Projects 2022 - European Work in Progress Cologne

Event:
European Work In Progress Cologne
Date:
17 – 19 October 2022
Entry deadline:
1 September 2022
Supported by:
Film- und Medienstiftung NRW
Organized in cooperation with
AG Verleih – Verband unabhängiger Filmverleiher

28 feature-length film projects had been selected to present first scenes to the attending group of international buyers, distributors, festival programmers, financiers as well as other key decision makers and experts to give them an ahead of the game look and to find complementary partners in their final stage of production.

Five renowned and highly experienced experts from the international film industry made up this year’s international jury and deliberated on which projects have the potential to play a significant role in the international film scene in the coming years. Members of this year’s jury include Olivier Barbier (Head of Acquisitions at mk2 films), Vanja Kaludjercic (Director of International Film Festival Rotterdam), Julien Rejl (Artistic Director of Cannes Director’s Fortnight), Saralisa Volm (producer, director, writer and actress) and Thanassis Karathanos (producer TWENTY TWENTY VISION in Berlin, PALLAS FILM in Halle).

A total of around € 60,000 worth of funding were awarded together with the previous award sponsors and partners K13 Studios, MMC Film & TV Studios, LAVAlabs Moving Images for post-production services and mm filmpresse for international festival PR, as well as the “EWIP TorinoFilmLab Audience Design Award”, which was presented for the first time this year.

In addition, in 2022 the newly created “EWIP Gruvi Awards”, the “EWIP Dolby Award”, and “EWIP Way Film Translation Award” were given, as well as three winning films will be honoured with “EWIP Crew United Certificates”.

Winners & Jury Statements

Here an overview of all the award winners 2022:

European Work in Progress K13 Studios Award
Voucher worth 10.000 € for Dolby Atmos Mixing

THE ECHO (El Eco)

Director & Production: Tatiana Huezo (Radiola Films) / Documentary / Germany, Mexico / 2023

In a remote and solitary valley of Mexico, punished by winter and drought, the children learn to gaze upon death, illness and love. A story about feeling vertigo in the face of life, about growing up.

Jury statement: For the level of intimacy, pureness and the depiction of patriarchal society we decided to give the award to this immersive documentary.

European Work in Progress K13 Studios Award
Voucher worth € 5,000 for dubbing

DESERTS (Deserts)

Director: Faouzi Bensaïdi / Fiction / Germany, Belgium, Morocco / 2022
Production: Nicole Gerhards (NiKo Film)

Longtime friends Mehdi and Hamid work as bill collectors. In their old car, they drive through the Moroccan south. One day, in the middle of the desert, an encounter marks the beginning of an unforeseen and mystical journey…

European Work in Progress MMC Studios Award
Voucher worth € 10,000 for stage and room rental services

EMPTY NETS (WT)

Director: Behrooz Karamizade / Fiction / Germany, Iran / 2022
Production: Eva Kemme, Ansgar Frerich, Uschi Feldges (Basis Berlin), Jörn Möllenkamp (Living Pictures Production), Majid Barzegar (Rainy Pictures)

The young Iranian Amir becomes entangled in the violent machinations of the caviar mafia in order to earn the bride money for the wedding with his great love.

Jury statement: For balancing the codes of different genres in a very original and cinematic way, and bringing light on contemporary Iranian society

European Work in Progress MMC Studios Award
Voucher worth € 5,000 for stage and room rental services

LOST IN THE NIGHT (Perdidos en la Noche)

Director: Amat Escalante / Fiction / Mexico, Germany, The Netherlands, Denmark / 2022
Production: Nicolás Celis, Fernanda de la Peza (Tres Tunas Cine)

Emiliano searches for those responsible for his mother’s disappearance and finds himself confronted with an incompetent justice system. His path leads him to the summer home of a famous, eccentric family, where he plunges into a dark world of secrets, lies and revenge.

European Work in Progress LAVAlabs Moving Images Award
Voucher worth € 10,000 for visual effects

PIERCE ( 刺心切骨)

Director: Nelicia Low / Fiction / Singapore, Taiwan, Poland / 2022
Production: Sam Chua Weishi (Pōtocol), Jeremy Chua (Pōtocol), Patrick Mao Huang (Flash Forward Entertainment), Izabela Igel (Harine Films), John M Lo

When his dangerous older brother is released from jail, high school fencer Jie believes he has changed and helps brother, defying their Mother’s attempts to erase him from their lives.

Jury statement: For the cinematographic language which instantly connected us with the characters of the film, we are giving our unconditional love to PIERCE.

European Work In Progress TorinoFilmLab Audience Design Award
Two sessions with TFL expert to design a marketing and distribution strategy

SULTANA’S DREAM (Sultana’s Dream)

Director: Isabel Herguera / Animation / Spain, Germany / 2023
Production: Isabel Herguera (Sultana Films), Chelo Loureiro (Abano Producións), Mariano Ramírez (El Gatoverde Producciones), Fabian Driehorst (Fabian&Fred)

Inés decides to embark on a journey through India in search of a place of utopia called Ladyland.

European Work in Progress mm filmpresse Award
Voucher worth € 7,500 for international festival public relations

BRIEF HISTORY OF A FAMILY (Jia Ting Jian Shi)

Director: Jianjie Lin / Fiction / China, Denmark, France / 2023
Production: Yue Zheng, Yiwen Wang, Ying Lou (First Light Films), Rikke Tambo Anderson (Tambo Film), Ping Zhou (Films du Milieu)

Post-one-child China, the fate of a new-middle-class family gets intertwined with a mysterious new friend of their only son.

Jury statement: A film that combines suspense and sensitivity in just a few scenes, highlighting the social differences in contemporary Chinese society.

European Work in Progress Dolby Vision Award
Voucher for Dolby Vision Grading

JEPOTÁ (Jepotá)

Directors: Carlos Papá Guarani, Augusto Canani / Fiction / Brazil, France / 2023
Production: David Rosier (Decia Films), Luciana Tomasi (Prana Filmes)

A young Indigenous man discovers that the mysterious woman he loves is possibly turning into an animal.

European Work in Progress Gruvi Award
Voucher worth € 5,000 to be spent on marketing ad technology, including audience analysis, landing page design, and a GDS report

UNTIL THE SUN DIES (Hasta que se Apague el Sol)

Director: Jonas Brander / Documentary /Spain / 2023
Production: Catalina Flórez Ibarra (urua films), Leonie Pokutta

In their search for dignity and justice, two important social leaders of Colombia find themselves trapped in an endless tension between violence and hope.

European Work in Progress Way Film Translation Award
Voucher for subtitling worth € 4,000

RUSSIA VS. LAWYERS (Russia vs. Lawyers)

Director: Masha Novikova / Documentary / Germany / 2022/23
Production: Julia Shaginurova (Einbahnstrasse Productions)

How does it feel to be a brilliant lawyer who mostly loses in court? What does it mean to be a legal professional in a system where law is neglected? What does it take to carry on when your clients are physically tortured and your own life is threatened? What is it like to be a human rights lawyer in today’s Russia?

European Work in Progress Crew United Prize
Voucher for 5-year premium membership for three winning films of EWIP, respectively the participating production companies, each worth €745

THE ALIENATED (Suflete Curate)

Director: Anna Kruglova (aka Anja Kreis) / Fiction / Germany, Moldova / 2023
Production: Anna Kruglova (Fortis Fem Film), Tatiana Pascaru (Pascaru Production)

A gynaecologist performs an illegal abortion – the woman claims to carry the Antichrist in her womb – and takes the embryo home.

THE PROJECTIONIST (The Projectionist)

Director: Orkhan Agazadeh / Documentary / Germany, France, Azerbaijan / 2023
Production: Lino Rettinger (Lichtblick)

After the sudden death of his son, Samid (55) sets out to repair his old cinema projector. He dreams of gathering his Azerbaijani village in front of the screen again.

LAST SHADOW AT FIRST LIGHT (Last Shadow at First Light)

Director: Nicole Midori Woodford / Fiction / Singapore, Japan, Slovenian / 2022
Production: Jeremy Chua (Pōtocol)

16-year-old Ami embarks on a mystical road trip to Japan searching for her long-lost mother in a bid to change the destiny of her separated family members.

And here are all 28 selected projects of European Work in Progress Cologne 2022:

ALMAMULA (Almamula)

Director: Juan Sebastian Torales / Fiction / France, Argentina, Italy / 2022/23
Production: Pilar Peredo, Edgard Tenembaum (Tu Vas Voir)

Nino, 14, hears about a mysterious creature, the Almamula, which takes with her anyone who has committed sexually reprehensible acts. Guilty for what he feels with his awakening sexuality, Nino sees his salvation there and decides to do everything to attract the creature.

AS IT IS (Così Com’è)

Director: Antonello Scarpelli / Fiction / Germany, Italy / 2022
Production: Ingmar Trost (Sutor Kolonko)

An anxious mother, a sick father and a son who is absent. A film about a family’s desperate attempt to communicate with each other.

BETWEEN US (Zwischen Uns)

Director: Kanwal Sethi / Fiction / Germany / 2022
Production: Benny Drechsel (Rohfilm Productions)

Ilyas and Yasemin are still lovers after 14 years of marriage. Suddenly, Yasemin is shot dead by strangers. Ilyas’ world comes crashing down. The investigation revolves around him, family and friends instead of getting to the trail of the murderers.

BRIEF HISTORY OF A FAMILY (Jia Ting Jian Shi)

Director: Jianjie Lin / Fiction / China, Denmark, France / 2023
Production: Yue Zheng, Yiwen Wang, Ying Lou (First Light Films), Rikke Tambo Anderson (Tambo Film), Ping Zhou (Films du Milieu)

Post-one-child China, the fate of a new-middle-class family gets intertwined with a mysterious new friend of their only son.

DESERTS (Deserts)

Director: Faouzi Bensaïdi / Fiction / Germany, Belgium, Morocco / 2022
Production: Nicole Gerhards (NiKo Film)

EMPTY NETS (WT)

Director: Behrooz Karamizade / Fiction / Germany, Iran / 2022
Production: Eva Kemme, Ansgar Frerich, Uschi Feldges (Basis Berlin), Jörn Möllenkamp (Living Pictures Production), Majid Barzegar (Rainy Pictures)

The young Iranian Amir becomes entangled in the violent machinations of the caviar mafia in order to earn the bride money for the wedding with his great love.

FRANKY FIVE STAR (Franky Five Star)

Director: Birgit Möller / Fiction / Germany, Finland / 2022
Production: Jamila Wenske (Achtung Panda!)

Frankys secret is a hotel in her mind that she shares with four quirky but lovable characters. When she meets Hasi, her four inner personalities decide it’s time to give love a chance.

HUMAN / ANIMAL (Animal / Humano)

Director: Alessandro Pugno / Fiction / Spain, Italy, Mexico / 2022
Production: Jose Alba, Odile Antonio-Baez (Pecado Films)

An Italian boy dreams of becoming a bullfighter. In sunny Andalusia, a male calf is born. Human and animal grow up in completely different worlds, but their lives reflect on each other. Only at the end, they will meet.

INTERMISSION (Kaниkулы)

Director: Anna Kuznetsova / Fiction / Russia, Finland / 2023
Production: Natalia Drozd (Forest Film)

A young theater teacher takes his students to a children’s theater festival in Sochi. This story could have been about talented children and their charismatic, rebellious teacher, but it is a story about losing.

JEPOTÁ (Jepotá)

Directors: Carlos Papá Guarani, Augusto Canani / Fiction / Brazil, France / 2023
Production: David Rosier (Decia Films), Luciana Tomasi (Prana Filmes)

A young Indigenous man discovers that the mysterious woman he loves is possibly turning into an animal.

LAST SHADOW AT FIRST LIGHT (Last Shadow at First Light)

Director: Nicole Midori Woodford / Fiction / Singapore, Japan, Slovenian / 2022
Production: Jeremy Chua (Pōtocol)

16-year-old Ami embarks on a mystical road trip to Japan searching for her long-lost mother in a bid to change the destiny of her separated family members.

LOST IN THE NIGHT (Perdidos en la Noche)

Director: Amat Escalante / Fiction / Mexico, Germany, The Netherlands, Denmark / 2022
Production: Nicolás Celis, Fernanda de la Peza (Tres Tunas Cine)

MAMACRUZ (Mamacruz)

Director: Patricia Ortega / Fiction / Spain, Venezuela / 2023
Production: Olmo Figueredo (La Claqueta PC)

Can sexual desire exist when you are 70 and you’re a religious person?

Mˣ (Muxmäuschenstillˣ)

Director: Jan Henrik Stahlberg / Fiction / Germany / 2022
Production: Martin Lehwald (Mux Film)

17 years after his car accident, Mux awakens from his coma and with him the long matured utopia for a just society. The self-proclaimed reformer declares war on neoliberalism in typical Mux fashion!

NATASHA’S DANCE (De Dans van Natasja)

Director: Jos Stelling / Fiction / The Netherlands, Germany / 2022
Production: Hans de Weers (Fatt Productions)

A tragicomic love story of the unworldly Daantje and the socially isolated, life-scarred Russian Natasja. A cheerful mosaic of events illustrates their fateful connection and the meaning as well as the meaninglessness of life.

NOBODY LIKES ME (Nikdo Mě Nemá Rád)

Directors & Production: Tomáš Weinreb, Petr Kazda (Black Balance) / Fiction / Czech Republic, Slovakia, France / 2023

Sara is a solitary woman working for Czech Army, whose life changes when she falls in love with a gallant, unique man with a secret.

ON MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS (WT) (Geranien)

Director & Production: Tanja Egen / Fiction / Germany / 2023

Nina lives in Amsterdam as a theater actress. She returns to her rural hometown to bury her beloved grandmother with her estranged mother. Mother and daughter almost find each other as the days go by.

PIERCE ( 刺心切骨)

Director: Nelicia Low / Fiction / Singapore, Taiwan, Poland / 2022

Production: Sam Chua Weishi (Pōtocol), Jeremy Chua (Pōtocol), Patrick Mao Huang (Flash Forward Entertainment), Izabela Igel (Harine Films), John M Lo

When his dangerous older brother is released from jail, high school fencer Jie believes he has changed and helps brother, defying their Mother’s attempts to erase him from their lives.

RUNNING ON SAND (Running on Sand)

Director: Adar Shafran / Fiction / Israel, Germany / 2022
Production: Adar Shafran, Roni Abramowsky, Moshe Edery (Firma Films)

When a young Eritrean refugee deported from Israel is mistaken for the new foreign player of a struggling soccer team, his survival depends on the team’s success.

RUSSIA VS. LAWYERS (Russia vs. Lawyers)

Director: Masha Novikova / Documentary / Germany / 2022/23
Production: Julia Shaginurova (Einbahnstrasse Productions)

SAMSARA (Samsara)

Director: Lois Patiño / Experimental / Spain / 2023
Production: Claudia Salcedo (Señor y Señora)

A soul travels from an old woman in Laos to reincarnation as a goat on the coast of Zanzibar in an immersive experience that the viewer experiences partially with eyes closed.

SULTANA’S DREAM (Sultana’s Dream)

Director: Isabel Herguera / Animation / Spain, Germany / 2023
Production: Isabel Herguera (Sultana Films), Chelo Loureiro (Abano Producións), Mariano Ramírez (El Gatoverde Producciones), Fabian Driehorst (Fabian&Fred)

Inés decides to embark on a journey through India in search of a place of utopia called Ladyland.

SUPERLUNA (Superluna)

Director: Federico Bondi / Fiction / Italy, Belgium / 2023
Production: Marta Donzelli, Gregorio Paonessa (Vivo Film)

An earthquake shakes the community of a small village. A little girl, forced to live with others, discovers early the world of adults, friendship and the unknown power of nature.

THE ALIENATED (Suflete Curate)

Director: Anna Kruglova (aka Anja Kreis) / Fiction / Germany, Moldova / 2023
Production: Anna Kruglova (Fortis Fem Film), Tatiana Pascaru (Pascaru Production)

A gynaecologist performs an illegal abortion – the woman claims to carry the Antichrist in her womb – and takes the embryo home.

THE ECHO (El Eco)

Director & Production: Tatiana Huezo (Radiola Films) / Documentary / Germany, Mexico / 2023

THE FIRST LADY (The First Lady)

Directors: Udi Nir, Sagi Bornstein / Documentary / Israel / 2022
Production: Georg Tschurtschenthaler (gebrueder beetz filmproduktion)

In the early 1960’s, Efrat Anne Tilma had to escape Israel as a transgender teenager. Now in her seventies, she returns on a quest for recognition and respect.

THE PROJECTIONIST (The Projectionist)

Director: Orkhan Agazadeh / Documentary / Germany, France, Azerbaijan / 2023
Production: Lino Rettinger (Lichtblick)

After the sudden death of his son, Samid (55) sets out to repair his old cinema projector. He dreams of gathering his Azerbaijani village in front of the screen again.

UNTIL THE SUN DIES (Hasta que se Apague el Sol)

Director: Jonas Brander / Documentary /Spain / 2023
Production: Catalina Flórez Ibarra (urua films), Leonie Pokutta

In their search for dignity and justice, two important social leaders of Colombia find themselves trapped in an endless tension between violence and hope.

Selected projects in 2021