CoPro Executive Director Pnina Halfon Lang
“We are thrilled to have hundreds of participants from across Israel and around the world who joined us at CoPro 24. In our first two days we have shared over a dozen major new documentary productions at our pitching event, attended by leading TV and film executives from networks across the globe,” CoPro Executive Director Pnina Halfon Lang told Business Doc Europe midway through her co-production event running May 31 to June 3.
“We have showcased 7 new films at the rough-cut stage, and we have had hundreds of one-on-one meetings facilitating top-level conversations. The reactions we are getting are incredibly positive, from both the Israeli and international industry. This is how co-production is done and it’s exciting to see it happening again in-person here in Israel after two years of virtual CoPro. We are excited for the final two days here in Tel Aviv and are already looking ahead to our historic 25th market next year.”
CoPro, the Israeli Content Marketing Foundation, describes itself as the first and only non-profit organization in Israel dedicated exclusively to marketing Israeli content. “For over 20 years, it has created a turning point in the Israeli film industry, expanding its business potential abroad by promoting and marketing Israeli documentary and animation films in the global market. Since 1999, we have been working towards our goal – creating collaboration between Israeli filmmakers and their counterparts abroad,” write event organisers.
Following two years online, industry players are attending in situ this year. “CoPro is entirely dedicated to exposing Israeli documentary projects to executives in the international documentary film industry around the world, with the aim of creating partnerships and raising resources from international investors,” write organisers.
“We are thrilled to welcome the world’s documentary industry back to Tel Aviv this year. On-site events are essential for our ecosystem and I’m happy to gather again after two years of social distancing,” adds Executive Director Pnina Halfon Lang.
When CoPro was created more than 20 years ago it was a turning point in the Israeli film industry, the organization claims, adding how, to date, over 600 co-production and partnership agreements have been signed and more than $30 million dollars have been raised for Israeli productions with CoPro’s assistance.
Leading projects that have been featured at CoPro, before going on to major international film festivals, global theatrical, television distribution, and top film and TV awards include the Academy Award nominated The Gatekeepers directed by Dror Moreh; Emmy-nominated A Film Unfinished by Yael Hersonski; Emmy winner Advocate by Rachel Leah Jones and Phillipe Ballaiche; Emmy winner Forever Pure by Maya Zinshtein; Ophir Award winner Life in Stills by Tamar Tal; Emmy-nominated Oslo Diaries by Mor Loushy and Daniel Sivan; and Presenting Princess Shaw by Ido Haar.
Prominent industry decision-makers in attendance include Discovery+ VP Documentaries Igal Svet, Arte G.E.I.E.commissioning editor Catherine Le Goff, France Télévisions commissioning editor Renaud Allilaire, Deckert Distribution GmbH’s sales agency Patrizia Mancini, The New York Times Op-Docs commission editor Jesper Jack, Fremantle’s head of documentaries Mandy Chang, BBC Storyville commission editor Philippa Kowarsky, Impact Partners head of development Lauren Haber, and Mediawan Rights head of documentary sales Arianna Castoldi.
The 24th Co-production Pitching Forum includes previews 13 of Israel’s most promising docs-in-the-making to leading decision-makers, including commissioning editors, investors, sales agents and producers.
Beyond the pitching Forum, CoPro 24 offers one-on-one meetings between Israeli filmmakers and leading international decision-makers -including commissioning editors, producers and investors – in order to open up new funding channels and co-production opportunities. The Close Encounters track is designed for projects at various stages of development, both those that aren’t ready for public pitching and those that have been pitched before and aren’t completed yet.
In addition, 7 high-profile documentaries at the rough-cut stage will be exclusively featured on the DocuShuk platform for screening to com
missioning editors, distributors, buyers, and other market professionals seeking to acquire films. This year, for the first time, each team will have the chance to present their project in person during a 30-minute “sneak-peek session”, in order to generate “creative, constructive discussion with the market guests, and to help the filmmakers break into international markets and promote sales.”
