The Best Pitch Award, which includes a 3,000 EUR financial subsidy, was selected by an international jury composed of Daniela Cölle from Pluto Films, programmer Rohan Berry Crickmar from the Edinburgh International Film Festival, and the director of Doclisboa Festival Joana de Sousa.
Gregor Valentovič’s debut feature Twentyseven / Dvadsaťsedem was selected for the three weeks Pop Up Film Residency Visegrad programme.
The Cineuropa Work in Progress Award went to Martina Buchelová‘s debut feature Lover, Not a Fighter / Milovník, nie bojovník, which is now in preproduction.
The Work in Progress presentations took place in a hybrid format on 21 March 2022. The beginning of the Industry Days was devoted to the presentation of MIDPOINT.
WORK IN PROGRESS SELECTED PROJECTS:
Projects in Development and Preproduction:
The Bird Hill / Vtáčnik (Slovakia, Czech Republic)
The long documentary debut by Eva Križková captures fragments of residents’ local stories in the distinctly-named Bird Hill district, which are mixed with current ornithological research and reflections on the bird community. The research about the oldest living species on Earth pushes a local urban problem to the global philosophical level: what does our behaviour, settlement and coexistence say about the future of our species?
„I decided to work on this film because for me it's very important to have a social impact and this film can open some discussions and maybe it can change something in the cities, not just in Bratislava, but maybe around the world“, said producer Silvia Panáková from Dayhey.
The film is produced by Slovak Dayhey in coproduction with Czech Film & Sociologie. The estimated budget of 99,200 EUR is supported by the Slovak Audiovisual Fund.
The production will start in April 2022 and the release is expected in 2023.
Fakir / Pokiaľ ja žijem (Slovakia)
The first long documentary from Roman Ďuriš follows the dramatic story of a 23 year old Romani Dalibor, who tries to help his family escape from the influence of the abusive alcoholic husband and father. Fascinated by the magic of circus artistry, he finds a creative way that helps him overcome his inner pain.
The film is produced by Bright Sight Pictures and the estimated budget of 172,000 EUR is supported by the Slovak Audiovisual Fund and the Radio and Television of Slovakia.
„We are looking for partners who are interested in this topic, such as coproducers, broadcasters and also sales agents,“ said Simona Bago Móciková from Bright Sight Pictures.
The principal photography is planned for June-November 2022. The release is expected in September 2023.
Hello Summer / Ahoj leto (Slovakia, Czech Republic)
This animated short film without dialogues, aimed at children aged 6-9, tells the story of a family that expects to have the best summer holiday ever. And even if their dream destination does not meet their expectations, this experience will eventually show them what their holiday is really about.
Hello Summer is directed by Martin Smatana and Veronika Zacharová, and produced by Slovak´s Studio Bororo in coproduction with Czech Maur Film. The estimated budget of 65,000 EUR is supported by the Slovak Audiovisual Fund and the Czech Film Fund.
„The main target of Hello Summer is the children festival audience in the first place and later also cinema distribution, television, and VOD platforms. We are still searching for a potential coproducer, distributor, sales agent or festival partners,“ said director and producer Martin Smatana.
The production is planned for 2022-2023. The release is expected in February 2024.
Twentyseven / Dvadsaťsedem (Slovakia, Hungary, Czech Republic)
The first feature film by Gregor Valentovič tells the story of 27-year old David and three best friends from high shool, who promised each other that their friendship will last forever. After Hana gets married, Bažo moves abroad and Maja falls in love with an adventurous traveller, David finds himself all alone. He is forced to embark on a new journey to find out that his adult life as a queer person might be inherently different than of those who grew up with him.
„We are currently seeking for coproducers from Central Europe countries such as Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland, and maybe Austria. The film is in early development stage,“ said producer Zora Jaurová from MPhilms.
The film is produced by MPhilms. The estimated budget of 900,000 EUR is supported by the Slovak Audiovisual Fund.
The production is planned for 2023.
Lover, Not a Fighter / Milovník, nie bojovník (Slovakia, Czech Republic)
The first debut feature by Martina Buchelová is also a generational statement, which talks about topics like addiction, manipulation and toxic masculinity. It is a desperate, funny and cute love story of a 20 year old Andrej, an alcoholic, who lives at his grandma's apartment, and Miša, whose father thinks she is a lesbian.
The film is produced by NINJA film and coproduced by Unit and Sofa. The estimated budget of 405,000 EUR is supported by the Slovak Audiovisual Fund. The producers are waiting for grant results from the Czech Film Fund.
„We are now in the preproduction phase. The shooting is planned for March 2023 and we are mainly looking for distributors, festivals and sales agents,“ said Michaela Kaliská from NINJA film.
Projects in Production:
Ema and the Death’s Head / Ema a smrtihlav (Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary)
The third fiction film by Iveta Grófová is set in the dramatic First Slovak State era, on the Slovak-Hungarian border. The main character, the Hungarian widow Marika Sándorfi, is hiding a Jewish boy, who has a special ability to survive thanks to his dreaming and fantasy.
The film is produced by PubRes in coproduction with Ondřej Trojan´s Total Helpart T.H.A., Hungarian Campfilm, RTVS and the Czech Television.The estimated budget of 2,087,000 EUR is supported by the Slovak Audiovisual Fund and Kultminor.
The release is expected in the spring of 2023.
Gritty Eyes / Oči plné piesku (Slovakia, Czech Republic)
This short fiction film of 30 minutes is the directorial debut of the award winnig director of commercials Juraj Janiš. The film tells the story of a a 15-year-old boy from a broken home. When he gets sucked into a burglary that goes terribly wrong, he is brutally forced to reconsider who he can really trust before it’s too late.
The film is produced by HITCHHIKER CINEMA and coproduced by Unit and Sofa and the Radio and Television of Slovakia. The estimated budget of 220,000 EUR is supported by the Slovak Audiovisual Fund and the Czech Film Fund.
„We are in the middle of shooting. The plan is to complete the film by the end of August 2022. We are looking for sales agents and also for a partner for cooperation on postproduction, as we are missing some financial support,“ said Barbara Janišová Feglová from HITCHHIKER CINEMA.
We Have to Survive / Musíme prežiť (Slovakia, France, Austria)
The documentary directed by Tomáš Krúpa captures stories of protagonists from four corners of the planet: Australia, to United States, Mongolia, and Greenland, places which represent heat, drought, desertification, and floating.The men and women in this parts of the planet have already had to change their lifestyles and customs in order to survive and to continue to live where they were born and raised. The process of adaptation to climate change’s impacts the protagonists are going through is the basis of the film’s narrative.
„The production is set from 2022 until 2024 and the film will be launched in 2025 with an international impact campaign,“ said director and producer Tomáš Krúpa.
The film is produced by Hailstone in coproduction with Yuzu Productions (France), Golden Girls Filmproduction (Austria), the Radio and Television of Slovakia, ARTE G.E.I.E. (France) and PULS4 (Austria).
The producers have already covered 50% of the estimated budget of 713,000 EUR with support from the Slovak Audiovisual Fund and Creative Europe – MEDIA.
Projects in Postproduction:
Invalid (Slovakia, Czech Republic)
The action comedy directed by Jonáš Karásek takes place in the time before Slovakia joined the European Union, when Mečiarism (a spin off from Communism) and organised crime were at their peak. The film confronts the most topical subjects of racism, depression, domestic violence and a dysfunctional system via an ostensibly simple story of a maintenance worker looking for justice.
„We are looking for a sales agent outside the Slovak and Czech Republic. We are finishing the first cut now and we are starting postproduction in April 2022,“ said director Jonáš Karásek.
The film is produced by Azyl Production in coproduction with Radio and Television of Slovakia, Homemedia and CinemArt. The estimated budget of 1,079,947 EUR is supported by the Slovak Audiovisual Fund.
The Cathedral / Katedrála (Slovakia, Great Britain)
Denis Dobrovoda’s documentary follows 95-year-old Justo Gallego, who was expelled from a monastery when he was in his twenties. After suffering from a bout of depression, he decided to devote the rest of his life to God. He did this by selling his family’s land and spending the next six decades building a Sagrada Familia-size cathedral. He achieved this with no help, no architectural knowledge and by using only recycled materials, but his legacy is now in danger.
„We are currently finishing postproduction, so we are looking mainly for distribution contacts, sales agents, as well as festivals, who might be interested in screening the film,“ said director and producer Denis Dobrovoda.
The film is produced by Kolsa Films SK and supported by ScreenCraft Film Fund. The release is expected in June 2022.
No Elements / Prázdna množina (Slovakia)
The short experimental documentary by Barbara Vojtašáková is inspired by the director's personal experience with alexithymia – the inability to identify and describe emotions. The film is an audiovisual dialogue between two young people. Four years after their break-up, Michal and Tereza reflect on their relationship. They were reunited because of the joint film footage and Michal’s desire to return to filming.
„At the moment we are in postproduction. We would like to find an international sales agent and also we are currently looking for options to attend international film festivals,“ said Barbara Vojtašáková.
The film is produced by the Film and Television Faculty of Academy of Performing Arts. The estimated budget of 7,665 EUR is supported by the Slovak Audiovisual Fund.
