With an intense schedule of over 1,200 meetings and 36 participating projects, the Berlinale’s leading co-production market is poised to launch its 15th edition.
Celebrating its 15th edition this year, having already helped more than 260 films to reach completion, the Berlinale Co-Production Market has selected 36 feature-film projects, taking part in four different segments, that will have the opportunity to be presented to over 550 producers, world sales agents, distributors, broadcasters, film funds and financiers. Also, five production companies will enjoy a special focus under the “Company Matching” programme. An integral part of the European Film Market (15-23 February), the Berlinale Co-Production Market is due to run for five days, from 17-21 February.
For the main programme of the market, 21 projects have been selected from among the 326 submitted. The majority of them are European productions or co-productions, and their budgets range from €750,000 to €6 million. They will be presented by their production companies, and they must already have secured support from their home countries or a minimum of 30% of their financing.
Starting with the host country, Germany, there are three projects participating. Actress and international star Franka Potente is presenting her debut feature film, while Katrin Gebbe, who competed at Cannes with her debut, Nothing Bad Can Happen [+], is taking part with her sophomore feature, as is Ä°lker Çatak (Es war einmal Indianerland). One of the most eagerly anticipated projects is the sophomore feature by Czech directorial duo Tomas Weinreb and Petr Kazda, whose impressive debut, I, Olga Hepnarová [+], competed in the Berlinale Panorama in 2016. Another participant, acclaimed Irish writer-director Aisling Walsh (Song for a Raggy Boy), was at Berlin last year with her latest, Maudie [+]. Also, multi-award-winning Danish documentarian Andreas Dalsgaard (The War Show [+]) is aiming to boost the financing available to his new project.
Spain has two participants who have racked up considerable experience in the world of short films: Catalan director Juanjo Giménez and Basque filmmaker Aritz Moreno, with his long-awaited debut. Flemish director and active producer Koen Mortier is making his return after his 2010 feature 22nd of May [+], and French-based Iranian director Sepideh Farsi is doing likewise. Greek director Yorgos Servetas (Standing Aside, Watching [+]) will present his third feature, and Esen Isik, winner of Best Film at the 2016 Swiss Film Awards for Köpek [+], is coming to the market with her sophomore project. The winner of the Best Pitching Award at the Antalya Film Forum (see the news), Nisan DaÄŸ (Across the Sea), is also presenting her debut at the market. Israeli actress-director Hagar Ben Asher, known for her debut The Slut [+] (2011), will be present with a German-Polish-Israeli co-production, while Israel is a co-producing country for a four-part omnibus title helmed by acclaimed directors Todd Solondz, Anna Muylaert, Mohsen Makhmalbaf and Arsinée Khanjian.
Furthermore, two film projects that will first be presented at Rotterdam’s CineMart (see the news), Hlynur Pálmason’s (Winter Brothers [+]) and Rachel Lang’s (Baden Baden [+]) sophomores, will be included as part of the special Rotterdam-Berlinale Express programme. Finally, three acclaimed international directors who previously participated in the Berlinale will have a special section for their early-development projects.
Here is the complete selection of films:
Abdullah and His Sons – Esen IsikProducer: Maximage (Switzerland)
Advantages of Travelling by Train – Aritz MorenoProducers: Morena Films, Señor & Señora (Spain)
Dr. Glas – Aisling WalshProducers: Fantastic Films (Ireland), Makar Productions (UK)
An Empty Goal – Sergio CastroProducers: Manufactura de Películas (Chile), Bigbonsai (Brazil)
Haunted – Koen MortierProducer: Czar Film & TV (Belgium)
The Hole in the Fence – Joaquín del PasoProducer: Amondo Cine (Mexico)
Home – Franka PotenteProducer: Augenschein Filmproduktion (Germany)
I, Alex – Ä°lker ÇatakProducer: Riva Filmproduktion (Germany)
Motel Acacia – Bradley LiewProducers: Epicmedia Productions (Philippines), Potocol (Singapore)
My Camino – Louise ArchambaultProducer: Item 7 (Canada)
My First Time of Dying – Cristiane OliveiraProducer: Okna Produções (Brazil)
Nobody Likes Me – Tomas Weinreb, Petr KazdaProducers: Black Balance, Love.Frame (Czech Republic), Arizona Productions (France)
Pelican Blood – Katrin GebbeProducer: Junafilm (Germany)
The Quarters – Todd Solondz, Anna Muylaert, Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Arsinée KhanjianProducers: Six Island Productions (Canada), Impulse Pictures (Israel)
The Siren – Sepideh FarsiProducers: Les Films d'Ici (France), Lunanime (Belgium)
Soul Hunter – Andreas DalsgaardProducer: Savage Productions (Ireland)
The Sound of Animals Fighting – Sibs Shongwe-La MerProducer: Fireworx Media (South Africa/Brazil)
Three – Juanjo GiménezProducer: Frida Films (Spain)
The War Has Ended – Hagar Ben AsherProducers: Match Factory Productions (Germany), Madants (Poland), Transfax (Israel)
When I'm Done Dying – Nisan DagProducer: Solis Film (Turkey)
The Woman With the Gun – Yorgos ServetasProducer: Argonauts Productions (Greece)
Rotterdam-Berlinale Express
Mon légionnaire – Rachel LangProducers: Chevaldeuxtrois (France), Wrong Men (Belgium)
A White, White Day – Hlynur PálmasonProducers: Join Motion Pictures (Iceland), Snowglobe (Denmark)
Berlinale Directors
Doi Boy – Nontawat NumbenchapolProducers: Anti-Archive (Cambodia), Mobile Lab Project (Thailand)
The Strangers of the Cold Mountain – Albertina CarriProducer: El Borde (Argentina)
Three Minutes of Silence – Boris KhlebnikovProducer: CTB Film Company (Russia)
Company Matching
Heimatfilm (Germany)Indie Prod/Indie Sales (France)Mutante Cine (Uruguay)Schortcut (Lebanon)
The selection is rounded off by the ten projects being presented at the Talent Project Market, which is taking place in collaboration with Berlinale Talents 2018 (see the news), where up-and-coming producers will have a chance to showcase their projects.
The selected projects are also eligible for some of the most sought-after prizes at the Berlinale Co-Production Market, such as the Eurimages Co-Production Development Award (€20,000), the VFF Talent Highlight Award (€10,000) and the ARTE International Prize (€6,000). The Berlinale Co-Production Market is organised in partnership with MDM - Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung and Creative Europe.