directors across borders 8th regional co

Transcription

INDEX OF PROJECTS
Bravo, Virtuoso/dir.: Levon Minasian, prod.: Ani Vorskanyan, Armenia/France
Smugglers/dir.: Beso Solomanashvili, prod.: Vladimer Katcharava, Georgia
Jivani-74/dir.: Diana Mkrtchyan, prod.: Aram Khatchatrian, Armenia/Georgia/Russia
Siren’s Call/dir.: Ramin Matin, prod.: Emine Yildirim, Turkey/Germany/Georgia
Neighbors/dir.: Grigol Abashidze, prod.: Joseph “Soso” Bliadze, Georgia
The Last Inhabitant/dir.: Jivan Avetisyan, prod.: Masis Baghdasaryan, co-prod.: Kęstutis Drazdauskas, Armenia/Lithuania
Dear Armen/dir.: Kamee Abrahamian, prod.: Kamee Abrahamian, Canada/Armenia
One Way Ticket/dir.: Tinatin Kajrishvili, prod.: Lasha Khalvashi, Georgia/France/Germany
Let It Be/dir.: Alisa Pavlovskaya, prod.: Maksym Firsenko, Ukraine
Long Gardens/dir.: Nika Shek (Yevgeniya Shekoyan), prod.: Sarik Hovsepyan, Shushan Kocharyan, Eldar Albertson, Armenia/Azerbaijan
Kaleidoscope/dir.: Tamta Gabrichidze, prod.: Lasha Khalvashi, Georgia
Tattoo/dir.: Suzanne Khardalian, Vahan Stepanyan, prod.: PeÅ Holmquist, Armenia/Sweden
Summer Birds/dir.: Vera Yakovenko, prod.: Ludmila Kirilenko, Ukraine
Shades of Yellow/dir.: David Matevossian, prod.: David Matevossian, co-prod.: Vika Chembartseva, Armenia/Moldova
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Dear Colleagues, Participants and Friends,
Welcome to the 8th Directors Across Borders (DAB) Regional Co-production Forum and the 11th Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival!
Our cravings, desires and hopes are fulfilled through the achievements of the film projects that receive support from the Forum, as well as the determination and
8 years of hard work by the GAIFF team. Every year we have seen an increase in the interest towards the Forum and the quality of the projects that we receive.
With this in mind, we can confidently and proudly say that the DAB Co-production Forum is one of the key industry events in the region.
More than seventy projects and hundreds of industry representatives from Europe and Caucasus have participated in the previous editions of the Forum. During
the last seven years, more than 120 talented filmmakers from the region have attended film development workshops and trainings, and participated in a wide
range of guest lectures, presentations and discussions on the essentials of co-production.
The number of DAB success stories continues to grow each year. Winner of DAB Forum 2012 the film The Tribe by Miroslav Slaboshpytskiy (director) and Igor
Savichenko (producer) was included in Cannes festival 2014 Semaine de la Critique program and won three prizes: Nespresso grand prize, France 4 Visionary
award and Gan Foundation support for distribution supporting promotion and distribution of the film in France. I am Going to Change My Name by Maria Saakyan
(producer Victoria Lupik, Armenia/Russia/Denmark/Germany), one of the winners of DAB Forum 2008, was awarded with the Golden Apricot Prize as the Best
Feature Fiction film in the Armenian Panorama Competition of the 10th Jubilee GOLDEN APRICOT International Film Festival (7-14 July, 2013). Another DAB
project Paradjanov by Serge Avedikian and Olena Fetisova (Ukraine/France/Georgia/Armenia) was awarded with the State Prize of the Republic of Armenia on 21
March 2014. The world premiere of Paradjanov took place during the 48th International Film Festival in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic, 2013 and it was the official
closing film at the 10th jubilee GOLDEN APRICOT IFF last year. The film received Golden Duke Award for Best Ukrainian Film at Odessa IFF in 2013 and award
for the Best male acting at Batumi IFF in 2013.
DAB Forum opens doors and gives the participants various opportunities. The winner of DAB Forum 2013 Dede by Mariam Khatchvani and Vladimer Katcharava
participated in the World Pavilion of the Cannes festival (Cinema du Monde). Another participating project of the last year’s 7th DAB Regional Co-Production
Forum Territoria by Nora Martirosyan (Director) and Jeff Kalousdian (Producer) was selected to participate at the 10th edition of the Cinéfondation’s Atelier of the
2014 Cannes Festival and won the very prestigious ARTE Prize. The other winner of DAB Forum 2013 Blood Money feature project directed by Kıvanç Sezer and
produced by Soner Alper was selected to Connecting Cottbus East West co-production market at the film festival Cottbus on 7-8 November, 2013.
During the 7th DAB Forum Tamara Stepanyan with her project As Long As Heaven Allows was invited to an intensive script consultancy workshop conducted by
Miguel Machalski at the Binger Filmlab. Recently the director has signed a contract with Alice Ormières, French producer, co-owner of “Surprise Alley” Production
Company. The French producer started to raise the financing and the team plans to shoot the film in 2015.
“I am very thankful that my project was chosen to be in the DAB Co-production Forum, since thanks to this I have found a real producer who is as passionate as me to make this film happen and I believe this is rare.. ” says Tamara Stepanyan.
Each year the DAB Co-Production Forum becomes a more effective mechanism for supporting the development of the regional film industry and opening “new
doors” for filmmakers to opportunities beyond the region. In 2011, DAB received a three-year grant from the European Union’s Eastern Partnership Culture
Programme to help expand DAB activities within Armenia and throughout the Eastern Partnership region, which includes Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia,
Moldova and Ukraine.
The 8th edition of the Co-production Forum is the cornerstone of the DAB Eastern Partnership Culture Programme. This year we have brought together regional
filmmakers and highly experienced industry professionals from Europe for a three-day program of networking, project development and project pitching. We are
very excited to see what new film projects will launch during this year’s program.
We hope that the following days in Yerevan will be productive and interesting for you both professionally and personally.
We wish you good luck and success with your project!
Susanna Harutyunyan
Manager of the Directors Across Borders (DAB) Project,
Artistic Director of the Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival
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DIRECTORS ACROSS BORDERS
ANNUAL REGIONAL CO-PRODUCTION FORUM
The Directors Across Borders Regional Co-production Forum (DAB) is a key industry event in the region implemented annually within the
framework of the Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival. The overall objective of the DAB Forum is to facilitate cross-border cultural
and economic collaboration by providing a networking platform for regional filmmakers, cinema support organizations and industry experts from
around the world; improving the capacities of emerging filmmakers; and launching promising film projects through seed grants.
DAB was born as a regional network of film directors and film professionals from the Caucasus and neighboring regions that share the common
belief that cinema is a unique art form capable of transforming human relations and transcending political, ideological, racial or religious borders.
During the subsequent years of the “Golden Apricot” IFF, the DAB concept has evolved and developed in new and interesting direction but it has
never veered from its original goal of nurturing and harnessing the transformative power of cinema.
In December 2005, we presented DAB to the Forth Plenary Session of the European Cultural Parliament in Lisbon. Recognizing the potential and
regional importance of DAB, the European Cultural Parliament affirmed its support for DAB in its Lisboa Declaration. In January 2007, Golden
Apricot International Film Festival, Rotterdam IFF and Pusan IFF signed a declaration of sisterhood and launched the DAB Regional Co-Production
Forum with the aim of supporting the development of feature and documentary low budget films and film-projects. This trilateral cooperation has
provided access to regional films and film projects in European and Asian markets. Through the Co-Production Forum, regional filmmakers have
the opportunity to present their projects and become part of a wide network of directors, producers, film funds, sales agents, distributors and other
possible partners from all over the world. During the previous seven years, the Co-Production Forum has brought together more than two hundred
filmmakers from around the region. Every year no less than twelve film-teams have pitched projects and participated in more than 100 one-to-one
meetings with film industry experts.
In 2011, DAB launched a three-year collaboration with the European Union’s Eastern Partnership Culture Programme. Now in the third year, the
Eastern Partnership Programme has greatly helped expand and strengthened DAB’s vision of regional creative and economic co-operation in the
cinematic arts. The 8th edition of the DAB Co-Production Forum focuses on building cross-border collaboration and co-production between countries of the EU’s Eastern Partnership Region (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine) and the EU. Emerging filmmakers from
the Region with feature length fiction films projects at the development stage have been invited on a competitive basis to participate in the threeday DAB Forum. This year the Forum provides a comprehensive program of short trainings, one-to-one meetings, and networking opportunities
with industry professionals. On the second day of the Forum, participants will have the opportunity to “pitch” their film projects to a jury composed
of representatives from international film festivals and film financing organizations from around the world. A prize of €5,000 will be awarded to the
best overall project. Two other grants of €3,500 may be awarded to film projects that address issues of tolerance and common social problems
throughout the Eastern Partnership region. The overall aim of the grants is to help support outstanding film projects at the development level, the
very stage where the artistic form and content is conceived but also the most vulnerable point in the life of a film.
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BRAVO, VIRTUOSO
Armenia/France, fiction, 100 min, HD
Director: Levon Minasian
Producer: Ani Vorskanyan
Production Company: HK Productions
Estimated Budget: 400.000 Euro
PROJECT SYNOPSIS
Alik is a young virtuoso clarinettist. He plays in a classical orchestra,
which has been founded and led by his grandfather, the famous
conductor Hovhannes Talyan.
But unfortunately, one day, the orchestra’s business sponsor from the
Diaspora was killed after he interfered with some of the local oligarchs.
After the sponsor’s death the existence of the band was under great
risk.
To survive, Alik performs various humiliating and low-paid works. But
Alik and his grandfather hope that a miracle will happen and the band
will be saved.
And the expected miracle occurs:
By a strange coincidence Alik gets a cell phone, which belongs to some
“Virtuoso”, and the incoming-calls are from just one subscriber –
“Client”. Following the instructions Alik gets a large prepayment, which
is enough for the band’s survival. With the money Alik also receives a
large calibre gun and the order to kill.
The problem is that Alik has never seen a gun in his life, and most
important thing is that he is a virtuoso musician, not a virtuoso killer.
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
Nowadays the situation in Armenia is becoming more bipolar. The gap
between two different worlds is increasing: the political and economic
elite versus the people, uneducated and mafia oligarchs versus the
intellectuals’ dreaming about a society of justice.
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It’s a real struggle of Evil - the standardization of the tastes and flavours,
consumption, globalization, the power of money etc. against the Good
- the human dignity, the culture of respecting the diversity. But given
the current state of the Armenian society, the struggle is unequal, and
the Evil wins.
The film will show the mentioned topics with humour, teasing, mockery,
and irony. The film will be full of metaphors and symbols.
In a searching of the financing for his classical orchestra, a young
clarinettist unwittingly takes the identity of a Rabiz musician (the Rabiz
is a low-quality and bad taste folk music), which is also a killer.
Film story is full of incredible situations, unexpected turns,
misunderstandings and comic scenes.
The style of the film is far from what could be offered in the films from
East or South, and especially is far from so-called “social” films. Even
though the sensitive society problems are shown here, indirectly and in
different way, rather in the vein of Cohen Brothers’ absurd cinema style
than in the ultra realistic style of Ken Loch. The treatment is not without
cynicism, but the background is serious, militant, and even alarmist.
Filmed in a “modern” style, film history will reveal all its potential and
will affect the multiple targets - both for young audience who loves
action, the rapid reversal of dramatic situations mixed with comic
elements, and also for those who understand the metaphorical basis
and value of this modern fable.
This film is about hope, that the Good through the art and music will
win the battle over the Evil, over the greediness for the money and the
power, and over the contempt for the human dignity.
DIRECTOR’S BIOGRAPHY
PRODUCTION COMPANY CONTACTS
Born in Leninakan (re-named Gyumri), Armenia, Levon Minasian
commenced his theatre studies at the Institute of Fine Arts and Theatre
in Yerevan (Armenia). He worked as an actor at the Araspel and Vardan
Adjemian Theatres in Gyumri.
HK Productions
Address: 15/2 Marshal Baghramyan Ave., Yerevan, Armenia 0019
Tel.: +374-55-050025
E-mail: hrach.kesh@gmail.com
Web-site: http://hkproductions.com
He studied film at the University of Paris-8 (France). In 1996, he
received his Master’s Diploma with distinction with the congratulations
of the jury. He is an awarded scriptwriter and has also worked on
theatrical performances and has directed short films produced mainly
by French production companies.
DIRECTOR’S FILMOGRAPHY
The Piano, fiction, 2011(director); Dreams of Elsewhere… Diary of
a Grouser, musical docu-fiction, 2003 (director); I Love Your Face,
fiction, 2001(director); Overseas Lovers, fiction, 2000 (director);
Luxaeterna&Terra Emota, film-poems, 1999 (director); L’Homme de
l’Île Sandwich / The Man of The Sandwich Island, 2014 (scriptwriter,
director).
PRODUCER’S BIOGRAPHY
Ani Vorskanyan has an extensive career as an Executive Director, CEO
and Head of Legal and Financial Department at such companies as
MEDIACRAT and PARADISE Group of Companies (Moscow, Russia)
and other.
During the recent years, Ani got actively involved as a Line Producer
and Executive Producer of feature full-length, short and documentary
films. Currently she works as a CEO and Producer at the “PanArmenian Geographic Association” NGO which makes TV projects and
documentaries for the Armenian Public TV (H1) channel.
PRODUCER’S FILMOGRAPHY
Little Dragon, feature, 2014 (producer). She is currently involved
in Armenia/France co-production Bravo, Virtuoso, director Lévon
Minasian (2014-2015) and Pas de Trois, feature by director Diana
Kardumyan (2015-2016).
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SMUGGLERS
Georgia, fiction, 85 min, Full HD
Director: Beso Solomanashvili
Producer: Vladimer Katcharava
Production Company: 20 Steps Productions
PROJECT SYNOPSIS
Masho beaten to death.
MATHE (16) grows up in a village within the demarcation line, for this
reason their village is filled with different types of soldiers. He has a father
GABRIEL (45), and brother GOLA (14). Every day, a stray dog steels eggs
and the hen runs around looking for its nest. Gabriel doesn’t manage to cut
a fake egg from wood, to avoid the stray dog steeling it.
Mathe loses his first love, his first affection. When he returns home from
the hospital, he decides not to wait for his father and makes the wooden
egg himself - to help the hen find its nest and keep the stray dogs and pigs
away from their yard. His brother and father help him, they paint the egg
and leave it in the sun to dry.
After the war, because of the embargo between the countries, the villagers
cannot even sell goods so the only thing they can do is to smuggle it
across the demarcation lines and block posts. In order to reach the
seaside town and sell the goods there they have to bribe everywhere – at
the military posts on the train station, and in the train itself.
At the station, Mathe meets MASHO (20) a pretty but untidy girl. He wants
to talk to her, but a POLICEMAN (42) detains her and, together with his
four friends, rapes her all night. Masho is used to violence, so she doesn’t
react to that.
Because he had to drag heavy baskets, Mathe’s back starts aching and
he’s taken to the hospital. He finds himself in a strange situation – a
NURSE DARO (55) reveals motherly care towards him. The war took the
life of her son who was almost Mathe’s age. In the ward, next to Mathe,
there is BEGLAR (42), a man with a gunshot, whose only sad and usual
entertainment is watching abortions in the opposite building through the
hospital window. Beglar tries to involve Mathe, too. Mathe finds out that an
OLD MAN WITH BEADS (75) is a fugitive - Mathe saw an announcement
in the station earlier.
Mathe finds Masho in the hospital. He’s moved by the affection and
longing. Every night he climbs the high fence to see Masho, although, he
knows she’s in the lock hospital because she’s diseased. Mathe doesn’t
dare to talk to Masho, but he stands next to her when drunk soldiers break
into the hospital demanding her. One day, Mathe comes late and sees
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I wrote the short story “Smugglers” several years ago. It attracted
much attention once it was published. It was re-published several
times, translated. Many reviews were written and everybody said the
story was visual. Otar Chiladze, Georgian writer, Noble Prize candidate
shared the same impression. Famous Georgian film director Giorgi
Shengelaia expressed willingness to make movie based on it.
I’m always beware of filming literary pieces, that is why I was waiting
for finding a mature form for it. However, I think I have developed
precise attitude and I have already seen everything that is in the script:
the story, heroes, and environment – I know everything and everybody;
I am a part of the story. I can say that don’t even need to look for
locations, because they exist in the reality.
“Mathew 7.6. Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your
pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and
then turn and tear you to pieces” – this phrase for me is not just a taboo
of Christian religion, it is rather a philosophical maxim, which is the
main axis of the story.
The conflict is that one has to carefully smuggle human values through
time and space in the society of oppressors and oppressed. Time
comes when the society stops seeing “…sacred… pearls…” and
even if it sees, considers it as weakness and destroys it.
Even regular food should be smuggled, where people have stopped
communicating. In big politics this is called embargo. This happens
constantly and always starts or ends with war. The only form of
communication here is violence.
Only at the beginning and the end of the film we see daytime – the time,
when the heroes are home. The khaki colour of the film is created by
locations: old stations and post-soviet environment of any country. At
first glance, scenes look surrealistic, however, there is no surrealism at
all – the characters are very vivid, but there is no buffoonery. The film
will be kind of a story of a post-soviet country, gradually sorting out
what it wants, like the boy.
Beso Solomanashvili majored in feature film direction at Georgian State
Theatre and Film Institute (the studio of George Shengelaya). In 19931994 during the war in Abkhazia was assistant director on dramadocumentary “The Graveyard of Dreams” by Giorgi Khaindrava (film
was shot on the combat locations).
He has worked as a film director at the “Georgian TV-film” Company;
now works at the “Imedi” TV Company as Chief Director. He published
short stories book “The Smugglers” “Zammora” “London-Zuzumbo”
and received several literary awards. With the scriptwriter Irakli
Solomanashvili works on script development and producing for
documentary and feature films.
Producers on the Move (Cannes).
He participated in the “Co-producing in and with Eastern Europe”
(TrainEastFilm) and the East European Film Alliance. Presently he works
as a Partner and Producer for animation, short, documentary and fulllength feature films at the «20 Steps Productions» and «Caucasian Film
Service» studios. He has worked on several internationally acclaimed
co-productions.
Dinola, short, 2013 (producer); Granny, short animation, 2013
(producer); Li.le, short animation, 2013 (producer); Detonator,
short, 2013 (producer); Love With Accent, feature, 2012 (executive
producer); Keep Smiling, feature, 2010 (line producer); Renee Goes
To Hollywood feature, 2009 (executive producer); Street Days, feature,
2009 (production manager). Presently he has several projects in
production and post-production.
20 Steps Productions
Address: I/11/17 Nucubidze Str., Tbilisi, Georgia 0183
Tel.: + 995-591-227377
E-mail: info@20steps.ge
Web-site: http://www.20steps.ge
River Flow, short feature, 2014 (in production, director); Detonator,
short feature, 2013 (director); Street Days, Rene Goes to Hollywood,
feature, 2011 (background director); Dream City, feature, 2010
(storyboard and editing director); Coming Back Home, full-length
documentary, 2009 (director); Prince Machabeli – Perfumery from
USA, feature-doc., 2008 (director); Father, I might Stay in the Army,
full-length doc., 2001 (director); Let’s Try Together, feature-doc., 1998
(director); Bloody Screenplay, short film, 1996 (director); Vernisage,
short, 1995 (director).
Vladimer Katcharava received the Film Management degree at the
Rustaveli State University of Theatre and Film. He has attended the
Legal and Technical trainings at AVANTI, IFA-SC, Berlinale, EAVE, and
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JIVANI-74
Armenia/Georgia/Russia, fiction, 100 min, HD
Director: Diana Mkrtchyan
Producers: Aram Khatchatrian
Production Company: Illusion Productions
PROJECT SYNOPSIS
Arshak, 45 years old, works in Russia and comes to the Armenian city of
Gyumri once a year to visit his family. His son, Vahé, 10 years old, is in
charge of his younger brother Ara and their mother.
Ara, 6 years old, cannot accept the absence of his father. He suffers from
nightmares and sleeps with a knife under his pillow. In his dreams he is
usually running through the buildings and streets of Gyumri, demolished
by an earthquake, screaming “Daddy, daddy!” until he stops in front of
an insurmountable wall all sweating… and this is the moment when he
wakes up.
For the holidays the boys usually go to a village to visit their uncle Grigor
who takes them out into nature. They are happy in the mountains where
eagles soar and shepherds graze their flocks, where bees buzz and
mystical signs of Armenian rugs come to life, where nobody is in a hurry.
Their father was born in that village and the boys often go to the house
at Jivani-74 to exercise on his chin-up bar. That house is abandoned. No
one lives here. No one takes care of it.
When father comes, Ara never calls him “Daddy”, just by the name Arshak. He refuses to eat at the same table with him. He is jealous of his
mother. He requires the answers for his questions and when father has
no answers he says: “You are not a hero”.
Ara overhears the conversation of the parents and discovers the place
where his father keeps money - he is saving it to move to Europe.
Arshak leaves for Russia again. Vahé drives his bicycle at full speed to
catch up with him, but on the way to the airport he gets into an accident...
In the Moscow subway Arshak is attacked by a group of Russian
nationalists.
In his repeating dreams Ara is running through the town of Gyumri
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screaming “Daddy, Daddy!” until he finds himself in front of the wall
again, he pushes it and an endless field opens in front of his eyes, he
sees his father in the distance and rushes towards him… He wakes up,
goes to the kitchen and burns the money saved by his father.
Arshak comes to the village for the funeral of his grandmother, but Ara
refuses to come to him and runs away. Arshak follows him and looking
for Ara he finds himself in front of the house of his childhood at Jivani-74.
As a phantom of the past, that house, once left and abandoned, comes
back to life reviving forgotten names and voices. Arshak wants to go
away but isn’t able to do it. An irresistible force makes him return over
and over again and knock heavily on the closed door. He finds his son
only when he leaves the place.
A feeling of a lost childhood, lost house and homeland as well as a desire
to return and get it back is very close to what I personally feel. It was the
main theme of my short film “GATA” selected for the Cannes Film Festival
in 2008.
In “Jivani-74” one of the main characters - Arshak (40-45 years old) is
forced, like thousands of his fellow countrymen, to look for a job out of
Armenia to provide for his family. But his junior son Ara, six years old,
cannot agree with the reality of growing up without his father, he doesn’t
accept it. He needs his father, and he demands a lot and expects a lot
from him. He says that “a real Father is like God, who can do everything”.
The central idea of the film is the lost connection between father and
son. Arshak working abroad performs his function of a breadwinner, but
a spiritual “father-son” connection is lost. He understands it and tries to
reestablish that connection and it seems that he should go back to his
own childhood to be able to get his son back, to restore the ties, to accept
him and to be accepted. And in this case Jivani-74 is the address where
their childhood lives - one for both.
The economical situation in Armenia forces the people to leave the
country, but in finding relative financial stability they in fact lose the
connection with their own children, and that lost of connection create the
deep gulf between the generations and nothing can make it up.
The story takes place in Gyumri, my native town that was ruined by the
earthquake of 1988. Until now – 25 years later – the city hasn’t recovered.
Ara becomes a witness of the earthquake in his dreams. He doesn’t want
to leave Gyumri. He grew up ahead of time. He is a child-adult because
he lives in a reality of modern Armenia when children grow up without
fathers, women grow old without their husbands and grandparents go
away without last goodbyes said. The most part of the scenes will be
seen from Ara’s point of view.
The rustic scenes take place in Akhalkalaki, a Georgian village next to the
border with Armenia where the vast majority of the population is Armenian.
My heroes speak Armenian dialects of Gyumri and Akhalkalaki. The film
will be shot in a documentary manner with a minimum of artificial lighting.
There are many supporting characters in this film (beekeeper, cemetery
caretaker, rug merchant, old neighbor, grandmother, etc.) and all of them
will be played by local people. Great attention will be paid to the work
with the few actors to make them exist and not perform in a given reality.
Diana Mkrtchyan was born in Georgia, moved to Armenia and then
to Russia when she was 15. She came to the world of cinema from
journalism. She has attended workshops of Andrey Dobrovolsky and
Irakli Kvirikadze, and the La Fémis in France.
Diana participates in the DAB Forum with her first full-length feature film
Jivani-74.
at Baghinyan Art Video studio; and was a co-founder of the SunChild
environmental film festival in 2007.
Aram’s filmography is quite rich. He has made several internationally
acclaimed co-productions. Aram works with the following directors:
Harutyun Khachatryan, Vigen Chaldranyan, Aram Shakhbazyan, Hrant
Vardanyan, Diana Kardumyan, Lusine Sargsyan, and others.
PRODUCERS’ FILMOGRAPHIES
Transparent Roofs, feature, 2014 (producer); Moskvich, My Love,
feature, 2013 (executive producer); The Sheep’s Dream, short feature,
2013 (executive producer); Four Sister Churches, doc., 2012 (executive
producer); Rose of Paratsels, short feature, 2012 (executive producer);
Dialogues, short feature, 2011 (producer); Tatev, doc., 2010 (executive
producer); Flower Dance, short feature, 2010 (executive producer); The
Border, docudrama, 2009 (assistant to director); Anduni, doc., 20092011 (producer); Chnchik, feature, 2008-2013 (executive producer);
Maestro, feature, 2008 (executive producer); The Priestess, feature,
2007 (executive producer); Autumn Sun, short feature, 2006 (producer);
Norma, feature, 2003 (executive producer); Na And Ne, feature, 2002
(deputy line producer); The Symphony of Silence, feature, 1999
(assistant to director).
Illusion Productions
Address: 2a Odessa, Apt. 4, Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: +374-99-444949
E-Mail: arm.aram@yahoo.fr
Diana Mkrtchyan
Tel.: +336-58-436462
E-mail: diana.ditaka@gmail.com
GATA (33 min), 2008 (scriptwriter, director); The Garden, short doc.,
2007 (scriptwriter, director); Japan. The Gift of St. Nikolai, doc., 2007
(scriptwriter, director); The City’s Station, short, 2006 (scriptwriter,
director); St. George, doc., 2006 (scriptwriter, co-director with Irakli
Kvirikadze); Grigor Narekatsi, doc., 2006 (co-scriptwriter, assistant to
director).
PRODUCERS’ BIOGRAPHIES
Aram Khachatryan is a graduate of HAYFILM film acting studio and
the Yerevan State Institute of Theatre and Cinema (Vigen Chaldranian’s
class). Since 2003, he works at the Golden Apricot IFF as an Assistant
to the General Director and event coordinator; he works as the director
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SIREN’S CALL
Turkey/Germany/Georgia, fiction, 90 min, HD
Director: Ramin Matin
Producer: Emine Yildirim
Production Company: Giyotin Film
PROJECT SYNOPSIS
Tahsin (40) a contemporary white-collar “Istanbullite”, caught in a web of
intertwined networks, daily products of a megacity throbbing with a neoliberal pulse: traffic, work, social media, relationships. He’s an embittered
environmental architect working at a mega-construction firm located at the
skyscraper plaza zone. He’s on the brink of a divorce with his wife who
is also his boss. His days pass surfing the web and envying the “picturesque” and “happy” life of his social media friend-list.
Stagnant in his comfort zone, Tahsin doesn’t really do anything to change
his suffocated life in this mega-city. But maybe Tahsin has a last chance.
The construction firm’s annual project competition is up. He’s prepared
an idealistic environmental housing project that offers green-space for its
inhabitants.
Tahsin’s nemesis at work kills a bee and puts it in the Tahsin’s model
home – just from spite.
On the night before the final presentation of the competition, at a bar he
meets the beautiful
“Siren” who lives in the Southern Coast of the country, the picture she
draws of her nature-centered life by the sea, away from technology, modernity and urban development, seems like a utopia to him. She leaves
him a photo of herself in front of her turquoise bay.
Meanwhile, a spider comes out of its crack to devour the bee and settles
snugly in the model home. In the result of the competition, Tahsin’s project
model is mocked. The spider causes havoc in the room and has a narrow
escape.
Tahsin dramatically leaves the office, goes home and packs his stuff. He’s
definitely getting out of this town, he’s going to find Siren and make an
alternative organic life for himself in the South. However, he is not the only
one wanting a new life - the spider, is on an odyssey of its own, also look-
10
ing for a way out of the city. One problem leads to another testing his sanity. This huge city will just not let him go. The more he hates the city, the
more it laughs at him.
The paths of the spider and Tahsin intersect at one point. Against all odds,
Tahsin gets out of Istanbul and arrives to the South. Smiling like a hero, he
takes the town’s entrance road, only to realize the on-going construction
of jam packed high-rises and a mini traffic-jam. He finds Siren’s photo in
his pocket and notices that the frame was just a small glimpse, a cropped
image shot from the vantage point between the buildings. He finds Siren
working as a barista in Starbucks, she asks if he’d like to go to the boxoffice hit playing at the multiplex tonight.
The Spider? He’s happy to have found a nice little green patch next to the
sea that where he starts weaving his web.
All around the world cities are becoming nightmarish and impossible to
live in. Endless construction, non-stop traffic, over-crowded public transportation are taking their toll on the inhabitants’ fragile psyches. Whereas
some places around the world are trying their best to control and limit
these problems others are perfectly content to let their cities run amok,
spreading voraciously like cancer. Istanbul is one of those.
The result is a nerve wrecking city where a commute of 3 hours each
way every day is considered normal. Where people are constantly on the
edge and ready to pick fights and where spaces to breathe are becoming a
commodity as valuable as gold.
Tahsin is one such citizen. A man who cannot take it anymore as everything else in his life is spiraling down. He comes from a generation of welleducated middle class, convinced that if he studied hard he could accomplish anything. Like many people, as soon as he brilliantly graduated, he
got slapped in the face by life, understanding quickly that reality and ideals
clash. Again like many; he put his dreams and ideals on hold for a short
time and joined the corporate world - which entrapped him like a spider
web, much like Istanbul itself.
What Tahsin experiences throughout the film is what a good part of “Istanbulites” deal with on a daily basis. The film plays out inevitably as a
comedy because most of what happens to people in this city is absurd.
Throughout this reversed Odysseus the film deals with the many aspects
and inhabitants of the city but more importantly it aims to explore and display the affects of the city on people.
It also challenges the defeatist attitude of the Turkish middle class which
constantly complains and dreams of running away but never can bring itself to push for change and get out of their comfort zone.
The film is a dark comedy with an ever increasing absurdity similar to After
Hours or the style of the Coen brothers. It is a very fluid and dynamic film
matching the rhythm of the city. I want to make this film resonate strongly
with anyone having lived in large metropolitan areas and display to people
living outside of the cities that massive development plans could soon
spread everywhere.
Ramin Matin has a degree in Communication Arts of Loyola Marymount
University and Filmmaking of Istanbul Bilgi University. In 2005 he cofounded Giyotin Films.
Films Crossing Borders, 2007 IDFA Academy, 2008 IFFR FIPRESCI Young
Critics Trainee Program, 2013 Cannes Producers Network and is a 2014
EAVE participant.
Among her productions are six short documentaries for Discovery Channel Europe, a feature-length documentary funded by the EU Commission
to Turkey and a Can Candan’s national award-winning docu 3 Hours
(2008). Her films win national and international awards. She is associate
producer for the award-winning director Özcan Alper’s Memories of The
Wind (2015) which is in production. Emine also works as a cinema
journalist.
The Monster’s Dinner, feature, 2011 (producer); The Impeccables,
feature, 2013 (writer, producer); Ziazan, short, 2014 (producer).
Giyotin Film
Address: Caferağa Mah. Gürbüz Türk Sokak, Sinem Apt. 18/5 Moda
İstanbul 34710
Tel.: +90216-4503311
E-mail: info@giyotinfilm.com
Web-site: http://www.giyotinfilm.com
His first feature “The Monsters’ Dinner” (2011) won awards at the Antalya Golden Orange, Ankara and Montpellier Film Festivals and has been
screened at the “No Limit” section of the Transylvania Film Festival. His
second film “The Impeccables” (2013) premiered at the Busan Film Festival and has moved on to receive the Best Film and Best Director Awards at
the Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival.
The Impeccables, feature, 2013 (director); The Monsters’ Dinner, feature, 2011 (director); An Oasis in the Desert: Sinassos, doc., 2006 (cinematographer); Unveiling the Turkish Woman, doc., 2005 (cinematographer); The Eternal Friend, short, 1999 (director, co-writer, editor); has
many short films and TV series, currently works on the development of
two feature films.
AEmine Yildirim has academic degrees in Business Administration
(METU) and MA in Film Studies (Istanbul Bilgi University). In 2005, she
co-founded Giyotin Film and started producing short films and documentaries. She attended the 2006 Euromed Audiovisual II Mediterranean
11
NEIGHBORS
Georgia, fiction, 100 min, 4K Video
Director: Grigol Abashidze
Producer: Joseph “Soso” Bliadze
PROJECT SYNOPSIS
The film will tell the story of the people who live in old, wrecked houses
that share a yard. To buy the yard and pull down the houses there comes
an investor, who offers them a certain amount of money. Everybody is
happy to agree except for one neighbor, Gia, who asks for more. Unlike the
other neighbors, Gia’s house is in good condition. He has a job and seems
to be well off. As the story goes on, it becomes clear that the investor will
by no means pay more than he has already offered and, on his side, Gia is
not going to change his mind.
The neighbors are afraid to lose the investor. They start to oppose Gia and
quarrel with him, and get in a frenzy with each other. They all have huge
problems, goals and dreams and count on the money they hope to get.
Towards the end of the film one of the neighbors kills Gia, but the police
cannot find the murderer. At the end of the film it turns out that the investor
is not buying the yard, so all hopes go up in smoke and the neighbors
remain in their yard, all together.
The story told in the film is derived from the severe economic burden
in my country. A lot of people live in old wrecked houses. Most of such
houses are located in the prestigious central districts of Tbilisi. There is
always a perspective and a hope that an investor will appear, buy these
old houses, demolish them and build new multiple-block building. The
people living in such houses nourish their lives with such thoughts.
The reason that led me to shooting a film on this issue is following:
A friend of mine lives in one of such houses. When an investor
approached their neighborhood, it turned out that all the neighbors were
willing to cooperate and sell their houses, except one. The friend was
12
telling me this story, describing the situation and we talked and tried to
think of how the problem could be solved, or why would somebody be
against selling his old house. In the discussion, an interesting story was
formed. And the most interesting was that the story we invented, could
have been easily occurred in his neighborhood. So we have decided to
work on the corresponding screenplay.
Derived from the character of the story during the creation of screenplay
we chose Tragicomedy, not to take the Camera out of the yard and not
to let anybody apart from the people living in the neighborhood and
the investor enter in. The film will be about the neighborhood and its
habitants who turn one regular neighborhood into “a war-field” for their
dreams and wellbeing.
Grigol Abashidze studied film directing and TV directing at Shota
Ruistaveli Theatre and Film Georgian State University. He has been one
of the twelve winners of the TBC bank contest of young film directors in
2012. He speaks Georgian, English, and Russian.
Lesson, short fiction, 2013 (director); Nika the Parrot, short fiction,
2011 (director); Entrance Hall, short fiction, 2010 (director); Monday,
short fiction, 2010 (director); Roses, short fiction, 2009 (director);
Taxi Drivers, doc., 2009 (director).
Joseph “Soso” Bliadze majored in Technical and Natural Sciences at
Tbilisi State University. He graduated with a major in Directing and now
studies Producing at Shota Rustaveli Theatre and Film Georgian State
University.
His recent short fiction film, The Most Precious (producer and director)
was officially selected at nine film festivals and received six awards.
Speaks: Georgian, English, and Russian.
The Most Precious, short fiction, 2012 (director, producer); Entr’acte,
short fiction, 2011 (director, producer); Obsession, short fiction, 2009
(director, producer).
Address: 14/20 Kekelidze Str., Tbilisi, Georgia 0179
Tel.: +995-558-225590
E-mail: gigisha88@gmail.com
13
THE LAST INHABITANT
Armenia/Lithuania, fiction, 90 min, DCP
Director: Jivan Avetisyan
Producer: Masis Baghdasaryan
Co-producer: Kęstutis Drazdauskas
Production Company: “Fish eye Art” Cultural Foundation
PROJECT SYNOPSIS
In an Armenian village, evicted as a result of the Armenia-Azerbaijan
conflict, Abgar stays behind all alone in a gradually shrinking enemy ring.
He waits for his daughter, who witnessed her husband’s murder by a
furious crowd and was hospitalized with a mental disorder. Hoping to find
his daughter, Abgar appeals to his friend of forty years, an Azeri named
Ibrahim. A few days later, Ibrahim finds the girl, named Yurga in one of the
psychiatric hospitals of Baku and brings her to Abgar. He is planning to
leave the village with his daughter when he is forced to use his carpenter
skills for the construction of a new barrack. Abgar understands that this
work in the Azerbaijani villages will be endless, and that he is trapped.
Day after day, Abgar, the real owner of an abandoned paradise, spends
his days in a terrible silence of the devastated village, in the nightly roar of
dogs guarding the thresholds of their owners’ houses, in the presence of
an unresponsive daughter, not even recognizing her own father. It seems
Abgar lives among spirits. His only companions are dogs, feeding them
and talking to each of them, as if talking to their owners. Abgar talks
about everything that is happening in the village and in his soul with
his daughter, who lives in delusion. Father and daughter live quietly and
silently, trying to be excluded from the world around them. However, the
situation gradually deteriorates, food runs out, the hope to see relatives
fades and the danger from the enemy’s grip increases. Elements of
robbery and crime appear in the village chaotically. Abgar witnesses his
corner of heavenly paradise gradually turning into hell, where the only
way out is to escape.
From Ibrahim, Abgar becomes aware one day in advance that his sons
will land in the village with a helicopter, which they have acquired by
bribing military officers, and take them away. However, this hope for
salvation disappears.
The leader of the Azerbaijani gang eventually exercises his intention
and attempts to rape Abgar’s daughter. Abgar manages to rescue his
daughter and kills the Azeri, immediately leaving the house with his
daughter in order to avoid persecution. The next day, when Abgar’s sons
land in the helicopter at the site near the village school, a bandit group
surrounds the helicopter. Keeping an eye on them from the forest, Abgar
realizes not only the hopelessness of his salvation, but also the fact that
14
his sons are in danger. Incessant shots of the bandit group force the pilots
to take off. Abgar has no other choice but to break the enemy ring through
treacherous and deserted places.
Despite the danger, Ibrahim joins Abgar’s audacious plan. However,
being blockaded on the way to escape, Abgar dies. Holding the girl’s
hand and then carrying her on his shoulders, Ibrahim brings Yurga to the
Armenian border by the mountainous path, partly covered with snow.
Deportation of people from their native lands takes place at all time and
in many nations. This story, The Last Inhabitant of Gyurjevan by Tsovinar
Khachatryan is about the expulsion of an Armenian village in Azerbaijan in
1988, and it seemed very interesting to me at first sight. The natural and
peaceful life of a small mountainous village was disturbed. The increased
inter-ethnic conflict included everyone and everything. The increased
alarm spread confusion, lots of things were unclear for people, and future
had become uncertain and frightening.
The situation was resolved with the expulsion of the village. The villagers
are all deported, except for the 70 years old Abgar who stays there alone
with his mentally traumatized daughter.
This real fact opened a new door of deliberations for me: how can a man
live alone for months in a hostile environment, when every second there
is a threat on his and his most dearest daughter’s lives. Abgar is alone
in this small village where there are no conversations at all. The family
portraits hanging on the walls of the lifeless houses, the shoes of all
sizes scattered everywhere in the hallways of various houses, children’s
handcrafted toys and people’s homemade work tools, all portray the
owners of the village, their livelihood, lifestyle, and joys in such a manner
that taciturn Abgar is often unable to be silent: he speaks, gets joyful,
argues, blames... Abgar seems to be surrounded with spirits.
Abgar’s silent hours are full of voices from the past peaceful life: the
real images are in contrast with those delightful and joyful voices. Abgar
needs communication. He tells his daughter who is living in delusion
about everything, trying to bring her back to reality with his precious
memories and conversations.
Abgar’s exile in this hostile environment lasts from early spring till the
first winter snow. Apricot trees are blooming, the white flakes of their
flowers are vibrating in the air… it is spring. The dogs hide from the
midday sun in the shadows of the house walls, the hot days’ idleness is
more emphasized by the monotone buzz in the air, the big black and red
mulberries are scattered under the tree... it is summer. Large flakes of
snow are dancing in the air, like apricot flower petals going down to the
ground... it is winter.
On that day of winter, on his way to escape, during the fight with the
chasers, Abgar is burnt to death at the barn, and Ibrahim, under the
nightfall snow, pulls and drags the girl trying to save her life. Everything
is covered with snow; while fear, evil, and savagery are left behind... big
white flakes of snow are falling down on this sad and bright story of
human love and sacrifice.
The film is about people who have appeared in hell after they have lost
their paradise, people who are saved by love, virtue and self-sacrifice.
Jivan Avetisyan received his majour in feature film directing at Yerevan
State Institute of Theater and Cinema. He has attended professional
training at the Golden Apricot DAB Forum and Institute for War & Peace
Reporting. For over five years he worked as a Film and Programme
Director at the “Yerkir Media” TV Company; presently is a Director of the
“Fish eye Art” Cultural Foundation.
His film the “Broken Childhood”, “The Dawn is Peaceful in Artsakh”, and
“Life Unobserved” have received international awards. Jivan’s projects
participate at the Cannes Film Market.
Tevanik, feature, 2014 (producer).
CO-PRODUCER’S BIOGRAPHY
Kęstutis Drazdauskas studied English Language and Literature at
University of Vilnius. In 1995 he joins the film industry as an Assistant
Director and then as a Producer. Soon he has become one of the
most successful producers in Lithuania. In 2003 he founded his own
production company ARTBOX, which has produced a number of
short films and features, as well as several hundred TV commercials.
Apart from being a producer Kęstutis is also a businessman. He has
co-founded several companies which work in different areas of film
industry. He initiated the establishment of Vilnius Film Cluster, which at
present unites 3 production companies and 6 film service companies.
Kęstutis is a member of the board of Lithuanian Independent Producers
Association and a member of National Association of Creative and
Cultural Industries.
Tevanik, feature, 2014 (co-producer); Santa, feature, 2013 (producer);
Letters to Sofia, feature, 2013 (co-producer); An Elegy for Honey and
Tar, doc., 2013 (producer), God’s got his head in the clouds, feature,
2012 (producer); Rendezvous, feature, 2011 (producer); Our Father,
feature, 2010 (producer); It Would Be Splendid, yet…, feature, 2009
(producer); My Father, feature, 2007 (producer); Dancing Worm,
short feature, 2007 (producer); Diring, feature, 2006 (producer);
White on Blue, feature short, 2004 (producer); Sunday As It Is, feature
short, 2003 (producer).
Tevanik, feature, 2014; Broken Childhood, feature short, 2013; Road
to…, short doc., 2012; Karabakh a Hidden Treasure, short doc,
2011; Dream Found, feature, 2010; Armenians from Mrav to Araks
River, doc. 2010; Protocol Trap, doc, 2010; Enemy Hammer, short
doc., 2010; Saved Fraction, short doc., 2010; Devided Couple, short
doc., 2010; Quartered Cross, short doc., 2010; Vital Movements,
short doc, 2010; Veiled Armenians, short doc., 2009; Promoshn
Films, short doc., 2009; Wick Filled with Smoke, doc, 2009; The
Dawn is Peaceful in Artsakh, feature, 2007; Life Unobserved, feature,
2006; Along the Paths of one’s Own History, doc, 2005; Towards the
Wind, doc, 2004; Illusion, feature short, 2001; My First Love, feature
short, 1999 (director in all).
“Fish eye Art” Cultural Foundation
Address: 2 Kievyan Str., Yerevan, Armenia 0028
Tel.: +374-77-316230, +374-93-777222
E-mail: fisheyeart.foundation@gmail.com, masisbag@gmail.com
Web-site: www.fisheyeart.org
Masis Baghdasaryan is a graduate of Yerevan State University,
Department of Physics; PhD Candidate in Physics and Mathematics.
In 2001-2014 he worked as Chief of Staff in the Ministry of Urban
Development. Presently is the Chairman of Board of Trustees of «Fish
eye Art» Cultural Foundation.
15
DEAR ARMEN
Canada/Armenia, fiction, 100 min, HD
Director: Kamee Abrahamian
Producer: Kamee Abrahamian
Production Company: Saboteur Productions
PROJECT SYNOPSIS
By request of a Canadian biographer (Nora), an archivist at the Yerevan
Museum of Literature and Arts gathers documents on Armen Ohanian,
an enigmatic Armenian performer from the 1900’s.
Following the trail of breadcrumbs left behind by Ohanian, Nora travels
from city to city in search for the materials needed for her biography. In
a synchronous storyline, a young vagabond (Lee) sets on an endless
voyage across the globe; mirroring Ohanian’s fragmented spirit in her
endless pursuit for true love and a true home.
All three characters are insentiently in pursuit of a complex truth,
imprinting their own experiences – both personal and collective – onto
this search. The narratives intertwine as the women share a thread
that steers them through their respective journeys. Ohanian’s story is
provocative, even in current times, particularly in her experimental use
of masks- in the context of crafting her art as well as herself.
Through performance and literature, she forged an unorthodox body
of work that played with female archetypes, which challenged social
mores of gender and identity. As Nora struggles to research and
uncover facts of Ohanian’s biography, the archivist takes a more
contemplative approach to unveiling the mysterious dancer’s persona.
As the story unravels, it becomes clear that the archivist’s quest is
an allegory for her long avoided introspection, while Lee’s character
represents the overarching existential question of human existence
embodied by Ohanian: whether life is an aimless journey or a pilgrimage.
My attraction to Ohanian’s story is rooted in mutuality. Her self-proclaimed
life as an artist and an exile is analogous to my relationship to the Armenian
16
culture as a female artist. She was without a doubt ahead of her time and
can be compared to the likes of inspirational figures such as Frida Kahlo
and Sarah Bernhardt. There is still much about her life that is undetermined
and many of the facts in her biography are constantly being updated. In
my frequent conversations with Ohanian’s biographer, I am often informed
of new facts and mysteries about her life, which sent me back to the script
for adjustments.
One example of a vital detail that Ohanian intentionally hid from her
memoires is that she had a daughter. The reason for this omission can
only be speculated, as we have no contact with her offspring. It has been
suggested that we film a documentary or a biopic; but after struggling for
some time to unearth this woman’s life and true persona, I realized that it
would be impossible to capture her spirit on screen by taking a traditional
approach. Ohanian was extremely clever in her process of masking and
unmasking, in her crafting of her body of work and her identity. Alas,
instead of sifting through the variances between biographical facts and the
fiction she weaved into her memoires, I decided to fictionalize a tale about
the search itself. What I hope to convey to the audience is a thoughtful,
existential consideration of human existence that is embodied by Ohanian:
whether life is an aimless journey or a pilgrimage.
The goal is to depict her as the mystery that she is, to present a narrative
that personifies the struggle that is to know her completely. This film
invites the viewer on a journey through the layers found in the mind of
such an alluring and provocative artist, an eternal struggle with identity,
and the infinite search for a true home.
DIRECTOR’S / PRODUCER’S BIOGRAPHY
Kamee Abrahamian is a multidisciplinary artist, performer, and
producer born in Toronto, Canada. She received her BFA in cinema
and a BA in political science at Concordia University in Montreal;
and recently graduated with a master’s degree in Expressive Art
Therapy from the European Graduate School with a special focus
on integration of digital media and film.
She has exhibited her work as well as performed on stage
internationally and has been directing and producing theatre and
video projects since 2007. Kamee is currently nomadic and splits
her time on a plethora of work under the umbrella of her production
company, Saboteur Productions. She has produced international
shows in Armenia, Canada, and USA.
DIRECTOR’S / PRODUCER’S FILMOGRAPHY
All is Found, short film series, 2014 (producer, director); Stone Time
Touch, full-length docudrama, 2007 (actor).
Saboteur Productions
Tel.: Canada: +1-514-262-5879, Armenia: +374-77-290487
E-mail: lorikamee@gmail.com
Web-site: www.saboteurproductions.com
17
ONE WAY TICKET
Georgia/France/Germany, fiction, 90 min, HD
Director: Tinatin Kajrishvili
Producer: Lasha Khalvashi
Production Company: “Artizm” Producing Center
PROJECT SYNOPSIS
in his life desperately fights to see his beloved woman.
In the traditional society, where family has been the main value, the
number of the couples taking this responsibility is decreasing. In
Georgia twenty years ago divorce was unacceptable but now most of
people divorce and prefer part-time love without obligations.
Giorgi is a divorced young man from a traditional family. He doesn’t
oblige himself to take care of his daughter, and avoids meetings with
his ex-wife. While Giorgi’s mother is demanding him to get married
again and is permanently looking for a virgin, a good match for him.
Giogi is the lover of Margo, successful business lady, twenty years
older than him. For Giorgi passion is gone but Margo surrounds him
with comfort and saves from loneliness. Giorgi has sex partner on the
side, but one day falls in love with another young girl Ani. He doesn’t
want to break up with Margo and leave easy life. Ani, annoyed with
Giorgi’s behavior gets married to another man, Guram, who seriously
cares to have good family. Next to a traditional and a demanding man
in everyday family routine, Ani feels herself trapped and divorces very
soon. She joins the world of single women hunting for men and looking
for lovers who will not spread a word about their sexual relations.
Reputation matters because the society condemns immorality.
Realizing that Giorgi will never make decision and change anything, Ani
leaves him and moves to another country. Giorigi’s heart breaks and he
understands that he needs to change something. He ends all his affairs,
sells his belongings and buys a one way ticket.
Ani, exited that finally Giorgi can follow his own will, waits for him in
the airport. Time passes but he doesn’t appear. Giorgi is stopped by an
emigration officer, who doesn’t allow him to enter the country because
of his one way ticket. Ani feels insulted, considers he made a bad joke,
turns and goes out from the airport, meanwhile Giorgi for the first time
18
I was inspired to write this story after observing changes in private lives
of people around me. In patriarchal society where man was dominant
to take decision and morality was kept by family, unexpectedly during
last decade everything changed. Man became weak and woman took
power to lead their private life. Women find ways to be economically
independent, while men cannot find their place and adapt to the new
reality. This process influenced their private lives. Independent women
don’t want to be bound in family relation if there is no compensation for
it. Now - like decades ago, sex before marriage is still unacceptable in
the villages. Now in transition period, couples can have sex but need to
hide it. Men were used to have sex out of marriage only with prostitutes,
until now they cannot change their opinions.
Most of men lead life of my main character, they have affairs with
several women at the same time, one woman (mostly older than them)
to build career or to have place to escape from the family, second
woman must be for passion and sex only, and third most important
woman which they fall in love or dream from childhood (this woman
has to be unreachable). They want to marry the third one but don’t have
courage to give up previous two relations. Mothers have very important
role, as they always observe their son’s private life and have a better
option than their son has chosen. At certain moment, when a man
reaches the age when they must have family and kids, mostly they end
up with the woman they wouldn’t have ever thought of. So private life
is very complex and all women have their deserved place according to
hierarchical order.
In my film I want to show social background of these complex relations,
in the society which follows fundamental religious rules. They are told it
is a sin to have sex without religious marriage, and they will be burned
in hell, but the only solution for them is to hide it from others. Finally, my
main characters escape from the country, at least to be out from this
hidden net which involves nearly everyone.
I choose to tell the story with black humor, to underline absurdity of the
situation. None of the characters are positive, but all of them have their
truth and motivation, they want to be loved but they can’t demand it,
and have to agree at least to have part time love without obligations.
They are not guilty but they have to follow demands of the society
which doesn’t allow them to act and live in another way.
short, 2012 (producer); Temo, short, 2012 (producer); District, short,
2013 (producer); Brother, feature film, 2013 (co-producer); Brides,
feature film, 2013 (co-producer).
“Artizm” Producing Center
Address: 33 Lado Asatiani Str., Tbilisi, Georgia 0105
Tel.: +995-595-926206
E-mail: studioartizm@gmail.com; lashafilm@gmail.com
DIRECTORS’ BIOGRAPHIES
Tinatin Kajrishvili graduated from the Theatre and Film University
of Georgia, with qualification of film director. In 2006 she moved to
producing, and attended IFACS workshop (2007), Interchange, Torino
Film Lab, DIFF, EAVE workshop and graduated from EAVE in 2009.
During this period she produced, directed and made scripts for several
shorts, features and documentaries.
In 2014 she directed her first feature film BRIDES that won the 3rd
Place Panorama Audience Award - Film fiction in Berlinale and was
selected to Tribeca Film Festival: World Narrative Competition.
DIRECTORS’ FILMOGRAPHIES
Brides, feature, 2014 (director); Paradjanov, feature, 2013 (coproducer); Black Mulberry, short feature, 2012 (producer); Not
White-Black, feature, 2011 (producer); Nest, short, 2011 (producer);
Unknown Soldiers, feature, 2008 (producer).
Lasha Khalvashi has majored in Law and Economics. In 2010-2013
attended various workshops and classes for film producers. His focus
is film producing and creative industries. He is a member of the Union of
Georgian Filmmakers; Member of the Film Producers Guild of Georgia.
He has founded the “Artizm” Producing Center. Speaks: Georgian,
English, and Russian.
PRODUCERS FILMOGRAPHY
The Guardian, feature, 2011 (co-producer); Laguna Vere, short, 2012
(producer); Paradjanov, feature, 2012 (co-producer); Policeman,
19
LET IT BE
Ukraine, fiction, 90 min, HD
Director: Alisa Pavlovskaya
Producer: Maksym Firsenko
Production Company: Porto-Franco Film Studio LLC
PROJECT SYNOPSIS
Alex is living in the world of big business and big money, and in
this world he often has to break the law. He’s a «black realtor». His
company outbids land and real estate under the illegal construction for
shopping centers, hotels or government villas.
Alex feels disadvantages of the material world and pursues the road
of spiritual search. He spends a lot of money on alcohol, drugs and
parties.
In spite of this, Alex is looking for the meaning of life in something
sublime but when he finds it, his world starts to burn with fever of the
revolution in his country.
I wanted to create a kind of the Sixties’ America. The Woodstock
festival. Hippie time but put into the realities of our time and postUSSR. Woodstock here is like a symbol of freedom and love against
the crudeness of modern society. For me hippies represent particular
mode of life and language but not merely an ephemeral symbol of
epoch.
I’m interested in creating several worlds and putting them in collision:
1. Void and cold high-tech world of Alex.
2. Warm, bright and creative world of Veniamin and his friends.
3. World of battlefire, anarchy and non-conformism, in which Lenya
lives.
The film’s genre is a mystic drama. Its pace is dynamic in the city
where Alex lives and meditative in the Veniamin’s settlement. The film
20
will also show psychedelic trips. Shot from the unusual angles and in
an unusual color scheme as if they are coming right from Veniamin’s
paintings. There will be many references to art since Veniamin is a
painter.
There will be a lot of music in the film. Rock and roll and blues.
Veniamin’s house, the base of the film’s plot, is a symbol of the man’s
inner world. It is constantly changing. It is shown in the colours of
ancient oil paintings like Vermeer’s or Raphael. Nadya, Veniamin’s wife,
symbolizes the past that should be let go.
Main accents. Essence and effect: This is the story of our generation.
A wise father meets his prodigal son. They differ socially but are much
alike mentally – they both look for the truth. They are both fatalists. This
is the story of a gifted young man Lenya who gave his life in vain, for
those who care just for their power and their money. The plot hints at
the events in the Ukraine where the struggle for power kills innocent
idealists.
Alisa Pavlovskaya was born in an artistic family in Russia. Graduated
DOP department at VGIK University (Moscow). As a student she
has shot a few documentary films about life in Russia. She’s first
experimental half-documentary future film “I don’t Wanna Die” was
premiered in the non-competition program of Moscow IFF and national
competition of Odessa IFF in 2013.
Be happy, doc., 2012 (director); I Don’t Wanna Die, feature, 2013
(director).
Maksym Firsenko holds MA degree in Journalism from Odessa National
University (2006) and Public Administration from ORIPA NAPA office of
the President of Ukraine (2009). In 2009 he graduated Odessa Film
School of Vera Kholodnaya and in 2011 International Film School of
Baltic, CIS and Georgia. Now Maksym is working on his PhD social
communications program.
Porto-Franco Film Studio LLC
Address: 35A Preobrazhenskaya Str., apt. 15, Ukraine 65045
Tel.: +380-50-4904802
E-mail: firsenko@yahoo.com
Web-site: www.pff.com.ua
Bride of Snake, feature, 2014 (producer); The South Scenario,
feature, 2014 (producer); Everyone Has His Own Chekov (almanac),
2012 (producer); I don’t Wanna Die, (feature) 2013 (producer).
21
LONG GARDENS
Armenia/Azerbaijan, documentary, 90 min, HD
Director: Nika Shek (Yevgeniya Shekoyan)
Producers: Sarik Hovsepyan, Shushan Kocharyan,
Eldar Albertson
Production Company: Fund after Aghasi Ayvazyan
Gegham, just hating Azerbaijanis, does not even suspect that on the
other side of the border he has grandmother whose son died in the
Karabakh war.
This mythic situation of people who have parted in peace and,
the story of Arpi who loved an Azeri and gave birth to his child,
is a common story of human relations on the background of this
“strange” war.
PROJECT SYNOPSIS
In 1989, at the height of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan,
inhabitants of two villages, by their own initiative, peacefully
exchanged villages, houses and properties. The civil contract was
concluded through an agreement to take care of each others graves
left in the villages.
The second story about human relations set on the background of
this “strange” war – is about the authors of this film – four filmmakers
from Armenia and Azerbaijan, about the development of their
relations. We decided to create this film, despite everything, without
having any opportunities of co-production contract and with the risk
to be “traitors” of our countries.
Arpi (44 years old) was among the people who moved from Azerbaijan
to Armenia. She has no one but her son Gegham (24 years old).
“Long Gardens” is the first joint project of independent filmmakers
from Armenia and Azerbaijan. First of all it’s interesting in fact that
this will be the first attempt to make a common film project where the
parties are in a 25 years confrontation.
War has divided her life, as the life of the other inhabitants of the
village, into two parts. Arpi often remembers everything she left in
her birthplace: parents, childhood, relatives, friends and… her first
and only love.
Also, this project is unique in that it needs the support of the third –
neutral party, who will act as both – the general producer and budget
distributor, and will be intermediary for creating a common platform
on the final postproduction stage.
The second part of her life is a struggle for survival, lonely motherhood
and a secret that does not give her peace of mind all these years - the
father of her son is Azerbaijani.
Participation and presentation of the project on different co-production
markets is already a huge support for creating the film, it allows us to
meet each other on neutral territory for filming the second and very
important part of the project, because we are deprived of opportunity
to meet each other in our countries.
Arpi hesitates to reveal the truth to Gegham, because he, as most of
the children that grew up during the war, thinks that Azeri people are
the enemy. All these years, Arpi lives in permanent fear that someone
will tell the secret to her son.
22
We can receive some part of financing from Armenian National
Cinema Center but as we can’t do the same in Azerbaijan (Azerbaijani
government do not support co-productions with Armenia), our
principal position is not to apply for government money because this
will put a political issue in our project which we want to avoid.
Shushan Kocharyan is a musician by education. Engaged in film
producing since 2010. Works as a Producer at the Fund after Aghasi
Ayvazyan. Produced two shorts and three documentaries.
We, as representatives of opposing sides, throughout the life are
under the pressure of the past and the threat of repeating the same
tragedy in the nearest future.
Eldar Albertson studied cinema directing at the International School of
Rustam Ibragimbekov (Baku, Azerbaijan). From 2010 he got involved
in short film productions as an Assistant Director, cameraman and
Sound Producer. As a Director he made his first short film «An Eye
on Europe: Facing the Reverse» in 2012.
Unfortunately, there are so many frontlines on our planet and we want
to tell about this stunning civil act in the hope that it will be an example
if not for the politicians but at least for the ordinary people.
Sarik Hovsepyan
Nika Shek (Yevgeniya Shekoyan) graduated the Russian State
University of Cinematography (VGIK). Worked as a Creative Producer
at the “Andreevsky Flag” Production Company (Moscow), and as a
Deputy Director at the “Golden Apricot” Yerevan International Film
Festival. She has also worked as an Art-Director in Germany. She
has directed and produced several documentaries, shorts and one
feature film.
From Two Worlds As a Keepsake, feature, 2012; We And Our
Mountains, short doc., 2007; Who We Are?, doc., 2007; EXODUS,
doc., 2007; One Gate Game, doc., 2005; I Was Born Here, doc.,
2004; Don’t Let The Sky Fall, short feature, 2003; Only One Stair,
doc., 2003; There I saw the World, short feature, 2002 (producer
in all).
Her first feature “From Two Worlds As a Keepsake” is the first
Armenian film to be distributed to U.S.A. and Canada (the Global Film
Initiative). The World Premiere of the film took place at the Montreal
World Film Festival in 2013.
With the “Long Gardens” project she has participated in Locarno
Open Doors IFF, Open Doors (Switzerland), and East Doc Platform of
One World IFF (Prague).
Fund after Aghasi Ayvazyan
Address: 1 Komitas Ave. Yerevan, Armenia 0033
Tel.: +374-94-905445
E-mail: nikashek@gmail.com
From Two Worlds As a Keepsake, feature, 2013; We And Our
Mountains, short doc., 2007; EXODUS, doc., 2007; Who We Are,
doc., 2007; Women’s Happiness or Men’s Dignity, doc., 2006; One
Gate Game, doc., 2005; Oh!, short feature, 2004; I Was Born Here,
doc., 2004; Don’t Let The Sky Fall, short feature, 2003; Only One
Stair, doc., 2003; There I saw the World, feature-doc. (diploma
work), 2002; The Song of Stones, short doc., 2002; Piano, short
feature, 2001; Is Better To Hold Back, short computer graphic, 2000;
Ei, Ei, Sir!, short doc., 1999; The Door, feature, 1998 (director in all).
Sarik Hovsepyan is a Lawyer by education. He became engaged
in film producing since 2002. He produced several shorts,
documentaries and one feature film.
23
KALEIDOSCOPE
Georgia, fiction, 90 min, HD
Director: Tamta Gabrichidze
Producer: Lasha Khalvashi
Production Company: “Artizm” Producing Center
PROJECT SYNOPSIS
A magic adventure of five strange men locked in a kindergarten hiding
from death.
After refusing to continue his treatment, NIKO (43) leaves the hospital
and visits the places that hold memories. Niko decides to go to the
kindergarten, The work-day is finished so he enters the building like a
thief. There he meets three strange men; a drug addict MIKI (25), senior
general TAMAZ (72), and the morgue personnel GUJA (50). All entered
the kindergarten like Niko did, like thieves. While the strangers are trying to
figure out what’s the reason for each of them to be in the kindergarten, an
accident takes place outside and they have to remain inside the building till
the situation calms down.
There is an ongoing conflict between the men of different age, interests
and viewpoint which is getting more intense in the closed space. They
change the way they treat each other only when Niko unites the men in the
game which brings them back to childhood. The men act the same way
as they would in ages of 4-5.
From night till the morning, comic yet dramatic events relate them in the
closest way. But everything magical disappears as the sun starts to rise,
right when the real life begins.
I was nervous about my weight, about bills, about job, about money,
about boyfriend, about TV shows, about weather... then I saw a death, it
was real, it was white and very cold. It was in hospital, where people with
incurable illness were trying to save their lives. I realized we can change
everything, but … Since that very time I try to find out about how people
on their deathbed feel. After reading a lot material and meeting many
people I think I’ve managed to find the answer - they try to hide and they
24
dream to start from the very beginning, fresh from childhood. I made a
decision to film what’s eternal - the death.
The genre of Kaleidoscope is drama, full of humour and comic situations.
The movie develops in present day Tbilisi, Georgia. Each character is
the face of today’s society. All the contemporary problems starting from
politics ending with street life is alongside in the main story.
Kaleidoscope tells a story of death but the term itself is never mentioned.
My will is to leave it up to the audience, to feel the subject which can’t be
seen visually or heard in dialogues.
I would like to create a picture showing realistic world as well as realistic,
but inaccessible for grownups, the childhood, which we have left behind.
So the story visually will be divided into two parts: inside and outside
of the kindergarten; the first part shows characters in their usual habitat,
the goal of camera will be to show each of them aesthetically closest
to their temper. For example the young drug addict Mikis’ scene will be
more chaotic than protagonist Nikos, who is an artist and has his own
vision towards the universe. The second part (in the kindergarten) will be
more poetical, quieter, and contemporary fantasy style. In spite of such
separating, the enitire movie will have photo-esthetic image in the visual
picture, Static camera movements and cold/stiff colours. My intention
is to allow the audience to become direct participants in all the events
onscreen.
An emotional side of the movie will be intensified with music which is
important part of my life and also plays significant role in all my creations.
Tamta Gabrichidze studied film making at the Shota Rustaveli Theatre and
Film Georgian State University and PR at the Georgian Institute of Public
Affairs (GIPA). She has working experience as a director and scriptwriter;
participated in the production of over ten short films.
She is a director of three documentary and three short films. Her last
short film “LADY I” was nominated in more than fifteen international film
festivals and earned several awards.
Film about Film, doc., 2010 (director); The Butcher, short doc., 2008
(second director); HOMO PICTURES, doc., 2008 (director); ART Model,
short, 2007 (director); LADY I, Short, 2012 (director).
Lasha Khalvashi has majored in Law and Economics. In 2010-2013
attended various workshops and classes for film producers. His focus
is film producing and creative industries. He is a member of the Union of
Georgian Filmmakers; Member of the Film Producers Guild of Georgia.
He has founded the “Artizm” Producing Center. Speaks: Georgian, English,
and Russian.
The Guardian, feature, 2011 (co-producer); Laguna Vere, short, 2012
(producer); Paradjanov, feature, 2012 (co-producer); Policeman, short,
2012 (producer); Temo, short, 2012 (producer), District, short, 2013
(producer); Brother, feature film, 2013 (co-producer); Brides, feature
film, 2013 (co-producer).
PRODUCTION COMPANIES CONTACTS
“Artizm” Producing Center
Address: 33 Lado Asatiani Str., Tbilisi, Georgia 0105
Tel.: +995-595-926206; +995-599-230090
Email: studioartizm@gmail.com; lashafilm@gmail.com
25
TATTOO
Armenia/Sweden, fiction, 90 min, HD
Directors: Suzanne Khardalian, Vahan Stepanyan
Producer: PeÅ Holmquist
Production Company: HB PeÅ Holmquist Film
PROJECT SYNOPSIS
The film events start in contemporary Germany. Future journalist
Christine’s (the main hero of the film) mother is planning to attend an
international conference on genocide and present a paper on women
who are victims of the genocide in Darfur and Rwanda. In both cases
many thousand victims and mass rapes of women and girls went parallel
with the genocide. The paper is focused on the lack of interest by world
leaders (the majority of whom are men) towards the problems of women
in international and religious conflicts. Christine’s mother is going to call
to UN for pressing the International Criminal Court to admit rape as a
crime against humanity and to try the rape suspects as war criminals.
Christine’s mother tells her about all this over the phone (Christine lives
in Sweden). Right after the phone conversation with her daughter, she
leaves the hotel and wants to take a taxi. While crossing the street, a
Mercedes roaring with high speed tears directly along her and disappears.
The mother’s colleague informs Christine about this and advises to be
careful, since it looks like a revenge for the mother’s attempts to search
and punish organizers of the genocide.
Christine finds in the table drawer a newspaper yellowed from time. She
reads about a murder committed in 1965 in Beirut. The murderer was an
elderly woman with tattoos on her face. Her family name was the same as
Christine’s. The article reported that at the time of the murder the woman
was mentally incompetent and was sent to mental hospital.
In the morning, Christine leaves for Berlin to see her mother, who got
away with a brain concussion and fractured hand. Christine hands her the
newspaper and asks about the woman. The mother tells that this is her
great grandmother, who was born in the Western Armenia and survived
the Genocide in 1915. Then she was 12 and witnessed the murder of her
parents and three brothers. She was saved by a miracle and ran to Syria,
from there to Beirut.
Christine packs her things and leaves for Beirut. She starts her first
journalistic investigation in search of traces of the great grandmother’s
26
life. In the family archive of Beirut Armenians,
Christine finds many photos of young girls with similar strange tattoos
on their faces. She finds out that Turks tattooed all Armenian kidnapped
women and girls and made them sexual slaves. Christine was puzzled by
the great grandmother’s will to live after this nightmare and have her own
family and children.
Christine’s articles and her mother’s paper revealing appalling facts of
kidnapping and rapes during 1915 Genocide drew a wide response.
Through social networks, Christine turns to all women in Sweden to
protest against Turkey and demand admitting its fault.
Early in one morning Stockholm streets were filled with many women
of various nationalities and races. In solidarity they temporarily tattooed
their faces.
The world history shows that during wartime, conflict and genocide,
women and girls, elderly people and children are the most vulnerable
groups. They have universal human rights.
The film reveals violence against women and children during various
genocides. The film script is based on real events. This is a glance from
the 21st century on the events, which happened 100 years ago. Through
the main hero of the film – Christine – the film reveals some crimes
committed towards women and girls in the beginning of the past century
in the Ottoman Turkey. These crimes are hardly known and a few people
speak about them.
The shooting will be carried out in several countries – Sweden, Germany,
Turkey, and Lebanon. The filming will include the three timelines:
- 1915-1920: scenes of the violence, the grandmother was just
12-13-year-old (throughChristina’s perception and dreams);
- Post-genocide period: the main focus will be on the psychological state
of women, who have hardly survived. Human stories will be presented;
- Nowadays life: Sweden, Germany, Lebanon.
The film is a work of fiction, but based on real events. This will be
the continuation of Suzan Khardalyan’s “My Grandmother’s Tatoos”
documentary. Notwithstanding the complicated topic, the film will be
dynamic with elements of humor, which will bring emotional contrast and
culmination. The film will be in a modern classical style.
The film will be in dark colors. The reminiscences, perceptions and
genocide related scenes will be in black and white tones, and will be
partly in documentary style. There will be little music but to the point. The
music will be both modern, and classical.
The main hero – Christine – is a 21-23-year-old woman, who lives in
Stockholm and like her peers, has dreams and career goals. She is hot
tempered and loves being independent. Christine’s mother is a mature
woman, who is full of energy and involved in her work. They live together.
Suzanne Khardalian is an independent filmmaker, writer and journalist.
Born in Beirut, studied in France and the USA she moved to Sweden in
1987. Since then she has been working as a Writer and as a Filmmaker
in Sweden.
Her film “Back to Ararat” was the first feature length documentary to tell
the story of the first Genocide (Armenian Genocide) of the 20th century.
The film had international distribution and harvested numerous awards.
Her films have participated in the festivals worldwide and received
awards in Sweden, France, The Netherlands, Germany, Canada, U.S.A.,
and other countries.
Vahan Stepanyan - with extensive experience in film production (including
script writing, directing, creative directing, musical editing etc.,) he has
background in Architecture and Construction. He worked as a Graphics
Designer in Armenia, Poland and U.S.A.
He was the film director of many films, including Sunrise over Lake
Van, Maneken short-series, Poprishchin and Anna Karenina - where he
acted as an art director and animator.
Suzanne Khardalian
Grandma’s Tattoos, doc., 2011; Young Freud in Gaza, doc., 2008;
BULLSHIT, full-length doc., 2006; I hate Dogs - The Last Survivor, doc.,
2005; Where Lies My Victory?, full-length doc., 2002; Words and Stones
– Gaza 2000, short doc., 2001; From Opium to Chrysanthemums,
feature, 2000; Her Armenian Prince, doc, 1997; The Lion From Gaza,
short feature, 1996; Unsafe Ground, feature, 1993; They Knocked On
Our Door, TV doc., 1991; Back to Ararat, full-length doc., 1988 (director
in all).
Vahan Stepanyan
Sunrise over Lake Van, feature, 2012 (director); The Mannequin,
silent comedy, 2011 (director); Anna Karenina, feature, 2008 (painteranimator); Poprishchin, feature, 2006 (painter-animator); Don’t Cry,
Physicist, The Director, Anouche and More, short series for children,
2006-2013 (director); Phoneathon, doc., 2012 (director); Open Your
Wings, Child, doc., 2013 (director).
PeÅ Holmquist began as a photographer and has worked in the
documentary field for more than 40 years, making more than 60
documentary films mostly out of social context often with stories from the
Middle East. PeÅ is Professor in documentary film at SADA (Stockholm
Academy of Dramatic Arts). He was the first Chairman of the European
Documentary Network 1995-99.
PeÅ makes most of his films with director Suzanne Khardalian and they
have produced many prize winning films like The Battle of Jerusalem,
Gaza Ghetto, Back to Ararat, Bullshit, From Opium to Chrysanthemums,
My Dad - the Inspector, Young Freud in Gaza, Grandma’s Tattoos, etc.
They form the production company HB PeÅ Holmquist film. They are now
in the final stage of the production of The Camel – a film about Swedish
Middle East correspondent Cecilia Uddén.
The Camel, full-length doc., 2014 (co-director); Grandma’s Tattoos,
doc., 2011; Young Freud in Gaza, doc., 2008; BULLSHIT, full-length
doc., 2006; I hate Dogs-The last survivor, doc., 2005; Where Lies
My Victory?, full-length doc., 2002; Words and Stones – Gaza 2000,
short doc., 2001; From Opium to Chrysanthemums, feature, 2000; Her
Armenian Prince, doc., 1997; The Lion from Gaza, short feature, 1996;
Unsafe Ground, feature, 1993; They Knocked On Our Door, TV doc.,
1991; Back to Ararat, full-length doc., 1988 (producer in all).
HB PeÅ Holmquist Film
Address: 18/2 Chekhov Str., Yerevan, Armenia 0010
Tel.: +374-91-415118
E-mail: vahanst@gmail.com
27
SUMMER BIRDS
Ukraine, fiction, 100 min, HD
Director: Vera Yakovenko
Producer: Ludmila Kirilenko
Estimated Budget: 1.280.000 Euro
PROJECT SYNOPSIS
Since then, when two years ago IVA’s brother YAR (18) was drowned in
the Ukraine-Romania frontier river Tisa for unknown reason, Iva’s mother
moved to Germany to work whereas IVA (17) stayed in the village alone
with her father who can’t get over his son’s death and is waiting for his
return. Iva becomes the housekeeper. To makes their living, they lease
their small house by the forest – the stop-point for illegal migration of
people from poor countries to EU. The only thing that rejoices Iva is the
birdhouse in the yard, the reminder of once happy family life.
Each day the father becomes more ignorant towards the daughter, Iva,
demanding his son Yar instead. Accidentally he starts a fire in the house.
Blaming Iva for burning Yar’s wind-instrument, he destroys her birdhouse
with a hammer. Iva escapes his aggression in their “migrant house”. She
is back few days later. The father has a heart attack as he sees her dressed
in Yar’s clothes playing the burnt wind-instrument.
Left alone, Iva discovers her father was engaged in cigarette smuggling,
likewise DIMA (20) – Yar’s best friend and Iva’s love. Much resembling Yar
in his clothes, Iva incrementally becomes involved in the smuggling and
other illegal deals. Hoping to find his love, Iva becomes Dima’s business
partner. JOHANNA (19) - a German volunteer social photographer, who
explores the life of young women in the post-soviet countries, helps Iva.
Accidentally they break all Dima’s deals and by doing so seeding panic
and fear in him - since Dima believes Iva is Yar who has survived and
demands a revenge.
Being driven mad, Dima confesses to “Yar” he is guilty in not having
helped him under the water when transporting contraband over the river.
He begs forgiveness and that Yar should stop chasing him. This very
moment Dima realizes it is not Yar chasing him everywhere but his sister
Iva. Though at the same time, Iva discovers her beloved Dima is guilty in
her brother’s death.
28
Dima’s cronies beat the both girls (Iva and Johanna) and demand Iva
should pay for Dima’s spoilt goods. Johanna wants to finish her social
research and return to Germany but, since Iva is in trouble, she decides
to stay and help her.
In order to get money and pay the debt Iva finds a group of migrants - two
women with two kids- and for money helps them through the border. She
makes Dima follow them. As a revenge for Yar, she gets Dima into a trap
almost being drowned in the river. In the last moment she feels pity and
saves Dima. Crossing the border fails - migrants get lost in the fog and are
taken by the police. Johanna saves a 3 year-old boy and takes him with
her to Iva’s house.
Girls live happily together with the boy. Iva rebuilds the birdhouse for him.
Johanna decides to take the boy illegally to Europe to find his mother as
her own baby was taken away from her in her early youth. Dima spoils
their plans and makes the police arrest Johanna. In desperation Iva kills
Dima.
In the focus of the story is the main character’s (Iva, a girl of 17) search of
her “self”. Being rejected, left alone, having lack of love, Iva doesn’t’ see
any perspectives in her own life, doesn’t understand how to make her way
and where is her guiding light. That is why she puts herself in the shoes
of her elder brother almost losing her identity and “self”. She acts like
him hoping she will become happy this way. However, her transformation
ends in a fiasco when she finds out that her drowned brother had been
betrayed – his close friend didn’t give him his helping hand and thus let
him sink. Iva understands her ideals were illusory.
Another milestone in my narrative is the children’s denial to follow their
parents’ life models. Being deceived and rejected by the parents (Iva’s
mother leaves her on the father preferring to buy her off sending money
at a distance, while the father prefers to see his son instead of her. In case
of Johanna, her father leaves the family for another; her baby is taken
away unlawfully). These two girls from different parts of the world (Iva
from Eastern and Johanna from Western Europe) feel rebellion against
the parents’ patriarchal world order, rebuff it and search their own life
models. They become, a kind of, “summer birds” flying between the
past and indefinite future. This is also symbolic of Iva’s ambivalence in
liking Dima and Johanna (the masculine and feminine archetypes). Being
disappointed in Dima she chooses Johanna and the new life model on the
running sands which, although, collapses, gives hope.
Another, a more global layer is the processes of migration of society;
the interest of a safer, though, predictable West in the chaotic East; the
migrant’s flow from the Eastern chaos to the Western order. This process
in result turns into endless race, first of all, away from one’s “self” and
absence of the idea of “home” and peace in one’s heart. This concept is
symbolized in the film by the broken birdhouse which is rebuilt only when
harmony and hope appears.
In my opinion the film will be interesting first of all to young generation
who is in search of their “self”, their ideals, though, also to the elder
generation who face the generation gap, as well as all who wants to find
one’s “birdhouse”.
Birth of Sound, short, 1999 (director, writer in all).
Ludmila Kirilenko studies criminal and economic law at Charkiv Juridical
Academy of Yaroslav Mudryj (Ukraine), and German language at GoetheInstitute (Frankfurt on Main).
She has been head of advertising department at «Telemedia» Company,
and coordinator/administrator at the Humanitarian Assistance
Commission in Ukraine. Speaks: Ukrainian, German, Russian, and
English.
Shortland, TV series, 2014 (line producer); History of Criminalistic, TV
series, 2013 (line producer); Trading Lives, social doc., 2013 (1 AD and
line producer’s assistant); Babi Yar. Forgotten Crimes, doc., 2012 (line
producer, director’s assistant); DOT, feature, 2009 (director’s assistant).
Address: 49a Zakrevskogo Str., Kyiv, Ukraine 02222
Tel.: +38-099-7405492
E-mail: vera_yakovenko@yahoo.com
Vera Yakovenko studied Film Directing at Kiev State University of Theatrical
Art (Ukraine) and Linguistics at the Lviv State University. She has
participated in the professional filmmaking trainings of DAB (Armenia),
Young Professionals Program (Wiesbaden, Germany), Binger Film Lab
(The Netherlands),
In 2004 she attended the Berlinale Talent Campus / Movie of a Week
Award as a director and screenwriter of “Blonde Dies Twice” short.
History of Criminalistics, series, 2014; Trading Lives, MTV EXIT,
2013; Origins of Love, reality-show, 2013; Bar “Duck”, TV series with
reconstructions, 2012; Bone-setter, TV series, 2011; Family Dramas, TV
documentary reconstructions, 2010-2011; Lolita of 21 Century, Letter
From Heaven, doc. reconstructions, 2010; Real Doctors, TV shorts,
doc., 2010; Paton. Long Way to a Dream, doc., 2009; Contract, TV
feature, criminal drama 2009; How to Find an Ideal, TV drama, 2008;
Van Gogh isn’t Guilty, TV drama, 2007; Games in Soldiers, TV drama,
2007; To Return Faith, TV drama, 2006; Born in Ukraine; the cycle of 50
doc. Shorts, 2005 (director in all).
Taxi?, short, 2009; Blonde Dies Twice, short black comedy, 2004; My
Gogol, short mystic drama, 2003; Sleeping Beauty, short comedy, 2001;
29
SHADES OF YELLOW
Armenia/Moldova, fiction, 90 min, 35 mm
Director: David Matevossian
Producer: David Matevossian,
Co-producer: Vika Chembartseva
PROJECT SYNOPSIS
This is a story about a young lady – LEA who is a scriptwriter and who
works as a nail technician in a beauty center in order to earn her living, and
at nights she writes a novel about love. This is a story about a young man
ANDREY who lives in a distant country and waits for LEA. This is a story
about JOSEF, whose house resembles a dump and who is very sloppy,
noisy and tight-fisted, but extremely kind by nature. He is the PROPHET
of this story. The story of the possible meeting of LEA and ANDREY goes
through other characters’ lives and twisted destinies. ELENA and PAVEL,
“HERO” and “HEROINE”, JAN and the YOUNG GIRL, whether real or
imaginary, their presence and tensed relationships with dramatic solutions
create an incomprehensible, complicated, intriguing, mystic story. Over
the background of timeless reality full of demonstrations and revolutions,
both LEA and ANDREY with other characters, in one way or another, more
or less successfully try to re-discover themselves, or at least not to lose
what they have…
The wisdom of this process is JOSEF, the PROPHET. The YELLOW TREE
is mildly shaken by the wind as a miracle occurs during all this tensed,
dramatic, dangerous turmoil. It is of different shades and shapes, but
the SAME YELLOW TREE and it seems that every time it is in a different
place…
One can hear mystic, alarming, paralyzing whispers, that eventually, when
LEA and ANDREY meet, turns into JOSEF’s words “the destiny is where it
is best seen how the yellow tree is reflected in the windows during sunset.”
Overcoming day to day routine and the most difficult moral and emotional
ties and dramatic unexpected solutions create a rich possibility to visualize
the whole project.
Different plotlines of the film that are intertwined, that are generated from
one another, and that are resulting from one another erase the border
between the real and imaginary world and they make both the main
characters and the audience face questions and dramatic choices. It is
very important. I think that the audience, in whatever manner, will become
involved in the film process.
The plotlines and the construction of the IMAGINATIVE story are
intertwined and are composed of the elements of grotesque, deception,
mystery and secrecy. This is what keeps the audience in suspense until
the end of the film.
Bright plotlines intertwined with each other create a mystic ending –
destinies of the characters and their stories are echoed, temporary and
spatial lines are united in one whole.
The film should create visual highlights of the details that comprise the
whole picture. The main character - an allusion to the Biblical Josef,
prophet and wonderworker will add some mystic features to the film. In
each of the plotlines, there is a yellow tree that sends you back to the
all-human values – in a sense uniting life tree, philosophical beginning
and ending.
The process and the evolvement of the film will be pretty rhythmic,
dramatic, not as in “commercials”, but created by the increase in inner
suspense and twisted plotlines.
The project we have initiated as the Director and Author primarily motivates
us as an opportunity to talk about “simple things” such as SEARCH AND
CHANCE. And it is important to do so with the help of a high quality story
and plot that have rich opportunities to evolve.
It is very important for us as to whether the film has aroused any bright
impressions. That is why the quickly evolving dramatic, sometimes
desperate plotlines, the coarse or grotesque reality results in the scenes
30
of hope, beauty, happiness that are going through the story as a leitmotif,
refrains.
David Matervossian has an academic background in Orientology, Persian
Language and Literature. In 2003-2004 he attended the filmmaking
course of Swiss Training Program “Avanti”. Starting his career in the TV
companies as Director and General Manager, he soon became involved
in film producing. Has experience in co-production. He has worked as
Head of Cinema Department in the Ministry of Culture of RA. Currently is
General Manager at “Hrant Matevossyan” Culture Benevolent Foundation.
He speaks Armenian, Russian, English, and Persian.
We are…, full-length doc., 2010 (co-director, scriptwriter); Express
Yourself, Rock The World, doc., 2009 (director, producer); Metsamor,
mono-performance, 2008 (director, producer); Alpine Violet, feature,
2008-till present (director, producer); The Enemies, short feature,
2007 (director, producer); Peoples’ Planet, PSA shorts, 2003 -2004
(director, line producer); 1999-2002: Polyphone, PSA shorts (director,
line producer), Cinematograph, TV doc. series (director, line producer),
Shemin/On the threshold, TV doc. series (director, line producer);
Beyond Our Dreams (Armenia-France co-production), feature, 1999
(set manager); 1991-1993: The Two, doc., (director, producer), Liberty,
musical video clip (producer, co-director).
CO-PRODUCER’S BIOGRAPHY
Vika Chembartseva is a poet, prose writer, and translator. She is a
member of the Writers’ Union of Moscow, Russian Writers’ Association
of Moldova, editorial board member and a columnist of the “small prose”
in the “Emigrant lyre” (Belgium), “Near abroad”, “Russian Field” literary
magazines. She regularly participates in literary festivals and projects and
has received many international awards. She speaks: Russian, Romanian
(Moldavian), and English.
In the Shades of Yellow project she participates as the Author and Coproducer.
Address: 3/49 Pushkin Str., Yerevan, Armenia 0010
Tel.: +374-94-603266
E-mail: dmatevos@gmail.com
31
TRAINERs
SIMONE BAUMAN, SAXONIA ENTERTAINMENT
Representative Eastern Europe German Films
Head Producer Documentaries, Saxonia Entertainment
Simone Baumann is working in the film production over 20 years and has produced many documentaries and
feature films. Now she is the Head of the documentary department of Saxonia Entertainment GmbH. From 19972010, she was Managing Director of the independent production company LE VISION. She is an experienced coproducer, and one of Europe’s leading experts on Russia, the former Eastern bloc, and their audiovisual markets.
Simone Baumann is also a founding member of the Russian-German Film Academy and has been a board
member of the German Documentary Producer’s association since 2003.
In addition to her production work, Simone has been working as the GERMAN FILMS Eastern Europe
representative since 2005. She also supervised numerous feature film productions in the former Soviet Union as
an executive producer and consultant.
SAXONIA ENTERTAINMENT is one of Germany’s leading producers of factual and factual entertainment
programming with special expertise in the fields of international co-production, history programming, quality
dramatic reconstruction and production in the former Soviet Union as well as Eastern Europe.
SAXONIA ENTERTAINMENT GmbH
Büro Berlin
Address: Kantstraße 13/ 2.OG, 10623 Berlin
Tel.: 030 31 99 06 - 410
E-mail: info@saxonia-entertainment.de
Web-site: www.saxonia-entertainment.de
For documentary and international co-production, contact:
simone.baumann@saxonia-entertainment.de;
friederike.freier@saxonia-entertainment.de
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TRAINERs
RUXANDRA CERNAT, ARTVIVA
RUXANDRA CERNAT is ARTVIVA President / Head of Film TEEP. BA in Letters, Social Sciences & PR, MA in
Advertising, MA in Film Production. Over 10 years of experience in advertising as Creative Professional, PR, BTL
Senior Specialist (Softwin), Marketing Coordina-tor for Romania and Bulgaria at Home Box Office (HBO). Since
2007, she worked as independent professional for several international film festivals such as Bucharest IFF,
Independent Producers IFF, Moscow IFF and a training program EEFA TN. Graduate of several training programs
supported by Media/Media Mundus.
Since September 2012, President of ARTVIVA, developing large film events, support for IFF Dakino and
Cinepolitica, organizing the annual Russian Film Days, Tarkovski’s Celebration, German - Family Portrait with
the support of the Embassy of the Russian Federation, and the international training program Film TEEP with the
support of the Romanian CNC.
ARTVIVA’s aim is to enable an international framework for development, production and promotion of film
projects, fiction and documentary, and visual culture, setting up and building a professional network in the East
European region, and to encourage audiovisual collaborations between both EU and non-EU member states.
Artviva’s young production portfolio includes several shorts and commercials. Since its founding in September
2012, Artviva is a constant cultural partner of the Russian Embassy in organizing the Russian Film Days Festivals
in partnership with Mosfilm (2012) and Lenfilm (2013), Tarkovsky’s Celebration, German Family Portrait.
Artviva is the initiator and organizer of the international film training FILM TEEP, supported by the Romanian
Center of Cinematography and Mannheim Meeting Place, which held over the last year 2 workshops in Bucharest
and Mannheim-Heidelberg IFF with one online consultations session in between for 13 selected projects from
ten countries.
In 2014 Artviva starts a new program with the support of the Romanian CNC - 4 Corners of Culture.
ARTVIVA
Ruxandra Cernat
Address: President/ Head of Film TEEP
E-mail: info@artviva.ro
Web-site: http://artviva.ro
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TRAINERs
JULIEN EZANNO, CNC
Julien Ezanno, 44, was hired by the Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée (CNC) in 2001 after a
career in the airline industry. He was first appointed at the CEO’s cabinet to deal with general issues. In 2007,
he was offered his present position, where he manages international co-production. His task is to develop
bilateral relations with all the countries France has signed an Agreement with, encouraging foreign producers to
work with French partners. He is in charge of negotiating new Agreements with countries willing to establish a
privileged relation with France in the field of film. He is also the French delegate to the European co-production
fund, Eurimages.
The CNC is the French national film fund. It is in charge of both regulatory and support missions. In 2012, the
CNC had a budget of 667 million euros thanks to self-administered levies on cinema admissions, broadcasters’
and video editors’ turnover. In 2011, a new tax on internet providers’ turnover increased its budget. Most of that
budgetis aimed at supporting the production of cinema and television content. In 2012, 279 feature films were
officially produced through the CNC certification process.
Julien EZANNO
Chargé de mission
Coproduction Internationale
Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée (CNC)
Address: 3, rue Boissière F-75116 Paris
Tel.: +33 1 44 34 37 85
Fax: +33 1 44 34 36 59
Cell: +33 6 21 87 19 36
Web-site: http://www.cnc.fr
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Industry Organisations
GEVORG GEVORGYAN, THE NATIONAL CINEMA CENTRE OF
ARMENIA
GEVORG GEVORGYAN, General Director of the National Cinema Center of Armenia. Mr. Gevorgyan has been
Head of the production unit and Vice-Director at the «Yerevan» TV film studio (1971-1982) and at «Hayfilm»
(“Armenfilm”) studio named after Hamo Bek-Nazaryan (1982-2005); was appointed as the Minister of Culture
of the Republic of Armenia in 2006. Since 2006 when the National Cinema Centre of Armenia was established,
Mr. Gevorgyan has become the General Manager of the organization. He has participated in several films as a
Producer and Co-director.
THE NATIONAL CINEMA CENTRE OF ARMENIA (NCCA) is a state non-commercial organization and the
successor to the H. Bek-Nazaryan “Hayfilm” studio (founded in 1923). NCCA was officially established in 2006.
The purpose of NCCA is to preserve, promote and develop Armenian cinema and cinema culture both locally
and abroad. It is the key player of the national production and co-production support in Armenia. NCCA functions
under the Ministry of Culture.
Each year NCCA opens a call for the following categories: feature films, short films, animation, debut and
student films, screenplay development, production and post-production. Because of the existence and remit of
the “Hayk” Documentary Film Studio, documentary films are not normally supported by the NCCA unless they
fall into some other category e.g. in the case of a student’s debut film being a documentary. The application
procedure consists of an application deadline of 30th May each year with decisions communicated in OctoberNovember. Selection decisions are made by a Selection Committee consisting of seven industry professionals
including composers, screenwriters, film critics etc. Documentation required for the application includes: in
detail filled-in application form, the screenplay (five copies in Armenian), a synopsis, a background note by the
director, the CV and filmography of the director and screenwriter, a preliminary budget, sources of funding, a
production schedule and copyright confirmation documents.
NCCA especially encourages applications by young filmmakers.
THE NATIONAL CINEMA CENTRE OF ARMENIA
Address: 38 Pushkin Str., Yerevan, Armenia 0010
Tel.: +374 10 50 02 30
Fax: +374 10 50 02 31
E-mail: kinokentron@yahoo.com, m.mirzoyan@ncca.am
Web-site: www.ncca.am
35
INDUSTRY Organisations
KIRSTEN NIEHUUS, MEDIENBOARD BERLIN-BRANDENBURG GMBH
KIRSTEN NIEHUUS, Managing Director - Film Funding, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg
Kirsten Niehuus was born in Hamburg, Germany. She studied law and began her legal career working on
copyright and media issues. In 1991 she moved into the film business and became a lawyer for the German
national film fund - Filmförderungsanstalt (FFA) in Berlin. Niehuus then moved to the private sector in 1995
working as a Legal Advisor for Senator Film GmbH. In 1999 she returned to the FFA as the acting director. In
November 2004 she was appointed Managing Director of the Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg for the film
funding department. In addition, in 2002 she was elected Vice-President of the German-French film meetings
(Das Deutsch-französische Filmtreffen / Les rendez-vous franco-allemands du cinéma) for a term and she
continues in this engagement as a board member. From 2000 to 2006 she was the German representative to
Eurimages as well as its Vice-President for two years. Since 2011 Kirsten Niehuus is a member of the board of
directors of German Films and since 2012 she is also a member of the ZDF Television Board.
In Feburar 2013 she was honored by the French Ambassador, Maurice Gourdault-Montagne, with the order
“Chevalier of Arts and Literature”.
The Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg is a key institution for film and media professionals in Germany. Based in
the capital region, the fund is open to outstanding national projects and it also has a strong focus on international
coproductions, ranging from high quality art house to blockbusters. The film funding department’s annual
budget is approx. 25 million €.
Berlin-Brandenburg is the most exciting and thriving film location in Germany. It is a film friendly region and has
an illustrious tradition of film making. More than 300 films are shot here every year. The region houses the largest
studio capacity in Europe, including the world renowned Babelsberg studios, which operate as a one-stop shop
and are equipped to handle all aspects of physical production.
MEDIENBOARD BERLIN BRANDENBURG GmbH
Film Funding and Media Business Development
Address: August-Bebel-Str. 26-53, 14482 Potsdam-Babelsberg
Tel.: +49 (0) 331 743 87 0
Fax: +49 (0) 331 743 87 99
E-mail: info@medienboard.de
Web-site: www.medienboard.de
36
INDUSTRY Organisations
MIROLJUB VUCKOVIC, FILM CENTER SERBIA
MIROLJUB VUCKOVIC is Head of International Relations and Promotion at the Film Center Serbia, since June
2013. Member of European Film Academy, since 2009. Representative of Serbia in Eurimages, European Fund
for Cinematographic Coproductions (2008-2012). Acting Director of Film Center Serbia (2007-2013). From
1979 engaged on various researches and projects of the Yugoslav Film Institute and promotion of foreign films
in Yugoslavia. Published popular articles and professional film essays in different domestic and foreign dailies
and periodicals. Adviser to international film festivals in Busan, Thessaloniki, Venice /Giornate degli Autori/,
Rotterdam, Toronto, and other. Jury member in Berlin, Chicago, Busan, Karlovy Vary, Thessaloniki, Alexandria,
Cluj, Bucharest, Kyiv, Warsaw, Wroclaw, San Sebastian, Huesca, Moscow, Adana, Tallinn, etc. Fluent in English,
Russian, French; speaks also German and Italian; mother tongue Serbian.
FILM CENTER SERBIA is a governmental institution of national importance that provides professional assistance
to filmmakers. It was founded by the Republic of Serbia, and the founder’s rights are exercised by the Government
in the name of the Republic of Serbia. Film Center Serbia was granted the status of an institution of national
importance by the Government of the Republic of Serbia, at the Cabinet meeting on April 30th 2013.
Film Center Serbia performs the following activities regarding filmmaking and Cinema Law: prepares and
implements the strategy for encouraging implementation, organization and financing of preparation, development,
production, distribution and display of local and foreign films; collects financial resources and distributes
them through the open competitions; supports and encourages production of national films and minority coproductions; promotes Serbian film and creativity at international festivals and events; encourages participation
of Serbian producers in international co-productions; promotes and organizes national and international film
festivals and events; publishes and supports books about film; develops and promotes film culture; etc.
FILM CENTER SERBIA
Address: Zagrebacka 9/III, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Tel: +381 11 262 51 31
Fax: +381 11 263 42 53
E-mail: fcs.office@fcs.rs
Web-site: www.fcs.rs
37
INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES
NINO ANJAPARIDZE, TBILISI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Nina Anjaparidze worked as a Project Manager of Stchting Caucasus Foundation for 1 year in 1999. She was
Head of Film Export Department of Georgian National Film Center from 2005 to 2010. Starting from 2002 up to
present she is Director of Tbilisi International Film Festival.
Mrs. Anjaparidze has 22 years of lecturing experience in Georgian University of Theatre And Film.
Mrs. Anjaparidze holds a Master’s Degree in Art Management of Caucasus Spring University and Bachelor’s
Degree of Georgian State University of Theater and Cinema.
THE TBILISI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (TIFF) is one of the most important cultural events in Georgia. It
was founded by the Prometheus film arts centre in 2000. It receives financial support from the Georgian Culture
and Monuments Protection Ministry, Tbilisi city hall and the Georgian National Film Centre.
Over the course of its existence, the festival has acquired great importance for the entire South Caucasus region.
The festival’s aim is to introduce filmgoers to new film products of a high artistic quality, highlight new trends in
film and facilitate the development of Georgian film industry.
The central and most important part of the festival is the competition for best debut and sophomore full-length
feature films by young directors.
THE TBILISI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Address: 164, David Agmashenebeli Ave., Tbilisi, Georgia 0112
Tel.: +995 32 2 35 67 60
E-mail: office@tbilisifilmfestival.ge
Web-site: www.tbilisifilmfestival.ge
38
DAN BURLAC, HEOLFILMS
DAN BURLAC is one of the most successful Romanian film producers. His career best includes Cannes Film
Festival Awards as: CAMERA D’OR 2006 for 12:08 EAST OF BUCHAREST directed by Corneliu Porumboiu and
PALM D’OR 2007 for 4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS AND 2 DAYS directed by Cristian Mungiu.
He has also produced other well-received films as: ADALBERT’S DREAM by Gabriel Achim, DEAF WEDDING
by Horatiu Malaele, PERIFERIC by Bogdan Apetrei, WEDDING IN BASSARABIA by Napoleon Helmis, SEVEN
WORKS OF MERCY by De Serio and AGON by Robert Budina.
His latest project was co-producing Albert Serra’s HISTÒRIA DE LA MEVA MORT that has recently been awarded
the Gold Leopard Prize at the Locarno International Film Festival (2013).
HEOLFILMS was founded in 2012 in France to develop, produce and bring to the audience innovative cinema
projects. The co-founders join their various experiences in the field of filmmaking to defend the unique
cinematographic approaches, to help artistically ambitious projects in finding their audience.
HEOLFILMS
Pierre-Yves Cruaud
Address: 42, rue Adam de Craponne, F-34000 Montpellier
Tel.: +33 (0) 6 61 70 40 11
E-mail: py@heolfilms.fr
Web-site: www.heolfilms.fr
39
RON DYENS, SACREBLEU PRODUCTIONS
In 1999, Ron DYENS became the Manager of the cinema l’Archipel Paris Ciné (2 auditoriums). Meanwhile he
founded Sacrebleu Productions, a production company dedicated to short films. About fifty short films have
been produced since then and have been selected in more than one thousand national and international festivals.
Sacrebleu Production received prestigious honours such as: Palme d’Or in Cannes in 2010 for Barking Island by
Serge Avédikian, the Procirep Awards of the best short films producer in Clermont Ferrand in 2010 and of the
best Animation TV producer in 2013, a nomination to the Academy Awards 2011 for Madagascar, A Journey
Diary, the Annecy crystal award for Tram by Michaela Pavlatova…
Sacrebleu produced also a feature documentary film by Pip Chodorov “Free radicals, a history of experimental
cinema”.
Sacrebleu ended the production of the series “Faces from places” in 2013, a collection of 20 animated journey
diaries coproduced with Arte.
Since the beginning of 2014, the production of the animated feature film “Longway North” has begun, It has got
the Avancesurrecettes of the CNC and is distributed by Diaphana.
Alongside his production activity, Ron Dyens directed five short films which were selected in more than three
hundred festivals shuch as, Cannes, Clermont-Ferrand, Brest…
SACREBLEU. After producing more than 50 short films (Palme d’Or 2010, Silver bear- 2012, Oscars nomination
2010) Sacrebleu produced in 2010 a feature documentary, Free Radicals by Pip Chodorov and in 2012 an
animated TV series Faces from Places by Bastien Dubois, in coproduction with ARTE. Sacrebleu is currently
working on several feature films and animated TV series.
SACREBLEU PRODUCTIONS
Camille Condemi
Address: 10 bis, rue Bisson - 75020 Paris
Tel.: +33 1 42 253027
Fax: +33 1 53 752591
E-mail: ron@sacrebleuprod.com
Web-site: www.sacrebleuprod.com
40
LUCIANO GLOOR, RMCBU
Luciano Gloor was born in 1949, he is Swiss and Italian citizen. He studied German Literature & Mass Media,
followed by MBA with specialisation in Financial Administration and Marketing.
Luciano Gloor has been a consultant through his Swiss company since 1983, serving public bodies, professional
organisations and private companies in the fields of cultural management, film policies, as well as development,
financing, management and marketing of audiovisual projects. He has been a film producer working out of his
production companies based in Zurich and Berlin, through which he produced a large slate of international award
winning feature and documentary films.
Luciano Gloor consulted and trained film producers throughout Europe, Southern Africa and the South Caucasus,
for or with the support of institutions like the MEDIA Programme of the EC, EAVE, FOCAL, SDC, British Council.
Currently, he is the Team Leader of the Regional Monitoring and Capacity Building Unit (RMCBU) of the Eastern
Partnership Culture Programme, since April 2011.
EVGENY GUSYATINSKIY, ROTTERDAM IFF
EVGENY GUSYATINSKIY graduated from The Russian State University of Cinematography (VGIK) in 2004. Since
then he has been working as features editor and film critic in Iskusstvo Kino (Film Art Monthly). He participated
in Trainee Project for young film critics of Rotterdam International Film Festival. Since 2006 he has been selecting
feature films for Sochi National Film Festival Kinotavr. Currently he is appointed as programmer and curator of
Rotterdam International Film Festival focusing on films from Russia, post-soviet territories and East European
countries. He has got several awards for his activity in creative writing and journalism including the prize for best
young film critic.
Since its establishment in 1972, INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ROTTERDAM (IFFR) grew to become one of
the largest public film events in the world, IFFR actively supports independent filmmaking from around the globe
and is a recognized platform in Europe for launching new films and talent from Asia, Africa, Middle and Eastern
Europe and Latin America.
IFFR offers a high quality line-up of carefully selected fiction and documentary feature films, short films and
media art. The festival’s Tiger Awards Competitions, Bright Future and Spectrum sections contain recent work
only, among which many world premieres. In its Signals section, IFFR presents retrospectives and themed
programmes. IFFR actively supports new and adventurous filmmaking talent through its co-production market
CineMart, its Hubert Bals Fund, Rotterdam Lab and other Industry activities.
The 44th edition of International Film Festival Rotterdam takes place from Wednesday 21 January till Sunday 1
February 2015.
INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ROTTERDAM
Evgeny Gusyatinskiy
Tel.: +791 61 152 704
E-mail: e.gusyatinskiy@filmfestivalrotterdam.com
Web-site: www.filmfestivalrotterdam.com
Mailing address:
Stichting International Film Festival Rotterdam
P.O. Box 21696
3001 AR Rotterdam
The Netherlands
41
CHRISTINE HAUPT, HAUPTFILM PRODUCTION
Christine Haupt studied Film and TV production at the film school HFF “Konrad Wolf” in Potsdam-Babelsberg.
She has worked in different functions for several feature films, including The Lives of Others, which received the
Academy Award for Foreign Language Film. Furthermore she operated as unit production manager for several
German broadcasters as freelancer. Later on she was part on producing several popular German Fairy Tales
as well as increasingly producing international feature films. Her films have been screened all over the world at
many international film festivals including Berlin, Locarno and etc. and won numerous awards.
She has also worked as associate producer on documentaries produced by British and American companies.
She is currently producing several international co-production projects as well as animation films.
HAUPTFILM PRODUKTION is an independent film production company based in Leipzig and Berlin. Producer
Christine Haupt founded the company in 2008. Hauptfilm Produktion produces mainly feature films as well as
documentaries for the national and international market. We are also working in the field of animation/crossmedia
film, one is currently produced in Stereo 3D. Besides several film projects for feature and documentary films are
in development. Hauptfilm is also working in the field as service producer for national and international projects.
HAUPTFILM PRODUKTION
Address: Gleimstr. 5, 13355 Berlin
Tel.: + 49 341 225 39 91, +49 179 395 06 65
E-mail: prod@hauptfilm.eu
Web-site: www.hauptfilm.eu
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JEFF KALOUSDIAN, 20 YEARS LATER FILMS
Jeff Kalousdian is an Armenian-American film producer and award winning screenwriter. He got his start in film
production in California while still a teenager helping-out on documentary films and commercials in his father’s
production company. Before returning to the film industry many years later, Jeff received an MA in International
Development from the University of Sussex in the UK. He has worked in many of the worlds hotspots developing
and managing post-conflict economic development projects for organizations such UN Refugee Agency, Danish
International Development Agency, European Union among others.
In 2005, Jeff combined his love for cinema with his experience in international development by helping the
Golden Apricot International Film Festival develop Directors Across Borders Program. In 2009, Kalousdian coproduced HERE, the first foreign feature film shot entirely on location in Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh. HERE
premiered at Sundance and Berlinale and has screened at 25 international festivals.
In 2011, he established 20 YEARS LATER FILMS in Armenia with the mission of producing innovative and
compelling feature, documentary films from the region and bringing them to international market. In 2012, 20
YEARS LATER and Maria Saakyan’s ANNIKO Films joined forces creating 15 years combined film production
experience in Armenia. Jeff is the Armenian producer of TERRITORIA, Nora Martirosyan’s feature debut, which
won the coveted ARTE prize at the 2014 Cannes Atelier.
20 YEARS LATER FILMS
In 2011, he established 20 YEARS LATER FILMS in Armenia with the mission of producing innovative and
compelling feature, documentary films from the region and bringing them to international market. In 2012, 20
YEARS LATER and Maria Saakyan’s ANNIKO Films joined forces creating 15 years combined film production
experience in Armenia. Jeff is the Armenian producer of TERRITORIA, Nora Martirosyan’s feature debut, which
won the coveted ARTE prize at the 2014 Cannes Atelier.
20 YEARS LATER FILMS
Address: 27/25 Nalbandyan Str., Apt. 7, Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: +374 98 85 20 85
E-mail: jkalousd@yahoo.com
43
NORIK KESHISHIAN, NURFILM
CNorik Keshishian is German with Armenian origin, born in Teheran-Iran. He graduated the Polytechnical Institute
of Berlin and studied MBA Master of International Economics” in India. He has worked for different cultural
projects, including “Genia Film Arts” (www.geniafilm.com). In 2008 founded “NURFILM”. He speaks: Armenian,
English, German, and Persian.
NURFILM is a film production company, based in Berlin, develops and produces art-house movies with sociopolitical issues, documentaries and animation short films. Furthermore, NURFILM intends to prepare the basis
for international co-productions with Armenia, and therefore cares especially to develop contacts with Armenian
filmmakers. The company works closely with the Golden Apricot International Film Festival in Armenia.
Additionally NURFILM develops new basis for co-productions with Iranian film makers.
NURFILM
Norik Keshishian
Address: Gleimstr. 20a, 10437 Berlin, Germany
Tel./Fax.: +49(30) 916 88 594/595
E-mail: info@nurfilm.de
Web-site: www.nurfilm.de
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MIROSLAV MOGOROVIC, ART & POPCORN MOTION PICTURE
COMPANY
MIROSLAV MOGOROVIC MOGOROVIC started working as a convention and festival Manager in Serbian National
Congress and Convention Center in 1995. Same year, he started working as Assistant Managing Director at Palic
Film Festival. In 1998 he became Executive Producer and re-established it as Palic European Film Festival. He
remains on that position until today. He was Executive Producer of Belgrade IFF (2002-2006) the biggest and
oldest Serbian film festival. In the frames of 34th Belgrade IFF he established the Belgrade Industry Meetings B2B,
with focus on non-EU countries. He is the Head of B2B until today. After working for ten years as festival and event
organizer, in spring 2004, together with the group of young film professionals, he established ART & POPCORN
Motion Picture Company, and entered the production market independently.
During nine years’ experience, ART & POPCORN MOTION PICTURE COMPANY produced 10 feature films which
ranked the company among the most productive Serbian film producers. Art&Popcorn films have been presented
at more than five hundred film festivals on six continents and won numerous international awards. Art&Popcorn
authors’ team consists of distinguished filmmakers as well as young talents whose professional career is still in
its early and promising stage. Development, improvement, challenges and continuous presence in the European
audio-visual scene is the basic strategic principle of Art&Popcorn, as well as commitment to the development and
production of each film.
Since 2011, company Art&Popcorn has been very active in the field of executive production of European films
and co-productions in Serbia. As the time passes, this field of activities developed more and more and in 2013
Art&Popcorn was Serbian partner and in charge for executive production of 4 feature films with more than 120
shooting days.
Beside film production, A&P has been very active in organisation of film festivals, being exclusive Partner for
European Film Festival Palic, which celebrated its 20th edition in 2013. Co-founder and CEO of A&P, Miroslav
Mogorovic has been Programme Director of this festival since its establishment and he hosted and celebrated
numerous European well recognized authors like Theo Angelopoulos, Ken Loach, Jim Sheridan, Ken Russel,
Nikita Mikhalkov, Jean-Marc Barr among many, many others. As a result of good presentation of European
cinematography, Palic Film Festival hosted EFA’s A Sunday in the Country Programme in the summer 2013.
Since 2012, Art&Popcorn has also been in charge of management of Cinema Fontana, exclusively dedicated to
promotion of the European and Children Films. Completely renovated and fully equipped, this cinema became
favourite place for all Belgrade’s cinema lovers, bringing back the hope that single screen art-house cinema still has
a bright future. Cinema Fontana became a member of Europa Cinemas Network.
ART & POPCORN MOTION PICTURE COMPANY
Miroslav Mogorović
Chief Producer
Address: Decanska 12, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Tel/fax: +381 11 26 72 004
E-mail.: info@artandpopcorn.com, mogorovic@artandpopcorn.com
Web-site: www.artandpopcorn.com
45
ALICE ORMIERES, SURPRISE ALLEY
Born in 1978, Alice Ormières is a graduate of Sciences-Po Paris (Institute of Political Sciences) and has a
bachelor degree in English Literature & Culture (Paris 3 – Sorbonne Nouvelle).
She has been working in film industry for more than 10 years, in production, festivals and training. From 2004
to 2008, she worked at TS Productions (France), as production and development assistant, and produced the
short film Modus Vivendi by Liliane Rovère, selected in French competition at Clermont-Ferrand short Film
Festival in 2010.
In 2013, after five years at ACE-Ateliers du Cinéma Européen as Head of Communication & Events, she created
her own production company based in Paris, SURPRISE ALLEY, teaming up with senior producers Titus
Kreyenberg (unafilm, Germany) and Miroslav Mogorovic (Art & Popcorn, Serbia). Based in Paris, Surprise Alley
produces feature films, exploring new narrative and aesthetic perspectives with directors of various cultural
and artistic backgrounds. Through its European identity Surprise Alley has the chance to enhance the financing
possibilities of international projects by being able to access at least two key co-financing countries, France and
Germany, right from the beginning.
2008-2013 ACE-Ateliers du Cinéma Européen
Head of Communication & Events
2004-2008 TS Productions
Production & Development Assistant
2001-2004 Rencontres du Moyen Métrage de Brive – SRF Film Festival
Head of Protocole & Accreditations
Institut Français d’Agadir (Maroc)
Assistant to the Head of Cultural Events
CNC – Service des Aides Sélectives (Production & Development funds)
Administration
SURPRISE ALLEY is currently developing two feature film projects: As long as heaven allows by promising firsttimer Tamara Stepanyan and Juste Là by Lidia Terki. The company is also involved in the production of Until I
lose my breath by the Turkish director Emine Emel Balci, produced by Bulut Film (Turkey) and unafilm, Upside
Down by Ahmad Ghassein, produced by Georges Schoucair (Abbout Productions, Lebanon) and The Swan by
Asa Helga Horleifsdottir, produced by Vintage Pictures (Iceland).
SURPRISE ALLEY
Address: I 29 rue Meslay, 75003 Paris, France
Tel.: +33 1 73 75 40 15
E-mail: ormieres@surprisealley.com
Web-site: www.surprisealley.com
46
IGOR SAVYCHENKO, DIRECTORY FILMS
Igor actively participates in reformations of Ukrainian cinema industry and works hard on the integration of
Ukrainian cinematographers into European cinema process.
He also pay his attention to the work with young filmmakers. Igor produced 4 feature films, 36 short films, 1
documentary and 1 animation film. Is the producer of web documentary initiative #BABYLON`13. Was the line
producer of 2 feature films, 3 TV movies and 3 miniseries.
Short films produced by him were awarded at Locarno IFF, Molodist IFF, Odessa IFF, Delhi IFF, Belgrade IFF,
Kinoshok IFF, few dosen of other. Were selected at Clermont Ferrand ISFF, Rotterdam IFF, were nominated for
European Academy Award, more than 150 festivals in general. Full length films were selected at Warsaw IFF, San
Sebastian IFF, India IFF in Goa, Moscow IFF, Shanghai IFF, Beijing IFF, Munich IFF, Tbilisi IFF, Odessa iff, Fiji IFF.
Projects in progress were selected and shared with the experts at Cinemart in Rotterdam, When East Meet West
in Trieste, Paris film project, Marche du film in Cannes, European Film Market, CentEast in Warsaw, Moscow
Business Square, Director Across the Borders in Yerevan, Baltic Events in Tallinn.
DIRECTORY FILMS. Created in 2012, an independent production company for feature films, shorts and
documentaries. Promotion of new generation of cinematographers of Ukraine, training of high-quality specialists
and involving of Ukrainian filmmakers into European projects are the aims of Directory films.
DIRECTOR FILMS
Address: 10A, Naberezhno-Khreschatytska Str., Office 1, 04070 Kiev, Ukraine
Tel.: +38 044 361 44 26
E-mail: info@directoryfilms.com
Web-site: www.directoryfilms.com
47
JURORS
Nino Anjaparidze
Dan Burlac
Ruxandra Cernat
Evgeny Gusyatinskiy
Susanna Harutyunyan
Christine Haupt
Jeff Kalousdian
Miroslav Mogorovic
PROGRAM MANAGEMENT
Susanna Harutyunyan, DAB Project Manager
Lusine Martirosyan, DAB Project Coordinator
Sona Shahbazyan, DAB Communication Coordinator
Jeff Kalousdian, DAB International Adviser
Maria Mirzoyan, DAB Expert
48

directors across borders 8th regional co

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