Lithuanian filmmakers return to Venice: after a long break, Lithuanian titles and names will be heard at the main program of the film festival. Two feature films celebrating authors and talents are featured at the festival’s program this week.

It’s an important milestone to Lithuania, as the last time a Lithuanian feature made it to Venice Film Festival was 17 years ago when Kristijonas Vildžiūnas had a premiere of his film The Lease (lit. Nuomos sutartis). Also, Šarūnas Bartas’ Freedom (lit. Laisvė) was premiered in 2000.

While Lithuania was waiting for a new feature film to make it to the festival’s main program, films of other genres promoted Lithuanian cinematography. Last year a VR animation by Kristina Buožytė Trail of Angels (lit. Angelų takais) was met with an ovation by the audience and in 2017 Laurynas Bareiša had a premiere of his short film By the Pool (lit. Pirtis).

This year “Parthenon” (lit. Partenonas) by Mantas Kvedaravičius will be competing at the Film Critics’ Week. The film belongs to a hybrid genre of fiction and documentary and is a co-production between Lithuania (Studio Uljana Kim, Extimacy Films), Ukraine (Esse Production House) and France (Rouge International). The premiere is planned on 5^th of September.

Non-professional actors of “Parthenon” recall real-life situations and stories that they have lived through. The separation between documentary and fiction is blurry; the plot develops in real-life interiors as well as in a movie set. In a cheap brothel at the foothills of an Athenian fortress, a man recounts the magnificent events of his life. His search for love and glory is retold and relived by many. In one of the stories, the man finds a fortune, in another he becomes a vagabond prophet, in yet another he returns home. His memory betrays him, but he knows for sure that in one of these lives, he will be killed.

The film production and screening at the Venice Film Festival was supported by the Lithuanian Film Centre. The film will have its Lithuanian premiere this September.

Also, more Lithuanian names can be encountered in the festival’s program. On 6^th of September Ukrainian film maker’s Sergei Loznitsa’s documentary “State Funeral” will be screened in the Out of Competition section. Lithuanian Danielius Kokanauskis is an editor of the film, video footage was restored by Jonas Zagorskas and sound editor is Vladimir Golovnitsk, who lives and works in Lithuania.

“State Funeral” is a co-production between Atoms&Void (the Netherlands) and Studio Uljana Kim (Lithuania), with the support of Lithuanian Film Centre and Current Time TV (USA). The 25th film by Sergei Loznitsa is a documentary, based on the archive footage shot in the USSR on March 5 - 9, 1953, when the country mourned and buried Joseph Stalin.

Production of both films were supported by the Lithuanian Film Centre.

The Other Neighbors

A documentary film by Nika Tsiklauri
2019

The city you live in is not yours alone. You don’t really notice the non-human neighbors butThe city you live in is not yours alone. You don’t really notice the non-human neighbors butthey are almost everywhere as the urban landscape is full of wildlife. The city grows biggerand every day there is less and less space left for the animals, but they are still there. TheOther Neighbors is a story of a kestrel, fox, otter, eagle and several other, striving to survivein the concrete jungle on the modern capital city.

The Other Neighbors is a 32’ documentary film filmed in the capital of Georgia, Tbilisi. It isan observational documentary without any narration. It gives the viewer an opportunity tostop for a minute, look around and have a view of the other life that is out there.

The Other Neighbors is produced by EcoFilms Ltd, commissioned by The German Societyfor International Cooperation (GIZ) for non-commercial use. It will serve the environmentalawareness rising purpose and after a festival life will be available on the Internet.

EcoFilms is an independent film-making company based in Tbilisi, Georgia. Since 2012 weEcoFilms is an independent film-making company based in Tbilisi, Georgia. Since 2012 wedo documentaries mainly focusing on nature and human relationship. Our last documentary Jara won the number of awards at international and local festivals including the Deauville Green Awards of France. None of our films are commercial as we always try to speak upabout the issues we are concerned about. The Other Neighbors is no exception. This artisticdocumentary with its insight is unique project not only in our country but in whole Caucasusregion. Please, have a look at the trailer. The Georgian premiere of the movie is planned inmid-autumn.

BIAFF Film Festival Announces International Jury Line-up

BIAFF film festival will be during  15-22 September. BIAFF festival organizers – Batumi Art-house ARGANI and official partner – Batumi city hall. 

BIAFF 2019 international jury list is finalized, which includes:

BIAFF INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILMS COMPETITION 

1. Alexander Mindadze, Russia – Head of Jury
2. Tatiana Detlofson , USA
3. Martin Blaney, UK
4. Carmen Grey, UK
5. Rusudan Glurjidze, Georgia  

BIAFF INTERNATIONAL DOC FILMS COMPETITION

1. Krzystof Gierat, Poland – Head of Jury
2. Ghasideh Golmakani, Iran
3. Karen Avetysian, Armenia
4. Oles Yanchuk, Ukraine
5. Vakhtang Kuntsev-Gabashvili, Georgia 

BIAFF  SHORT FILM COMPETITION SECTION 

1. Otar Shamatava, Georgia – Head of Jury
2. Paul Thiltges , Luxemburg
3. David Lorenz, Germany

BIAFF – Georgian Film Critics Jury

1. Lela Ochiauri – Head of Jury
2. Nino Mkheidze
3. Salome Kikaleishvili 

Festival Supporters– Ministry of Culture of Georgia,  Georgian National Film Center, Ministry of Cultura of Ajara AR, Tourism Department of Ajara AR, National Tourism Agency of Georgia, Batumi Drama Theatre, British Council, Goethe Institute Georgia, Embassy of Italy 

Festival Sponsors – Hotel Wyndham Batumi, Cinema APOLLO, Hotel “Holland Hoek”, Hotel “Mardi Plaza”, HQ propaganda,  Tour Company “Wonderland”, Cafe “Gardens”, Restaurant ECLIPSE, Batumi Auto transport, “Legal Consulting Center” LLC

Festival Media Partners – Georgian Public Broadcaster, Radio Fortuna/Fortuna+, Adjara TV, Batumi TV, Publicity Group (www.publicity.ge), www.newswire.ge, Film New Europe (www.filmneweurope.com), INDIGO Magazine, Cinemania, Cineuropa.org, AT.GE, Newspaper BATUMELEBI, netgazeti.ge

• Tallinn projects land at TIFF
• TV Beats first speakers and topics announced
• Project submission deadlines reminder
• Get your accreditation

TIFF PICKS TWO TALLINN PROJECTS

We are happy extremely to share the news that last year's Baltic Event 2018 Works In Progress entry Maria's Paradise, directed by Zaida Bergroth and co-produced by Evelin Penttilä (Stellar, Estonia) will screen in Toronto, having also secured an international distribution company LevelK.

Also screening at TIFF's Contemporary Cinema programme is another 2018 Works In Progress and another Finnish production Dogs Don't Wear Pants (already screened at Quinzaine des Realisateurs and Karlovy Vary).

Reminder: our Works In Progress submission deadline is 15 September, 2019.

SUBMIT YOUR PROJECT HERE

TV BEATS FORUM

As one of the newest additions in the Industry@Tallinn &; Baltic Event programme, TV Beats Forum has an objective to facilitate the entry of regional producers and service providers into the international series co-production industry, focusing on collaboration between the Baltic Sea countries - Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Finland, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden - with the addition of Iceland, Norway and Ukraine. 

The TV Beats team is excited to announce the first set of topics and speakers for 2019:

• Chernobyl case study, including Lineta Miseikyte (Lithuania) from UAB Baltic Film Services who will be sharing the Lithuanian perspective on the international co-production of the top-rated drama series that was shot in Lithuania;
• All the Sins case study - Mika Ronkainen (Finland), Ilkka Matila (Finland) and Kris Taska (Estonia) discuss the Finnish-Estonian co-produced crime series made for the Elisa VOD platform.

MORE ON TV BEATS FORUM

THE PLOT?

We'd like like to remind you that submissions are open for several of our industry initiatives. And we only used the name of the renowned literary classic as a cheap pun to get your attention. Sorry, Charles!

Film and series scripts:
Script Pool Tallinn - 2 September. Submit HERE!

Film projects:
Baltic Event Co-Production Market - 2 September. Submit HERE!

Script development:
POWR Baltic Stories Exchange - 2 September. Submit HERE!

Get the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival and Industry@Tallinn &; Baltic Event accreditation at a discount price - 125 EUR - before the 16th of September!

The Festival + Industry@Tallinn &; Baltic Event accreditation is reserved exclusively for film industry professionals and is valid for the festival period, from the 15th of November until the 1st of December, 2019. It allows you to get the most out of Tallinn - take part of all the open lectures, pitchings, the audiovisual conference European Film Forum Tallinn, workshops and events of Industry@Tallinn &; Baltic Event and to see up to 40 films in the programme of Black Nights.

Also, an accreditation only for Industry@Tallinn &; Baltic Event, without the film programme of Black Nights is available.

READ MORE AND APPLY HERE

The management of BIAFF film festival’s industry platform “Alternative Wave” finished the selection of projects for its 2019 edition. It was selected 8 projects, from which 6 is from Georgia, 1 from Turkey and 1 from Ukraine. “Alternative Wave” will be held under the framework of BIAFF film festival in Batumi during 18-22 September, 2019.

The selected projects for Alternative Wave 2019 edition.

1. Aquarium – director and producer Tornike Bziava.
2. Tamada – director Temur Tsiklauri, producer Irakli Bagaturia.
3. The Load -director and producer Ana Iosava, co – writer Otar Katamadze.
4. You Look Like Your Father - director Levan Lomjaria, producer Vako Kirkitadze.
5. Orange Sky – director and producer Shalva Shengeli, co-writer Alexander Kurkhuli.
6. Family Drama with The Happy End – director and producer Irina Gachechiladze.
7. Seraphyma – director Marisia Nikituk, producer Igor Savichenko.
8. Affection of The Heart – director Soner Caner, producer Bilal Bagci.

Experts - Nicos Panayotopoulos (Greece), Paul Tayler (UK), Gulin Ustun (Turkey), Aysegul Ekmekcioglu (Turkey)

Invited Expert – Tatiana Detlofson (USA)

The selected participants will have opportunity to develop the feature film projects in following directions:

• Script development 

• Co-production strategies

• Financing strategy 

• Festival strategy 

• Distribution and Marketing Strategy 

At the end of “Alternative Wave 2019”, at the closing ceremony will be revealed the best projects and will be awarded the following prizes:

I place – 10,000 Equivalent Post-Production services (company CETA STUDIO – Wroclaw, Poland)

II Place – Project selection in “Meeting on the Bridge” program (Istanbul Film Festival)

III Place – Attendance to Berlinale Film Festival (accreditation, Air-ticket, Hotel)

 

BIAFF 2019 “Alternative Wave” supporters – Georgian National Film Center, Ministry of Culture of Ajara, British Councils, CETA STUDIO (Poland)

CICAE asks festivals to call for universal rules in theatrical distribution

Festivals take one of the most important roles in the discovery of cinema. They curate the current and future state of film, elevate young talent and showcasing diversity in filmmaking. Within their competition, small independent voices can get the same stage as big-budgeted, established films.

 “The competition of film festivals, especially if funded with public money, should be a fair place for all kinds of film,” says Christian Bräuer, president of CICAE. “It's hard to understand why Big Tech companies aren't asked to comply with the same rules that other studios, producers and cinemas have been following for decades. It is especially concerning to see Venice Film Festival unconditionally embracing a streaming company whose mission is described by its partners as ‘world domination’.”

The unique place film festivals take carries with it a special responsibility to ensure films can continue to thrive once the curtain has fallen on premiere night. It also comes with the responsibility to maintain conditions that allow film culture, film diversity and independent filmmaking to flourish in threatening times.

 The world of film is changing drastically. The past few years have seen an unprecedented concentration of market power. It is in the interest of all of us to maintain diversity in filmmaking. If a few monolithic companies can dominate the way films are made and seen, we all lose as audiences. The "dictatorship of the algorithm", as Alejandro G. Inarritu just put it, is a real threat to cultural diversity and cinema itself.

To maintain diversity in filmmaking and moviegoing, festivals need a clear set of rules and goals that both big and small players have to follow. 

“One of these rules must be demanding an actual, full-scale theatrical release for films who want to take part in competition sections. A theatrical release on the big screen is not just the best kind to experience film. It gives films the opportunity to be discussed, marketed, seen by different perspectives”, says Christian Bräuer.

Cinemas are heart chambers for local communities, allowing people to experience, discuss and talk about a film together. Whether they're a small film club or a prestigious art-house theater, they give films a form of visibility that's unmatched and accessible to everyone, regardless of their subscription status. Without a theatrical release, films might just be hidden away if an algorithm doesn't deem them worthy.

This is not an argument against streaming per se. Streaming is a great way to bring movies and shows into people’s homes, even though it’s of course not a match to the communal experience of the big-screen. “We welcome every streaming company that is excited about giving their films a proper theatrical run”, says Christian Bräuer. “but every new partnership we forge has to live by the same norms on which cinemas have built their successful, close partnerships with major studios as well as independent film makers, producers and distributors over the years.”

Festivals should also set rules and goals for programming themselves to give voices from different backgrounds, countries and genders a chance to thrive. We ask all film festivals not to just sign the 50x50 by 2020 pledge for gender parity, but to constantly ask if they’re doing enough to bring that pledge to life. Words alone aren’t enough. No festival competition should include more films from the same streaming company than films directed by women. 

The International Confederation of Arthouse Cinemas is a non-profit organization aiming at promoting cultural diversity in cinemas and festivals. It was founded in 1955 by the national arthouse cinema associations of Germany, France, the Netherlands and Switzerland. Today it counts more than 2000 members and 4000 screens across 44 countries, representing 9 national and regional associations, 61 individual cinemas 14 festivals and 4 special members. 

Christian Bräuer is the president of the CICAE, president of AG Kino, the German arthouse cinema association and CEO of the Yorck Kino Gruppe, a chain of 14 arthouse cinemas in Berlin.

The selection of MIDPOINT Shorts 2019-2020 projects is here!

MIDPOINT´s leading short-film oriented program has selected 4 short film projects from Estonia, Greece, Poland and Serbia for the upcoming edition. 

In September, MIDPOINT's special program will take off in Prague, Czech Republic with its first workshop and 4 teams of writers, directors, and producers who are in the process of developing their short fiction films. 
The second workshop will be organized in January 2020 in Trieste withinWhen East Meets West Co-production Forum. The leading industry event for both East and West Europe will offer a brand-new platform for project showcase and further network. 

The group leader of four selected projects is experienced Czech script consultant and acclaimed director Pavel Marek. Lithuanian producer and short film expert Marija Razgute will enrich the program as a producer tutor, guiding the producers and overall production development of the projects. 

And who are the selected talents of the 2019-2020 edition of the program? 

Best wishes for the best boss / POLAND 
Mateusz Pacewicz (Writer/Director) 
Ludka Kierczak (Producer)

Jungle. Law / ESTONIA 
Madli Laane (Writer/Director) 
Anneli Ahven (Producer)

Soul Food / GREECE 
Nikos Tseberopoulos (Writer/Director) 
Eleni Kossyfidou (Producer) 

Tell No One / SERBIA 
Svetislav Dragomirovic (Writer/Director) 
Nevena Savic (Producer) 

Click here to find out more about the selected participants and projects. 

MIDPOINT Shorts 2019-2020 is realized with the support of Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic and Czech Film Fund. It is presented in cooperation with When East Meets West.