On November 27, the European Parliament LUX Film Prize Award ceremony celebrates the richness of European cultural diversity and pays tribute to the filmmakers behind the works. 

We congratulate Teona Strugar Mitevska, the laureate of 2019 LUX Film Prize who was awarded the prize in the plenary chamber of the European Parliament in Strasbourg. The three finalists of 2019 LUX Film Prize were: God Exists, Her Name is Petrunya by Teona Strugar Mitevska, Cold Case Hammarskjöld by Mads Brügger and The Realm by Rodrigo Sorogoyen. 

Yesterday, FERA, FSE and SAA celebrated European cinema and cultural diversity with a dinner, in partnership with the LUX Film Prize, in the European Parliament in the presence of Oleg Sentsov, Ukrainian filmmaker and former political prisoner, the finalists of the LUX Prize and other filmmakers from Croatia, France, Slovenia and Spain. 

Croatian filmmakers are campaigning to protest the failure by the public service broadcaster to fulfil its obligations regarding the promotion of European works and particularly the best of recent independent Croatian documentary production. This is a reminder that freedom of artistic expression can never be taken for granted. It needs to be defended and upheld at all times. 

Promoting European film, art and culture is a powerful way to counter growing populism and polarisation across Europe. The LUX Film Prize is an important initiative to support filmmakers and their works. It provides visibility and subtitles in the 24 EU official languages to films that go to the heart of the European public debate and gives them a unique opportunity to access audiences across all Member States. 

Quotes 

“You don’t understand the importance of freedom of expression until the moment you do not have it. What is an author if they don’t have the right to express themselves? This is why the LUX Film Prize is even more important to me: it gives hope by choosing films that are uncomfortable and challenging”, said Teona Strugar Mitevska, LUX Film Prize finalist and Director of God Exists, Her Name Is Petrunya. 

“European directors know the European Parliament is a strong supporter of audiovisual authors and wish the house will continue to show its support through all future resolutions and directives aiming at improving the conditions of filmmakers’ working life”, said Klemen Dvornik, Chair of FERA. 

“The previous Parliament adopted some essential pieces of legislation, including the Copyright Directive, but there are still plenty to be done, such as address filmmakers precarious working conditions, gender inequality, barriers to mobility and lack of remuneration for the exploitation of their works. A European Parliament Intergroup will be a crucial first step to make sure that Europe retains its best talents and builds the next generation of creators”, said Barbara Hayes, Chair of the SAA. 

The LUX Film Prize and the SAA, in partnership with FERA and FSE gathers annually for a dinner with MEPs and the LUX finalists. This year’s record high attendance demonstrates new MEPs interest to defend European culture and its creators. 

Notes to Editors 

About the situation in Croatia see FERA and SAA’s press release: http://www.filmdirectors.eu/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/PR_FERA-and-SAA-support- Croatian-AV-Authors-resisting-censorship_Nov-22-2019.pdf 

FERA - Founded in 1980, the Federation of European Film Directors gathers 46 director’s associations as members from 34 countries. It speaks for more than 20,000 European film and TV directors, representing their cultural, creative and economic interests at national and EU level. FERA EU Transparency Register Id No. 29280842236-21. @Film_directors Press: Pauline Durand-Vialle, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. +32 491 52 49 04. 

FSE - The Federation of Screenwriters in Europe is a network of national and regional associations, guilds and unions of writers for the screen in Europe, created in June 2001. It comprises 25 members from 20 countries, representing more than 7000 writers in Europe. @ScreenwritersEU Press: David Kavanagh, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

SAA - The Society of Audiovisual Authors is the association of European collective management organisations representing audiovisual authors. Its 33 members in 25 countries manage rights for over 140,000 film, television and multimedia European screenwriters and directors. @saabrussels #WeLoveAuthors Press: Annica Ryngbeck, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +32 475 66 95 94. 

One of the largest internationally renowned markets for the promotion of film locations, FOCUS 2019, is taking place on 3 and 4 December in London.This year, the Slovenian Film Centre, which carries out the activities of a Film Commission in Slovenia and thus also provides support for foreign film productions shot there, will attend this event in order to present the Slovenian film locations for the second time.

The promotion of the Slovenian film locations will once again take place in cooperation with the Slovenian Tourist Board.The purpose of this sort of promotional events is to promote Slovenia as a film destination.Because of its idyllic and picturesque appearance, Slovenia has a diverse range of film locations to offer. Meanwhile, in line with the model of the majority of the European countries, Slovenia’s 25-percent cash rebate measure for foreign productions represents a further incentive for foreign producers to shoot in the Slovenian territory.All the well-preserved historical sites, the number of scenic locations in the immediate vicinity, and the fact that it is possible to shoot in the mountains as well as by the sea in a single day belong among the key factors that qualify Slovenia as one of the most exclusive film locations.Already the following day, the crews can film in the Karst region or the Pannonian Plain.Precisely for this reason, the current slogan of the promotional campaign, which has already begun at the Cannes Film Festival, reads “Slovenia. Any European story. Within two hours. Drive less. Film more. Film in Slovenia.”The website FilminSlovenia.si has been published to provide essential information about Slovenia as a film country to Slovenian and foreign film producers. 

In 2018, production houses from Italy, Philippines, Croatia, Serbia, Republic of Korea, United States of America, and Great Britain took advantage of the cash rebate measure and filmed their projects in our country.Large production companies making big, ambitious high-budget films as well as television houses that shoot TV series have been interested in filming in Slovenia.In 2018 – during the second year that foreign investments in the audiovisual production have been encouraged with the measure mentioned above – cash rebates have been approved in case of seven production companies making three features, one full-length documentary, and three TV series.This year, however, producers from Croatia, Italy, and Great Britain have shot their films in Slovenia.

As the last study of state support schemes and economic and fiscal effects of the audiovisual industry in Slovenia has shown, it is an indisputable fact that the assessed multiplier of fiscal and economic impacts amounts to 1.8, which, in practice, means that for every 100 people who are directly employed in the audiovisual sector, this industry indirectly provides for the employment of another 80 people in the Slovenian economy.Another important finding is that the fiscal impact amounts to 40 %, which means that for every 100 euros invested in the audiovisual sector, 40 euros are returned to the state budget.The overview of the key economic indicators thus clearly indicates that the audiovisualindustry is not merely a cultural and artistic activity, but also an industry with numerous impacts on the economy and society.

The Slovenian Film Centre is also a member of the EUFCN - European Film Commissions Network, which aims to make use of these sorts of events to continuously encourage the long-term economic effects of international collaborations in the field of filmmaking and promotion.

This year, at IDFA   International Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam, three films developed as part of the DOC LAB POLAND program: "Lessons of Love" by Małgorzata Goliszewska and Katarzyna Mateja, "Sonny" by Paweł Chorzępa and "The Whale from Lorino" by Maciej Cuske are the only three Polish documentary films in the festival competitions.

Three further film projects participating in DOC LAB POLAND 2019 - „The Pawnshop", "Miss of Poland " and „No Hero at All" will be presented at the POLISH DOCS PRO SHOWCASE organized by the Krakow Film Foundation.

On this occasion DOC LAB POLAND together with  Polish Docs and HBO Europe   hosts a Guests Meet Guests cocktail on Sunday November 24th at 6 p.m. in 

The "Lessons of Love"  will have its world premiere at festival in the competition section First Appearance.This is the story of a 67-year-old, attractive woman who, after years of unhappy marriage, decides to start a new life and gain control over it. The hero of "Sonny" also wants to change his life for the better. As an eighteen-year-old, he has just left the orphanage and came back to his father. They have to answer a lot of difficult questions, but maybe they will be able to improve their relation. Director Maciej Cuske in the film "The Whale of Lorino" takes viewers to one of the most inaccessible and most difficult places to live on Earth - the Chukchi Peninsula. The movie shows how the ancient tradition of whale hunting binds representatives of the local community.

„Miss of Poland ”, dir. Jan Shostak and Jakub Jasiukiewicz was awarded during the Krakow Film Festival.   Władysław Ślesicki Film Foundation - the organizer of DOC LAB POLAND funded the award which covers the costs of participation in the industry section of the IDFA festival. The director of the movie is also the main character. She is a rebellious visual artist from Belarus. She made a lot of people really surprised, when she has decided to become miss of Poland. This year is her last chance to win because of her  age. The film is the  opportunity to present her view on the organization this kind of events. 

As one of the organizers of study visits for Polish documentary filmmakers, the Foundation also co-financed  the Łukasz Kowalski film project participation. Documentary tragicomedy „The Pawnshop” presents a couple of eccentric businessmen running the largest pawnshop in Silesia. Their financial situation becomes dramatic, love begins to die, they have nothing else to do but fight for survival. The third film presented in POLISH DOCS ​​PRO SHOWCASE is „No Hero at All" by Michał Kawecki. This is a documentary story about the unusual athlete, for whom toxic relations with the family are a greater obstacle to winning Olympics than the lack of arms and legs.

Yesterday Industry@Tallinn &; Baltic Event rewarded the best projects after a week full of presentations, networking, screenings, meetings and panel discussions attracting more than 600 guests from 54 different countries. 

Marge Liiske, the Head of Industry@Tallinn and Baltic event said that it has been exciting five days of masterclasses, discussions, meetings, pitchings and networking. “74 projects - short films, features and TV drama series included - had over 500 pre-arranged meetings, plus all the meetings and deals made in the MEDIA buyers lounge or various meeting places in our conference centre, the Nordic Hotel Forum. We are thankful for all the professionals, who have trusted us as an industry platform, and look forward to seeing their projects grow into beautiful films distributed all over the world,” she added.

This year’s Industry@Tallinn &; Baltic Event Awards went to the following projects:

Baltic Event Co-Production Market Awards

18 projects were presented in the official selection of the Co-Production Market at Industry@Tallinn &; Baltic Event during Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival. 

Best Project

Eurimages Co-Production Development Award

The award of 20 000 Euros was given to the best project based on its artistic quality and potential for theatrical release.

Winner: The Great Match by Filip Syczynski, Poland

Produced by Anna Rozalska and Aleksandra Aleksander, Match & Spark

Jury comment:

The project convinced unanimously with the strong heartfelt motivation of the director who has a German and a Polish teenage refugee settling the scores of the recurrent European discussion about freedom on the tennis court. 

Screen International Best Pitch Award (offering coverage of the life-cycle of the winning film)

Winner: The File by Jonas Karasek, Slovakia

Produced by Wanda Adamik Hrycova, Wandal Production

Cannes Marché du Film Producers’ Network Award (for Promising Young Producer with free accreditation to next year’s edition)

Winners: Carla Fotea, Romania, and Andreas Kask, Estonia 

Jury of Baltic Event Co-production Market Awards included Uljana Kim, Producer, Studio Uljana Kim, Lithuania, Simon Ofenloch, Commissioning Editor, ZDF ARTE, Germany; Alex Traila, Consultant, National Representative of Eurimages, Romania; Martin Blaney, Screen International, Germany. 

Works In Progress Awards

The fifth edition of International Works In Progress presented 8 projects and the 17th Baltic Event Works in Progress presented 10 projects from the Baltic region and Finland. 

The Post Production Award

Post production services in the amount of up to 10 000 Euros but not more than 2/3 of the expenses incurred at Post Control. The award is given to the project, which successfully combines creative and commercial potential.

Winner: The Pit directed by Dace Pūce, Latvia

Producers: Kristele Pudane, Elīna Zazerska

Production company: Marana Productions

Jury comment: 

The clips we saw left us wanting to see more. This specific coming-of-age story should be universally understood and has cross-border potential.

The Baltic Event Works in Progress Award

The Baltic Event Works in Progress Award is given to the project with the strongest and boldest artistic vision. The award will help the film gain visibility during its promotion and distribution in the Baltic States by covering related costs in the region.

Winner: Brownie directed by Sarah Blaßkiewitz, Germany

Producers: Milena Klemke, Yvonne Wellie, Jakob D. Weydemann, Jonas Weydemann

Production company: Weydemann Bros. GmbH

Jury comment:

With its authenticity, current, relevant subject matter and sense of humour, the nicely-shot Brownie is a film about appearance that digs deeper into many other levels and deserves international distribution.

Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event Works in Progress jury included Dhanushka Gunathilake, Cinematographer, Festival Curator, Debra Liang, Level K, and Alissa Simon, Palm Springs IFF, Chicago IFF.

Script Pool Tallinn 2019

Global Screen Award (5000 Euros)

The third Script Pool Tallinn competition prize is provided by the leading international sales & distribution company Global Screen GmbH.

Winner: Molly by scriptwriter Nicole Paglia and producer Jessie Mangum

Jury comment:

Molly tells us a story we are not familiar with, but we would love to watch on screen. It is easy to get connected with the characters and their internal conflicts in the love story set in the politics of cold war and frozen Greenland. We believe Molly could be an original and captivating film.

The jury of Script Pool Tallinn: Celine Dornier, Executive Producer at Logical Pictures, Yaron Shamir, Programmer and Special Events Coordinator at Haifa International Film Festival, and Jennyfer Gautier, Buyer and international sales at UDI – Urban Distribution International.

PHOTOS

Winner of  Eurimages Co-Production Development Award - The Great Match
Winner of Screen International Best Pitch Award
Works in Progress: Post production Award - The Pit
The Baltic Event Works In Progress Award - The Brownie
Winner of Script Pool Tallinn 2019 - Molly 

Photo gallery of the award ceremony

INFORMATION

For additional information please contact:
Egle Loor
Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event communications coordinator
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
+372 56 906 376