Palestinian title If These Stones Might Discuss has gained the primary ever IEFTA (Worldwide Rising Movie Skills Affiliation) Award for Finest Documentary in Improvement, value €10,000, at Thessaloniki Worldwide Documentary Pageant’s Agora business occasion.
The movie, directed by Hana Elias and produced by Asmahan Bkera, follows a Palestinian man’s return to his hometown to construct a home for his household. Because the household tends their land, they confront their estrangement from the nation as Palestinian residents of Israel.
“With heat and authenticity, this venture portrays a household’s relationship with each one another and their land in an intimate means. A strong pitch from a powerful crew, with an pressing story that have to be championed,” stated the the jury, consisting of Swedish producer Mario Adamson, Sheffield DocFest’s Sophie Duncan and and Cinephil gross sales agent Suzanne Nodale.
The Onassis Movie Award, value €5,000, and reserved for one of many Greek initiatives collaborating within the Thessaloniki Pitching Discussion board or the Agora Docs in Progress, went to Marianna Economou’s Darkish Waters produced by Rea Apostolides and Yuri Averof of Anemon Productions. The co-producer is Paul Cadieux and Danae Elon.
The movie unfolds within the historical Greek metropolis of Elefsina the place Kostas, a 70-year-old deep-sea diver, is battling industrial decay because the tries to salvage shipwrecks contaminating the bay. “A profound, complete, multidimensional narrative that shocked us and left us with lots to consider,” was the jurors’ verdict on the venture.
The ERT – Thessaloniki Pitching Discussion board Award to a Greek venture, accompanied by a money prize of €2,000, went to Survivors directed by Nina-Maria Paschalidou and Maria Louka, and produced by Mina Dreki and Iro Aidoni of Marni Movies.
The Eurodoc Award, value €1,000, was gained by Mountain Cries directed by Lavinia Xausa, and produced by Sam Godfried of Yalla docs. The identical movie additionally picked up the DAE – Documentary Affiliation of Europe Award which comes with free session and membership of DAE.
A lot of different titles additionally picked up smaller awards, amongst them Maša Nešković’s Kafka In Belgrade, Nikos Ziogas’s Lake, Nela Märki’s Why The F**Okay Am I So Unhappy? and Stephanie Andreou’s Ladies Stroll Dwelling.
In the meantime, within the Agora Docs in Progress part, 11 initiatives from Southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean area have been collaborating in closed periods completely for Thessaloniki’s invited business professionals, gross sales brokers, distributors, producers and competition programmers.
The jury for these titles consisted of Hanne Biermann, festivals and advertising supervisor at Movie Harbour, Pierre-Alexis Chevit, head of Cannes Docs on the Marché du Movie, and filmmaker/movie curator Kumjana Novakova.
The 119 Marvila Studios Award, offering sound mixing companies to the winner, was given by the jury to Sari Haragonics’s Don’t Fear, Sari!. The two|35 Publish-Manufacturing Most important Award went to María Silvia Esteve’s Malin, and The Greek Movie Heart Award, value €3000, went to Eirini Vourloumis’ The Secrets and techniques Of The Owl. In the meantime, Lucas Habte’s Glad You’re Right here gained the The Neaniko Plano Subtitling Award .
400 worldwide guests attended this yr’s Agora. There was a typically upbeat response to the initiatives chosen. Trade veteran Jan Rofekamp of Movies Transit, who has been advising a number of the members, hailed the occasion’s significance in showcasing new Greek documentary particularly within the worldwide market. Nonetheless, he additionally warned that with “the extraordinary quantity” of docs now within the market, comparatively few of the titles being pitched in Thessaloniki are prone to be picked up.
“Gross sales brokers want potential awards winners, filmmakers with a reputation or topics which can be very present and handled in a world means,” Rofekamp defined.
