The Film Development Workshop awards announced!

The 12th edition of the Meetings on the Bridge organised within the scope of the 36th Istanbul Film Festival was held on 7-11 April 2017 with the support of Istanbul Development Agency. The projects and films that received the Meetings on the Bridge awards were announced at a reception hosted by l’Institut Français Istanbul on Tuesday, 11 April. 

A total of 14 film projects and 6 films in post-production from Turkey and the neighbouring countries Syria, Georgia, Greece and Azerbaijan were presented at Meetings on the Bridge workshops this year. A total of 72 international film professionals hadmeetingswith the directors and producers of the projects and films in the workshops and had the chance to network withthe decision makers from Turkey and the neighbouring countries.

The Film Development Workshop the international jury members Maria Drandaki (Homemade Films), Matthieu Darras (Torino Film Lab), Rémi Burah (Arte France), Riina Sildos (Amrion), Zsuzsi Bankuti (The Match Factory) decided on the award winning projects after the meetings with directors, producers of the projects.

The director Selcen Ergun and the producer Zeki Peynirci of the project Snow and The Bear received the Meetings on the Bridge Award of 30.000 TL from Gülin Üstün .

The Film Development Workshop and the Neighbours Platform projects were all eligible for the 8000 Euro CNC Award this year. The award was presented to Anas Khalaf the director and Nicolas Leprêtre, the producer of the  project The Translator by Mister Eric Soulier, the Head of French Institute in Turkey.

Melodika Sound Award was presented to Beyza Boyacıoğlu, the director and Selin Murat, the producer of the project A Prince from Outer Space: Zeki Müren by Didem Oğuz, the co-founder of Melodika .  

The producer Armağan Lale and the director Ceylan Özgün Özçelik of the project 18+ received the GeniusPark Special Effects Award from Sema Şahin, the VFX Executive Producer in GeniusPark.

The Mediterranean Film Institute (MFI) Script and Development Workshop Award, which comprises four stages, was presented to the director Ali Özgür Baltaoğlu andproducer Çağdaş Öztürk for their project Hangnail. The director and scriptwriter of the project will participate in the script workshops, two of which will be on the Nisyros and Samos Islands of Greece in 2017 and two of which will be online.

This year, for the first time, the Transilvania Pitch Stop Award was given to Zeki Peynirci the producer and Selcen Ergun, the director of the project Snow and the Bear.

The Special Mention Award of Film Development Workshop presented to the director Nisan Dağ and the producers Müge Özen, Jessica Caldwell and Yağmur Ünal of the project When I’m Done Dying.

Film Development Workshop

9 fiction and one documentary feature film projects have been selected among 110 submissions by the selection committee to participate in this year’s Meetings on the Bridge Film Development Workshop, which will be held on 10-11th of April within the scope of the 36th Istanbul Film Festival with the support of Istanbul Development Agency (ISTKA).

Projects selected for Film Development Workshop:

• 18+ (dir. Ceylan Özgün Özçelik, prod. Armağan Lale – Filmada)
• Bir Nefes Daha / When I'm Done Dying (dir. Nisan Dağ, prod. Müge Özen – Solis Film; Jessica Caldwell, Yağmur Ünal – Impulse Film)
• Boş Zamanlar / Idle Moments (dir. M. Cem Öztüfekçi, prod. Annamaria Aslanoğlu – Istos Film)
• Çocuklar Geliyor / Kids Are Coming (dir. Mustafa Nuri, prod. Sezgi Üstün San – Sezzfilm)
• Kar ve Ayı / Snow and the Bear (dir. Selcen Ergun, prod. Yeşim Aslan – Albino Zebra)
• Ölü Sezon / Dead Season (dir. Boran Güney, Erhan Yürük, prod. Müge Büyüktalaş, Yaman Birman – Kozmik Film Yapım Ltd.)
• Sardunya / Geranium (dir. Çağıl Bocutoğlu, prod. Aslı Erdem, Çağlar Bocutoğlu – Kolor)
• Şeytan Tırnağı / Hangnail (dir. Ali Özgür Baltaoğlu, prod. Ali Özgür Baltaoğlu, Tolga Topçu, Cihan Öktem – Jaguar Projects)
• Tavşan İmparatorluğu / Empire of the Rabbits (dir. Seyfettin Tokmak, prod. Chronis Pehlivanidis – Onos Film Prodüksiyon Ltd.; Yonca Ertürk – Pati Film)
• Uzaydan Gelen Prens: Zeki Müren / A Prince from Outer Space: Zeki Müren (dir. Beyza Boyacıoğlu, prod. Steve Holmgren, Selin Murat) - Documentary

Awards to be presented to selected projects at the end of the workshops:

• 30.000 TL Meetings on the Bridge Award
• Melodika Sound Award
• MFI - Mediterranean Film Institute Script Workshop Award
• GeniusPark VFX Award
• 8.000 Euro CNC Award

Film Development Workshop trainings will be held in March!

Scriptwriters, directors and producers of the selected projects will participate in a training program that includes master classes and group works on script development, pitching, production, distribution, and marketing held by experienced filmmakers and trainers.

The training program involves script and project development, production and pitching trainings by experienced producer Amra Baksic Camo, project consultant and producer Nazlı Kilerci, industry consultant Tobias Pausinger who work with the projects in various successful training platforms and Gülin Üstün. Following these trainings, a workshop focused on film marketing and distribution techniques and social media strategies will be carried out by İmre Tezel and Nihan Katipoğlu.

Training objectives:

• Ensuring that the selected projects have a solid step forward towards the development of their scriptwriting process,
• Strengthening the selected projects,
• Strengthening the relationship between the director and the producer in order to improve and implement team work,
• Enabling the projects to continue their production processes confidently,
• Guiding the projects to follow the right steps when integrated into the international network,
• Adopting sustainable and incessant collaborations with business partners.

Work in Progress workshop 

Taking place within the scope of 36th Istanbul Film Festival, Meetings on the Bridge, will be held for the 12th time this year, from April 7 - 11, 2017.

Meetings on the Bridge brings producers, directors, and scriptwriters from Turkey and its neighbouring countries together with international film professionals. While providing an opportunity for filmmakers to hold the first international presentations for their new film projects and films in post-production, it also aims to pave the way for co-productions.

Aiming to offer a gap financing support for films from Turkey and its neighbouring countries, Work in Progress in its sixth year, will be presenting a selection of films in post-production on April 10 and 11 to international distributors, festival and fund directors, broadcasters.

Work in Progress selected films:

• Cano, Director: Mehmet Salih Demir, Producer: Çekdar Erkıran- Layen Film
• Körfez / The Gulf,  Director: Emre Yeksan, Producer: Annamaria Aslanoğlu- İstos Film, Co-producers: Cihan Aslı Filiz- Bir Film, Maria Drandaki- Homemade Films, Dirk Engelhardt- Kundschafter Films
• Koç Doğdu Balık Öldü / Born as an Aries, Died as a Pisces, Director: Burak Çevik, Producers: Cem Celal Bilge, Arda Çiltepe
• Meteorlar / Meteors, Director, producer: Gürcan Keltek- 29P Films- Belgesel

Work in Progress selected films from neighbouring countries:

• Ava, Director: Sadaf Foroughi, Producers: Sadaf Foroughi, Kiarash Anvari- Sweet Delights Pictures / Iran, Canada
• Neighbors, Director: Grigol Abashidze, Producer: Lasha Khalvashi- Artizm / Georgia

The awards will be given to selected film / films by the international jury at the end of the workshop are:

• Color Up Post-production Award (The award that will be presented  for the first time at Work in Progress covers the expenses of online editing and colour.)
• Başka Sinema Award (The film selected by the jury will guarantee its distribution, no commission will be charged and promotional support during the distribution will be provided.)
• Daire Creative Key Art Design Award (The Design of the Key Art and the special photoshoot concerning the needs of the project.)

Training program for selected films

The directors and producers of the selected films will have trainings before the workshops with acclaimed trainers and filmmakers on pitching, marketing and social media strategy. The training program involves a workshop focused on film marketing and distribution techniques and social media strategies by İmre Tezel and Nihan Katipoğlu, pitching by Ayşegül Ekmekçioğlu and Tobias Pausinger and a documentary session for the selected documentary film by Carlos Hagerman, the director and producer of the film No Place Like Home.

NEIGHBOURS

Meetings on the Bridge’s Neighbours platform was first held in 2015 to support the collaborations of filmmakers between Turkey and its neighbouring countries. In the last two years, 8 projects from Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Iran, Cyprus and Syria participated in the  Neighbours platform.

The training program involves script and project development, production and pitching trainings by experienced producer Amra Baksic Camo, script advisor, director and editor Ivo Trajkov, project consultant and producer Nazlı Kilerci, industry consultant Tobias Pausinger working with the projects in various successful training platforms and Gülin Üstün. Following these trainings, a workshop focused on film marketing and distribution techniques and social media strategies will be carried out by İmre Tezel and Nihan Katipoğlu.

For the first time this year, one of the projects will be awarded with the online (reconforming) and color grading support Digiflame Award.

The Neighbours platform will be held on 10-11th of April as a part of the Film Development Workshop and Work in Progress.

Selected projects for Neighbours platform:

• Yashar (dir. Elvin Adigozel, prod. Teymur Hajiyev- Memuar Films, Fil Production) / Azerbaijan
• Armatura (dir. Lasha Tskvitinidze, prod. Nodar Nozadze- Pansionati) / Georgia
• The Translator (dir. Rana Kazkaz, Anas Khalaf, prod. Nicolas Leprêtre, Raphaël Alexandre, Anas Khalaf- Georges Films, Synéastes Films) / Syria-Jordan-France
• A Bag of Hair (dir. Maria Douza, prod. Maria Kontogianni - Steficon S.A.) / Greece

Selected films in post-production stage for Neighbours platform;

• Ava, Director: Sadaf Foroughi, Producers: Sadaf Foroughi, Kiarash Anvari- Sweet Delights Pictures / Iran, Canada
• Neighbours (dir: Grigol Abashidze, prod: Lasha Khalvashi- Artizm) / Georgia

NEIGHBOURS platform consists of neighbours of Turkey.

Countries:

• Armenia
• Azerbaijan
• Bulgaria
• Cyprus
• Georgia
• Greece
• Iran
• Iraq
• Romania
• Russia
• Syria
• Ukraine

Contact us at onthebridge@iksv.org for more information.

MEETINGS ON THE BRIDGE CINEMA TALKS AND SCREENINGS

*Reservation is necessary for attendance.

APRIL 07
FRIDAY

SOHO HOUSE ISTANBUL

11.00-12.30 A New Narration A New Medium: The Transformation of TV Series to Digital

A discussion with the producers of drama series on digital platforms in Turkey, BluTV and PuhuTV, about episodic storytelling methods, the changing profile of the audience, the current status and the future of new media.

Speakers: Doğan Yalçındağ (CEO / BLU TV), Heni Hazbay (Chief Operations Officer / Puhu TV)
Moderator: Yamaç Okur (Producer / Ay Yapım)

13.30-14.30 Screening Masum (60’ / Season 1 Chapter 1)

14.45-15.45 Case Study Masum

Speakers: Berkun Oya (Scriptwriter), Seren Yüce (Director), Sarp Kalfaoğlu (Content Executive / BLU TV)
Moderator: Ayça Çiftçi (Film Critic)

16.00-17.00 Screening Fi (Season 1 Chapter 1)

17.15-18.15    Case Study Fi

Speakers: Mert Baykal (Director), Pelin Diştaş Yaşaroğlu (Producer / Ay Yapım), Heni Hazbay (Chief Operations Officer / Puhu TV)
Moderator: Zeynep Dadak (Director)

APRIL 08
SATURDAY

SOHO HOUSE ISTANBUL

13.00- 14.30 Two Peas in a Pod: Distribution and Marketing

Film marketing is a process that starts at while scriptwriting stage. We will discuss this crucial phase in production steered by the producer and what the new and creative methods are and how to conduct it.

Speakers: Zümrüt Burul (Communication Consultant / İletişim Deposu), İmre Tezel (Founder / Paz Film Ajansı), Emre Akpınar (Distributor / Kurmaca Film)
Contributing: Müge Büyüktalaş (Producer / MO Production), Soner Alper (Producer / Nar Film)
Moderator:  Cihan Aslı Filiz (Producer / Bir Film)

15.30-17.30 Screening: Abluka (Dir. Emin Alper - 119’)

17.45-19.30      Case Study From the Idea to the Screen: Frenzy

A road map for the young filmmakers with film projects: The director and producers of Frenzy (premiered at the 72nd Venice Film Festival) will talk about the process of the production of the film.

Speakers: Emin Alper (Director), Enis Köstepen (Producer / Liman Film) 

APRIL 09
SUNDAY

SOHO HOUSE IST
There will be simultaneous translation at all the cinema talks.

14.00 – 15.30 VR: New Medium, New Questions

VR, as a new story-telling medium, has been a part of our lives for a while now. After the initial bewildrement, our minds are now engaged in asking new questions about it. Content providers join together to discuss VR technology and the ethical aspect of its content production.

Speakers: Beyza Boyacıoğlu (Director), Cihan Aslı Filiz (Producer / Bir Film), Turhan Yiğitbaşı (Co-founder Developer- Gamester)
Moderator:  Müge Özen (Producer/ Solis Film)

16.00-17.15   Social Themes in Documentaries: Preaching to the Converted Vs Thinking with the Mind of the Audience

Some documentaries have played a key role in letting the world know about certain important social issues. This kind of films have to make a decision on how they are going to tell the story. Sometimes this decision becomes as important as the subject matter in order to find a larger audience and therefore accomplishing their goal. They have to decide if they want to be "preaching to the converted" or "thinking with the mind of the audience".
Speakers: Carlos Hagerman (Director)

17.30-18.30    MAD Solutions and Arab Cinema Center: Where the Future of the Arab Film Industry Lies

Speakers: Alaa Karkouti (Co-founder / Mad Solutions)
Get acquainted with two important pillars in the Arab film industry: MAD Solutions and the Arab Cinema Center. The founder Alaa Karkouti will discuss the successes of these organizations in film distribution, marketing, co-production and promoting the Arab film industry.

APRIL 10
MONDAY

AYNALI GEÇİT
There will be simultaneous translation at all the cinema talks.

MEET AND GREET SESSIONS
10.00-11.30 Meet the Funds and the Markets

Speakers: Georges Goldenstern (General Director - Cinefondation), Mimi Gjorgoska Ilievska (Director - Macedonian Film Agency), Sergio Garcia de Leaniz (Project Manager - Eurimages), Michael Seeber (Representative - Sources 2), Tobias Pausinger (Industry Advisor and Consultant - CineMart), Armin Hadzic (Coordinator - Cinelink), Salome Danelia (Head of Film Subsidy Department - Georgian National Film Center), Rebekka Garrido (Director - Connecting Cottbus), Teresa Hoefert de Turegano (Funding Consultant- Medienboard Berlin Brandenburg GMBH)

Fund and co-production market representatives will give brief information about the institutions they represent as well as co-production and financing procedures.

11.30-13.00 Meet the Training Programs and Festivals

Speakers: Hugo Rosak (Head of Film Industry Office - Karlovy Vary IFF), Tina Lokk (Festival Director - Black Nights Film Festival) , Jacobine van der Vloed (Director - Ace Producers), Gülin Üstün (EAVE Turkey Representative), Ruxandra Cernat (ARTVIVA President - Film TEEP), Louise H. Johansen (International Relations - Midpoint), Michael Stütz (Panorama Program Coordinator - Berlinale), Stefan Kitanov (Director - Sofia Intenational Film Festival - Art Fest Ltd.)

International film festival and training program representatives will give information on the structure of the festivals and programs along with the terms and conditions of admission.

14.30-15.30 TV Co-productions

Speakers: Remi Burah (ARTE), Cedomir Kolar (Producer / A.S.A.P)

One of the main financing methods in film production today is co-production with television channels. The co-producers of the film Album are going to share their experiences of the co-production process, that took its first steps during Meetings on the Bridge.

15.45-16.45  First Date with the Audience: Trailer

Speakers: Benjamin Mirguet (Director, Kurgucu / Momerade), İmre Tezel (Founder / Paz Film Agency), Nihan Katipoğlu (Digital Marketing Specialist / MedyaGaGa)

How to make the best trailer that your film needs? One of the most important ways of sharing your film with the audience is paradoxically the last thing you make and usually in a haste. We will talk about the necessary steps to make the best trailer for your film.

APRIL 11
TUESDAY

AYNALI GEÇİT

13.30-14.45 Where Is the Audience?

During this talk, sales and distribution models as well as festival strategies both in Turkey and abroad, will be discussed.

Speakers: Andreas Rothbauer (CEO / Picture Tree International), Azize Tan (Director / Başka Sinema)

15.00-17.00 The Filmmaker’s Guide to Post-Production

What do we mean when we say “Script finds a solution”, “I don’t like the editing”, “We re-wrote in editing”? We will be focusing on the process where the film is recreated: the post-production.

Speakers: Çiçek Kahraman (Editor / UKA FILM), Cenk Erol (Colorist / Color Up), Ali Aga (Editor), Nadir Öperli (Producer / Liman Film)
Moderator: Aslı Erdem (Producer / Beatrice Film)

All talks are free of charge and will be held at Soho House İstanbul and Aynalı Geçit.

*Reservation can be made through Kweekweek on the following link: facebook.com/koprudebulusmalar

For further information:

E: onthebridge@iksv.org
T: +90 212 334 08 37
W: film.iksv.org/en/meetingsonthebridge
facebook.com/koprudebulusmalar
twitter.com/koprudebulusma

LOCATIONS

Aynalı Geçit
Meşrutiyet Cad. Avrupa Pasajı Kat: 2 Beyoğlu T: +90 212 244 41 60

Soho House İstanbul Cinema 
Evliya Çelebi Mah. Meşrutiyet Cad. No: 56 Beyoğlu T: +90 212 377 71 00

German-Turkish Co-Production Development Fund

The projects to be supported by the German-Turkish Co-Production Development Fund are announced at the award ceremony of 24th Hamburg Film Festival. Granted for the sixth time, this fund, formed by collaboration of Istanbul Film Festival Meetings on the Bridge with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, and Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein Film Fund, aims to provide an incentive fund for the co-productions by the two countries.

Out of the 12 projects that applied, 5 of them were chosen unanimously by the selection committee that comprises the representatives of the collaborating institutions.

The projects supported by the German- Turkish Co-Production Development Fund are as follows:

• Derya Durmaz- Amerika Otobüsü / Bus to America  - 25.000 EURO
  Co-producers: Nefes Polat -Mars Production (TR), Frank Becher - Rix Film (DE)
• Emin Alper- Kız Kardeşler / Sisters - 30.000 EURO
  Co-producers: Nadir Öperli- Liman Film (TR), Janine Jackowski, Jonas Dornbach- Komplizen Film (DE)
• Uğur Aydedim- Son Adım / The Last Step - 25.000 EURO
  Co-producers: Çiğdem Mater- Ret Film (TR), Stefan Gieren- Fiction 2.0 (DE)
• Çağıl Bocutoğlu- Sardunya / Geranium - 25.000 EURO
  Co-producers: Çağlar Bocutoğlu- Kolor Film (TR), Susanne Mann- Zischlermann Film Produktion (DE)
• Eylem Kaftan- Kovan / The Hive - 20.000 EURO
  Co-producers: Said Nur Akkuş- Pero Film Prodüksiyon (TR), Janna Heine- Aktaş and Gallico Gbr-Mitos Film (DE)

THE MEETINGS ON THE BRIDGE FIRST SHORT FILM WORKSHOP PROJECTS ARE ANNOUNCED!

Meetings on the Bridge is organizing a Short Film Workshop series with the support of Istanbul Development Agency (ISTKA) for first or second time young filmmakers with first or second short film projects.

The workshop aims to highlightto the importance of the short films in the industry and to contribute to the increase of international productions while introducing young talents from Turkey. The teams of 4 selected projects will be working with two experienced short film directors , and  producers on the development of their project and also skills as filmmakers. They will also get feedback on their projects froma director of photography, an artistic director, an assistant director, a production manager  and  casting director who will analyze  the projects from their point of view as film professionals.

One of the aims of the  workshop is to further develop the communication between the directors and the producers  during pre-production.

During the workshop the teams  will also improve their presentation skills and they will finalize professional presentation package of their projects for future workshops and other platforms.

The workshop will be organized between July 8-18.  There will be a new call soon for the second workshop which is planned for October.

FIRST SHORT FILM WORKSHOP PROJECTS

• AV (writer, director: Aylin Yeşim Altınbudak, producer: Ekin İlke Ünsal)
• AYLİN (writers: Mert Kaya, Ozan Yoleri, Alara Hamamcıoğlu, director: Ozan Yoleri, producer: Alara Hamamcıoğlu)
• ÖN PENCERE (writer, director: Metehan Yılmaz, producer: Yiğit Özşener)
• TATİLİN İLK GÜNÜ (writer, director: İmran Deniz Göktaş, producer: İlkyaz Altuğ)

Trainers

• Annamaria Aslanoğlu - Producer, İSTOS Film
• Can Eren - Writer, director, Ehemm Production
• Sezen Kayhan - Writer, director
• Gülin Üstün - Head of Meetings on the Bridge
• Beste Yamalıoğlu - Producer, Meetings on the Bridge Coordinator

Guest trainers

• Meral Efe Yurtseven, Yunus Emre Yurtseven - Art director
• Çağlar Kanber - Director of Photography
• Ulaş Parlakyıldız - Assistant director
• Murat Çelik - Production manager
• Ziya Demirel - Writer, director

THE EDITORS, PRODUCERS AND FILMS SELECTED FOR THE MEETINGS ON THE BRIDGE TRAILER WORKSHOP ORGANIZED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN TURKEY ARE ANNOUNCED!

Be Catchy! - Create a marketing strategy and the first trailer for your film

A good trailer is one of the most important marketing tools for the well planned promotion and marketing of the film. The purpose of this talk is to emphasize the importance of the trailer which is the first moment the film greets the audience and share some crucial tips from acclaimed editors Osman Bayraktaroğlu, Benjamin Mirguet and Marketing Communications and Cultural Manager İmre Tezel.
Date: July, 2 Sunday
Hour: 18:00-19:00
Venue: Soho House İstanbul
For participation please inform us by sending an e-mail to onthebridge@iksv.org
*There will be consecutive translation at the talk.

Meetings on the Bridge is introducing the first trailer workshop organized in Turkey with the support of the Istanbul Development Agency. The workshop is designed for editors and producers with films that are not released.
A good trailer is one of the most important marketing tool for the well planned promotion and marketing of the film. The purpose of the workshop is to emphasize the importance of the trailer which is the first moment the film greets the audience and to increase the production of high quality trailers in Turkey.  The workshop also aims to offer editors and producers the chance to work with acclaimed editors Osman Bayraktaroğlu, Benjamin Mirguet and marketing communications and cultural manager İmre Tezel.

The workshop will be organized on June 14-July 4 and there will be a new call soon for the second workshop which is planned for October .

EDITORS SELECTED TO THE TRAILER WORKSHOP

• Adil Yanık
• Deniz Solaker
• Diyar Akar
• Doruk Kaya

PRODUCERS AND FILMS SELECTED TO THE TRAILER WORKSHOP

• Halil Kardaş - ANONS/ANNOUNCEMENT  (dir: Mahmut Fazıl Coşkun)-fiction
• Müge Büyüktalaş - HOUSEWIFE (dir:Can Evrenol)-fiction
• Gürcan Keltek – METEORLAR/ METEORS (dir:Gürcan Keltek)-documentary
• Işılay Yanbaş, Sidar İnan Erçelik - RÜZGAR TAYI/ WIND HORSE (dir: Sidar İnan Erçelik)- documentary

Trainers

• Osman Bayraktaroğlu
• Benjamin Mirguet
• İmre Tezel
• Gülin Üstün

Advisors

• Azize Tan
• Emre Akpınar

Work in Progress awards announced!

The Work in Progress jury members Lorenzo Esposito (Locarno Film Festival), Konstantina Stavrianou (Graal) and Hédi Zardi (Luxbox) has decided on the award winning films in post production after watching the films at the private screenings and the one to one meetings held with the filmmakers.

Along with the Başka Sinema Award presented for the third time in Work in Progress, Color Up Post-Production, Daire Creative Visual Design and Paz Digital Communication Awards were presented for the first time.

Color Up Award that covers the expenses of online editing and colour grading and the Daire Creative Key Art Design Award is presented to the director and producer Gürcan Keltek of the film Meteors by Cenk Erol, the founder of Color Up and Arda Aktaş, the co-founder of Daire Creative.

The Başka Sinema and Paz Digital Communication Awards are presented to the director Mehmet Salih Demir and the producer Çekdar Erkıran of the film Cano by Azize Tan, the director of Başka Sinema and the founder of Paz Film Agency İmre Tezel.

Neighbours Platform awards announced!

The 12th edition of the Meetings on the Bridge organised within the scope of the 36th Istanbul Film Festival was held on 7-11 April 2017 with the support of Istanbul Development Agency. The projects and films that received the Meetings on the Bridge awards were announced at a reception hosted by l’Institut Français Istanbul on Tuesday, 11 April. 

A total of 14 film projects and 6 films in post-production from Turkey and the neighbouring countries Syria, Georgia, Greece and Azerbaijan were presented at Meetings on the Bridge workshops this year. A total of 72 international film professionals hadmeetingswith the directors and producers of the projects and films in the workshops and had the chance to network withthe decision makers from Turkey and the neighbouring countries.

The Film Development Workshop and the Neighbours Platform projects were all eligible for the 8000 Euro CNC Award this year. The award was presented to Anas Khalaf the director and Nicolas Leprêtre, the producer of the  project The Translator by Mister Eric Soulier, the Head of French Institute in Turkey.

A new award for post –production is introduced for the first time for the projects from the neighbouring countries this year.  The Digiflame Post-production Award focusing on projects from the neighbouring  countries was presented to Teymur Hajiyev, the producer and Elvin Adigozel, the director of  the project Yashar. This award will cover the online (reconforming) and color grading.

The projects that receive support from the German-Turkish Co-Production Development Fund, created through the collaboration of Istanbul Film Festival - Meetings on the Bridge, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, and Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein Film Funds, and with the support of the Republic of Turkey's Ministry of Tourism and Culture, were announced at the 25th Hamburg Film Festival.

The selection committee, consisted of representatives from various institutions, decided to support 4 projects among the 10 applicants with the amount of 60.000 Euro.

Among the selected projects is "Ela and Hilmi" by Turkish director Ziya Demirel, whose short film "Sali" was in the short film competition in Cannes in 2015.

The full list of funded projects:

• Barış Kaya - Orange - 10.000 EURO
  PRODUCTION: Bilal Bağcı- Peri İstanbul (TR), co-prod. Mustafa Dok- Bredok Film Production (DE)
• Nisan Dağ – When I’m Done Dying- 20.000 EURO
  PRODUCTION: Müge Özen- Solis Film (TR), co-prod. Dorothe Beinemeier- Red Balloon(DE)
• Ziya Demirel - Ela and Hilmi- 15.000 EURO
  PRODUCTION: Annamaria Aslanoğlu- İstos Film (TR), co-prod. Dirk Engelhardt Kundschafter Filmproduktion(DE)
• Carsten Fiebeler - Selam Berlin- 15.000 EURO
  PRODUCTION: Dorothe Beinemeier- Red Balloon (DE), co-prod. Müge Özen- Solis Film (TR)

In addition to the projects listed above, the Medienboard gave production support to Emin Alpers' "Sisters" (100.000 €, Liman Film / Nadir Öperli, Komplizen Film / Janine Jackowski & Jonas Dornbach) in its September 2017 funding session. The project received development funding from the German-Turkish Co-Production Development Fund in 2016. Alpers' previous film "Frenzy" was in competition at the 72th Venice Film Festival, and his first feature "Beyond the Hill" premiered in the Berlinale Forum in 2012.

The Medienboard, the Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein Film Fund and the Istanbul Film Festival - Meetings on the Bridge established the German-Turkish