The 3rd edition of Goethe-Institut’s famous regional
FIRST FILMS FIRST program has already started within the framework of the 17th Transilvania International Film Festival. After thorough and long deliberation, the Jury Committee has reached a decision. From 102 applications the jury chose 8 projects.
Smaragda, by Emilios Avraam, Cyprus
Snow and the Bear, by Selcen Ergun, Turkey
The Man Without Guilt, by Ivan Gergolet, Slovenia
Family and Friends, by Magdalena Ilieva, Bulgaria
Honey Bunny, by Igor Jelinovic, Croatia
Blind Spot, by Stefka Mancheva, Bulgaria
The River, by Haris Raftogiannis, Greece
The End of the World, by Vojin Vasovic, Serbia
These new young talented directors have started working on their scripts with the inspiring tutors Gabriele Brunnenmeyer and Srdjan Koljević.
FIRST FILMS FIRST is an intensive professional training program aimed at supporting young Southeast European film directors to develop their first feature-length fiction film.
From 16 participants of the first 2 editions of FFF, two films have already been shot and are in post-production now and already six projects got support for production in their home countries. For instance Behind the Haystacks by Asimina Proedrou, Her Job by Nikos Labôt, Man and Dog, by Stefan Constantinescu, Riders by Dominik Mencej, Inventory, by Darko Sinko and Open Door by Florenc Papas (Eurimages).
FIRST FILMS FIRST consists of 4 modules, over a period of one year, which allow the participants to develop their first feature film project, step-by-step, through different phases of project development.
The program provides participants with:
- mentorship by renowned European film professionals through different phases of development of the first feature film project
- the necessary arts and crafts required to enter the professional international scene
- first-hand insight and practical knowledge about the ever-changing contemporary European film-making world
- contacts with some of the most important European decision makers, auteurs and experts
FIRST FILMS FIRST focuses on 8 participants only, in order to provide a face-to-face approach, individually adapting and modifying the program in order to accommodate each participant’s specific needs.
June
1st module: Developing Stories to Scripts,
within the framework of the Transylvania International Film Festival, Cluj-Napoca / Romania
September
2nd module: Finding a Unique Visual Style for Your Film and Further Script Development,
within the framework of the “Manaki Brothers” International Cinematographers Film Festival, Bitola / Macedonia
November/December
3rd module: Directing Actors,
within the framework of the Auteur Film Festival, Belgrade / Serbia
March
4th module: Getting Ready for the Big World - Pitching and Packaging Your Project,
within the framework of the Sofia International Film Festival / Bulgaria
The program finishes with a pitching presentation of the projects before a group of internationally relevant producers, commissioning editors, distributors and funds representatives at the Sofia Meetings, one of the leading regional co-production markets.