Like their become actively involved in the younger brothers, the two teens campaign. Although in interviews admire, love and obey their father, with the filmmakers they are but while Osama enthusiastically careful in their choice of words, prepares to follow his father’s path everything changes when the of Jihad, Ayman wants to go back camera is seemingly switched off. to school. The film captures the time when the children must The April 2018 Kapa Research poll results showed that the Golden Dawn is sup- swiftly say good-bye to their ■ A look into the secretive digital childhoods. ported by almost 8% of the citizens of cleaners industry, whose employ- Greece. The party’s popularity has grown ees rid the Internet of unaccept- during the economic crisis, and since then In 2012, al Nusra was formed as the there has also been in increase in hate Syrian branch of the al-Qaeda terrorist able information. Employed by crime within the nation. The trial against network. In July 2016 it separated from Silicon Valley companies, the daily 69 Golden Dawn members, including all al-Qaeda and united with other groups, task of a typical cleaner is to view of the politicians elected in 2013, contin- which are now collectively known as Hay- and evaluate thousands of images ues. The legal process and accusations is at Tahrir al-Sham. The group is involved and videos. Often this labour takes one of the reasons for the party’s political in the Syrian Civil War, fighting against a significant psychological toll on isolation. 8 Bashar al-Assad’s government. Currently BSD Projects 2o18 BSD Projects 2o18 18°C Production Company: Phalanstery Films Phalanstery Films is an independent production company focused on creative documentaries, established in 2017 in Kyiv, Ukraine. The com- pany delivers a full range of local production services for international documentaries and broadcasting projects – development, production and post-production.

Producer: Illia Gladshtein Illia Gladstein was born in Kyiv in 1985. He is the found- er and CEO of 86PROKAT – the first distributor of cre- ative documentary films in Ukraine. Co-founder and program director of “86” IFFU in Slavutych, Ukraine. Il- usic is born out of driving force behind the choir; lia produces documentary films with Phalanstery Films. the crumbling cen- Ivanovych - his kum (godfather tral heating system of his children), lead singer and M of Ukraine, as a team machine-man at the biggest heat- Director: Nadia Parfan of devoted pipefitters rush from ing station in town; Tania – store- Nadia Parfan was born in Ivano-Frankivsk, Western home to home to tame hot foun- keeper and active chorister, and Ukraine. She graduated in cultural studies from Kyiv- tains and … to sing! Galia – dispatcher of the emergen- Mohyla Academy and social anthropology from Central cy services working night shifts. European University. In 2012–13 she was a Fulbright TeploKomunEnergo is a municipal visiting scholar at the department of Geography and heating supply company in the There are two parallel lines in the Urban Studies at Temple University, Philadelphia. In 2014–15, she took a city of Ivano-Frankivsk. Most of its film: music and work. We get to documentary film directing course at the Andrzej Wajda Film School in Project Title: 18°C workers are the same age as the know our protagonists in comic Poland. Her student film, Reve ta Stohne on Tour, received a special men- Production Company: Phalanstery Films company. Five days per week they circumstances from their lei- tion at Docudays UA. It was also selected for the Warsaw IFF short film Address: Olehivska 36, office 410, have to deal with spraying radia- sure and performances. Nothing competition, and a number of other international film festivals. She is co- 04071, Kyiv, Ukraine tors, flooded basements and angry reveals who they are - other than founder of “86” IFFU in Slavutych, Ukraine. She is creative producer of Phone: +380 63 280 73 35 Email: [email protected] clients. Among other official du- people who sing in the choir. As the MyStreetFilmsUkraine series – a collection of short documentary films ties, every Wednesday they gather the story unfolds, we realize the about the unexpected places and cities of Ukraine. Nadia has worked as Synopsis Music is born out of the crumbling in a recital room and sing in the singers are actually TKE work- an assistant director with a number of foreign documentary film directors, central heating system of Ukraine, as a TeploKomunEnergo union choir. ers. We dive into their work and videographers and journalists. team of devoted pipefitters rush from uncover the individuals on the home to home to tame hot fountains and… to sing! This is a story about the central background of the old-school heating system as a symbol of company. Language: Ukrainian modern Ukraine. It explores how Format: 4K LEngth: 90 min outdated social structures do not As the season starts, the ease and fit into the modern economy, warmth of human relationships Producer: Illia Gladshtein Previous Films: Survival Artist, but, paradoxically, continue to in the choir is displaced by the TV doc, 2015, Germany function. Traces of working class industrial cacophony of heating culture and human warmth serve supply. It’s no longer as easy to Director: Nadia Parfan Previous Films: Housewarming, short as a survival mechanism in times get people to recitals. Their voices experimental doc, 2017, Ukraine/Poland of transition. are absorbed by the noise from Reve ta Stohne on Tour, short music doc, leaking pipes. Internal friend- 2016, Ukraine/Poland Exarch, short doc, 2014, Ukraine The protagonist is a collective ships in the collective contrast the body of workers, but over the angst and frustration coming from Year of Release: 2018 course of the film we get to know consumers. Budget: EUR 50 000 some of them better than oth- Financial Sources Confirmed: ers. The main protagonists are: Ukrainian State Film Agency / EUR 30 000 Vasyliovych - the blue collar leader Lviv Film Commission / EUR 2 000 10 of trade unions, the initiator and 86PROKAT / EUR 5 000 11 BSD Projects 2o18 BSD Projects 2o18 A Loss of Something Ever Felt Production Company: Alasti Kino OÜ Alasti Kino is an internationally emerging Estonian production compa- ny established in 2009. Alasti Kino has gained a reputation as a creative production house that focuses on author-driven films. Our projects in- clude short fiction, Distance (Locarno Official Selection 2013) by Janno Jürgens, and Olga (Clermont-Ferrand Jury Special Mention 2013) by Kaur Kokk, and documentaries Better Tomorrow (HIFF 2013) and Lembri Uudu (DokLeipzig, Sarajevo). Alasti Kino is currently making a leap into feature length films, with three feature documentaries in production. Their first feature – Rain by Janno Jürgens – is in the late stages of shooting and will premiere in 2019.

eva is looking for We are joining in on this quest Producer: Liis Nimik Project Title: her half-brother, to find Lauri, so that Eeva might Liis Nimik (1979) is an Estonian-based documentarian, A Loss of Something Ever Felt Lauri. The last time be able to better understand her film editor and producer. She graduated from the Baltic Production Company: she heard anything family and their relationships, Film and Media School and is now a partner in the pro- Alasti Kino OÜ E Address: Tööstuse 58-17, from him was in December, when and shed some light on how their duction company Alasti Kino. Her films are known for Tallinn 10416, Estonia she and her mother received a call relationship with Lauri has shaped strong storytelling, empathy and experimenting with Phone: +372 5661 6905 Email: [email protected] from an alleged hospital in Bogotá, them all. But also, by entering her fiction film tools. Liis is also a valued film editor – having edited major- Web: www.alastikino.ee Colombia. Since then there has brother’s world, one of darkness festival-circling Estonian art house features during the past years, includ- been no word from Lauri, or Co- and untold stories, she might get ing: Free Range (2013, premiere Berlinale Forum), Roukli (2015, premiere Synopsis A sister arrives in Bogotá, Colombia to lombia. It isn’t strange for Lauri to to know him again and rebuild the Palic, Tokyo IFF) by Veiko Õunpuu, and In The Crosswind (2014, premiere search for a ghost from hell, her drug disappear and to be on the move, bond they once shared as kids. TIFF). The latest documentary she produced – Lembri Uudu by Eeva Mägi addict brother. Can she find hope in the but it is strange that he has lost (2017), premiered at DOK Leipzig. She is a member of the Estonian Guild darkest place on earth? contact. He never does this, not The film paints both a painful of Documentarians and Estonian Film Editors Union. Language: Estonian/English/Spanish even when he was in a Venezuelan and beautiful portrait by absence, Format: HD prison for drug trafficking. telling a universal story about Length: 79 min inescapable family relations, Director: Carlos Eduardo Lesmes López Producer: Liis Nimik Lauri is a drug addict and alco- something we all know and have Carlos Eduardo Lesmes López is a Colombian film di- Previous Films: Lembri Uudu, short doc, 2017, Estonia holic, he has been in prison and experienced. rector. Graduated as a filmmaker from Universidad Na- Better Tomorrow, short doc, 2013, Estonia been homeless. As a child he was cional de Colombia in 2010. After two years of working The Potato Republic, short doc, 2011, ill-treated and undiagnosed for in Diorama post-production as editor and director, Car- Estonia Asperger’s syndrome, and has los moved to Estonia to get his MA at the Baltic Film and Director: never felt at ease in the world. His Media School. After completing his degree he has been an active member Carlos Eduardo Lesmes López mother feels responsible for him of the international film community, working on various feature films and Previous Films: Ciclon de Puerco, short film, 2017 and has been his main supporter. developing his own film projects. The Cap & Bells, experimental dance film, She thinks that Lauri’s choices and 2016, Estonia Acerca de cosas, short doc, 2016, Estonia life are her fault. Eeva has devel- Take Off, short film, 2015, Estonia oped a tough emotional shield House of Cards, short film, 2014, Estonia towards her half-brother. Year of Release: 2019 Budget: EUR 153 467 Now, at her mother’s request, Eeva is flying from Tallinn to Bogotá to Financial Sources Confirmed: EUR 83 467 search for her half-brother, not Estonian Film Institute / knowing what she might find, if EUR 40 000 (LOC) she finds anything at all. It is a Estonian Cultural Endowment / EUR 15 000 (LOC) quest for closure, for answers, a Universidad Javeriana Colombia / quest to find a ghost by following EUR 14 000 (LOC) Little Black Fish (SWE) Investment / rumours and whispers in a city of EUR 4 000 (LOC) 12 12 million people. Alasti Kino investment / EUR 8 467 13 BSD Projects 2o18 BSD Projects 2o18 Alice in the Land Production Company: Lewa Productions Lewa Productions was founded in 2016 in Zagreb by Amsterdam-based director Tatjana Bozic (Happily Ever After) and Paris-based producer Mag- dalena Petrovic, to produce fiction and creative documentaries. We are ac- tive in the film industries in France, the Netherlands and Croatia. Lewa is particularly interested in portraying strong female characters in films and gender equality in the industry. Project Title: Alice in the Land Production CompanIES: Lewa Productions (Croatia) / Doppelplusultra Film und TV Produktion (Germany) / Producer: Magdalena Petrovic Kinodoc Production LLC (USA) Croatian-born, graduated Drama, Art and Music Stud- Address: Cazmanska 4, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia ies (DAMS) at the University of Bologna (Italy). Worked Phone: +385 1618 2288 as a TV journalist (RTL Croatia), producer of documen- Email: [email protected] always wanted to see the But all of a sudden Alice declares: taries and animation (Fade In, Zagreb Film). From 2006 Web: lewaproductions.hr world. In my Soviet childhood I am Russian. How so? Is it teenage till 2010 was managing director of the well-known Croa- Synopsis in a provincial town in Russia, eccentricity or her blood speak- tian documentary studio Fade In. She is a member of the Croatian Pro- Mom takes her teenage daughter on a when even travel within the ing? Her declaration is a trigger for ducer’s Guild and Berlinale Talent Campus alumni. Since the end of 2010 long trip across Russia. She wants the I girl, born abroad, to know her mother’s country was a challenge, some- me. I decide to pack my little fam- she lives in Paris and works with independent filmmakers, film festivals homeland well. She might succeed in how I actually believed I would ily and cross the biggest country in and foreign crews. showing her daughter the country, but will she make her love it? do it one day. Now I’m married to the world. Alice is to see populous an Italian, I moved to New York cities and godforsaken thorps, Language: Russian/English/Italian/ from Paris, my teenage daughter mountains and lowlands. She Croatian Producer: Frank Müller Format: HD goes to French school and speaks likes the scenery, but the mode of Born in 1969 in Mainz, Germany, Frank Müller is a film Length: 80 min 6 languages fluently, including local life calls forth in her confu- director and producer. After graduating from the Moscow Mandarin. And I am terribly afraid sion and even protest. Sometimes Film School Vyshiekursy in 1995, he worked as director ProducerS: Magdalena Petrovic, Frank Müller that she will never have a national Alice gets into comical situations, and producer on several commercials, music clips and Previous Films: identity. I’m not sure she needs it sometimes her experiences are documentaries in Moscow. In 2000, he founded the film Magdalena Petrovic: in this era of globalization, but she dramatic. She learns how Rus- production company Doppelplusultra in Hamburg, Germany. Since then he La Leçon de danse, drama, 2018, France Véra, comedy drama, 2018, France must have a team to cheer for in sians get married, bury their dead, has worked on several international film productions and joined several Eu- Cours plus vite que la vie, short fiction, the World Cup! worship God, celebrate holidays ropean documentary workshops and pitches. A Eurodoc Graduate. 2016, France Zagorka, doc fiction, 2007, Croatia and try to survive in an economic The Colors of the Invisible, doc, 2006, Alice was a little girl when she crisis. Does she feel like being Rus- Croatia asked me: where is our home, sian now? Frank Müller: Director/Scriptwriter: Zhanna Agalakova Siberian Love, doc, 2016, Germany Mom? She was born in Rome, then Noted Russian journalist, laureate of the Russian Television Academy The World’s Scarf, doc, 2016, Germany spent 3 years in Moscow, and then This is Alice’s trip, but it is my jour- award TEFI, author of the bestseller All I Know About Paris. In 2005 she Made auf Veddel, doc, 2014, Germany 7 years in Paris. Now Alice lives ney. I rediscover Russia by looking decided to leave the country. She was the first Channel One Russia corre- Herr Schultz Sets Sail, doc, 2014, Germany in New York and believes it is her at it – complicated but beloved – spondent in Paris, now working in New York. Mr. Kröger on Rehab, doc, 2011, Germany home. But it is not. through the eyes of a stranger, my DirectorS: Tatjana Bozic, daughter, and in return I try to Zhanna Agalakova I am a Russian TV journalist. I make her at least understand this Director: Tatjana Bozic Previous Films: was sent to the US to cover local huge and bizarre land. This land Croatian-born, graduated the Higher School of Screen- Tatjana Bozic: Happily Ever After, doc, 2014, news. Once my mission comes of mine. writers and Directors, Moscow in documentary film. Netherlands to an end, I will have to go back Since then has made documentaries wherever she has Distorted Reflections, doc, 2001, Croatia to Russia and my family with me. lived: Russia, England, Croatia and the Netherlands. Her Circa oaza, doc,1999, Croatia Fraus, doc, 1996, Croatia It scares me, because after many Happily Ever After (2014, 83’) won numerous prizes and Provincial Girls, doc, 1994, Russia years spent abroad I grew apart nominations at international festivals, including the Tiger Award nomina- from my country. Furthermore, tion at IFF Rotterdam 2014, special mention at Sarajevo FF, Let’s CEE in Year of Release: 2020 Budget: EUR 358 854 today’s Russia is becoming an Vienna and DocuDays, Kiev, Golden Medal of Belgrade for best screenplay, international pariah. best editing Gouden Kalf and a best long documentary nomination at the Financial Sources Confirmed: EUR 33 854 (own investment) Netherlands FF in Utrecht, best director and best editing at Liburnia FF, Financing pending: EUR 25 000 14 nomination for Estonian Peoples Award. Still required: EUR 300 000 15 BSD Projects 2o18 BSD Projects 2o18 Artyom’s Upbringing Production Company: Illusion Film Company Ltd. Illusion Film Company Ltd. was formed in 2013 from the film school Cin- Project Title: Artyom’s Upbringing ema and the film studio Tatiana. The first film the company produced – Production Companies: Illusion Film Company Ltd. (Belarus) / I Hear – took part in Minsk IFF Listapad. In 2014 the company released the Film Studio Everest (Poland) family feature film Timur and His Squad, which won awards at 5 interna- Address: 75 Pritytskogo str., tional film festivals. The primary vector of Illusion Film Company’s activity is office 4, 220140 Minsk, Belarus Phone: +375 (29) 606 58 31 to develop filmmaking in Belarus, particularly working with young directors Email: [email protected] and film professionals in the field of independent author-driven films. The Web: Studio Filmowe Everest: company’s goal is to make films that raise urgent social and moral issues. www.studioeverest.pl Synopsis Everybody tries to educate orphan boy Artyom, from boarding school tutors to Producer: Maria Yahorava his loving foster father, Valera. But is it Studied production management and film criticism at really possible to change the personality -year-old Artyom hometown and Valera. Now Valera “normal” this time. But the truth the Belarusian State Academy of Arts; participant of the and fate of a boy, who, even though he is talented, is being raised under the laws has spent his physically can’t visit Artyom as is that it’s almost impossible to Ex Oriente Film Workshop 2017 (project: The Place of of an orphanage? entire life in often as he wants to. bring Artyom back and settle him Love by Liuba Zemtsova). She was coordinator for the an orphanage in hometown. At the moment, the National Film Competition (Belarusian fiction, docu- Language: Russian 12 Format: HD 1080p in Bobruisk – a small provincial Artyom has a certain internal remaining orphans’ homes in Bo- mentary and animation films selection) of MIFF Listapad (2017); pro- Length: 70 min town in Belarus. He is a wild, protest against the system: he bruisk are fully occupied, which is ducer, executive and production manager for Illusion Film Company’s ProducerS: Maria Yahorava, naughty and restless orphan with asks lots of questions, trying to something Artyom doesn’t know. documentaries (currently); executive producer for the Documentary Film Nikolai Lavreniuk, Miroslaw Dembinski, a tough fate, officially considered find out the nature of boarding Studio Letopis of the National Film Studio Belarusfilm (from 2018). Vladimir Mikhailovski “difficult-to-teach” and “unruly”. school rules, and why he has to We anticipate Artyom’s tragedy Previous Films: Maria Yahorava: His foster father Valera (37) – local obey them. Artyom constantly after he finds out that whatever To Life. Le Haim, mid-length doc, 2018, playwright, musician and social questions the assertion that he the commission rules, he won’t be Producer: Mirosław Dembinski Belarus activist – influences the boy posi- is “tough to teach”, as his school able to return home. And we will Founded Film Studio Everest in 1991. Over the twenty years of its existence, The Place of Love, doc feature, 2018, Belarus/Georgia tively: Artyom now performs at the grades are high enough. Despite follow Artyom during this tough the studio has produced over 50 films and series, mostly documentary, Penpals, feature short, 2016, Belarus theater, does sports and studies sometimes being rude and aggres- period. Valera will be trying to get which have been awarded over 80 prizes at international film festivals and Under the Canopy of Trees, feature short, well in school. Valera tries to bring sive, Artyom remains a talented a vacant place for Artyom within have been broadcast on television in 16 European countries on channels 2015, Belarus My Brother, feature short, 2015, Belarus Artyom up as a decent person by and smart kid. Both Artyom and the next year before another com- such as: Canal+, BBC-South, ZDF, MDR, ARTE G.E.I.E., ORF, YLE, Al-Jazeera Miroslaw Dembinski: teaching him independence and his tutors claim that he was placed mission. Will Artyom stop trust- English. Studio Everest have undertaken international co-productions The World from Dawn till Dusk, doc, 2011, Poland how to take responsibility for his in this boarding school only due to ing in Valera’s words or generally with, among others: Sodaperaga (France), Epo Film (Austria), Zyga Films Pustelniks in the Mountains, doc, 2008, life. With patience, long serious bad behavior. loose fate in people and become (Venezuela), Shoot the Breeze (South Africa) and Magika Film (Ukraine). Poland conversations, trips to the theater isolated… Or he will man up and A Lesson of Belorusian, doc, 2006, Poland Losers and Winners, doc, 2004, and art exhibitions, sometimes Every year Artyom goes through try to stand up against the system Poland/South Africa/Austria even strict discipline, as well as an examination – a “psycholog- by himself? Producer: Vladimir Mikhailovski Future of an Illusion, doc, 1997, with kindness and openness, ical-medical-pedagogical com- Studied management and marketing at Belarussian Poland/Cuba Vladimir Mikhailovski: over a few years Valera has suc- mission” decides boy’s further Despite difficulties, this story is Technical University. Director of the Coliseum Theater The Place of Love, doc feature, 2018, ceeded in gaining the boy’s trust “educational route” by means of full of true father-and-son love be- (Minsk, Belarus), Minsk-based administrator for a film Belarus/Georgia

and respect. He has become the specific tests, and whether Artyom tween Valera and Artyom. Despite company in Dubai, UAE. Director: Liuba Zemtsova only close and precious person to can stay in the current board- an absence of blood ties, they are Previous Films: The Place of Love, doc Artyom. ing school or should be resettled bonded by trust, strong friendship feature, 2018, Belarus/Georgia Victory Day, doc short, 2015, Belarus somewhere else. and an uncompromising desire to Director: Liuba Zemtsova Life in Cage, doc short, 2014, Belarus But years ago Valera lost his arm, stay together. Documentary filmmaker, DOP and editor based in Be- My Folks, doc short, 2014, Belarus and according to the laws of the Another commission will be larus. Studied in the Wajda School DOK PRO program About Love: Ira, doc short, 2014, Belarus Republic of Belarus, he has no held soon, and Artyom strongly (2015-2016, mentors Marcel Lozinski, Jacek Bławut, Vita Year of Release: early 2020 right to adopt a child. believes that if he passes the Żelakeviciute; Gaude Polonia scholarship), Belarusian Budget: EUR 141 846 examination successfully he will State Academy of Arts in documentary filmmaking (2009- Financial Sources Confirmed: Recently the boarding school come back to Bobruisk and Valera. 2014). Made 4 short/mid-length docs that participated in international film EUR 14 243 closed, and Artyom was sent to an- Artyom’s boarding school teach- festivals (Artdocfest IDFF, Russia; Astra Film Festival, Romania; MIFF Lista- IDFA Bertha Fund (development) / EUR 5 000 other school for kids with learning ers also admit that he’s sufficiently pad, Belarus, etc.). Currently working on 2 feature-length docs: The Place of Private investments / EUR 5 790 16 difficulties, very far away from his well-prepared to be recognized as Love (in post-production, developed at Ex Oriente Film Workshop 2017. In-kind / EUR 3 453 17 BSD Projects 2o18 BSD Projects 2o18 Between Two Wars Production Company: Tabor Production Tabor is an independent production company founded by young Ukrai- Project: Title: Between Two Wars nian filmmakers and artists, creating feature films, documentaries, theat- Production CompanIES: Tabor Production (Ukraine) / rical performances, commercials and social ads. From 2016 to 2018, four Avantis Promo (Latvia) full-length documentaries and several short fiction films were produced. Address: 420, 6 Bratska St, Four of these projects were partly or fully supported by the Ukrainian State Kyiv, Ukraine Phone: +380 93 424 49 19 Film Agency. Moreover, a considerable part of the production company’s Email:[email protected] activity is cultural volunteering, which brings about such particular results Web: taborproduction.com as the film School #3 that was screened in the Generation 14+ program of Synopsis Berlinale 2017, and received the international jury Grand-Prix. Fleeing the Syrian conflict, young Andriy unexpectedly lands in Ukraine. While trying to fight the huge black and white war machine by helping people, he Producer: Maksym Nakonechnyi travels from one damaged homeland to ndriy Suleyman was tion zone and to the local people’s family. We find his house and the Maksym Nakonechnyi received a BA in directing in another with the hope of finally being able to make a choice between a peaceful born in Syria, in destinies. Many of them lost not relatives who remained. We will 2012 from the Karpenko-Kary Kyiv National University or a military life. Al-Hasakah, 19 years only their homes, but also their meet Kurdish people living with- of Theatre, Cinema and TV. Worked on different TV proj- ago. His mother is families. Exploring the situation, out their own state. We discover ects for several years, then founded the independent Language: Russian/Ukrainian/ A Kurdish/Arabic from East Ukraine and his father is we go deeper into the question of that Andriy and Arseniy’s cousins production company Tabor with his friends, which now Format: 1:2, 35 a Kurd from Syria. Some time ago why can’t Andriy stop visiting the are fighting in the Kurdish army produces documentaries and fiction films. Shot several fiction shorts as a Length: 90 min

their life unexpectedly changed. contact line with the Red Cross? in Iraq, and we will probably meet director, produces documentaries. ProducerS: Maksym Nakonechnyi, In 2012, because of the military What keeps him there? Why does them. The whole picture of the Ilona Bičevska conflict, their family had to es- he feel more alive and useful there? family is being assembled – some Previous Films: Maksym Nakonechnyi: cape from Syria to East Ukraine, What worries him in a peaceful city, fled to Germany, some to Ukraine, Producer: Ilona Bičevska New Year With Family, short fiction, Andriy’s mother’s homeland. They living side by side with the war, but some have left to fight for what Producer, documentary filmmaker. Since 2004, director 2018, Ukraine (director) settled in Lysychansk, and began without noticing it? they believe in. of music, film and event production company Avantis Invisible, short fiction, 2017, Ukraine (director) setting up their life. But after 2 Promo, showcasing new talents in cinema, music, and School Number 3, feature doc, years war started here too. The Andriy has an elder brother - These two young brothers, stand- the arts. MA in film production from the Baltic Film and 2017, Ukraine (associate producer) family had no place to flee and Arseniy. They are completely ing at the crossroad of an adult Media School, Tallin; H. Humphrey Fellow at the Walter Petro the Cimbalist, feature doc, 2018, Ukraine (producer, scriptwriter, editor) stayed in Lysychansk, which was different – Andriy is very positive, life with all identities lost, travel Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Arizona Univer- Kholodny Yar. Intro, feature doc, 2016, in the middle of armed conflict for he has a job, a girlfriend and ambi- through these black and white sity. Founder and director of youth NGOs Avantis and Young Media Sharks, Ukraine (associate producer) Ilona Bičevska: several weeks. After that Andriy tions, but Arseniy is completely spaces, seeing how their family with a focus on promoting new talent in the creative industries and sup- Previous Films: Dixie Land, doc, 2016, became a Red Cross volunteer. lost, living without any aim, drink- struggles through the consequenc- porting young people’s creative initiatives for social causes. Since 2002 the Ukraine/Germany ing alcohol and trying to forget his es of different but such similar organization has realized more than 50 vital social projects in collabora- 15 Young by Young, 15 x 15 min doc shorts, 2012, France Today explosions can be heard, past while finding his place in this wars. Will this journey help Andriy tion with government authorities, European funds, and private sponsors. Found in America, doc, 2004, Latvia and hundreds of displaced people world. In their interactions they and Arseniy understand where come from the contact line. are always opposite, and this cre- they belong? Director/Scriptwriter: Alina Gorlova Lysychansk is going through a ates an archetypical relationship Director/Scriptwriter: Alina Gorlova Previous Films: No Obvious Signs, humanitarian disaster like other between the two brothers. Alina Gorlova is a director and film editor. Born and doc feature, 2018, Ukraine Invisible Battalion, short film, places in the demarcation zone. lives in Ukraine. She graduated from the Karpenko- 2017, Ukraine Andriy thinks about joining a Kary Kyiv National University of Theatre, Film and TV. Kholodny Yar. Intro, feature doc, Now Andriy studies at the univer- humanitarian mission in Syria, but She directs documentaries, but is also experienced in 2016, Ukraine Babushka, short fiction, 2014, Ukraine sity in Dnipro, and at the same at the same time he wants to live a making fiction shorts and social and commercial ads. The First Step in the Clouds, short fiction, time visits the contact line with peaceful, average life. Arseniy feels In 2016 Alina debuted her first feature-length documentary, Kholodny Yar. 2012, Ukraine the Red Cross. He’s not sure that guilty for not helping the Kurdish Intro. The short (60 min) version of the film was screened at the Odesa IFF Year of Release: 2019 he is ready to dedicate his life to people in their fight for indepen- (Ukraine) and Artdocfest (Moscow, Russia). Her second movie No Obvious Budget: EUR 142 312 helping other people, but he can’t dence, but he doesn’t know exactly Signs received four awards at the Docudays festival. stop doing what he does. Located how he can help. Travelling with Financial Sources Confirmed EUR 128 900: between peaceful and military Andriy and Arseniy while record- Ukrainian State Film Agency / EUR 6 940 worlds, he needs to make a choice. ing the reality in Syria and Iraqi Tabor LLC / EUR 6 500 National Film Centre of Latvia / Kurdistan, we arrive in Al-Ha- EUR 13 000 18 Andriy is our guide to the demarca- sakah, native city of the Suleyman IDFA Bertha / EUR 40 000 19 BSD Projects 2o18 BSD Projects 2o18 The Christmas Tree Case Production Company: Bars Media In the early 1990s, the former Soviet sphere had few outlets for the mate- rial gathered by front-line filmmakers that weren’t biased or, in some way or other, manipulated by governments. That’s when we realized Armenia need- ed an organization like Bars Media: a space that could finally tell the clear, truthful stories that couldn’t see the day under the USSR. Today Bars Media is Armenia’s largest independent documentary production company. We work with some of the region’s hardest working and talented film professionals to tell big-picture stories from a narrative driven and human perspective. While based in Armenia, we proudly develop films all over the planet, having produced films in countries as diverse as Luxembourg, Syria, Kenya, Russia, the USA, and the DR Congo-just to name a few. Our films have been broad- cast on international channels such as ARTE, PBS, YLE, NHK, and Al Jazeera. wo Armenian broth- that his brother has done nothing ers, Gevorg and more than thrown years of his life Armo, unite in the away for extreme politics, which Producer: Arevik Avanesyan struggle against are nothing more than juvenile Graduated from Yerevan State University with a MA in Project Title: T The Christmas Tree Case a corrupt government, and are posturing. Armo decides it’s time Math. Since 2007, she has been working on numerous Production Company: Bars Media painfully separated when one is to grow up. He starts a print shop. corporate projects in the filmmaking field. Her short Address: 20 Sepuh St. 0028 Yerevan, Armenia arrested during a Christmas tree He gets married, has a child. documentary Road won several prizes and the cam- Phone: +374 1022 6733 incident. paign was considered a great success. Since October Email: [email protected] In 2018 hundreds of thousands of 2015, she has been working at Bars Media Film Studio as a producer. Web: barsmedia.am Armo, is older, quieter, and more people flood the streets. A general Synopsis “respectable”. He abhors violence strike breaks out. And in a little As the new Armenia is being built, two and desires a gradual reform of the under two weeks the government brothers find themselves politically Producer: Inna Sahakyan opposed. Gevorg (35) wants to radicalize system. Gevorg is young and rash. is toppled. Nikol Pashinyan, the Inna has been working at Bars Media for more than ten years. She is cur- the revolution. Armo (39) fully supports He desires change by any means leader of this revolution, an- rently working on a TV series for local broadcasters and developing two the new government, and only wants to necessary, and quickly falls in nounces that a new, free and feature-length documentaries: Aurora’s Sunrise and Mel(ine). focus on rebuilding his life. As the glow of revolution fades, will these two brothers with a group of ultra-nationalists democratic Armenia will be built. become enemies, or will Gevorg try to known for radical protest actions. Political prisoners are to be freed. live as an ordinary citizen?

In June, Gevorg, who had by this Producer: Sona Margaryan Language: Armenian In the winter of 2015, Gevorg, point spent two years behind bars, She has been involved in media and film projects since 2012. She is a skilled Format: 4K alongside several other activists, is released. photographer and experienced political activist, participating in several Length: 74 min occupies a public square, erects a social and environmental protests and initiatives across Armenia. Sona is ProducerS: Arevik Avanesyan, Christmas tree in front of Yerevan’s The two brothers are overjoyed very much eager to raise questions of human rights, the environment, etc. Inna Sahakyan, Sona Margaryan Opera House, and calls for the to see each other. But behind this She has been with Bars Media Documentary for over a year as a producer Previous Films: Arevik Avanesyan resignation of the Armenian gov- happiness, a darkness lurks. In the assistant, and has worked on documentaries as well the TV series Mysteries Road, short doc, 2016, Armenia ernment. The next day they are all days after Gevorg’s release, Armo of Armenia and My Army. Mel Daluzyan is a friend of Sona’s, and she has Inna Sahakyan: The Last Tightrope Dancer in Armenia, arrested in an early morning raid. cannot not hide his dissatisfac- worked on Mel’s documentary since the very beginning. doc, 2009-2010 Gevorg is falsely accused of assault- tion: “My brother will only truly be Donkeymentary, 2009-2012 ing an officer and sentenced to 2 free, when he is free of those men,” Director: Anzhela Frangyan years in prison. The case became he said, referring to Gevorg’s Director: Anzhela Frangyan Previous Films: War Documentary, known as the Christmas Tree case. ultranationalist comrades. As of Has been working at Bars Media Documentary Film doc, 2016, Armenia late June, Gevorg has been par- Studio since 2015. She began her career as a journal- Airspace, doc, 2016, Armenia The Matenadaran: Institute of Ancient Gevrog’s time in prison is hard. ticipating in anti-mining protests, ist. Anzhela has worked as a local reporter and fixer for Manuscripts, doc, 2017 Prisoners living in the same block which the new government has NDR and ADR. As a filmmaker she has directed short Road, short doc, 2016, Armenia describe hearing his screams for called “sabotage” and “counter- documentaries, TV-series and commercials. She has Tatev, doc, 2018, Armenia hours on end as he is beaten. revolutionary”- a designation that participated in various educational and cultural programs such as Human Year of Release: 2019 Armo agrees with. A confrontation Rights in TV Practical Journalism, Workshop at the Crossroads and Training Budget: EUR 139 750

But Armo sees his brother’s arrest is inevitable. of Digital Storytelling organized by the Media Initiatives Centre, EURASI- FINANCIAL SOURCES CONFIRMED: 20 in a different light. He believes ADOC writing residency and pitching forum. Bars Media / EUR 8 000 21 BSD Projects 2o18 BSD Projects 2o18 Earth is Blue Like An Orange Production Company: Albatros Communicos Ukraine Albatros Communicos is a full service video production company. Our staff of writers, directors, producers, and editors draw on their diverse ex- periences in film, creative advertising, music and social media to create projects that connect with audiences intellectually and emotionally. Pro- fessional, creative, and 100% reliable, Albatros Communicos film produc- tion provides one-stop shopping for all your video production and post- production needs. From our first meeting through the completion of the project, Albatros Communicos collaborates with you as a creative partner. Albatros’ goal is to nurture long-term mutually beneficial relationships with our clients based on trust, collaboration, and creative ambition.

ilitary actions have (the mother) had two serious What we see is quite a life-affirm- Producer: Anna Kapustina been ongoing in East neurosurgical operations (she has ing story. The war in Ukraine is still I, Kapustina Anna Vladimirovna, was born on the 10th Ukraine for 4 years an osteoma), and one more opera- going on. But life is going on too. of May 1979, in the city of Kyiv. I studied at the Kyiv Hu- M now. Many people tion is ahead. Taking into account manitarian Lyceum under Taras Shevchenko National from the civilian population were the fact that the children’s father University of Kyiv. I graduated from the National Tech- injured and lost their homes. But lives in the occupied territory and nical University of Ukraine, Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, life goes on. does not care about the children, and the International University of Finance. I live in Kyiv together with it’s clear that the family is having a my daughter and son. From 2003 to 2005, as producer, I created the pro- Why the title The Earth Is Blue As hard time. gramme The First Expedition on TV channel Inter about musical bands Project Title: an Orange? That’s a quote from the from the former Soviet Republics, and famous Russian and Ukrainian The Earth Is Blue Like An Orange poem of Paul Elluard, which is a But despite these facts, they are theatre and movie actors and artists. From 2005 through 2012, I produced Production Company: bright example of surrealism in art. really cheerful. The children all many TV shows, including reality TV. I have also produced more than 100 Albatros Communicos Ukraine Address: Yaroslaviv Val, 9, Kyiv, Ukraine Being a civilian in a front-line zone play different musical instruments different advertising projects. Since 2014 – producer of #Babylon`13 and Phone: +380 67 538 86 68 seems quite surreal too. And espe- (piano, saxophone, reed pipe), and the NGO HERO.UA. From 2015 until present – owner and producer, Alba- Email: [email protected] cially for children and teenagers. what is really interesting is that tros Communicos Ukraine film production. Web: albatrosfilm.net they love cinema and want to be Synopsis Thus, our documentary project filmmakers. Mira has graduated Bombs are still falling, but children in a war zone want to live, laugh, love, learn, will be based on the observation from school and will try to enter Director: Iryna Tsilyk and even shoot their own films. of one family from Donbas. Anna film school in Kyiv as a D.O.P. this Iryna Tsilyk is a Ukrainian film director and writer. Au- (35) is a single mother. She has summer. Nastya dreams about thor and director of short fiction filmsBlue Hour (2008), LANGuage: Russian Format: 4K daughters Mira (17) and Nastya directing. Their mom is trying to Commemoration (2012), Home (2016); short documen- Length: 70 min (14), sons Vlad (8) and Stas (6), learn film editing. And they use tary films Tayra and Kid for the Invisible Battalion cin- as well as a dog, four cats and a the small boys as actors. ema almanac (2017). At the moment Tsilyk is working Producer: Anna Kapustina Previous Films: The First Company, turtle. They live in Krasnogorivka – on her debut full-length documentary The Earth Is Blue As An Orange doc, 2018, Ukraine a small city in the «red zone» of They already shot a short film as about teenagers living in a war zone. Moreover, Iryna Tsilyk is the author Volunteers of War, doc, 2016, Ukraine Ten Seconds, doc, 2015, Ukraine Donbas, one of the most destroyed part of Mira’s university entrance of 8 books published in Ukraine (poetry, prose, children’s books). Some of Kozak, doc, 2015, Ukraine after shelling. Some locations in portfolio. The film’s idea is like a her poems and short stories have been translated into English, German, Krasnogorivka look like Cher- guide for children on how to deal French, Polish, Lithuanian, Czech, Swedish and Catalan, and were pre- Director: Iryna Tsilyk Previous Films: Kid, short doc, nobyl: crushed, empty houses and with shelling, how to behave if sented at several international literary festivals and events. Iryna lives in 2017, Ukraine shops, deserted spaces, mines at you find a mine, etc. Given that Kyiv with her husband and son. Iryna’s husband, Artem Chekh, is also a Tayra, short doc, 2017, Ukraine every step. they use their own experiences as writer who served as a soldier in the Ukrainian Armed Forces during the Home, short feature film, 2016, Ukraine Commemoration, feature film, 2012, material for shooting, it looks quite war in Donbas. Ukraine During 2014-2015 the family impressive. And they are going to Blue Hour, short fiction, 2008, Ukraine slept in the cellar every night. The shoot more. Thus the idea of “a film Year of Release: 2019 house of their closest neighbours within a film” and a kind of self- Budget: EUR 80 000 was destroyed. Last year, Mira & therapy through cinema could be a Financial Sources Confirmed: Nastya’s school was also bombed. very special storyline in our film. Ukrainian State Film Agency / 22 Moreover, 6 months ago, Anna EUR 80 000 23 BSD Projects 2o18 BSD Projects 2o18 Eating An Elephant Production Company: LLC Sapfir LLC Sapfir is a Moscow-based film & photo production company founded by Julia Saponova for the development and production of features, docu- mentaries and artistic commercials. Since 2016 LLC Sapfir has worked in collaboration with the InterAction Inclusive Project to produce various forms of social art, thereby creating a tolerant social environment in which everyone can feel purposeful, bright and boundless despite any health pe- culiarities.

Producer: Olesya Ovchinnikova Olesya graduated from the Finance Academy under the Government of the Russian Federation, specializing in asha is a sweet, kind to act, dance and sing, but more taxes and taxation. For 9 years she worked at the audit- and insecure girl importantly, they discover how to consulting company FBK Grant Thornton, success- who has a deep fear collaborate, to face challenges, to fully producing more than 50 different projects in ac- of failure. Ironi- support each other and to perse- counting and auditing. In 2015 she graduated filmmaking at Moscow Film M Project Title: Eating An Elephant cally, she dreams of becoming an vere in the face of failure. School. She has since worked as a producer and 1st AD on short films and Production Company: LLC Sapfir actress, but has stage fright. Masha social videos that have won awards at international film and advertising Address: 6, Verhoyanskaya str., Moscow, Russia also has Down syndrome, which Their premiere date - a full-scale festivals. Since 2016 she is a partner and producer at the InterAction Inclu- Phone: +7 926 560 84 11 brings her to Rita Rebetsky’s inclu- musical in front of a big crowd in sive Project where she organizes theatrical shows and international tours Email: [email protected] sive theatre. Rita mounts fairytale a vast hall - becomes the ultimate for the theatre, produces social videos, and now the feature doc comedy Web: http://eatelephant.ru/ musicals for actors like Masha. challenge for each of them. Watch- Eating An Elephant. Synopsis Masha’s dream comes true when ing them step onto that stage is an To perform in the Palais des Nations of she is cast as a mouse that is small, emotional miracle for them and the United Nations in Geneva, a group of first-time actors with Down syndrome but very brave! for the audience as well. Director: Julia Saponova must push beyond their fears, their Julia Saponova was a well-acclaimed, gifted psycholo- limitations and even their egos to work Masha quickly and profoundly gist who then switched to professional photography. as a team and convey their fervent desire for equality. bonds with her new theatre Within a few years she became a highly accomplished friends. Nonetheless, even this fashion and commercial photographer, but then de- Language: Russian Format: HD theatre troupe is a battlefield of cided to shift her artistic career focus and become a Length: 75 min egos. The group leader, charis- director. Since 2012 she has developed, produced and directed five award- matic Vlad, and the best dancer, winning short movies. In 2016 Julia Saponova became a partner in the Producer: Olesya Ovchinnikova Previous Films: #Be Together, Stas Bogdanov - are fiercest rivals. InterAction Inclusive Project and started to film the feature documentary social movie, 2017, Russia The jolly Stas Milyavsky who usu- Eating An Elephant – a touching coming-of-age story with a lot of humour. Anna & Vano. Bathroom & Wine, ally cheers everyone up becomes short film, 2016, Russia Birth Day, short film, 2016, Russia depressed. He misses Carolyn - the New Year’s Story, social movie, beautiful Australian dancer and Scriptwriter: Valeria Zadereeva 2016, Russia Close People, short film, 2016, Russia also inclusive theatre director who Valeria was born in Rostov-na-Donu. She graduated from Rostov State Uni- instructed their master class. versity in 1995 and from Moscow Film School in 2016. She worked as an editor Director: Julia Saponova in mass media, including the Galileo project. Since 2014 she has been working Previous Films: #Be Together, social movie, 2017, Russia Masha keeps freezing up on stage, as a screenwriter on feature movies and TV series. Birth Day, short film, 2016, Russia but with support and encourage- New Year’s Story, social movie, ment from Rita and the troupe she 2016, Russia Chocked, short film, 2014, Russia gradually overcomes her many Pumpkin, short film, 2014, Russia fears, until she becomes the small, but courageous mouse she was Year of Release: 2019 Budget: EUR 201 781 destined to play! Financial Sources Confirmed: Out-of-pocket / EUR 57 660 Pursuing their dreams, these first- Private donors / EUR 9 252 24 time actors learn not only how Indiegogo Campaign / EUR 1 453 25 BSD Projects 2o18 BSD Projects 2o18 Fragments of Humanity Production Company: Kinocompany Kinocompany, established in 2006 by Ari Matikainen, is a production com- pany located in Helsinki, Finland. We feel passionately about quality con- tent and compelling, character-driven stories that have an impact on us all. Our international co-productions consist of creative documentaries, TV-series and fictional features encompassing all aspects of human life.

Producer/Scriptwriter: Ari Matikainen Ari Matikainen works as a producer, screenwriter, dra- maturgist & director of Kinocompany in Helsinki, Fin- land. His works include creative documentaries, TV- series and fiction films. His film Lone Star Hotel won n March 1999, Finnish forensic in the conference rooms of peace of the major powers, the disregard the Jussi Award for the best documentary in Finland in dentist Helena Ranta sat in a negotiations. The scenes of war for international agreements and 2007. His latest documentary, War and Peace of Mind, had its international conference room in Pristina and the scenes of peace look like the arrogant pursuit of self-inter- premiere in June 2016 at the Edinburgh IFF. Ari has produced several inter- I in front of an international two different worlds. Helena Ranta est have undermined the faith in national co-productions, the latest being the feature documentaries The press, which anxiously awaited an has seen them both. an international community that Unforgiven, which premiered at CPH:DOX in March, and Rodeo, which answer to the question: was it a would unanimously acknowledge was shown in Hot Docs 2018. Ari is also an EAVE 2017 Producers Workshop Project Title: Fragments of Humanity war crime that took place earlier At the press conference in Pristina the need to advocate for peace. graduate. Production Company: Kinocompany that year in the village of Racak in almost twenty years ago, Helena This is a frightening situation. Address: Kosovo? Six days after the submis- Ranta saw for the first time that And indeed, it makes the ques- Orioninkatu 9 00550 Helsinki, Finland Phone: +358 (0) 505 512 235 sion of that report, the NATO air the work she has done to contrib- tions related to the possibilities of Director/Scriptwriter: Elli Rintala Email: [email protected] strikes against Serbia began. ute to peace and reconciliation contributing to peace even more Elli Rintala is a documentary film director and screen- Web: www.kinocompany.fi could be used as a powerful tool in urgent. writer living in Porvoo, Finland. She is a graduate of Synopsis The film Fragments of Human- international politics, and even in Aalto University School of Film (MA 2014, documentary In conflict zones around the world, ity takes a look at the wars and justifying a new war. Before that, film directing) and University of Turku (MA 2006, Media Finnish forensic dentist Helena Ranta conflicts of the past twenty years she would never have thought Studies). In her films she is interested in how we human is advocating for the thought that there must be rules and justice even in war. In as seen through the eyes of Helena about the kind of impact the sci- beings are constructed, whether it be against the background of war and the time span from Srebrenica to Iraq, Ranta. In the film she is the central entific investigations of an ordi- violence, as in her upcoming film Fragments of Humanity, or in an inter- she realizes that the rules of war are not always equal and not always aiming for figure who leads us to those fragile nary researcher could have. Being section between man, nature and technology, as in her previous films Via peace. moments when a war is either momentarily in the spotlight at Air (2013) or Oil Blue (2008) turning to peace or escalating into the very scene where war and Language: English/Finnish Format: HD a new conflict. When the guns peace is being negotiated, was a Length: 75 min have fallen silent, she collects decisive moment in her career. On evidence, bones, teeth and skulls, one hand it gave her an impera- Producer: Ari Matikainen Previous Films: Rodeo, feature doc, to reconstruct the truth behind the tive to work even harder for peace 2018, Finland/Estonia violence. Bosnia, Kosovo, Chech- in the future. On the other hand, The Unforgiven, feature doc, 2017, Finland / Denmark nya, Iraq - along with each assign- it showed her that no matter how War & Peace of Mind, feature doc, 2016, ment she becomes more and more accurate and objective her investi- Finland integrated into the machinery of gations are, in the end it is inter- The Shower, short fiction, 2016, Sweden/Finland/Romania peacebuilding - collaborating with national politics that paves way to Russian Libertine, feature doc, 2012, the human right lawyers, diplo- war or to peace. Finland mats, politicians and war report- Director: Elli Rintala ers. At the same time, she also sees The closer we come to the pres- Previous Films: Via Air, doc, 2013, the difficulties and drawbacks ent day and the wars in Iraq and Finland the people contributing to peace Syria, the more evident it becomes Oil Blue, doc, 2008, Finland encounter in their work. She has that the traditional assumptions Year of Release: 2019 seen the brutal reality on the field, and doctrines of peacebuilding Budget: EUR 398 750

which seems so distanced from are challenged and questioned in Financial Sources Confirmed: 26 the sophisticated discussions held many ways. The overt aggression FFF / EUR 18 000 27 BSD Projects 2o18 BSD Projects 2o18 From Sevnica to the White House Production Company: Avi Film Avi Film is an independent Slovenian audiovisual production company. A documentary - No Place Like Home (selected for the 2016 RE-ACT work- shop), a feature film - Down the Highway (selected for Scenarnica 2016), and a documentary - From Sevnica to the White House (selected for BDC Discoveries 2018) are all in development.

Producer/Scriptwriter: Tanja Gruden Tanja Gruden finished her studies in economics at the Faculty of Economics in Ljubljana, Slovenia. During her studies she worked as a journalist for the business de- partment of Slovenia National TV. She worked in and elanija Knavs grew plan ever come true? They’re blaz- with multinationals for several years. She is a partner up in a tiny, yet typi- ing their own path from Sevnica and a manager of two companies delivering facility management services. cal Slovenian town, to the White House. In 2015 she joined the audiovisual production company Avi Film. She re- M Sevnica, with about cently produced her first documentary, Coffee Time (50 min). 5,000 inhabitants. Nobody knew The tourists follow Berni: they about Sevnica until she ascended meet verbose politicians, savvy to the title of USA’s First Lady, as businessmen, bureaucrats and Director/Scriptwriter: Jurij Gruden Melania Trump. Our film is about media personalities… And then Jurij Gruden was born in 1975 in Trieste, Italy. In 2004 the ordinary people of Sevnica, liv- there are the regular Joes, unwit- he graduated in film and TV direction in Ljubljana, Slo- Project Title: From Sevnica to the White House ing through a sudden, life-chang- ting observers of the great phe- venia. He is a scriptwriter and director of documentary Production Company: Avi Film ing global event. nomenon, anxious to say what’s films; he is also developing his first feature fiction film. Address: Kogojeva 1, 1000 Ljubljana, on their mind, apprehensive of the Filmography: Edi Šelhaus: I Was There, Music from Tri- Slovenia Phone +386 31 333 213 How to react to something incredi- storm of strangers and the drama este to Tarvisio, At the End of Tržaška Street, Living Stone and Coffee Time. +386 41 939 367 ble? Even now, the town is invaded at their doorstep. Email: [email protected] by nosy weirdoes, and TV and Synopsis press from all over the world. They The Melanija of the film is a figura- What happens in a small town when forage for scandal, digging for tive force, an act of divine inter- the girl next door becomes the First Lady of the USA? Overnight, the folks of gossip and juicy details. The locals vention – never seen but constant- Sevnica experience global attention. A aren’t equipped for dealing with ly talked about. perfect time to “cash in” on the moment, such an avalanche of information. Melania’s once-neighbours strive for meaning, for a better life and for a dream It’s the perfect time for us, the come true. A group of tourists arrive in the authors, who, together with our port on a huge cruise ship. They heroes, experience this utterly un- Language: Slovenian/English Format: full HD board a bus: direction Sevnica. likely event, a world of glory and Length: 52 min/80 min Berni, their guide, reveals secrets success even for a brief instant. Producer/Scriptwriter: of the city and his own plans. He We crave our jackpot, something Tanja Gruden and his wife Snežka are puppe- more, something better! Previous Films: Coffee Time, doc, teers. They’re now preparing a 2016, Slovenia play for Slovene expatriates in the This is an uplifting story, flavoured Director/Scriptwriter: USA with an apropos title: Ugly with humour and unbelievable Jurij Gruden Duckling, dedicating it to young plans. Previous Films: Coffee Time, doc, 2016, Slovenia Barron, the First Lady’s firstborn, Living Stone, doc, 2014, Slovenia as a cultural gift from the home- Music From Trieste to Tarvisio, doc, 2010, town of his ancestors. Will the girl Slovenia At the End of Tržaška Street, doc, 2010, they used to know admit them to Slovenia her palace? Can such an unlikely Maritime Poet, doc, 2008, Slovenia

Year of Release: 2020 28 Budget: EUR 157 090 29 BSD Projects 2o18 BSD Projects 2o18 The Harbor Production Company: Just a Moment Just a moment is Vilnius-based independent production company work- ing with film projects in co-production with partners from Germany, Italy, France, Latvia, Croatia, Russia, Romania, et al. Films (co)produced by Just a moment include the documentary Father by Marat Sargsyan, which was awarded the prize for Best Medium-Length Film at Visions Du Reel. The documentary Julia by J. Jackie Baier premiered at Venice Days. Another documentary, Master and Tatyana by G. Zickytė, won four awards at the Silver Crane 2015 national films awards, and travelled to such festivals as Leipzig DOX, IDFA and many others. One of our latest feature films, To- gether for Ever (2016) by L. Luzyte, premiered at the Karlovy Vary Film Fes- tival, and was nominated for the 2017 national film awards. Our latest co- production, Breathing into Marble by Giedre Beinoirute, also premiered at quiet, half-empty realise with great clarity that this Karlovy Vary in 2018. harbor awaits the kind of lifestyle doesn’t suit their first sailing boats of ageing bodies anymore. The time the season. It’s only has come to live on land again – Project Title: The Harbor A Producer: Dagnė Vildžiūnaitė Production Company: a small island in the middle of the this is their last sailing trip. Creative producer Dagne Vildziunaite is also the main Just a moment Atlantic, but once a year hundreds producer of the project and responsible for the overall Address: Pylimo str. 9-13, Vilnius LT01118, Lithuania of sailboats of all shapes and sizes Alika is six and lives on a sailboat process. Dagne Vildziunaite was Producer on The Move Phone: +370 6868 8980 start arriving here. These are trav- together with her parents and her 2016, and is also a graduate of Rotterdam Lab, EAVE, Ex Email: [email protected] ellers from all corners of the world. younger sister. She loves exploring Oriente, Eurodoc, and has a BA in both psychology and Web: facebook.com/justamoment.lt During the summer sailing season, the colorful harbor and making TV and film management. She is a member of the Lithuanian Film Acad- Synopsis they stop at this island for a short friends with other sailors’ kids. At emy, a member of Alliance of Cinema Auteurs in Lithuania and EAVE Na- Following an old superstition, long rest, and to prepare for the next the end of summer her family is tional Representative, and was nominated for Professional Excellence in distance sailors paint colorful paintings on a harbor wall. This small sailboat stage of their journey. They repair going to start their journey around Film at the 2017 national film awards. She has produced all the films made harbor in the middle of the Atlantic their boats, buy supplies, wash the world - this will be the first big by production company Just a moment. Ocean is like a book into which modern- their laundry and... paint pictures. journey for Alika and her sister. day sea adventurers are writing their innermost thoughts and feelings. What stories are these paintings telling us? This harbor is very special – its In order for something new to Director: Albina Griniūte Language: English/Portuguese/ walls are painted with thousands start, it’s important to learn to say Albina was born in Vilnius, Lithuania. She studied film Spanish/French/Russian/others of colorful paintings. Every surface goodbye. Letting go is one of the at the Baltic Film and Media School in Tallinn (Estonia), Format: HD is covered with all kinds of figures topics that is reflected time and and spent two semesters as an exchange student in An- Length: 70 min and symbols, because there is a time again on the harbor wall. adolu University (Turkey). She developed an interest in Producer: Dagnė Vildžiūnaitė superstition among sailors that street photography in her mid-teens, and participated Previous Films: in order to appease the naughty in joint exhibitions as well as had personal exhibitions, and won prizes in Breathing into Marble, feature, 97 min, 2018, Lithuania/Latvia/Croatia unseen forces of the ocean, each various photography competitions for her work. As a film student she felt Dialogue with Joseph, doc, 47 min, 2016, sailor must paint something on an inclination towards documentaries early on, and participated in differ- Lithuania/France Together for Ever, feature film, 84 min, the harbor wall. ent international documentary workshops, such as Interaction (Serbia), 2016, Lithuania/Romania Cine-boat (Finland) and the Berlinale Talent Campus (Germany). Her first When We Talk About KGB, doc, 72 min, John and Marie have been travel- short documentary, A Place We Call Home, was nominated for Best Student 2015, Lithuania/Italy Master and Tatyana, doc, 84 min, 2015, ing the world in their little sailboat Film award at the Sheffield Doc/Fest, and her first feature documentary, Lithuania for many years. This boat has Paradise Gowns, was awarded two prizes in the Vilmos Zsigmond FF in been a trusty companion through Hungary (Best Documentary and Critic’s Choice). The film also received Director: Albina Griniūte Previous Films: Paradise Gowns, doc all kinds of challenges and ad- the prestigious prize for Best Lithuanian Cinematography of the year (cin- feature, 2017, Lithuania/Estonia/Finland ventures. One day an accident ematographer Saulius Lukosevicius), awarded by the Lithuanian Associa- A Place We Call Home, short, 2012, happens in the harbor, and the tion of Cinematographers, and was nominated for the Silver Crane award Lithuania couple’s boat is badly damaged. in the Best Lithuanian Documentary category. Year of Release: 2019/2020 While waiting for it to be repaired, BUDGET: EUR 56 000

John and Marie paint their picture Financial Sources Confirmed: 30 on the harbor wall, and suddenly Lithuanian Film Centre / EUR 35 000 31 BSD Projects 2o18 BSD Projects 2o18 The Immortal Production Company: Vesilind OÜ Vesilind is established in 1996. We have produced and co-produced over Project Title: The Immortal 40 documentaries, such as: The Return of the Musk Ox (TRG, 2008, best Production CompanIES: Vesilind OU (Estonia) / VFS FILMS (Latvia) popular-science film ‘08 in Russia), Die Lena und der Ruf der Arktis (with Address: Ida poik 3, Jarvekula, Bayerischer Rundfunk, 2012) and Woman and the Glacier (dir. Audrius Sto- 75304 Rae vald, Estonia nys, with Uku Films, Lithuania, 2016, IDFA 2016 Mid-Length competition). Phone: +372 5078 067 Email: [email protected] Our recent production Come Back Free (dir. Ksenia Okhapkina), won the Web: vesilind.ee IDFA 2016 jury special prize, Mid-Length competition. Synopsis This film reveals the mechanism that entices a human being – the greatest miracle on earth – to voluntarily turn Producer: Riho Västrik themselves into a mediocre, faceless Riho Västrik has a BA in History and Journalism and a MA creature. Thus they become a resource to in Film Arts. Since 2003, Riho has been attracted to Sibe- be used by the state – a grey lump of ore his film reveals the warmth. Instead, they are left in become overseers of the voluntary ria and the Far North. He has produced and co-produced that cannot see the value of their own life. mechanism that the care of state structures that prisoners of the Apatity labour a number of documentaries with Latvian, Lithuanian, Language: Russian entices a human inculcate in them the traits of settlement. Russian, German and Finnish filmmakers.The Return of Format: 4K T being – the greatest prisoners. However, neither the the Musk Ox, directed by Vasili Sarana, won a number of international prizes Length: 70 min miracle on earth – to voluntarily children nor their educators are The only way out of this system is and the title of best popular-science film in Russia, 2008. Currently Riho is ProducerS: Riho Västrik, Uldis Cekulis turn themselves into a mediocre, aware of this. They are convinced death. However, if you die for the an associate professor at the Baltic Film, Media, Arts and Communication Previous Films: Riho Västrik: faceless creature. Thus they be- that they are bringing up a genera- state you become an immortal School in Tallinn, and co-owner of the production company Vesilind. War Over the Flying Squirrel, doc, 2018, come a resource to be used by the tion of patriotic heroes, fated to hero. The propagandistic model Estonia state – a grey lump of ore that can- become legionnaires of the Earth of the new nationwide associa- Woman and the Glacier, doc, 2016, Lithuania/Estonia not see the value of their own life. and the adjacent cosmic expanses. tion “Youngarmy” is founded on Producer: Uldis Cekulis Come Back Free, doc, Estonia The future legionnaires rest in precisely the idea that the path to Has created the VFS FILMS almost 20 years ago, and A Fragile World, doc, 2016, Estonia The town of Apatity first came into box-like dorms, crammed full of immortality leads through a heroic later won the International Trailblazer prize at MIPDOC Bonus Track, doc, 2016, Estonia Uldis Cekulis: being as a concentration camp. identical beds, as is customary in death for the Fatherland. The in Cannes, which recognizes the best documentary Bridges of Time, doc, 2018, For the government, this is a very the army. “Youngarmy” in Russia is based makers. He has worked on almost fifty creative docu- Latvia/Lithuania/Estonia lucrative way of organising society on patriotic circles dating back to mentaries and author-driven prime time TV projects, Wonderful Losers, doc, 2017, Latvia/Lithuania/Italy/Sweden/Spain/ so as to make the mining of natu- Once the children finish nursery Soviet times. The boys attending both as producer and sometimes as cameraman. As producer, most of his Ireland/Belgium/UK ral resources cheaper. Today, 50 school their parents, still prefer- Apatity’s patriotic “Leader” mili- films, such as Double Aliens, Liberation Day and Wonderful Losers. A Dif- The Fairytale of Empty Space, doc, 2017, Latvia years is considered a ripe old age ring to stand at the bus stop rather tary club also prepare for immor- ferent World, have travelled and received awards internationally. In 2015, Liberation Day, doc, 2016, in the industrial town of Apatity, than look after their offspring, tality via an initiation ceremony – the IDFA Special Jury Award went to Ukrainian Sheriffs by Roman Bondar- Latvia/Norway/Slovenia while the environment is on the send them off to various groups. they become Youngarmymen and chuk, which also resulted in an official Academy Award entry in 2016, this Ukrainian Sheriffs, doc, 2015, Latvia/Ukraine/Germany brink of an ecological disaster. The boys are dispatched to the then serve in the military. time from Ukraine. And yet every day people celebrate patriotic club, where retired Director: Ksenia Okhapkina behind tall barbed-wire fences, soldier Almaz teaches them war The dancing and marching falls Previous Films: Come Back Free, doc, 2016, Estonia despite the polar nights and the craft, while the girls join the dance into the conveyor-belt rhythm Director: Ksenia Okhapkina Red, doc, 2015, Russia freezing cold. There is singing, class. There, Elena, a former folk of the moving trains, full of grey Ksenia Okhapkina graduated from St. Petersburg State In The Beginning Was… The Cube, doc, 2013, Russia dancing, feasting, garlands in all dance star, who has swapped the lumps of ore that are also destined University of Film and TV in 2012. During her studies she The Night Performance, doc, 2012, Russia colours of the rainbow, and of South and the stage for the North for immortality: they will be made took part in different projects as a scriptwriter, director or Liudians, doc, 2011, Russia course the most important thing: and her soldier husband, instructs into phosphorus fertiliser on director of photography. Since 2014 Ksenia has worked Year of Release: 2019 military parades. Our curiosity was them in pliability, the essence of which new life will grow. with the Estonian company Vesilind. With her previous Budget: EUR 160 000 roused – what are they celebrat- refined femininity in a patriar- work she has shown her commitment to the composition and meaningful- ing? We found the answer: the chal society. At some point these ness of a single frame, and her ability to capture “the poetic in the profane”. Financial Sources Confirmed: National Film Centre of Latvia / inhabitants of Apatity were prom- groups start replacing the chil- EUR 23 850 ised immortality. dren’s families, while the teachers Estonian Film Institute (development) / take the place of their parents. EUR 8 000 Scriptwriter: Pauls Bankovskis Estonian Cultural Endowment While the adults while away their Thus a new generation appears Writer and journalist. Has published 10 novels, several collections of short (development) / EUR 5 000 lives at the factory bus stop, their that will at some point take their stories, books and works of non-fiction and film scripts. His focus tends Producer’s and co-producer’s investment / EUR 12 000 children – their token of immortal- parents’ place at the factory stop. to shift from Latvian history, its myths, and legends, to the realities of the Estonian Broadcasting Company / 32 ity – miss out on family life and The strongest among them will recent Soviet past and the possibilities of the future. EUR 1 000 33 BSD Projects 2o18 BSD Projects 2o18 Into the Bank Production Company: Film And Tell Film and Tell is a film company founded by award-winning director and producer Oscar Hedin in 2010. We have produced award-winning films Project Title: Into the Bank Production CompanIES: Film and that have reached large audiences in Sweden and abroad: The Good Coun- Tell (Sweden) / Spætt Film (Norway) try (2017) – Kristallen award 2018 nominee, My Life My Lesson (2015) – Address: Slipgatan 9 117 39 Stockholm, Kristallen award winner and Best Documentary Feature at Nordic Docs / Sweden Phone: +46 855 803 830 Say Something (2016) premiered at IDFA / Aching Heart (2007) – Prix Eu- E-mail: [email protected] ropa nominee and winner of Amulet. Web: www.filmandtell.com

Synopsis Sasja Beslik, investment banker and environmentalist at heart, believes he Producer/Director: Oscar Hedin can better the world working from the Recognized producer, director and journalist. Among his works: A Nation- belly of the beast: the big bank. After al Team Without a Nation (2005) – won the Golden Palm at the Beverly years of struggling, he finally reaches ordea is the major Europe and arrived in Sweden panies asking for loans, fighting Hills FF; Hate and the Triangle of Death (2004) – Swedish Environmental a high-ranking position. Will he now manage to change the bank? Or will the bank in the Nordic with only two T-shirts in a plastic colleague’s old habits and values, Journalists’ Prize of Honour in 2015; Aching Heart (2007) – nominated for bank change him? Countries. It is one bag. Having survived, he made and questioning business goals. a Guldbagge, Prix Europa and Ikaros, and won the Amulet; My Life My Les- of Europe’s Top 25, a promise to himself – he would son (2014) and Say Something (2016) – both received the Swedish TV-prize Language: Swedish/English N Format: HD having more money than the gov- use his new life to try to make the As Head of Sustainability Sasja Kristallen for Best Documentary. Length: feature/TV hour/series/hort ernments of Belgium, Denmark world a better place. inspects the bank’s investments: ProducerS: Oscar Hedin, Åsa Ekman, and Switzerland combined. pharmaceutical factories in India Marina-Evelina Cracana Decades later, Sasja is a man of serving Big Pharma and creating Producer: Åsa Ekman Previous Films: Nordea was deeply involved in power with a key role in Nordea. huge environmental pollution, the Åsa Ekman’s most recent documentary series, The Good Oscar Hedin (Producer/Director): A National Team Without a Nation, doc, the Panama Papers, and later From this position, alongside a disputed subsidiary of German Country, was distributed by National Swedish Television 2005, Sweden fined. Brand- and sustainable small team of analysts, he begins Heidelberg on the West Bank, or at the beginning of 2018. Her internationally acclaimed My Father is Mentally Disabled, doc, rankings hit bottom. The man- an investigation against compa- the North Dakota Access Pipeline, filmsSay Something (2016) and My Life My Lesson (2015) 2008, Sweden Aching Heart, doc, 2007, Sweden agement had to question their nies from the bank’s investment where the Standing Rock Sioux have both won the Swedish TV-prize Kristallen for Best Shame & Honor, doc, 2009, Sweden entire business to save the bank. portfolio that are suspected of tribe claim their rights against the Documentary, and reached over 10 million viewers. My Life My Lesson was Go Straight Home, short doc, 2013, How could they start the journey environmental and human rights oil company. nominated for the Guldbaggen and won the Nordic Docs award for Best Sweden / Bangladesh Åsa Ekman: towards a more sustainable bank? violations. The start is effective Documentary. Åsa›s filmA Mother’s Comeback (2011) premiered at the Go- The Good Country, doc series, 2017, The management wanted us to and rewarding, but after his pro- In conference rooms and open thenburg International FF where it was nominated for Best Documentary Sweden Say Something, doc, 2016, Sweden film their process, mainly to use it motion Sasja faces more and more office landscapes, Sasja faces the and won the prize for Best Swedish Feature Film. Her Dragkingdom of Swe- My Life My Lesson, doc, 2015, Sweden to create a dialogue with their 30 compromises and the pressure of difficulties of changing his col- den (2002) is a cult movie within the HBTQ-underground and has been Mother’s Comeback, doc, 2011, Sweden 000 employees. We were thrilled. the bank to protect its big custom- leagues and the culture of the listed in the gender studies bibliography at several universities. It’s All About Edith, doc, 2006, Sweden Marina-Evelina Cracana: Throughout our years of filmmak- ers and global-level flaws within bank while struggling with his own The Test, fiction short, 2018, Scotland ing, we have tried to gain access the financial system. This hinders inner dualities. Sasja argues about The Fuel Filter, doc short, 2018, to the arenas of financial power his decision-making possibili- excluding big international com- Producer: Marina-Evelina Cracana Romania / Italy many times. When we started to ties and fuels his frustration and panies. He has constant debates Marina Cracana is an alumna of the Scotland Screen Acad- DirectorS: Eva Hillström, Oscar Hedin film at the bank we realized that doubts. Is he going to be able to and discussions with colleagues. emy and the Aristoteles Workshop Documentary Camp Previous Films: Eva Hillström: the scenes we caught on camera adapt? Will he change the bank, or He creates pressure through me- 2016. During her studies Marina produced and directed Nowhere to Hide, doc, 2016, were unique. We are now using the will the bank change him? dia. He tweets about companies two documentary shorts. She is currently making the tran- Norway / Sweden / Finland / material to make an independent violating the banks demands. By sition towards feature length films alongside Film and Tell. Netherlands / USA / Iraq I Called Him Morgan, doc, 2016, film. We have chosen Sasja Beslik, Sasja is a rebel and his methods doing this, he is acting on the edge Sweden / USA Nordea’s Head of Sustainability, as provoke people who hold impor- of what colleagues and customers Night, doc, 2016, Sweden our protagonist. tant positions at the bank. His can deal with. How is this going to Jojk: Juoigan, doc, 2014, Sweden Director: Eva Hillström My Name Is Albert Ayler, doc, 2006, team has to implement sustain- affect his work and personal life? Eva Hillström has done editing and dramaturgy on feature-length docu- Sweden Sasja was born in Zenica, Bosnia. ability in all the businesses: invest- And what ideals will he have to mentaries for over 20 years. Her portfolio includes award-winning titles When the Civil War broke out he ments, loans, advice and banking sacrifice? such as Nowhere to Hide (2016) – best feature at IDFA and One World – and Year of Release: November 2019 Budget: EUR 500 000 was 17. Facing the risk of being services. Every day is a battle; I Called Him Morgan (2016), which premiered at the Venice FF. Into the drafted, he fled. Two British jour- receiving information about envi- Bank will be Eva’s debut documentary as director. Financial Sources Confirmed: Film and Tell Capital / EUR 105 000 nalists smuggled him through the ronmental pollution and human TV4 (Sweden) / EUR 40 000 34 Croatian checkpoints. He crossed rights violations, evaluating com- TV Slovenja / EUR 1 000 35 BSD Projects 2o18 BSD Projects 2o18 Lessons in Democracy Production Company: Metro Films sp. z o.o. The company was founded in 1997. Until the end of 2004, Metro Films’ core business was production for advertising. Since then, feature and doc- umentary film production has become the company’s main activity. Metro Films focuses on author-driven projects for both cinema and television (drama series and documentaries). Metro Films’ goal is to facilitate, co- produce and co-finance international and local projects in which artistic values are matched with commercial expectations.

Producer: Marcin Wierzchosławski Marcin Wierzchosławski graduated from the film and TV production department of the Faculty of Radio and amtramck is a small, are barely any youngsters from with cultural and political tensions Television at the University of Silesia in Katowice. Par- post-industrial Ted’s own cultural background left that are characteristic of global ticipant in several international film production pro- American city lo- in the city. Muslim citizens now tendencies. grammes: EAVE Producers Workshop, Trans Atlantic H cated near Detroit, dream the very same American Partners and Inside Pictures. Member of the Polish Filmmakers Associa- Michigan. Once, it was perceived dream Ted has been dreaming as a Despite the presence of mul- tion. Has produced numerous TV advertisements, feature films and docu- as the centre of Polish presence it Polish immigrant in the U.S. tiple characters, the story will be mentaries for Polish and international markets, as producer and interna- the US, with Polish Catholics ac- ultimately that of Ted: an elderly tional co-producer. counting for more than 70 percent Through Ted’s story the film will Polish-American dreamer who of population. After Detroit’s car show how several citizens of differ- sees the change in his community Project Title: Lessons in Democracy Production Company: industry collapsed, most of the ent backgrounds deal with a situa- and learns to accept it in the spirit Director: Michał Helwak Metro Films sp. z o.o. Poles moved out, making way tion perceived by many as a clash of the democracy he once chose Michał Helwak was born in 1985. In 2006 he graduated Address: ul. Puławska 61, 02-595 for fresh influx of Muslims from of civilizations. It will become a as an immigrant from the commu- from the Warsaw School of Advertising (TV specialisa- Warsaw, Poland Phone: +48 22 843 21 72 Yemen, Bangladesh and Bosnia. portrait of a community undergo- nist Eastern Bloc. tion). As a social animator and community organiser, Email: [email protected] Since 2015 Hamtramck has faced ing a distinct change of identity, he produced several socially engaged shorts featuring Web: www.metrofilms.com.pl the biggest social change in its told through common people’s handicapped people and other members of their com- Synopsis history, as well as attracted inter- stories. The theme will be that of munities. As a coach and manager of several Polish non-governmental In a town with the first-ever Muslim national attention. It has become people facing change. organizations, he produced a number of short reportages and promos. A majority in the US, the once- dominant Polish Catholics and their the first city in the US to have a graduate of the School of Leaders of the Polish-American Freedom Foun- Muslim neighbours struggle to build Muslim majority. The film will not only show Ted dation program. a community despite the constant and his young Muslim boxing presence of conflict and tension. Ted is a tuxedo manufacturer trainees, but also other Ham- Language: English/Polish and owner of an elegant cloth- tramck residents: Karen, the city Format: 1.85:1 ing outlet. He has lived in Ham- mayor, who is looking for a fitting Length: 52 min/75 min tramck since the late 1960s. He is successor to her liberal politics Producer: Marcin Wierzchosławski a Polish refugee, still dreaming his within the Muslim group; Khalil, Previous Films: The High Frontier, thriller, 2016, Poland American dream. Currently, he the Islamic chaplain of the local Bigdan’s Journey, doc, 2016, Poland / USA is a Trump voter longing for the Police Department, who is en- Bear. The King of the Mountains, doc, America he once came to, because couraging other Muslims to join 2012, Poland Secrets of Love, doc, 2012, his business is not doing as well as the service; Abdul, the President of Poland / France it used to years ago. Muslims don’t the Islamic Center, who is build- The Mole, thriller, 2011, Poland / France buy the tuxedos he sells. ing a great mosque in the centre of Director: Michał Helwak the city with not enough parking Previous Films: We Make Our Legend, As a former coach for the Ameri- spaces (which he tries to secure short, adventure, 2010, Poland can national boxing team, he is from a reluctant city council). Wojtek, short doc, 2006, Poland still passionate about boxing. To Year of Release: 2020 fulfil his dream of coaching his last Together these individual portraits Budget: EUR 250 000

boxing champion he now trains will create a rich tapestry of the Financial Sources Confirmed: 36 mostly Muslim boys, since there city as it is now and as it struggles Fundacja Przasnyska / EUR 10 000 37 BSD Projects 2o18 BSD Projects 2o18 My Favorite War Production Company: Ego Media Riga-based Ego Media was established by Latvian producer Guntis Trek- teris with the aim of producing documentaries and fiction for local and international audiences. Project Title: My Favorite War Production CompanIES: Ego Media (Latvia) / Bivrost Film&TV (Norway) Producer: Guntis Trekteris Address: Baznicas iela 8-3, Riga, Experienced Latvian producer of more than 30 docu- LV 1010, Latvia mentaries and 10 fiction films, including many award- Phone: +371 6729 1720 E-mail: [email protected] winning international co-productions. Web: egomedia.lv

Synopsis An animated documentary portraying the personal story of its director, Ilze, n animated docu- In parallel to school life, Ilze’s the time and place – all of these about growing up in the USSR during the Cold War. This is an exciting coming-of- mentary portraying family meets the difficulty you components reflect and visual- Producer: Trond Jakobsen age tale about finding one’s own identity, the personal story had to overcome if you wanted ize a bigger story from our recent Studied directing at Lillehammer University College truth and loyalty, on the background of of its director, Ilze, to become part of society and history and are relevant in today’s (1993-95). Has produced Ilze’s films for 18 years. Direc- the propaganda and oppression of the A authoritarian regime. about growing up in the USSR achieve something in life. Ilze’s Europe. tor of feature films, TV-series and animation shorts for during the Cold War. This is an mum has to join the Communist children. Nominated for children’s TV awards in Norway Language: Latvian Format: 2K/HD exciting coming-of-age tale about Party in order to keep her job. At The film will encourage us to re- and internationally. In 2017 he made My Body Belongs Length: 80 min finding one’s own identity, truth the same time, she has to be able flect on our core beliefs against the to Me – an animated series for NRK about the sexual abuse of children. and loyalty, on the background of to explain to her little daughter backdrop of the current clashes of The series won the best children’s program category at the Norwegian TV ProducerS: Guntis Trekteris, Trond Jakobsen the propaganda and oppression of where the food produced in Latvia ideologies and nations. Growing awards and at Prix Jeunesse in 2018. Previous Films: the authoritarian regime. disappears to and why one cannot up within a more isolated Russia, Guntis Trekteris: buy it in shops. Though equality the refugee crisis and the “war on D is for Division, doc, 2018, Latvia/Czech Republic As a little girl playing war at her is propagated everywhere, some terror” have parallels to Ilze’s Cold Director/Scriptwriter: Close Relations, doc, 2016, Latvia/ granddad’s farm, Ilze soon discov- parts of society are more equal – War childhood. In this day and Denmark/Estonia/Russia/Ukraine ers the clash between reality and these are former war veterans, age, we shouldn’t simply take all Ilze Burkovska-Jakobsen Beyond the Fear, doc, 2015, Latvia/Israel/ Russia Soviet propaganda. The film is military families, etc. the “truths” presented to us for Ilze is a film and TV director born in Latvia and living The Invisible City, doc, 2014, Latvia about choices she has to make – granted. We have to be prepared and working in Norway since 1991. Ilze’s documenta- Trond Jakobsen: Sånn er Jeg, og Sånn er det, creative doc the ideological conflict between Little Ilze has to make complicated for when those in power use fear ries focus on political and economic issues in society, series for children, NRK, 2010-2016 an individual and the regime choices. In her wish to protect as a tool, tell us to choose the right revealing big themes trough individual life stories. Co-owner of Bivrost Norge+, creative doc series for children, serves as the main driving force mum she joins the Pioneers, but side, and suggest war as a good Film, producing and directing several price-winning documentaries and NRK, 2014, Norway The Class Photograph 2, creative doc, for plot development. My Favorite this step does not get supported solution. documentary series for children in cooperation with NRK, Norway. 2011, Latvia/Norway War reveals the lies and fiction by the rest of the family members My Mother’s Farm, creative doc, 2009, used by authoritarian regimes, be who have experienced the repres- Latvia/Norway it back then or now. sions of the Soviet regime, and to Director/Scriptwriter: whom any collaboration with the Ilze Burkovska-Jakobsen Previous Films: Sånn er Jeg, og Sånn er The story follows Ilze to school, regime is unacceptable. det, creative doc series for children, NRK, where brainwashing starts from 2010-2016 the very first days. Further on we With growing up Ilze gradually Norge+, creative doc series for children, NRK, 2014, Norway get acquainted with the Pioneer learns how to distinguish between The Class Photograph 2, creative doc, organization that one joins on the good and the evil, the lies and 2011, Latvia/Norway a voluntarily-compulsory basis, the truth. Her generation is lucky My Mother’s Farm, creative doc, 2009, Latvia/Norway training for military competitions that it happens during Perestroika with the purpose of being ready when one finally has a chance to Year of Release: 2019 for an upcoming atomic assault, speak openly and in conformity Budget: EUR 1 591 150 and, at military practice during with his or her conscience. Financial Sources Confirmed: high school, girls learning to shoot EUR 1 452 680 / MEDIA / Norwegian Film Institute / NRK / Latvian National at targets – silhouettes of people – Ilze’s story of growing and wising Film Centre / other public sources in 38 they made themselves. up, conflicts within her family, Latvia and Norway 39 BSD Projects 2o18 BSD Projects 2o18 My Mother – the State Production Company: Fa Filma FA Filma is a Latvian film production company, producing feature films and documentaries with artistic merit, lately focusing on co-productions. Our films have won numerous festival awards and have been distributed internationally. Our last documentary, Solving My Mother, won the IDFA 2017 Special Jury Award for First Appearance. Currently FA Filma has the feature 24 hr Sunshine (director Juris Poškus) in production, and two docu- mentaries My Mother - The State (director Ieva Ozoliņa) in pre-production/ production and Sooda Graben (director Vadim Dumesh) in the develop- ment stage.

Producer: Madara Melberga na, a young woman Finding her sister is Una’s hope in lives in the Netherlands, they Madara Melberga is studio FA Filma head of develop- from a work- regaining her identity and a deep- decide to look for them together. ment and producer at the same time. Graduated with ing middle-class er sense of belonging. Therefore, One of them lives in USA. The two a degree in philosophy, she also has some film and U background, is the when her demand gets turned sisters are convinced that she’ll be theatre acting experience. Madara has always worked first person in Latvia who, due down, she doesn’t give up, but tries happy to meet them, but what if closely with the content. She has worked with state fi- to recent changes in legislation, to melt the ice between herself they are wrong? No one knows if nancing, the Media Programme and other EU financing, cultural funds, TV, manages to access the information and the archivist, who eventually she is aware of the adoption. Nev- and also private investment. about her pre-adoption identity. agrees to show her the case folder ertheless, Zane and Una consider Her previous name was Kristine from a distance. The archivist revealing it their responsibility and Project Title: My Mother – the State Production Company: FA Filma Esite-Rabina. However, the new doesn’t breach the law, but uses it’s decide to seek her out. Director/Scriptwriter: Ieva Ozoliņa Address: Bruninieku 22-7, Riga, law allows her to receive the infor- grey areas and gives her indirect Born in 1974, Riga. Studied sculpture and ceramics at LV-1001, Latvia mation only about her mother and hints about its contents. She Una is now thirty-eight and her the Academy of Arts of Latvia. For more than ten years Phone: +371 2699 5300 Email: [email protected] herself, but not about her siblings. reveals that the last person who own daughter is seventeen. She she designed museum exhibitions, did production de- Web: fafilma.lv Una remembers that she had a sis- read the same folder was a woman told us that she might adopt one sign for theatre shows, participated in art symposiums ter named Zane, but doesn’t know called Zane Buka, which Una rec- or two children, and we have a and art shows. Due to her personal interest in human Synopsis A film about the conflict between state her current surname. ognizes as her long lost sister. feeling that it will happen. relationships and the implementation of that in art, she took up film stud- power and the individual, told through ies at the Academy of Culture of Latvia. Her graduation film,My Six Million a young woman’s search for her sisters whom she was split from in childhood. When she visits the state archive Una finds her on Facebook and This film questions the dynam- Dollar Father – about a father/daughter relationship – was awarded the For bureaucrats it’s another column in to find out her sister’s last name, they finally meet. Their meeting ics at work in the relationship Latvian national prize Big Kristaps. It also received the annual award by statistics, but for her it is a life changing, her request is denied, with an is an intricately emotional expe- between individual and state, the Latvian Ministry of Culture in film, was widely distributed and shown emotional quest for identity and belonging. explanation that her sister might rience for them both. Zane has where the latter holds the ultimate on numerous TV channels, including Al Jazeera. Her second documentary be un-willing to meet her. In this prepared thirty-five small presents agency in managing the basic hu- feature, Solving My Mother, received the IDFA 2017 Special Jury Award for LanguagE: Latvian/English production stage we imagined a for each of her sister’s birthdays man emotional needs – the need First Appearance. Format: HD Length: 90 min situation where her sister goes to that she’s missed. for identity and sense of belonging. the same archive with the same Producer: Madara Melberga Previous Films: Solving My Mother, aim, and receives the same denial. But there is more to that. They doc, 2017 They might even meet in one of find out that our modelling of the Kolka Cool, feature fiction, 2011 the hallways, without recognizing situation was right. Zane had, in- Family Instinct, doc, 2010 Monotony, feature fiction, 2008 each other. deed, looked for Una in the same archive, but had given up because Director/Scriptwriter: After her foster father went to she followed the ‘’official route’’ Ieva Ozoliņa Previous Films: Solving My Mother, prison, Una was left with her and complied with the archivist’s doc, 2017 foster mother – an alcoholic who refusal to disclose the information. My Father the Banker, doc, 2015 treated her like a servant. There- Year of Release: 2019 fore, the vague memories of her Just when she thinks she’s got the Budget: EUR 95 000 older sister hold a huge emotional answers, Una finds out in another Financial Sources Confirmed: value for her. archive that besides Zane she has National Film Centre of Latvia / 40 three other sisters. Although Zane EUR 63 058 41 BSD Projects 2o18 BSD Projects 2o18 New Imperium Production Company: Ethnofund Since 2005, Ethnogeographic Research Foundation (Ethnofund) has pro- duced more than 20 documentaries (most of them with Russian State sup- port) that are broadcast on Russian and international TV channels. Ethno- fund has won a number of prizes and diplomas at different IFFs, including a recent MDR award for Outstanding East-European Film (DokLeipzig 2016). From 2010 Ethnofund has looked for foreign partners and works with international co-productions. The company’s goal is to bring Russian directors and Russian stories to the international TV and film market.

Producer: Vlad Ketkovich Born in 1971. Since 2000 – CEO and Producer at Eth- company of young overthrow the state system. But, in uncertain future. This is our real- nofund, a well-established company within the Russian friends used to fact, the entire criminal case was ity; this is what we call The New documentary landscape. Since 2010 Vlad has partici- gather at McDon- fabricated by an undercover police Imperium. pated in international festivals and industrial events, A ald’s in the centre of detective – the guy who called i.e. IDFA, Hot Docs, DokLeipzig, and many others. Vlad Moscow, to chat about their lives himself Ruslan D. works with a lot of international partners, i.e. for TV channels RAI Cinema, and politics. They dreamt of doing ORF, YLE, ARTE, VICE (HBO), BNNVARA, TV Brno, and others. Vlad Ketkov- something to make life in Russia Now 6 members of The New Impe- ich is Head of the International Department of the Russian Documentary better. Several boys and two girls rium (including Masha and Anya) Guild, member of EDN, International Federation of Journalists and Rus- Project Title: The New Imperium called their fellowship: The New are imprisoned and systematically sian Geographical Society. Production Company: Ethnofund Address: 119421, Novatorov, 36/3-171, Imperium. Anya (17) and Masha tortured to confess to crimes they Moscow, Russia (19) wanted to become veterinar- did not commit. Phone: +7 916 674 06 54 ians, and talked mostly about Email: [email protected] Director: Anna Shishova-Bogolubova Web: www.ethnofund.com ecological issues. Our main protagonists are the Anna was born in Moscow. Graduated from Moscow families of Masha and Anya. State University and VGIK. From 2012 to 2013 partici- Synopsis Once, a new fellow with the nick- Ordinary working-class Moscow pated in an exchange program between VGIK and the If you are young and honest you are dangerous to the State. Anya and Masha name “Ruslan D” and an insignifi- inhabitants living their cosy, safe Stockholm Academy of Dramatic Arts. In 2016 Anna dreamt of making life in Russia better. cant face appeared in their small lives, always voting for Putin and participated in the AFS international documentary Now they are imprisoned on fabricated charges of extremism. Their parents are company. He was older than the far from any political issues, sud- workshop organized by the U.S. Department of Educational and Cultural fighting the State for their lives. The State others, and convinced the young- denly find themselves alone and Affairs. Anna is a member of the Documentary Film Guild and Russian they honestly used to believe in. sters that they should become an face to face with a ruthless, repres- Journalists Union. Anna’s diploma film Katia received a Laurel National Language: Russian/English organized group of political activ- sive machine. Award and went on to win numerous IFFs. Together with her husband Format: HD ists. He rented an office for their Dmitry Bogolubov, they made the documentary On the Edge, which won a Length: 52 min gatherings, established a statute We will film until the end of the Jury Prize at Artdocfest IFF in 2014. The film’s international premiere was Producer: Vlad Ketkovich for the new organization, in- case, and follow our characters at Krakow IFF; it was screened at numerous festivals in different countries Previous Films: Leninland, doc, 2013, vented its structure and assigned through their troubles and chal- and received a variety of awards. Russia Olya’s Love, doc, 2014, Russia responsibilities between mem- lenges, while observing their Who Will Be My Husband, doc, 2014, bers. He organized gun training personal transformation, rela- Russia several times. tionships and struggle for their Convictions, doc, 2016, Russia Slaves, doc, 2017, Russia / UK daughters’ lives. At the beginning of March 2018, a Director: Anna Shishova-Bogolubova quarrel between some members As a background to our story we Previous Films: Pacific Ocean, doc, 2012, Russia made them decide to disband the want to show the atmosphere of Keep Going, doc, 2013, Russia/Sweden organization, but Ruslan D con- living in the new conditions of Katia, doc, 2013, Russia vinced everyone to wait a while. modern Russia. What at first sight On the Edge, doc, 2014, Russia On March 15 they were all arrested seems a prosperous life borders Year of Release: 2019 on the suspicion of creating an with the growth of political repres- Budget: EUR 145 000

extremist community. They were sion, immigration, lies, farcical Financial Sources Confirmed: 42 accused of planning a rebellion to injustice, constant fears and an Ethofund / EUR 5 000 43 BSD Projects 2o18 BSD Projects 2o18

Other Side of the River (No Women No Revolution) Production Company: Doppelplusultra Film und TV Produktion Doppelplusultra is a Hamburg-based film production company, founded in 2000 by Eurodoc alumni Frank Müller and Kerstin Reich. Our varied production includes documentaries, media art, short films, corporate films and music videos. In recent years we have focused on the produc- tion of cinema documentaries with international potential. Our films have been part of numerous international festivals and won several awards.

Producer: Frank Müller Born in 1969 in Mainz, Germany, Frank Müller is a film director and pro- ala, a young Arab from her cousins, which state ducer. After graduating from the Moscow Film School Vyshie kursy in 1995, Project Title: The Other Side of the River woman from a tra- that they will kill her if she does he worked as director and producer in Moscow. In 2000 he founded the PRODUCTION COMPANIES: ditional, conserva- not quit her work for the Kurdish film production company Doppelplusultra in Hamburg, Germany. Since Doppelplusultra Film und TV Produktion tive city in northern police force. then he has worked on several international film productions and joined (Germany) / Pink Shadow Films H (Germany) / Majmun Films (Slovenia) Syria, wants to be free and find several European documentary workshops and pitches. Address: Repsoldstraße 45, 20097 love. While she chats with boys After a year, the situation esca- Hamburg, Germany Phone: +49 40 23937461 on WhatsApp, her family plans to lates. Hala, armed with a Kalash- Email: [email protected] marry her to an IS fighter. nikov and a grenade, threatens her Creative Producer: Guevara Namer Web: www.doppelplusultra.de parents and forcibly ‘liberates’ her Guevara is a Syrian photographer and documentary Synopsis Hala flees her family and the IS- underage sisters from her father. filmmaker based in Berlin. Her filmMorning Fears, Night Hala is a 17-year-old girl from a occupied city into the Kurdish area Chants premiered at IDFA (2012) and was broadcast on conservative, traditional village in the of Rojava, on the other side of the Due to her actions she gets re- Al Arabiyya and ARTE (2013). Namer is a co-founder of North of Syria, who is looking for love and freedom in a time of revolution and river. Here she joins the Kurdish moved from the police force. Now DOX BOX, and held the position of its academy man- war. While her family supports the IS, Women’s Police Force, where she Hala needs to find a way to handle ager and community moderator from 2014 to 2017. Namer worked as pro- Hala believes that she will find freedom receives military and ideological her life, without protection from duction manager and line producer on several Syrian documentary films, and love on the other side of the river in the Kurdish territories. training. This education is centred the force and her family. such as Return to Homs (2013) and Silvered Water, Syria Self-Portrait (2014). around the goal of women’s libera- Language: Arabic/Kurdish Format: HD tion. However, it also includes a Over a period of more than two Length: 80 min refusal of love and marriage. years, we accompany Hala and Producer/Director: Antonia Kilian her passion for freedom in a time Born in 1986 in Kassel. Studied visual communication Producer: Frank Müller Previous Films: After her education, Hala once of revolution and war in northern as well as art and media at the Berlin University of Arts. Frank Müller: again heads across the river to Syria. Director and DOP on documentaries, experimental People, Gods and Other Creatures, her recently liberated hometown, films, and feature films. Was awarded a Germany DAAD creative doc, 2019, Germany/Greece/Russia where the Kurds have currently scholarship. Since 2013, she has been a cinematogra- Siberian Love, creative doc, 2016, taken control. The city is still a phy student at the Film University in Potsdam Babelsberg, and at the ISA Germany Guevara Namer: scene of militant struggles and the in Havana, Cuba. With The Other Side of the River, she participated in the Morning Fears, Night Chants population continues to sympa- ExOriente Workshop and the IDFA summer school, was awarded the Gucci Return to Homs thize with the IS. Tribeca Scholarship. Recently she opened her own production company, Silvered Water, Syria Self-Portrait Pink Shadow Films (Germany). producer/Director: Antonia Kilian Full of enthusiasm, Hala dedicates Previous Films: Welcome to Europe, herself to the role of fighter for short doc, 2017, Germany/Slovenia women’s rights. While she walks, Producer/Co-author: Jakob Weidner Year of Release: 2019 proud and confident, across Studied Cinematography at the Film University, Konrad Wolf in Babelsberg Budget: EUR 320 000 the city armed with a gun, and and the ISA in Havana, Cuba. Currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Direct- Financial Sources CONFIRMED: becomes the commander of a ing at Konrad Wolf. His first TV documentary was broadcast by RTV Slovenia Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig women’s police force, the tension in 2014. He is working now on his first feature documentary about his Yugo- Holstein / EUR 60 000 BKM / EUR 120 000 between her and her family grows. slav family based on the novel of his mother Marusa Krese. This year his short Gucci Tribeca Documentary Filmfund / 44 She receives threatening letters documentary No End is running in the Competition Program of DOKleipzig. EUR 20 000 45 BSD Projects 2o18 BSD Projects 2o18 The Rossellinis

Production Company: B&B Film Project Title: The Rossellinis B&B Film develop and produce creative documentary films and series Production CompanIES: B&B FILM through co-production agreements with Italian and international broad- (Italy) / VFS FILMS (Latvia) Address: Via Stazione di St.Pietro 40 casters such as RAI, Arte, YLE, SVT, MDR, RSI, Al Jazeera, Discovery and 00165 Roma, Italy others. B&B Film documentaries have been shown in more than 160 coun- Phone: +39 3397 5823 75 tries, and have been screened at major international film festivals such as Email: [email protected] Web: www.bbfilm.tv; www.vfs.lv IDFA, Locarno IFF, Full Frame Film Festival and Hot Docs. Synopsis The Rossellinis is a laid-back journey in search of one of the world’s most Producer: Raffaele Brunetti fascinating families, observed and The founder of B&B Film in 1987, Raffaele is a producer and director of doc- examined from within its most intimate relationships. This is a documentary umentary films. Raffaele has received the Award for Creative Excellence at where the truth and depth of a memoir the US International Film Festival, Il Globo d’Oro, the Ondas Prize for best meet the ironic tone of an indie comedy. oberto Rossellini and many other cinematic mas- into past and present conflicts to documentary, the Jury Prize at the Guangzhou Festival, and two major nom- Language: Italian/English was Italian Neoreal- terpieces. Alessandro’s existential gather material for his documen- inations: BANFF and Shanghai. Raffaele is a member of the Foreign Press Format: 4K ism’s most renowned quest to come face-to-face with tary. What he had not foreseen Association in Italy, the EDN and Doc.it. In 2005 he conceived the idea of Length: 90 min/52 min film director, and the the other members of his family is was that this journey would also Italian Doc Screenings, the showcase for Italian documentaries, which he R ProducerS: Raffaele Brunetti, father of a cosmopolitan, noncon- also a journey down memory lane, become a complex family therapy currently directs together with Massimo Arvat and Heidi Gronauer. Uldis Cekulis formist and slightly crazy family enhanced by old home movies and session for him. Previous Films: Raffaele Brunetti: that includes Hollywood stars, a archival TV material. The back- The Road to Reconciliation, doc, 2016, daughter who converted to Islam, drop to this journey is his grandfa- Producer: Uldis Cekulis Italy and even someone who chose to ther’s body of eminent cinematic Created the independent production company VFS Zero Waste, doc, 2013, Italy The Other Revolution, doc, 2011, Italy live on a desert island. work, where art and private life FILMS almost 20 years ago, and later won the Interna- Hair India, doc, 2008, Italy were explosively intertwined. tional Trailblazer prize at MIPDOC in Cannes. He has Mitumba – the Second Hand Road, doc, It also includes Alessandro, a worked on almost fifty creative documentaries and au- 2005, Italy Uldis Cekulis: recovering drug addict of limited Alessandro Rossellini’s parents thor-driven prime time TV projects. Most of his films, Bridges of Time, doc, 2018, means. He has had a very varied were very young when he was such as Double Aliens, Liberation Day and Wonderful Losers. A Different Latvia/Lithuania/Estonia career, from photographer to film born, and he was raised by his World, have travelled and received awards internationally. In 2015, the Wonderful Losers, doc, 2017, Latvia/Lithuania Italy/Sweden/Spain/ set runner, but this grandson of a uncles and aunts, almost as if he IDFA Special Jury Award went to Ukrainian Sheriffs by Roman Bondar- Ireland/Belgium/UK genius feels that he has not lived was the great director’s young- chuk. He is currently working on five feature documentary co-productions The Fairytale of Empty Space, doc, 2017, Latvia up to expectations. So, at the age est son, rather than his grandson. and two author-driven TV life-style series. Liberation Day, doc, 2016, of 54, to resolve this conflict as He career has had many different Latvia/Norway/Slovenia well as his shaky economic situ- strands, from photographer to film Ukrainian Sheriffs, doc, 2015, Latvia/Ukraine/Germany ation, he has decided to become set runner, but he has always been Director: Alessandro Rossellini what every Rossellini thinks they anxious about not living up to his Alessandro Rossellini has collaborated, as a stills pho- Director: Alessandro Rossellini should be, a film director. His family name. His desire to meet tographer and production assistant, on the films of Fed- Previous Films: Viva Ingrid!, doc, 2015, Italy theme is clear: a family that is a his own expectations, as well as his erico Fellini, Martin Scorsese and David Lynch, and has drama in its own right. shaky financial situation, prompts worked as assistant photographer with Bruce Weber, Scriptwriter: Dāvis Sīmanis Previous Films: The Wall, doc, 2018, him to follow in his grandfather’s Michel Comte and Marco Glaviano. He has also worked Latvia The Rossellinis is a laid-back footsteps and those of his father, as a freelance photographer for Vogue, Amica and Repubblica, and has D is for Division, doc, 2016, Latvia journey in search of a unique also a film director and producer. directed documentaries on eminent figures in Italian cinema. In 2015 he Exiled, feature, 2015, Latvia Escaping Riga, doc, 2014, Latvia family, descendants of the man The rest of the family had always directed the short documentary Viva Ingrid!, which was selected for that Chronicles of the Last Temple, doc, 2012, who rewrote the history of cinema tended to exploit their status, year’s Venice Film Festival. Latvia with his films and scandalised effectively turning their surname Year of Release: 2019 the press and the entire world’s into a profession. Now it is his Budget: EUR 378 000 moral sense. The documentary turn: the Rossellinis and the glam- Scriptwriter: Dāvis Sīmanis recounts the extraordinary lives orous brand they represent will be Latvian filmmaker and scholar. His award-winning doc- Financial Sources Confirmed: Creative Europe / EUR 25 000 of Rossellini’s children from the the theme of his film. umentary films have been selected in a number of fes- Lazio Cinema Int. / EUR 75 664 intimate perspective of Alessandro tivals, including IDFA, CPH:DOX, DOK Leipzig, Vision Discovery Italy / EUR 50 000 National Film Centre of Latvia / Rossellini, first grandson of the Alessandro will undertake a jour- du Reel. He lectures on film theory and history in film EUR 41 000 46 director of Roma Città Apertaand ney to meet his relatives, delving schools in Latvia and Finland. YLE / EUR 3 000 47 BSD Projects 2o18 BSD Projects 2o18 The Russian Way Production Company: Gorkyfilm Gorky Film Studio (children’s and youth film studio named after M. Gorky) is one of the oldest and largest film studios in Russia. It celebrated its cen- tenary in 2015. Over the years of its existence, the studio has released more than a thousand films, including such outstanding works as: Mother by V. Pudovkin, Voucher to Life by N. Ekka, House I Live In by L. Kulidzhanov and Ya. Segel, And Quiet Flows the Don by Gerasimov, The Dawns Here Are Quiet by S. Rostotsky, Seventeen Moments of Spring by T. Lioznova, and many other films that are on “golden fund” film lists within national and international cinema.

Producer: Sergei Zernov atalya is a scientist the authorities, we have to cooper- dismissed. Natalya cannot risk Graduated from the Boris Shchukin Theatre Institute who has lived and ate with them, like Scottish and someone else’s fate and shuts (acting department). Producer courses - American-So- worked abroad for Canadian communities do”. But down the campaign, but she viet Film Initiative (ASK). Candidate of Economic Sci- N 25 years. She didn’t foreign experience for some rea- doesn’t abandon her intentions. ences (dissertation council of the St. Petersburg State see how life changed in Russia af- son does not work on Russian soil. University of Cinema and Television, 2002). Experience ter the Soviet Union collapsed, she The head of the local administra- She writes a letter to the presi- in cinematography management for more than 20 years, since 1993. 2008-

skipped all the crises and never tion (coincidentally also named dent. She asks the other Vladi- 2010 Director of the Department of Cinematography of the Ministry of Project Title: Russian Way faced Russia at its lowest. When Vladimir Vladimirovich) harasses mir Vladimirovich to personally Culture of Russia. From 2010 to present - General Director of TPO M. Gorky Production Company: Gorkyfilm she came back to her native village the inhabitants and threatens to examine their local head, Vladimir Film Studio. Member of the Union of Cinematographers of the Russian Address: Eizenshteina 8, Moscow, Russia of Norino, she was shocked. turn off their electricity if they do Vladimirovich. After a while, she Federation. Member of the Guild of Producers of the Russian Federation. Phone: +7 499 181 60 06 not stop. receives an answer that the letter Member of the National Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences Email: [email protected] The roads in Norino have become was redirected to the local admin- of Russia Golden Eagle. Awarded the Honorary Cinematographer of Russia Web: gorkyfilm.ru unusable, the village itself is lit- At the same time the government istration (against which Natalya is badge (2003) and the Medal of the Order For Services to the Fatherland II Synopsis tered with garbage, and there is a announces a medical optimiza- fighting). degree (2015). Has released more than 100 films of various genres, from art After twenty-five years abroad, Natalya huge dump on the outskirts. But tion program - medical posts are to popular science. comes back to Russia and tries to change the way of life in her native village by no one, not one of the villagers is being eliminated in communities Can Natalya win these battles and using her European experience, but the fighting this. The community has where the number of residents build a civil society in one Russian authorities don’t want change and her neighbours fear it. disintegrated - the last general is less than one hundred people. village, or is it too utopian? Director: Tatyana Soboleva meeting was held in 1991, and This means that the elderly in the Tatyana Soboleva is a Russian film director, producer Language: Russian since then no joint decision has village will be left without any and screenwriter. Born in Moscow. A graduate of the Format: HD Length: 70 min been taken. medical help. Russian State University of Cinematography (VGIK), she has made several short documentaries that have Producer: Sergei Zernov Discouraged by what she sees, Natalya decides to build a first-aid had successful runs in Russian and international film Previous Films: Belka And Strelka. Space Dogs, animated film, 2010 Natalya decides to restore order to post and then gift it to the village. festivals and have won various prizes. In 2014 she co-founded the produc- Daughter, feature film, 2012 her native land. She writes letters Rumours circulate that Natalya tion company Filmstart. Since 2015 she is executive director of industrial Space Dogs. Adventure To The Moon, animated film, 2014 to the local administration, calls apparently has too much money. programs and selector for DOKer MIFF. In 2017 Tatyana was a participant Salvation, feature film, 2015 on residents to clean up garbage, Envy spreads like a poison. But not of Berlinale Talents. Lake Vostok, doc, 2017 draws attention to the illegality of all residents are the same. Natalya Something Wrong With Parents, feature film, 2017 the landfill, as well as to the forest, finds confederates - cheerful opti- which is on the verge of destruc- mist Marina and nurse Oksana. Director: Tatyana Soboleva tion due an illegal sell-off to an Previous Films: Uncle Sasha, or One Flew Over Russia, doc, 2018, Russia unknown tenant by local authori- Natalya shoots a video and pre- Siberian Floating Hospital, doc, 2016, ties. To her surprise, local residents pares a crowdfunding campaign. Russia don’t express active support and Having learned about this, the Two Sides of One Horse, doc, 2013, Russia are afraid to sign a petition. local authorities suggest axing the Year of Release: 2019 campaign in order not to attract Budget: EUR 65 000

Natalya explains to her neighbours public attention to the problem, Financial Sources Confirmed: 48 that “we should not be afraid of otherwise nurse Oksana will be Ministry of Culture / EUR 40 000 49 BSD Projects 2o18 BSD Projects 2o18 Santorini Weddings Production Company: Doppelplusultra Film und TV Produktion Doppelplusultra is a Hamburg-based film production company, founded in 2000 by Eurodoc alumni Frank Müller and Kerstin Reich. Our varied pro- duction includes documentaries, media art, short films, corporate films and music videos. In recent years we have focused on the production of cinema documentaries with international potential. Our films have been part of numerous international festivals and won several awards.

Producer: Frank Müller Born in 1969 in Mainz, Germany, Frank Müller is a film hite-blue white- contrast between the ultimate- director and producer. After graduating from the Mos- washed cottages on fortunate-fake Santorini and the cow Film School Vyshie kursy in 1995, he worked as a steep slope. From precarious situation in which director and producer on several commercials, music W there you have a people find themselves in due to clips and documentaries in Moscow. In 2000 he found- wide view of the Aegean Sea, a the Greek economic crisis. Since I ed the film production company Doppelplusultra in Hamburg, Germany. romantic and breathtaking sight. myself work on Crete as a wedding Since then he has worked on several international film productions and Project Title: Santorini Weddings The sunset, especially, is of over- planner, I know the mechanisms joined several European documentary workshops and pitches. A Eurodoc Production Company: whelming beauty. The small vol- of this business. I am also no Graduate Producer (2015), he is fluent in English, German and Russian. Doppelplusultra Film und TV Produktion canic island of Santorini. Greece’s stranger to the expectations and Address: Repsoldstraße 45, 20097 Hamburg, Germany flagship. Population: 15,000. disappointment of couples, for Phone: +49 4023 9374 61 whom their wedding is more a so- Director: Sveta Strelnikova Email: [email protected] During the season, from April to cial event than a personal, lasting A Moscow-based award-winning documentary film- Web: www.doppelplusultra.de the end of October, the population experience. maker interested in the intersection of idealism and real Synopsis increases 30 to 40-fold. Thousands life. After graduating from Moscow State University, she The small, craggy island of Santorini of tourists crowd the tiny narrow This insider view from behind entered the National Film School. She worked as a line has become one of the world’s top destinations for weddings and alleys. The small island has to cope the scenes allows me to get very producer and fixer with foreign crews filming in Russia. honeymoons over the last 10 years. But with one million visitors a year. close to the people who live on She has attended a number of workshops, such as DokIncubator and Eu- thousands of luxurious weddings and millions of tourists are bringing the The island is consumed and ex- the island, and those who visit rodoc 2016. Her first feature film won a NYFA scholarship. Her director’s island and its inhabitants to the brink of ploited for its own benefit without it. Through intimate portraits of filmography includes feature-length documentaries awarded at festivals endurance. any thought to the consequences. these people I will create an image such as DocuDays (UA), Watch Dogs (PL), Chronograph (ML), Message to Language: English/Greek/other of the contradictory social reality Man (RU) and Kinoshok (RU). Her latest film, Cardiopolitika, was nomi- Format: HD The same applies to the rap- of Greece. Among the protago- nated for a Nika award in 2016 – the main national film award presented by Length: 80 min idly growing wedding business. nists will be the mayor, who wants the Russian Academy of Cinema Arts and Science. She is currently working Producer: Frank Müller Thousands of couples, mostly to change the conditions but is together with US-based director Masha Panteleyeva on the feature-length Previous Films: No Women No from Asia, are ready to spend dependent on tourism, a cynical documentary, Paper Cities: Looking Back To The Future. Revolution, creative doc, 2019, Germany People, Gods and Other Creatures, large sums of money on Santo- wedding planner who longs for creative doc, 2019, rini for their romantic idea of a simple family happiness, or one of Germany/Greece/Russia perfect honeymoon. Despite the the last original islanders, who re- Siberian Love, creative doc, 2016, Germany high income generated locally by fuses to leave. And, of course, the some wedding producers and the many nervous, irradiated, excited, Director: Sveta Strelnikova tourism industry, the island seems happy, disappointed wedding Previous Films: People, Gods and Other Creatures, creative doc, 2019, very modest, regardless of glossy couples, channelled through in my Germany/Greece/Russia wedding photos. The streets are film, as in reality. Paper Cities, creative doc, 2019, in a catastrophic state – garbage is USA/Russia Cardiopolitica, creative doc, 2015, Russia not regularly disposed of and rots Arrhythmia, creative doc, 2009, Russia everywhere. Idiot, creative doc, 2007, Russia

Year of Release: 2020 50 The film humorously shows this Budget: EUR 325 000 51 BSD Projects 2o18 BSD Projects 2o18 Small Footprint Production Company: Allfilm Allfilm is an Academy Award and Golden Globe nominated production house operating since 1995. Over the years we have produced more than 70 films, including 24 international co-productions, and more than 400 commercial films. Allfilm is one of the largest and most reliable produc- tion companies in Estonia, with partners in Europe, Southeast Asia, Russia and the USA.

Producer: Johanna Trass Johanna joined Allfilm in 2001, and since then has been mainly working as a line producer on feature films, while also producing her best friends’ documentaries. he movement of eco- In the world we live in today, Riinu can’t accept this and feels conscious villages is where the apocalypse lurks hurt and betrayed. The falling out spreading its wings around every corner, where the of the two queens creates an enor- around the world – media stains our minds with mous turmoil for 2 years to come. T Project Title: Small Footprint advocating a sustainable, non- news about wars and conflict, and The community vessel is barely Director: Margit Lillak Production Company: Allfilm violent lifestyle in harmony with the world struggles with climate holding on. After many therapies Margit Lillak (1974) graduated from the Estonian Acad- Address: Saue str. 11, Tallinn, Estonia Phone: +372 6729 070 nature and fellow human beings. change and forthcoming energy-, and healing methods, non-violent emy of Art as a set designer in 1999, and went on to work Email: [email protected] food- and water- crises, perhaps communication efforts and com- as a director of animation films at Multifilm studio. In Web: allfilm.ee The very first eco-village in the only way for a human to adapt munity processes, they are still un- 2002 Margit graduated from the Royal Holloway College Synopsis Estonia started their community and survive is by joining forces in a able to solve the conflict. Children in England with a MA in screenwriting. After that she A film about the first eco-conscious in August 2014. This is when this non-violent, sustainable way. are thrown about in the unstable began her collaboration with Allfilm studio. She has directed several short community in Estonia, which was film begins. A group of 12 grown- battle between their parents. They documentaries, from which Pastacas was awarded the main prize at the started in 2014. How they will be able to build this new world, without conflict, ups, together with their children, The visual style of the film is a struggle to survive the breakup EstDocs Film Festival in Toronto. In 2012 she directed her first full-length without abusing the earth, and setting decided to step away from society mix of very involved, whereby the and accept the new arrangements, documentary, 40+2 Weeks, as a first-person film about her own pregnancy an idealistic example for the rest of the as we know it by buying an old director is closely inserted into while the grownups try to find and childbirth. Small Footprint is her second full-length film. world - time will tell. manor lot with 33 hectares of the community processes and the ways to continue as a group. Language: Estonian agricultural land and a bundle of camera is like a member of the Format: 4K Length: 90 min half-derelict housing – thereby circle, sometimes a confessional. The main motive for starting the founding Small Footprint. As a counterpoint, a separate revolution of living as a tribe is Producer: Johanna Trass cinematographer shoots poetic now but a fragile dream, slipping Previous Films: Estonian National Museum expo, ~50 films, 2011-2016, This story tackles big and basic footage from a distance with no away due to the drama – a huge Estonia human issues by deconstructing intervention, no involvement. We stumbling block to overcome in Spy and the Poet, feature film, line the key pillars of life – beginning have been shooting the film for order to proceed as a community. producer, 2016, Estonia Babyface, doc, 2009, Estonia with the nuclear family, living four years. On the backdrop of family issues, Samuli, Siim & Dolce Vita, doc, 2009, arrangements, education, food, there is the community as a group, Estonia

energy and waste handling, all the The narrative structure shapes the ups and downs, the joys and Director: Margit Lillak while aspiring towards the noble itself mostly around three families. sorrows. Previous Films: Ars Longa, doc, idea of changing the world into a Two of them were classic nuclear scriptwriter and director, 2008 Babyface, doc, scriptwriter and director, better place. They start by trying to families upon moving in, while Are we capable in this state of 2009, Estonia shrink sustainably and build non- after 8 months of community life emancipation and selfishness to Pastacas, doc, scriptwriter and producer, violent, loving relationships with they have fallen apart. These are go back to the ways of a tribe – of 2010, Estonia 40+2 Weeks, doc, scriptwriter and fellow community members. the families of the two founders being one with all? Or is it a dream director, 2012, Estonia of the community - two strong, that will rip people and families to The biggest challenge is the social emancipated women - Liina and pieces while striving for it? Year of Release: 2019 Budget: EUR 95 000 aspect – how to solve relationship Riinu. Riinu splits with the father problems without fear, envy and of her children after 15 years of Financial Sources Confirmed: Estonian Film Institute / EUR 49 000 accusations, and without running marriage. Her now ex-husband The Cultural Endowment of Estonia / 52 away from the problem. Marek falls in love with Liina. EUR 25 000 53 BSD Projects 2o18 BSD Projects 2o18 Stalin Today Production Company: Saxonia Entertainment One of Germany’s leading producers of factual entertainment program- ming with special expertise in the fields of international co-production, history programming, quality dramatic reconstructions, and films in/ about the former Soviet Union + Eastern Europe.

Producer: Simone Baumann Simone Baumann was born in 1963 and raised in Zschopau, Germany. She studied philosophy in Ros- tov upon the Don in the 1980s, worked in Moscow in the early 1990s, and as a lecturer at Berlin’s prestigious Humboldt University before she began a career in Project Title: Stalin Today he generation that 90-year-old victim Lali lives in documentary film with Leipzig-based broadcaster MDR. Since 1997, she Production Company: Saxonia Entertainment (Germany) / survived Soviet ter- Tbilisi, capital of the Republic of has been the managing director of the independent production company Studio Ka (Georgia) ror is slowly disap- Georgia. Lali is a retired psychia- Le Vision, where she also manages the activities of the company’s Russia Address: Altenburger Str. 9, pearing, and with trist, positive, full of energy and office, which she initiated 10 years ago. Since 2011 she has worked as an 04275 Leipzig, Germany T Phone: +49 1743 3246 01 them, the memories of thousands humour. Her everyday life consists executive producer for Saxonia Entertainment in Leipzig. She oversees all Email: simone.baumann@saxonia- of tragedies are being lost. These mainly of staying at home and documentary projects for Saxonia Entertainment and is the representative entertainment.de Web: www.saxonia-entertainment.de stories are especially lost for future caring for herself, while some- of German films Service und Marketing GmbH for Eastern Europe. generations. The film will portray times visiting and talking with her Synopsis some of the victims and their fam- friends, some of them also victims Tata, a 22-year-old Georgian, is a huge Stalin supporter; she gains popularity by ily members talking about Stalin’s of the purge. At these meetings Director/Scriptwriter: sharing her controversial views on social cruel period. over coffee and tea and with piano media. She and her friends miss the old accompaniment, the old ladies Ketevan Nozadze Soviet Union. At first glance, this girl is very aggressive towards the democratic Stalin Today explores the theme of have good time. They discuss Ketevan Nozadze - EDN Member, CEO and co-founder changes that are currently taking place historical memory in post-Soviet politics, younger generations, of Studio ka (2016), works within the audiovisual sector in country. As her intention is to become Georgia, focusing on the unknown and sometimes remember the old in Georgia. Graduated from the theatre and film depart- a journalist, she decides to write and publish a book about Stalin with the stories of victims who suffered re- days. ment of Georgian State University, and works as producer, director, cin- financial help of her followers. That’s pressions under Stalin. What really ematographer and video editor for TV broadcasters and film production why she is interviewing people of various ages and different opinions regarding happened during Stalin’s regime? Tata will meet Lali and her friends, studios. Took part in the United Nations women’s project Women for Peace, Stalin. Will she change her mind when This film uncovers the stories and who are also Stalin’s victims. Will Equality and Development, during which she made short films on women’s confronted with victims of Stalin’s breaks the silence of these con- she change her mind and be- rights and gender equality. She has most recently participated in pitching repressions? crete people for the first time. came sceptical of her ideas when sessions and B2B Doc workshops at international film festivals with the Language: Georgian confronted with victims of Stalin’s documentary film project, Stalin Today. Format: 2K Tata, a 22-year-old Georgian, is a repressions? It is still a question. Length: 75 min huge Stalin supporter; she gains Producer: Simone Baumann popularity by sharing her contro- Previous Films: Under the Sun, feature-length doc, 2015, versial views on social media. She Russia/Germany/Czech Republic and her friends miss the old Soviet Thieves by Law, doc, 2010, Union. At first glance, this girl is Germany/Spain Boris Nemtsov - Shot in the Shadow of the very aggressive towards the demo- Kremlin, doc, 2016, Germany/Russia cratic changes that are currently Dixie Land, doc, 2016, Latvia taking place in country. As her in- The Russian Opposition, feature-length doc, 2018, Germany/Russia tention is to become a journalist, she decides to write and publish a Director/Scriptwriter: book about Stalin with the finan- Ketevan Nozadze cial help of her followers. That’s Year of Release: 2019 why she is interviewing people of Budget: EUR 57 000

various ages and different opin- Financial Sources Confirmed: 54 ions regarding Stalin. Studio Ka / 15 000 EUR 55 BSD Projects 2o18 BSD Projects 2o18 Time Travel – From Bonn to Speia Production Company: Symbol Media Symbol Media is a Moldavian film production company based in Chișinău. Focused mainly on documentary film production, we are open to any type of co-production with other production companies, national and interna- tional studios, etc.

Producer: Arcadie Plăcintă Arcadie Plăcintă was born on May 7, 1976, in the Repub- lic of Moldova. In 1998 he graduated from the Faculty of History and History of Culture at the Ion Creangă State Pedagogical University. Between 1994 and 1998, he managed the local television Artek TV in Crimea, n 2014, the old mother of Ste- friends. During these two days Ukraine. He also taught video content creating techniques at the Artek In- fan Koch, a German man in the Stefan talks a lot on various topics ternational Camp for Children (Crimea) and the Polius Children’s Cam- Project Title: city of Bonn, dies. He discovers to the young Moldovans, without pus (Moscow). In 2000 he took part in a Video Operator Summer School Time Travel – From Bonn to Speia in his mother’s drawer a letter any linguistic barriers. After his in Budapest. He worked as a producer between 2000 and 2017 at Sublim Production CompanIES: I Symbol Media / Alternative Cinema from his grandfather to his father journey he understands that there Studio, where he produced several documentary films. In 2017 he created Address: str. Dimo 15/1, of. 58, and some official documents are no real borders between the a new production house, Symbol Media. He is also co-founder of the Inter- Chișinău, MD-2068, Moldova Phone: +373 6820 9306 confirming his grandfather’s death East and West, between Moldova national Documentary Film Festival MOLDOX (Moldova). E-mail: [email protected] on April 14th, 1944, during WWII, and Germany, and that the beauty Web: www.symbol.media “a few miles north of Speia” in the of the Moldavian landscape and Synopsis USSR. Following an analysis of the kindness of the locals, in Producer/Director: Dumitru Grosei Stefan, a German living in Bonn, the letter and the papers, Ste- contrast to the lack of meaning Dumitru Grosei was born in Marinici, Moldova in 1969. starts looking for the place where his fan decides to go looking for his of the battles, is an extraordinary Between 1992-94 he studied law at Iasi University, and grandfather died in the Second World War. On the road to Speia, Moldova, he grandfather’s grave. He finds out paradox. in 1994 he began studying film directing at UNATC Bu- discovers some things he did not expect. on Google that Speia is currently charest, from which he graduated in 1999. In 1995 he in the Republic of Moldova, about And maybe the sacrifice of those was assistant director on the Capitaine Conan movie Language: Romanian/English/ Russian/German 55 kilometres east of Chisinau. who died there, Soviet or German, by famous French director Bertrand Tavernier. Currently, Dumitru Grosei Format: digital is not free. And that there is a big lives in Chișinău and is the founding president of the Alternative Cinema Length: 75 min

Stefan arrives in Moldova, rents message behind these events - Association. Between 2016 and 2017 he was Director of the National Film Producer: Arcadie Plăcintă a car and drives to the village of such horrors should never happen Archive of the Republic of Moldova. He speaks fluent Romanian, Russian, Previous Films: Ethnic Diversity – The Speia. He speaks only German and again! Neither here, nor elsewhere; Italian and French, and mid-level English and Ukrainian. Heritage of Soroca, doc, 2015, Moldova The History of Soroca Stronghold, Told By English, and locals know only na- neither today, nor in the future. Nicolae Bulat, doc, 2015, Moldova tive Romanian, and a few of them, The Lands of Cantemir District, doc, Russian. At first Stefan has great 2016, Moldova Călarași – A Land By The Gate of Heaven, difficulty because of the language doc, 2018, Moldova barrier and, after a day of search- Today Artist, Tonight Taxist, short narrative film, 2018, Moldova ing, he is almost disappointed. But then by chance in the evening he Producer/Director: Dumitru Grosei meets Arcadie, a Moldovan pho- Previous Films: Voila, short narrative, 1999, Romania tographer who speaks English. Ar- Old Believers, feature doc, 2002, Romania cadie helps Stefan find the places The Gift, short narrative, 2015, Romania he is looking for, along with the Călarași – A Land By The Gate of Heaven, doc, 2018, Moldova Speia village mayor and the sites’ Today Artist, Tonight Taxist, short historian. Later, Stefan befriends narrative film, 2018, Moldova Arcadie and they leave together to Year of Release: 2019 Chisinau. Budget: EUR 69 750

Financial Sources Confirmed: He spends two days in Arcadie’s Symbol Media / Alternative Cinema / 56 apartment with his family and EUR 53 750 57 DECISION makers

Aliyev, Kenan Balicka, Agnieszka CURRENT TIME TV, USA/CZ TVP/POLAND, AGENCY FOR TELEVISION & DOCUMENTARY PRODUCTION, POLAND Kenan Aliyev is the Executive Edi- tor of Current Time, the Russian Polish Television is the only Public language TV channel, since 2014. TV broadcaster in the territory of During his tenure he oversaw the Republic of Poland. TVP sup- launch of Current Time TV, an in- ports film production as a compli- dependent and international mentary service, and as a co-pro- news network designed to con- ducer with financial contribution. nect Russian speakers around the world. Current Time Many of the films co-produced by is a project of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/ TVP have been very successful worldwide and have RL) in cooperation with the Voice of America. The net- won many awards in international festivals. TVP is in- work regularly airs creative documentaries, including terested in every documentary form, especially promis- those banned in Russia because of their content. In ing projects with high artistic standards that deal with 2017-2018, Kenan served as Current Time’s commis- universal issues, in particular those that are social and sioning editor in the production of 2 highly anticipated culture related. documentary films: Putin’s Witnesses by Vitaly Manski and Home Games by Alisa Kovalenko. Under Kenan’s leadership, Current Time has developed a strong part- nership with international documentary film festivals Chang, Mandy decision such as Artdocfest (Russia), Jihlava IDFF (Czech Re- BBC STORYVILLE & FACTUAL ACQUISITIONS, UK public), Docudays (Ukraine), Cinedoc Tbilisi (Geor- gia), and others. Kenan was previously Director of RFE/ Mandy Chang is the Commission- makers RL Azerbaijani Broadcast, Radio Azadliq. Before join- ing Editor of Storyville, the BBC’s ing RFE/RL in 2004, Kenan worked in Washington, D.C. acclaimed global documentary as a regular contributor to the BBC World Service and strand and Factual Acquisitions at as a broadcaster for Voice of America. the BBC. She was a filmmaker for many years working in the UK and for international broadcast- ers across many documentary disciplines. She has pro- Arshavskaya, Natalia duced and directed award-winning films such as fea- CURRENT TIME TV, USA/CZ ture documentary, The Mona Lisa Curse, which won an International Emmy, a Grierson, Rose D’Or and the Natalia Arshavskaya was invited Banff Grand Jury Prize. She worked as a Commission- to the Acquisition & Commission- ing Editor and then as Head of Arts at the ABC in Aus- ing Department of Current Time tralia, responsible for a broad slate of arts and culture TV in August 2016, after two years programming. Storyville has developed an enviable of heading the Documentary De- reputation since its inception twenty years ago for partment at Antipode Sales & Dis- award-winning documentaries that have had an im- tribution. Natalia is in charge of pressive impact both in the UK and internationally. We selection and acquisition of the best international doc- seek to bring the most compelling stories from around umentaries for the Realnoye Kino (Real Cinema) strand the world to the screen. The strand looks for ambitious, of Current Time TV, which aims to make the world of narrative, contemporary films to commission in co- documentaries more familiar to Russian-speaking au- production with other funders, to pre-buy or acquire. diences. Since 2017 Natalia is also Commissioning Edi- We aim to broadcast films at an hour or 90 minutes in tor with 6 films commissioned in 2017, among them length. Storyville has broadcast over 650 films, from the two highly anticipated films: Putin’s Witnesses by some 70 countries – the strand has garnered a stagger- Vitaly Manski and Home Games by Alisa Kovalenko. ing array of awards: four Oscars, 16 Griersons, three Peabodys and three International Emmys.

59 DECISION makers DECISION makers

Derewienko, Aleksandra Nothing is Forgiven, Jaha’s Promise, Presenting Princess Krug, Jutta for the documentary slot on channel YLE-TV1. During CAT&DOCS, FRANCE Shaw and Ambulance. Gitte is in charge of acquisitions WDR, GERMANY his early years at YLE, Mr. Lyytinen also produced sev- at First Hand Films. Previously she has worked with in- eral television series and documentary films. Before CAT&Docs is a Paris-based sales ternational distribution of feature films, inhouse fac- Jutta Krug is currently working as his career at YLE, Lyytinen was the Artistic Director of agent specializing in promoting tual production at DR-TV and she was Head of Infor- a commissioning editor for WDR, DocPoint – Helsinki Documentary Film Festival and an and distributing documentaries mation and Promotion at Filmkontakt Nord. She serves one of the largest European pub- independent documentary film director. from all over the world. CAT&Docs with joy as consultant, lecturer and moderator at lic broadcasters based in Cologne. is looking for original and investi- events such as Nordic Forum, DOK.incubator, EDN She is in charge of feature-length gative documentaries, always with pitchings & workshops around Europe, Pitching du documentaries within the cultur- a high standard regarding form Réel, IDFA, Ex Oriente and IDFAcademy Summer- al department. Her professional Nichkova, Violetta and content: pertinent films on topical questions and school. Gitte has served on several juries at interna- career started in 1992 when she was part of the found- TV channel Russia – Kultura, Russia timeless subjects; documentaries that rigorously ex- tional film festivals and holds a Master in Film and ing team of the European Cultural Channel ARTE plore the subject matter, that are audacious, open to Rhetoric from the University of Copenhagen. based in Strasbourg, working as a reporter (German- The State TV channel Russia-Kul- the diversity of the world and have their place within FHF is Swiss distributor and international distribu- French journalism award). In 2000 she joined WDR in tura was established in 1997. the international scene – documentaries that question tor/sales agent. For selected projects we executive pro- Cologne as commissioning editor. Many of the docu- Since then Russia – Kultura re- the world and propose new ways of looking at it. Docu- duce, with global access to talented filmmakers, broad- mentaries Jutta Krug commissioned received critical mains the only nationwide chan- mentaries that keep us from closing our eyes. CAT&Docs casters and funding bodies. FHF finds partners, finance acclaim in Germany and at different international fes- nel that does not air advertising. latest acquisitions include: #FEMALE PLEASURE, Letter and deals with the entire production process as ‘foreign tivals. Some examples: Sofia’s Last Ambulance, Brave- The channel is an integral part of from Masanjia, When the War Comes, 1999, The Night, ministers’, also facilitating co-productions through hearts, Expedition To The End of the World, Kinshasa the media holding Russian State Wild.Life, Death & Love at a Wildlife Hospital, The Poet- First Hand Films, the production outfit Kiss The Frog Symphony, New York Memories, Jaffa, Kick In Iran, Fin- Television and Broadcasting Company (VGTRK). Since ess, The End of Fear, to mention a few. Films or the Swiss distributor branch. Recent titles re- ish Line Heroes, Tahrir 2011, Vivan Las Antipodas, Nos- 2010, it acts under the brand name Russia K. leased in Switzerland includes Citizenfour, Nice People, talgia Por La Luz, The Pearl Button, Iraqui Odyssee, Russia K provides 143 hours of programs per week, and CERN and The Sense of Beauty. FHF has sold hun- Solitary, My Escape, The War On My Phone, Berlin Rebel 7500 hours per year. The audience of the channel in dreds of licenses worldwide, turned over more than ten High School, Power Of Women, Dream Empire, Hacking Russia is 109 million. The programmes of Russia K are Govedarica, Aleksandar million Euro, solved zillions of problems, and remains Justice / Julian Assange, Refugee 11, Mladic – The Trial, also available for the viewers in Western Europe, USA SYNDICADO, CANADA autonomous. First Hand Films have won awards: OS- The Cleaners and The Fourth Estate. Currently Jutta and Australia on RTR-Planeta TV channel. CAR® and OSCAR® nominations, Cinema for Peace, Krug is involved in about 30 different productions. Her For Russia K the priority is to tell the stories of the Aleksandar Govedarica was born Emmies, Prix Europa, many IDFA main awards, Biar- working contacts include many production compa- most significant events in the world of culture – both in 1987 in Sarajevo, and is a grad- ritz, Banff, Grimme-Preis, Grierson, Grand Prix Nyon, nies and channels in Germany and abroad, as well as in Russia and worldwide. A special place is given to the uate of the University of East Sara- various National Film Awards, European Film Awards, EURODOC and the Documentary Campus. She also cinema, including documentary films, broadcasts of jevo as well as the Vancouver Film Silver Leopards, Golden Rose Montreux a.m.o. And takes part in different festival juries. Languages: Eng- concerts, opera and drama performances, as well as ed- School. He started working as a above all: today, all First Hand Films have been seen by lish, French, Spanish (fluent). ucational programs. Since 2000, Russia K is a permanent film programmer at Kriterion Sa- many millions of people from all over the world. member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). rajevo, the only art house cinema Violetta Nichkova is a senior editor at the TV channel in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Aleksandar was part of the Russia K, responsible for the selection of documenta- organizing committee of the Serbian Film Festival in Lyytinen, Erkko ries of independent Russian filmmakers. She also deals Vancouver. He has produced two documentary films, Ichiya, Yoshihiko YLE, FINLAND with the program Out of Competition dedicated to dif- and has experience in all aspects of filmmaking includ- NHK, JAPAN ferent festival films, presented by famous filmmakers ing directing. With three years of previous experience Erkko Lyytinen, 45, is currently and artists. In addition, Violetta takes part in various in sales and distribution, Aleksandar now runs the To- NHK, Nippon Hoso Kyokai (Japan working as commissioning editor international events of the channel Russia K. She is a ronto-based world sales agent Syndicado. Broadcasting Corporation), is Ja- at YLE – the Finnish Broadcasting member of the International Academy of Television pan’s only public broadcaster. As a Company focused on domestic Arts and Sciences (iEmmy). public broadcaster funded by fees and international feature-length received from TV viewers, NHK de- creative documentary films, oper- Hansen, Gitte livers a wide range of impartial, ating 3 national television chan- FIRST HAND FILMS, SWITZERLAND high quality programs both at nels, 6 national radio channels and an extensive online home and abroad. Yoshihiko Ichiya is currently working service. YLE ranks first in television viewing in the Deputy Director for First Hand for NHK World Documentary, developing, commission- country. YLE is the main purveyor and producer of do- Films, Gitte works on a daily basis ing and co-producing more than 100 titles every year. He mestic programming, and 48% of its television pro- with project development, execu- has worked as NHK documentary director since 1990, grams are made in Finland. YLE is owned by the Finn- tive producing, financing & pack- and covered European and Middle Eastern affairs as cor- ish people and funded by a special tax since January aging, marketing strategy, sales & respondent/producer based at NHK Paris Bureau in the 2013. YLE is a media company free from commercial acquisition of non-fiction films 2000s. His current responsibilities include managing and political affiliations that carries no advertising. and series. Recent titles she exec- NHK’s factual acquisition portfolio, including a weekly YLE was established in 1926 and joined the EBU in 60 utive produced for FHF include A Thousand Girls Like, 4K DOCS strand to be launched in December 2018. 1950. Mr. Lyytinen is co-producing and programming 61 DECISION makers DECISION makers

Ondřejková, Kateřina Shiriaieff, Alex Tõemäe, Marje CZECH TELEVISION, CZECH REPUBLIC B2B DOC, Sweden ESTONIAN PUBLIC BROADCASTING, ERR, ESTONIA

Kateřina Ondřejková is a TV pro- Documentary and TV director, General: Estonian Public Broad- ducer and creator, and member of producer at Dixit International AB casting consists of 5 radio chan- the Czech Film and Television in Sweden. His latest documenta- nels and 3 television channels, Academy (CFTA). She works for ry The Gas Weapon, a story how ETV, ETV2 and ETV+. ETV main Czech Television and has pro- Russia is using its gas export to in- channel is for general audience duced documentaries, documen- fluence European countries po- while ETV2’s programming con- tary series as well as TV films, se- litically, premiered on Swedish TV sists of outstanding cultural and ries, miniseries and feature films (as a co-producer). during the peak of the Ukrainian crises. Since 2013 educational broadcasts, documentaries, TV shows and Some of her projects have been screened at festivals Alex has been developing the B2B Doc – an informal films. It also has a special daily children’s slot. ETV+ is a and won awards. Ondřejková’s TV miniseries Justice network of documentary filmmakers from the Baltic TV-channel for Russian speaking audience. won the CFTA Czech Lion award for Best Television Sea to the Black Sea. Now this project is running in full Main documentary film slots of ETV and ETV2: Film or Miniseries. Documentary The Russian Job, scale and has become the leading co-production plat- current affairs docs (ETV): weekly, 1 hour; dokkaader which she co-produced, won the Pavel Koutecký Award form for the filmmakers from the post-Soviet coun- (docframe, ETV2): creative author films, weekly, open at ELBE DOC festival (2018) and premiered at IDFA tries, the Baltics, Scandinavia and Nordics. ended; AegRuum (TimeSpace, ETV2): scientific docs, (2017) and screened at Hot Docs (2018). Music docu- B2B Doc is a network of documentary filmmakers weekly, 1 hour; Natural History (ETV): weekly, 1 hour; mentary series My Efforts to Make a Masterpiece I from Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Be- music documentaries (ETV): weekly, 1 hour; theme (2015) and My Efforts to Make a Masterpiece II (2017) larus, Ukraine, Georgia and Armenia. evenings, thematic events, special events. received a Prix CIRCOM Regional award. The Czech/ B2B Doc is the platform where documentary film- Co-Productions: We mainly acquire but open for Polish documentary Czech Swan (2016) won Best Pitch makers meet each other and find common projects for pre-buys (for creative documentaries mainly). Mostly at Cannes IFF in 2013 and the Prix CIRCOM Regional co-production. B2B Doc supports such projects at the local co-productions. award in 2017. The documentary Courage (2016) and very early stage of development. Not only financially, feature film Teacher (2016), which has played in cine- but also with knowledge and expertise on reaching the mas in more than 40 countries across the world, pre- European financial market for documentaries. miered at Karlovy Vary IFF. Feature film The Way Out Since filmmakers from the post-Soviet countries Valdmane-Rozenberga, Vikija (2014) was presented at the Cannes IFF (L´ACID sec- are highly skilled, they can be attractive partners for LTV, LATVIA tion). Ondřejková was a council member of the Czech Nordic or other European filmmakers, who want to State Cinematography Fund and received the Film and find a co-producer for their ideas in this part ofthe Vikija Valdmane-Rozenberga is a Television Association (FITES) award for producing. world. Thus, B2B Doc helps to facilitate the integra- commissioning editor at Latvian tion of documentary filmmakers from the post-Soviet Public Television (LTV). She com- countries into the Nordic and European markets. missions documentaries for the regular documentary film slot, Säfström, Lars Current Affairs. She is also a mem- SVT, SWEDEN ber of the jury of the documentary film project Latvian Code. Latvia Today. – a series of Lars Säfström is a documentary documentary films that are selected in a contest held film editor, filmmaker and pro- by LTV. The project is organized in collaboration with ducer, who has worked with docu- the National Film Centre of Latvia and with the State mentaries since the seventies. He Culture Capital Foundation, and is geared towards has also worked with light enter- documentary film professionals. LTV is the national tainment and as head of the SVT public service broadcasting company in Latvia, oper- drama department in the early ating 2 national television channels. nineties, and head of programmes in the southern dis- trict of SVT in Malmö. He now works for Swedish Public Service SVT, Sveriges Television, as a commissioning editor in the documentary department in Stockholm. He commissions and buys documentary films for three mayor slots: Current Affairs Sunday 22:00, Feature doc- umentaries Mondays 22:00, and mainly Swedish docu- mentary films Thursdays 20:00. SVT also has a culture documentary slot primetime Fridays. 62 63 TUTORS

Cops, Laure man rights stories, Phil has brought an acute, analyti- NUNAM, BELGIUM cal approach to storytelling to help creators get to the heart of their projects. He has travelled the world with Laure Cops is a producer and di- EDN, B2B, and independently, giving master classes rector of audiovisual and interac- on pitch pilot trailers and the craft of storytelling tive projects. Through her creative through scripting, editing, and sticky notes. Phil blogs studio NuNam, she focuses on ex- about documentary and technology on his Storysmith ploring the emerging field of inter- blog, and runs BedouinViking productions, where he active factual narratives. Her areas has been part of developing the Sundance/Stories of of interest include experimental Change feature documentary Brown Gold. storytelling, digital documentaries, augmented/loca- tive/VR experiences and collaborative design thinking. She collaborates with social, cultural and commercial partners on the design of immersive experiences. She Müller, Tue Steen also lectures and runs workshops on interactive story- DOCUMENTARY CONSULTANT, DENMARK telling. Currently, her creative studio NuNam is devel- oping The Golden Forest, an interactive documentary Tue Steen Müller has worked with that explores the power of human resilience. short and documentary films for more than 20 years on the Danish Film Board – as press secretary, head of distribution and informa- Govedarica, Aleksandar tion and as a commissioning edi- SYNDICADO, CANADA tor. He’s the co-founder of the Bal- ticum Film and TV Festival, Filmkontakt Nord and TUTORS Aleksandar Govedarica was born Documentary of the EU. Müller has frequently been on in 1987 in Sarajevo, and is a grad- the jury of various European short and documentary uate of the University of East Sara- festivals and given courses and seminars on documen- jevo as well as the Vancouver Film taries in more than 30 countries. He has received mul- School. He started working as a tiple awards for his work with film: the Danish Roos film programmer at Kriterion Sa- Prize in 2004 for his contribution to Danish and Euro- rajevo, the only art house cinema pean documentary culture; an award for promoting in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Aleksandar was part of the Portuguese documentaries in 2006; the EDN Award for organizing committee of the Serbian Film Festival in “outstanding contribution to the development of Eu- Vancouver. He has produced two documentary films, ropean documentary culture” in 2014; the Cross of the and has experience in all aspects of filmmaking includ- Knight of the Order for Merits to Lithuania in 2016. ing directing. With three years of previous experience From 1996 to 2005, Müller was the director of the Euro- in sales and distribution, Aleksandar now runs the To- pean Documentary Network. From 2006 he has been a ronto-based world sales agent Syndicado. freelance consultant and teacher in workshops, in- cluding Ex Oriente, DocsBarcelona, Archidoc, Docu- mentary Campus, Storydoc, Baltic Sea Forum, Black Sea Doc Stories, Caucadoc, as well as programme con- Jandaly, Phil sultant for the festivals Magnificent7 in Belgrade, FILM EDITOR, SWEDEN DOCSBarcelona, Message2Man in St. Petersburg and DOKLeipzig. From September 2007 he has taught at Phil has spent the last 20 years as the Zelig Documentary Film School in Bolzano, Italy. an editor, first in fiction, fishing, Müller has written multiple articles for national and and comedy, then in documenta- international newspapers and magazines and writes ry. Part of award winning interna- (almost) daily about documentaries in English on tional productions like Prison Sis- www.filmkommentaren.dk. ters, Killing Time, and Liberation Day, Phil also tutors and consul- tants on everything from pitching to rough cuts to the genius of sticky notes. Working out of Sweden, his proj- ects have originated in places as far afield as Serbia, 64 Kenya, France, Korea, and beyond. With a focus on hu- 65 TUTORS TUTORS

Nanau, Alexander Rabinovitch, Donald Wydra, Anna ALEXANDER NANAU PRODUCTION, ROMANIA CINEMAFLIX DISTRIBUTION, USA OTTER FILMS, POLAND

German-Romanian producer/di- At present Donald Rabinovitch is Anna Wydra runs Otter Films – a rector born in Romania, he stud- the Executive Vice President, Busi- Warsaw-based production com- ied directing at the renowned ness Development & Internation- pany focused on art-house fiction Film and Television Academy Ber- al Sales Manager at Cinemaflix and documentary films for cine- lin (DFFB). His documentary film, Distribution. Donald Rabinovitch ma and TV, with an emphasis on The World According To Ion B, was earned an MBA in International the international market. She re- awarded an International Emmy Business at George Washington ceived an Oscar nomination for Award in 2010. Nanau is a fellowship holder of Akade- University. He served in South America for three years the documentary Rabbit a la Berlin. She produced or mie der Künste Berlin and the Sundance Institute. His in the U.S. Peace Corps and was a co-founder, Presi- co-produced many documentary movies, including: 6 latest feature documentary, Toto And His Sisters, is a dent, and Co-CEO of AFP Imaging Corporation, a NAS- Degrees, Deep Love, Domino Effect, Art of Disappearing European Academy Award nominee (2015). The film DAQ-listed company. He was also the Founder of the and Communion (European Film Award 2017). Films had wide international distribution and played suc- Andes Film Company, which produced three feature produced by Anna have won awards at many festivals cessfully in festivals worldwide. Alexander served as films: Route 9, On the QT, and Mendy. The films won including Trieste FF, Locarno IFF, Leipzig DOK Festival, D.O.P. on the French/German documentary Nothing- awards at Tribeca, Berlin, Sao Paulo, and Miami. He Hot Docs, Krakow FF, Jihlava IDFF and Warsaw IFF. The wood that was shot in Afghanistan and premiered in also served as co-founder and Executive Vice President feature filmZud by Marta Minorowicz had its premiere Cannes as part of the Quinzaine des Réalisateurs in of the QUADflix SELECT Program, which distributed at Berlinale 2016, and Ayka by Sergey Dvortsevoy was 2017. Right now he is working on his feature length over 300 films in North America. He has spoken at film nominated for the Palme d’Or at Cannes 2018. In the documentary C (working title) planed for release in festivals in Cannes, France, Ireland, Colombia, Argen- near future Anna will premiere The Mute – a middle- 2018/2019, and which he is co-producing with Samsa tina, Israel, the Dominican Republic, Canada, and on ages drama by Bartosz Konopka. Anna is a member of Film from Luxembourg and HBO Europe. Nanau has various online learning sites. the European Film Academy. also served as a creative consultant for HBO Europe and was a tutor at the Masterschool of the Documen- tary Campus 2015. Tõemäe, Marje ESTONIAN PUBLIC BROADCASTING, ERR, ESTONIA

Opstrup, Mikael Estonian Public Broadcasting HEAD OF STUDIES, EDN, DENMARK consists of 5 radio channels and 3 television channels, ETV, ETV2 Mikael Opstrup has worked as a and ETV+. ETV main channel is producer for most of his profes- for general audience while ETV2’s sional life, but started in the dis- programming consists of out- tribution and theatrical release of standing cultural and educational documentaries in the 1980’s. In broadcasts, documentaries, TV shows and films. It also 1988 Opstrup studied screenwrit- has a special daily children’s slot. ETV+ is a TV-channel ing at the Danish Film School. He for Russian speaking audience. worked as a freelance producer through the ‘90s, and Main documentary film slots of ETV and ETV2: was co-director of the Films From the South festival current affairs docs (ETV): weekly, 1 hour; dokkaader from 1995–1998. In 1998 Opstrup joined the Danish (docframe, ETV2): creative author films, weekly, open Film Institute and worked there as a production ad- ended; AegRuum (TimeSpace, ETV2): scientific docs, viser until 2002. He attended EAVE in 1998, and was co- weekly, 1 hour; Natural History (ETV): weekly, 1 hour; owner and producer at Final Cut Productions in Co- music documentaries (ETV): weekly, 1 hour; theme penhagen between 2002 and 2008, where he produced evenings, thematic events, special events. a number of international documentaries. Opstrup served as Executive Committee Member and later Chairman of European Documentary Network (EDN) 2005-2009, and now works as the EDN Head of Studies. Opstrup is the editor of The EDN Co-production Guide and has served as tutor and moderator at more than 40 international documentary events. 66 67 EDITORIAL BOARD: Sarma Gaide, Margarita Rimkus, Zanda Dūdiņa-Spoģe

DESIGN&LAYOUT: Arnis Grinbergs

FRONT COVER: Still from Seed: The Untold Story, dir. Taggart Siegel, Jon Betz, 94 min, 2016, USA

© National Film Centre of Latvia 2018 Printed in Latvia by Euroconnect