30 Aug 2004

Bringing Together Money And Ideas

For the German Film production, the year 2003 will remain as “The Year of Lenin”. With an unbeaten number of contracts signed between the distributor Bavaria Film International and more than 65 countries, “GOOD BYE, LENIN!” the German's comedy by Wolfgang Becker was also the most acclaimed German film in all the European countries.

With such a movie, the German film industry could hardly expect more. But, the latest “GEGEN DIE WAND ” (HEAD-ON) by Fatih Akin changed the situation. And, a Turkish woman may succeed to Lenin as far as German movies of the year are concerned.

Fatih Akin last movie is a love story and, a film on social issue. It deals with the questions of identity and integration that the Turkish community is facing in Germany. Mostly it puts ahead the question of freedom in the choice of a woman for a husband, for a partner.

It may not be appreciated by the conservative elements of the community, and the author has been already under an internet campaign of boycott. But it has been proven in the past that the success of a movie doesn't go necessarily with compromises.

Born in 1973 in Hamburg, the young filmmaker is “on the move” for a while now. What more is fascinating in Fatih Akin young career is the number of awards and, cash awards that are coming together with each of his new ideas.

He wrote and directed his first short film “SENSIN - DU BIST ES!” (Sensin - You're The One!) in 1995. The short already received the Audience Award at the Hamburg International Short Film Festival.

With “ GETUERKt ” (Weed) in 1996 Fatih Akin won its first international festival prizes. Then came the filmmaker first feature film “KURZ UND SCHMERZLOS” (Short Sharp Shock) which got the Bavarian Film Award (Best Young Director) and, a Bronze Leopard at Locarno in 1998.

Fatih Akin growing success was at its top in 2004 with “HEAD ON”. The film won the Golden Bear, which is the most important award at the Berlinale .

In a very sensitive way, the young filmmaker showed to the World how powerful cultures that combine are. His movie is together a German story, a Turkish testimony, an international film. And what is more, it was the first time in 18 years that a German film won this prestigious award at the Berlinale!

A Bronze Leopard, a Golden Bear…

Festivals are the best places to increase the promotion and the revenue of a film.

In Hamburg (where Fatih Akin lives) the three juries and the audience jury of the 20th Short Film Festival Hamburg (June 9 th – 14 th 2004) have distributed a total of 19.000 Euro in prize!

The coming “Tokyo International Film Festival” will also offer great prizes. The Grand Prix - The Governor of Tokyo Award is a cash prize of 80,000 U.S dollars! This will be in October in Japan.

In Europe in October, there is another date (and dead line) that filmmakers shall not miss! This is the CineMart.

Film directors from any ASEM countries who are developing – at any stage of the development of a feature film project – this event is for you!

CineMART

If you are looking for a potential co-producers, bankers, funds, sales agents, distributors, and TV stations. The CineMart, is a very effective instrument that was developed by the International Film Festival Rotterdam. It has one major aim - to bring together financiers and filmmakers. Every year, the CineMart invites a select number of film directors, producers to present their film projects. This is a five day event that has proven to be a platform for film makers to launch their ideas.

To be eligible, a project must fill these conditions:

- The film project can be a feature film or a creative documentary with theatrical potential.

- The project can come from all parts of the world

- The project can be in all stages of production, from script to rough cut

- The project must be new or recent and have not yet made the round of all financiers and other festivals and markets

- The project must have a good chance of being realised

- The project must have a potential international market

- The project must have artistic and other special qualities by demonstrable talented film-makers

- The project must have a producer and a director attached, preferably producers or directors who are deemed capable of getting them off the ground

- The project must have a complete screenplay must be available during CineMart

If your project fits with these conditions don't wait, jump on the Regulation and Online Entry form of CineMart. The deadline for project entries of the 2005 edition is: October 1, 2004

by Gyora Gal Glupczynski

- “HEAD ON” Official website (German)

- “HEAD ON” Production company - WÜSTE FILM (German)

LIST OF THE ASEM PROJECTS AT THE CINEMART 2004 EDITION

ASIAN PRODUCTION

CHINESE STATE OF MIND Emily Tang, Han Jie, Diao Yinan (Xstream Pictures) China

INVISIBLE WAVES Pen-Ek Ratanaruang (Cinemasia) Thailand

THE SUMMER PALACE Lou Ye (Dream Factory) China

TAEPOONG TAEYANG Jeong Jae-Eun South Korea

EUEO-ASIAN CO-PRODUCTION

TROPICAL MALADY Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Kick the Machine/AS Films) Thailand/France

YURI Kim Ki-Duk (LJ Film Co. Ltd) South Korea/Germany