The World Cinema Fund (WCF) has announced its next deadline for funding applications. The production funding applications is March 13, 2008; for distribution funding it is December 20, 2007. (More information at www.berlinale.de)
In the seventh selection round of theWCF, chaired by Berlinale director Dieter Kosslick, four film projects have been recommended for funding from Armenia, Indonesia, Iran, and Israel.
The new Jury of theWCF – film scholar and curator Viola Shafik (Germany/Egypt), programme coordinator of the Swiss Television, Alberto Chollet (Switzerland), director of the script programme of the EON Screenwriters’ Workshop Alby James (England), as well asWCF fund managers Sonja Heinen und Vincenzo Bugno – had to choose between 108 projects submitted from a total of 40 countries, and granted funds of 220.000 €.
The funding recommendations of the seventh selection round on November 19, 2007:
Chnchik, director: Aram Shahbazyan (Armenia), production: ARMNA LLC, Yerevan. German co-producer: zero fiction film GmbH, Berlin. Feature film, funding: 50.000 €
Jermal, director: Ravi Bharwani (Indonesia), production: SALTO FILMS, Jakarta. Feature film, funding: 55.000 €
The Hunter, director: Rafi Pitts (Iran), production: AMA MEDIA PRODUCTIONS, Tehran. Feature film, funding: 50.000 €
Tanathor, director: Tawfik Abu-Wael (Israel), production: LAMA FILMS, Tel Aviv. Feature film, funding: 65.000 €
Since the founding of theWCF in October 2004, 710 projects from 61 countries of theWCF focus regions (Africa, Latin America, Middle East and Central Asia, as well as, since summer 2007, South East Asia and the Caucasus) have been submitted. 43 projects have received production or distribution funding so far.
Within merely three years, theWorld Cinema Fund has established itself as an instrument for cultural funding and intercultural dialogue, as well as for promoting international contacts within the film industry.
