SØRFOND PITCHING FORUM OCTOBER 9TH - 10TH 2012

The purpose of the SØRFOND Pitching Forum


The Films From the South Foundation organises the SØRFOND Pitching Forum in connection with the annual Films from the South festival in October in Oslo, Norway.
 The purpose of the SØRFOND Pitching Forum is to give potential main producers the opportunity to present their projects to potential Norwegian minority producers, with a view to enter into a co-production agreement and apply for support from SØRFOND.

The SØRFOND Forum takes place the 9th & 10th October. Tues 9th is reserved to professionals from the film industry, but the actual Pitching Day on Wed 10th is open to all.


Full programe of the SØRFOND Forum 2012

Tuesday 9th of October - Working World Cinema in the south
Where: Lillebil, Filmens Hus/Cinemateket
When: 13.00 - 16.30
Moderator: Kalle Løchen

How does the collaboration between a minority producer from the EU and a main producer from a developing country (DAC-listed country) work? What are the challenges, what should you prioritize in this work, what are the experiences. How can a minority producer maximize his/her own use of collaborating in such a production. The seminar is also relevant for Norwegian producers seeking collaborators outside of Norway.

Key notes:
Magalie Armand: CNC, Cinema Du Monde
Thierry Lenouvel: French producer
Philippe Avril: French Producer
Gudny Hummelvoll: Norwegian producer
Ivar Køhn: Norwegian Film Institute
Lasse Skagen: Films from the South Festival

Programme:

12:30 Registration of participants
13:00 Welcome by Kalle Løchen, and introduction of Sørfond by Lasse Skagen and Ivar Køhn
13:15 Magalie Armand - On Cinema du Monde, and French producers feedback in perspective - financial challenges
13:45 Break (coffee and fruit)
14:05 French producers Thierry Lenouvel and Philippe Avril - working as a producer with developing countries and reflections on finances and marketing
15:15 Gudny Hummelvoll - Experiences from one of the first Sørfond co-productions
15:30 Break
15:40 Q&A w/all speakers
16:30 End

Parallel to this seminar, the Pitching Forum's 12 pitchers are attending a closed pitching workshop held by NFI:LAB, with Jesper Osmund.

Wednesday 10th of October - Pitching Forum
When: 10:00 - 21:00
Where: Tancred, Filmens Hus/Cinemateket
Moderator: Kalle Løchen
Each pitch lasts 10 minutes. There is a 5 minute changeover between each pitch.

10.00 - 10.30 Registration
10.30 - 11.00 Opening of the Forum, presentation of the pitching program, and information about Sørfond
11.00 - 11.10 La Pantalla Rota (The broken screen) - by Florence Jaugey
11.15 - 11.25 The River of Cloud - by Haolun Shu and Yang Cheng
11.30 - 11.40 Hierro - by Ana Perera
11.45 - 12.00 Father Got Sick - by Wang Chao
12.00 - 13.00 Lunch
13.00 - 13.10 Secret Faces - by Jean-Marie Teno
13.15 - 13.25 Train Station - by Mohamed Al-Daradji
13.30 - 13.40 A Maid for Each - by Sabine Sidawi
13.45 - 14.00 At the Top of the Mountain - by Moussa Touré
14.00 - 14.15 Pause with coffee and fruit
14.15 - 14.25 Wild Track - by Juliana Rojas
14.30 - 14.40 Tarde Para Morir Joven (Late to die young) - by Dominga Sotomayor and Benjamin Domenech
14.45 - 14.55 The Square (El Midan) - by Karim Amer
15.00 - 15.10 El Elefante Desaparecido (The Vanished Elephant) - by Javier Fuentes-Leon
15.15 - 16.30 "Speeddating" - Each project has its own table, and Norwegian producers and funding organisations approach the projects they are interested in.
16.30 - 21.00 Mingling at Thon Hotell Panorama with tapasbuffet and a drink

For specific questions related to the Pitching Forum: mika@filmfrasor.no


Supported projects 2012

Following a large and positive interest among international filmmakers, SØRFOND has, in its first ever funding-round, awarded NOK 4 million (around € 530,000) to seven different projects divided between the countries of India, Argentina, Bolivia, Pakistan and Palestine:

CHAR - THE ISLAND WITHIN (documentary film)
Director: Sourav Sarang, India
Norwegian co-producer: Cinema Oslo v/Jon Jerstad
The project receives NOK 200,000 in grants (around € 26,500)

DESHORA (feature film)
Director: Barbara Sarasola-Day, Argentina
Norwegian co-producer: Faction Film v/Dag Hoel
The project receives NOK 679,000 in grants (around € 90,000)

KANDIRE - Land Without Evil (feature film)
Director: Juan Carlos Valdivia, Bolivia
Norwegian co-producer: PJB Picture Company v/Petter Borgli
The project receives NOK 750,000 in grants (around € 100,000)

NEITHER THE VEIL NOR THE FOUR WALLS (feature film)
Director: Afia Nathaniel, Pakistan
Norwegian co-producer: Indie Film v/Carsten Aanonsen
The project receives NOK 750,000 in grants (around € 100,000)

PALESTINE STEREO (feature film)
Director: Rashid Masharawi, Palestine
Norwegian co-producer: Ape&Bjørn v/Silja Espolin Johnson and Ruben Thorkildsen
The project receives NOK 750,000 in grants (around € 100,000)

WAKOLDA (feature film)
Director: Lucía Puenzo, Argentina
Norwegian co-producer: Hummelfilm v/Gudny Hummelvoll
The project receives NOK 750,000 in grants (around € 100,000)

WHEN HARI GOT MARRIED (documentary film)
Director: Ritu Sarin, India
Norwegian co-producer: Cinema Oslo v/Jon Jerstad
The project receives NOK 121,000 in grants (around € 16,000)

A lot of interest generated by "SØRFOND"
Seven international film projects, all with Norwegian co-production, have received altogether a total of NOK 4 million in grants. The interest generated by the new film fund has been large and positive. 38 applications were received before the first ever application deadline on the 15th of February 2012 - following the initial Pitching Forum during the Films from the South festival in October 2011. A total of 250 directors wished to travel to Oslo to meet potential Norwegian co-producers - a required condition in order to apply for support from the fund. The international jury in charge of the assessment of the applications consisted of: Mama Keita (Senegal), Kalle Løchen (Norway) and Kristine Skaret (Norway). The leader of the jury, Kalle Løchen, declared that the level of the projects submitted was extremely high.

- Film is a fantastic medium to communicate important stories. Through SØRFOND, we contribute to giving strong voices from the South an opportunity to show their own culture. This also gives us a better understanding of the world we are surrounded by, declares Norwegian Development Minister Heikki Holmås.

The deadline to apply for funding from SØRFOND is 27th February 2013.