28-09-2008

Sandrin brings Arte to Bulgaria

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    Adding to his popular series of Open Classes, Sofia-based French producer Patrick Sandrin organized the 11th edition on producing, featuring director general of Arte France Cinema, Michel Reilhac.

    The seminar was held during the 33rd Golden Chest International TV Festival of Bulgarian National TV, in Plodiv (September 21-27). "Our festival is recognized as one of the most important events in the TV world, with features and documentaries from 27 countries" said Sevda Shishmanova, honorary president of Sandrin's Open Class.

    Participants included film producer Pierre-Alain Meier (Thelma Film AG, Zurich and Prince Film SA, Geneva), director of the "Henry Langlois meetings" in Poitiers Luc Engelibert, "Positif" magazine film critic N.T. Binh, Bulgarian producer Rositza Valkanova (Investigation, Christmas Tree Upside Down) and Sandrin.

    The discussion covered co-production regulations and practices of "Arte France Cinema" and the Bulgarian National Television. Reilhac noted that since its creation in collaboration with its German partners ARD and ZDF in 1996, "Arte France Cinema" has supported over 500 films by 400 directors and 200 producers of 50 nationalities. According to Shishmanova, Bulgarian National Television is the major co-producer of Bulgarian films and most active broadcaster of European films in the country, broadcasting over 40 French films annually to an audience of over one million. "Each film, co-produced by the BNT is advertised on its main channel without financial obligations for the producer. The best example is the ad campaign preceding the theatrical distribution of Javor Gardev's Dzift," she added.

    Boris Despodov's full-length documentary Corridor #8, awarded in Berlin and Sarajevo, was screened as an example of successful cooperation between a Bulgarian producer (Martichka Bojilova, Agitprop) and several European TV channels including Finnish YLE and Swiss TSR.