2019 Eurimages Co-production Development Awards

The project Snot and Splash written by Ilja Rautsi, which will be directed by Teemu Nikki and produced by the company It’s Alive Films (FIN), received the Eurimages Co-production Development Award granted in the framework of the Cinekid Junior Co-production Market (Amsterdam). The Jury of the Eurimages prize composed of Derk van den Berg, Anette Unger and Dorien van de Pas for Eurimages was impressed by the film’s entertaining take on a very urgent and important subject, which is relevant for the new generation of kids all over the world. A Special Mention was also given to the project Totem written by Bastiaan Tichler and Sander Burger which will be directed by Sander Burger and produced by the company Volya Films (NL). More information is available on the Festival’s website. The next Eurimages Co-production Development Award will be awarded at the close of the Baltic Event Co-production Market which will take place in Tallinn on 26-29 November 2019.

During the closing ceremony of the MIA Market in Rome, the Eurimages Co-production Development Award of €20,000 went to the project Triumph to be directed and produced by Bulgarian duo Kristina Grozeva and Peter Valchanov for their company Abraxas Film. The Eurimages Jury, whose members were Fiorella Moretti, Ewa Puszczynska and Tobias Pausinger was impressed by this highly original story with real contemporary relevance. The events which will be related seem hardly credible……but are absolutely true. Absurd but tragic, the finished film will certainly have a lot to say about some of contemporary society’s most evident failures. 

The Eurimages Co-production Development Award of an amount of 20 000 euros was awarded last night at the close of the VIIth Europe-Latin America Co-production Forum in the framework of the San Sebastian International Film Festival to the project Almamula which will be directed by Juan Sebastián Torales and produced by the French company Tu Vas Voir in co-operation with Argentina and Luxembourg. The jury composed of Virginie Devesa (Alpha Violet), Augusto Matte (independent consultant) and Pablo Pérez de Lema for Eurimages wanted to “recognise the project of a talented new director surrounded by a first-rate team and the trust of three co-producing countries. There are legends that are known locally but with a universal character. As there are very personal stories that touch us all deeply”. The list of award-winners of this VIIIth edition is on the Festival’s website. 

And the winner is…. The Happiest Man in the World or Lessons in Love by Teona Strugar Mitevska! Last night, at the CineLink co-production market in Sarajevo, the Eurimages Co-production Development Award of an amount of 20 000 euros went to this project produced by the company Sisters and Brother Mitevski. The jury composed of a number of eminent members of the profession, including Emma Scott (IE) for Eurimages decided to reward a project which offers a deeper reflection on post-war forgiveness. The humorous elements in the tale and the positive message the director wishes to convey convinced the jury of the film’s potential to look at the post-war Balkan setting from a different angle. A Special Mention was given to the project Forever Hold Your Peace by Ivan Marinović which will be co-produced by the companies Adriatic Western in Montenegro and Sense Production in Serbia. Further information on the Festival’s website.

During the closing ceremony of the Sarajevo Film Festival, the Heart of Sarajevo for Best Director was awarded to Emin Alper for his film A Tale of Three Sisters, a co-production between Turkey, Germany, the Netherlands and Greece, supported by Eurimages and also rewarded by the CICAE Prize. The Heart of Sarajevo for Best Actress was awarded to Irini Jambonas for her role in Rounds by Stephan Komandarev, a co-production between Bulgaria and Serbia also supported by Eurimages and rewarded by the Cineuropa Prize.

Democracy work in progress by Mihály Schwechtje and produced by Genovéva Petrovits from the Budapest-based Hungarian company The Soup received the Eurimages Co-production Development Award given in the framework of the Transilvania International Film Festival’s (TIFF) Co-production Market (TPS) which came to a close on 9 June in Cluj, Romania. The jury included Katriel Schory, Ada Solomon and Audrius Stonys for Eurimages and they really appreciated the fact that this project started from a mundane event and developed into a reflection on corruption, society and how good ideological intentions can be misappropriated as well as the fact that the project can travel outside co-producing countries.
Impressed by the depiction of the lead female protagonist, the jury decided to give a Special mention to the project Athlete by Semih Gulen and Mustafa Emin Buyukcoskun produced by Oyku Kanli from the company Yumurta Yapim Sanat established in Istanbul, Turkey.

At CPH:DOX in Copenhagen, the Eurimages Co-production Development Award of an amount of 15,000 euros dedicated to documentaries went to the project Four Brothers by Peter-Jan de Pue, presented in the framework of the CPH:FORUM co-production market. This documentary will be produced by Vincent Metzinger from the company Savage Film (BE), in co-operation with the German company Gebrüder Beetz. The jury consisting of Gabor Greiner (Films Boutique), David Herdies (Memento Film) and Tamara Tatishvili (GE) for Eurimages was impressed by “the integrity and powerful cinematic language of this project, which gives a contemporary look on the impact and the harshness of belonging and isolation within a family in a war situation”. More information on the website of the festival.

The Eurimages Co-production Development Award of an amount of 20 000 euros awarded in the framework of Cartoon Movie has been awarded to the project entitled Of Unwanted Things and People by David Súkup, Ivana Laučíková, Leon Vidmar & Agata Gorządek, co-produced by the companies Maur Film (Czech Republic), Artichoke (Slovakia), ZVVIKS (Slovenia) & WJTeam/Likaon (Poland). The jury composed of Tom Carpelan (Filmkompaniet – Finland), François Mergier (STUDIOCANAL – France) and Dorien van de Pas (Netherlands) for Eurimages was impressed by this remarkable production team that this project brought together for the first time, and was seduced by this film which involves a great deal of fantasy and imagination dealing with universal issues. Further information in the press release.
The next Eurimages Co-production Development Award will be given during the CPH:FORUM co-production market organised in the framework of the CPH:DOX festival from 26 to 28 March.

During the Eurimages cocktail held in co-operation with the Berlinale Co-Production Market, the Eurimages Co-production Development Award went to the project Alcarràs by Carla Simón, to be produced by Maria Zamora at Avalon PC (ES). The jury composed of Helena Danielsson, Jakub Duszynski and Karin Schockweiler for Eurimages, said the following: “This director’s accomplished first film established her as one of the most interesting and fresh voices in European cinema. Observing changes in Europe from an intimate perspective, based on personal experience, her new project carries a message of hope on the need to accept change.”