PROJECT BOOK MIDPOINT FEATURE LAUNCH GENERATION 2018 feature film projects developed within FEATURE LAUNCH 2018 program Under the auspices of Funders Partners TABLE OF CONTENT – ABOUT MIDPOINT FEATURE LAUNCH 2018 FEATURE LAUNCH 2018 PROJECTS BALAUR BRAZIL CLOUDS ON LEASHES ERASING FRANK HOMEWARD LEAVE NO TRACES THE MYTH OF A REAL MAN SIRIN THE UGLY MANDARINE FEATURE LAUNCH 2019 FEATURE LAUNCH TEAM “MIDPOINT grew out of the need for greater support in the script development process in our region. Nowadays we embrace not only the script process, but project development as a whole. The partnerships we have with important international film festivals, markets and networking platforms such as the Karlovy Vary IFF, When East Meets West and the Trieste FF ensures that our participants have the ideal setting for developing their projects.” Barbora STRUSS, Director and Co-founder of MIDPOINT ABOUT MIDPOINT MIDPOINT is a training and networking platform, for script and project development operating under the auspices of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague. It is aimed at creative teams of writers, directors and producers from Central and Eastern Europe. MIDPOINT was conceived in 2010, with the aim of strengthening the level of collaboration within creative teams during the development process. Over the last eight years, it has grown into a platform that provides several types of programs designed to cover the areas of film and TV dramaturgy and to systematically assist filmmakers through the entire development process. It already has over 700 graduates, mostly from Central and Eastern Europe. Filmmakers who have attended its programs have achieved success at festivals such as the Berlinale, the Karlovy Vary IFF, the Cannes Film Festival and other leading European market platforms. MIDPOINT PROGRAMS MIDPOINT FEATURE LAUNCH MIDPOINT SHORTS • a script and project development • a script and project development platform program • intended for first or second feature • intended for professional film projects or graduation short film projects • includes a training program for aspiring script consultants MIDPOINT TV LAUNCH MIDPOINT INTENSIVE • focuses on the development • tailored workshops on demand of content-rich TV series • script analysis for creative teams of • mini-series, ongoing series, writers, directors and producers web series • training for junior commissioning editors Deadline for submissions: 21 September 2018 MIDPOINT FEATURE LAUNCH 2018 Starting in 2018, Feature Launch has initiated new participants will now present their projects in front collaboration with the Karlovy Vary International of decision makers from the film industry during Film Festival, When East Meets West and the Trieste the Works in Development – Feature Launch as part Film Festival. The year-long script and project of the Industry Days program at the Karlovy Vary development program, which includes 4 modules, IFF. After the presentation, there will be curated follows and reflects the current development and meetings where selected experts will discuss the financing process for feature film. The modules are projects and give feedback to the participants. carefully planned and organized in cooperation with these leading industry partners. After finishing the program, the Feature Launch producers will be invited by the co-production This year it has selected 9 feature film projects market, When East Meets West, in January 2019 coming from Azerbaijan, the Czech Republic, Greece, to re-engage with potential artistic and financial Hungary, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia and partners. Ukraine. Having worked on their projects since January, both at the 2 residential workshops in Trieste and in Belgrade (in partnership with Film Center Serbia) as well as during online sessions with their tutors, the THE TUTORS FOR MIDPOINT FEATURE LAUNCH 2018 MIDPOINT ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Pavel Jech MIDPOINT FEATURE LAUNCH HEAD OF STUDIES AND PRODUCER TUTOR Danijel Hočevar SCRIPT CONSULTANTS Anne Gensior Pavel Jech Ivo Trajkov Pavel Marek PITCHING TRAINER Gabriele Brunnenmeyer MIDPOINT FEATURE LAUNCH PROJECTS — BALAUR BRAZIL CLOUDS ON LEASHES 20 ERASING FRANK HOMEWARD LEAVE NO TRACES THE MYTH OF A REAL MAN SIRIN THE UGLY MANDARINE 18 Mrs. Ivanovici, a 35-year- old religion teacher and wife of the town priest, BALAUR becomes involved in a relationship with Iuliu, OCTAV LIVIA RADU an audacious 16-year-old CHELARU RĂDULESCU STANCU student of hers. Iuliu Octav Chelaru (b. 1991) started making Livia Rădulescu made a career leap Radu Stancu is a Romanian film producer, films when he was 14-years-old, using of faith into film production in 2016, owner of independent production starts confessing to the his relatives and classmates as actors. after ten years of management roles company deFilm. After graduating in In college, he directed commercials and in technology innovation, social Sound and Editing, and Film Production priest. videos and produced short films for other entrepreneurship, advertising and cultural (MA), he developed his career as a directors. Among the short films he CV PRODUCER´S management. Since then, she has worked CV PRODUCER´S producer gathering successful shorts, directed are: „Occupied“ (2015) - winner on various projects, including the short film animations, feature films and documentaries, DIRECTOR/WRITER´S CV DIRECTOR/WRITER´S at Timishort IFF; „Private Party“ (2017) – “Black Clothes” (2017, dir: Octav Chelaru selected and awarded in major international selected for Les Arcs IFF, Tirana IFF; „Black – IFF Locarno, IFF Valladolid), one feature festivals – Cannes, Locarno, Karlovy Vary, Clothes“ (2017), produced by deFilm, selected film “The Story of a Summer Lover” (2018, AFI, Chicago, and many more. He is currently to be in competition at the Locarno IFF, the dir: Paul Negoescu), and one feature-length in postproduction with two creative Valladolid IFF, the Grimstad IFF and others. documentary (in production). She is now documentaries and with a feature film Currently, Octav is developing his debut in development stage with the feature film “The Story of a Summer Lover” (dir. Paul feature, “Balaur,” and participating in various “Balaur”. She is the co-founder of FILM+, a Negoescu), and in development/ financing workshops and markets. laboratory for young independent filmmakers. stage with two other features. I have always been interested in how set From the very beginning, there were beliefs seem to offer valid explanations several facts that compelled us to make for everything. When I read the story this film but also struck us personally. STATEMENT from my hometown about a high school “Balaur” tells the intriguing story of a ENGLISH TITLE: Balaur student`s committing suicide after a woman whose core values become subject ORIGINAL TITLE: Balaur relationship with his religious studies to transformation when her unquestioned GENRE: Drama teacher, I considered it a tragedy and traditional setting is challenged by a DIRECTOR/WRITER: Octav Chelaru that was it. Yet the story kept coming forceful encounter. For her, this provokes PRODUCERS: Radu Stancu (producer), Mrs. Ivanovici, a 35-years old mother of three, lives in a small up in conversations with my parents STATEMENT PRODUCER`S surprising actions that reach illegality. For Livia Rădulescu (delegate producer) Romanian town that is trapped by traditional beliefs. She has a who still live there. I found out that us, a series of larger questions are brought PRODUCTION COMPANY: deFilm monotonous marriage with an older priest and teaches religious DIRECTOR/WRITER´S the whole community was supporting up. Can one’s faith resist a dramatic blow COUNTRY: Romania SYNOPSIS studies at a local high school. the teacher during her trial. Then it hit to core beliefs? This question can be even LANGUAGE: Romanian One day, Mrs. Ivanovici challenges Iuliu, a 16-years old audacious me, everybody knew. As I went further and more arduous when posed from a women’s student, to the point of insulting him. When Iuliu confronts her, she is started to research this type of relationship, perspective in a traditional setting. Further ESTIMATED BUDGET: 700 000 EUR I understood that there is a pattern. Teachers questions refer to dysfunctional familial STATUS OF THE PROJECT: In development surprised, but apologizes and then offers to give him a lift home. During who do that, usually do it many times and dynamics, to twisted aggressor-victim roles, and financing stage (approx. 50% of this short drive, Mrs. Ivanovici becomes friends with Iuliu and, for the first with multiple students. But this particular to the division between opposing values in budget secured, looking for time in a long time, feels that somebody seems to care about her. Very case from my hometown was very different society. In addition to these subjects that co-producers and partners) soon after that, the ambiguous maternal feelings transform into desire from the pattern, because the traditional are at the forefront of worldwide discussions RELEASE DATE: 2020 and a sexual relationship between Mrs Ivanovici and Iuliu begins. values of the society added a special today, “Balaur” addresses central human After Mrs. Ivanovici starts to raise barriers, Iuliu uses the weapon she ingredient to the whole story: the feeling needs: for love, for acceptance, for defining COMPANY CONTACT knows best against her – religion. In order to keep their relationship, Iuliu that beneath the seemingly in-control one’s place in society, and in life. T: +40 740 226 054 surface, there are many