The winners of the professional section of VdR-Industry were unveiled during the award ceremony held Wednesday 26 April. Hosted for the first time by Sophie Bourdon, VdR-Industry welcomed 1,600 professionals representing nearly 80 countries, a similar number to the record 2022 edition. More than 500 individual meetings were held over three days.
Sophie Bourdon, the new head of the VdR-Industry programme, commented: “For my first edition at the head of VdR-Industry, I am particularly pleased to see that the enthusiasm of industry professionals, as shown last year by a record number of accredited participants, has continued into 2023. With nearly 1,600 professionals, VdR-Industry has confirmed its appeal, encouraging us all to continue developing our various Labs, amongst other things.”
Comprising 31 projects from 32 countries, she noted how the 2023 programme “reflects our commitment to the diversity of the chosen projects, whether in terms of formats, techniques or countries represented. It is great to see documentary cinema being so vibrant and daring, and to see it resonating with industry players, equally through the wide range of stories, the urgency or depth of the subjects, or the formal proposals exploring the vast field of possibilities within filming reality.”
VDR-INDUSTRY AWARD WINNERS
VISIONS SUD EST AWARD, comprising CHF 10,000 in cash for the best project from the South (Africa, Latin America and Asia) or from Eastern Europe (excluding EU members) Winner: The Days I Would Like to Forget by Alina Gorlova, Maksym Nakonechnyi, Simon Mozgovyi, Yelizaveta Smith. Production: Eugene Rachkovsky, Maksym Nakonechnyi and Karina Kostyna (Tabor), Nabil Bellahsene (Les Valseurs), Ralph Wieser (Mischief Films). Ukraine, France, Austria
VDR-PITCING AWARD CHF 2000 ]in cash for the most promising project. Winner: Rebibbia 310 by Francesca Mazzoleni Production: Alessandro Greco (Morel Film), Roberto De Paolis, Carla Altieri, Rachel Greenwood (Young Films). Italy. VdR–Industry Jury Special Mention Florence from Ohio by Stephanie Wang-Breal Production: Mynette Louie (The Population), Carrie Weprin (Once in a Blue), United States, Taiwan
THE PARTY FILM SALES AWARD valued €5,000 (including a cash contribution of €2,500), awarded by The Party Film Sales team for a project with strong international potential. Winner: Simon the Absurd by Felipe Monroy. Production: Palmyre Badinier (Rita Productions), Diana Bustamente (Burning), Alexandre Perrier (Kidam), Kyzza Terrazas (La Corriente Del Golfo). Switzerland, Colombia, France, Mexico
RTS AWARD Pre-buy of one film. Winner: The Arctic Circle of Lust by Markku Heikkinen Production: Hannu-Pekka Vitikainen (Zone2 Pictures oy). Finland
UNIFRANCE DOC AWARD Subtitles creation sponsored by TitraFilm and one Unifrance’s membership for the French producer attached to the project. Winner: Gabin, a Youth in the Backland by Maxence Voiseux. Production: Elise Hug, Cécile Lestrade (Alter Ego Production), Ulla Lehmann (AMA Film). France, Germany
CANNES DOCS AWARD Two accreditations for the filmmaker and producer to attend the Marché du Film – Festival de Cannes and participate in Cannes Docs. Winner: The Bamboo Family by Sein Lyan Tun Production: Sein Lyan Tun (PS Films), Dwi Sujanti Nugraheni (DS Nugraheni/Jawa Dwipa Films). Myanmar, Indonesia
DOK LEIPZIG AWARD Accreditation and accommodation at DOK Leipzig & observer access to the DOK Co-Pro Market for the filmmaker and producer. Winner: The Bamboo Family by Sein Lyan Tun. Production: Sein Lyan Tun (PS Films), Dwi Sujanti Nugraheni (DS Nugraheni/Jawa Dwipa Films). Myanmar, Indonesia
EFM AWARD Two Market Badges for the EFM and a consultation session. Winner: The Reserve by Ezequiel Yanco. Production: Elena Fortes (No Ficcion), Ezequiel Yanco (Isoi Cine), Juan Martín Hsu. Argentina, Mexico
DAE ENCOURAGEMENT AWARD 2 free consultations with network members tailored to the needs of the project. Winner: Lonan Tché by Joël Akafou. Production: Laurent Bitty (Les Films du Continent), Florent Coulon (VraiVrai Films), Gianluca De Angelis (Tekla Films). Côte d’Ivoire, France, Italy
VDR-WORK IN PROGRESS AWARD CHF 1,000 in cash for the most promising project. Winner: Piropolis by Nicolás Molina. Production: Joséphine Schroeder (Pequén Producciones), Francisca Barraza (Funky Films). Chile
LIGHTDOX AWARD CHF 3,000 CHF in cash for the project with highest international potential. Winner: Friday at the Window by Atiye Zare Arandi. Production: Bram Crols, Nina Payrhuber (Associate Directors). Belgium, Iran, Qatar
TËNK POST-PRODUCTION AWARD Sound post-production facilities at Tënk studios (France) – Mixing studio (2 weeks) and Auditorium (1 week). Winner: Rising Up at Night by Nelson Makengo. Production: Rosa Spaliviero (Twenty Nine Studio & Production), Dada Kahindo (Mutotu). Democratic Republic of Congo, Belgium, Germany, Burkina Faso
RAGGIOVERDE SUBTITLING AWARD Subtitles creation included translation in one language. Winner: Rising Up at Night by Nelson Makengo. Production: Rosa Spaliviero (Twenty Nine Studio & Production), Dada Kahindo (Mutotu). Democratic Republic of Congo, Belgium, Germany, Burkina Faso
FREESTUDIOS AWARD Creation of a DCP package. Winner: Rising Up at Night by Nelson Makengo. Production: Rosa Spaliviero (Twenty Nine Studio & Production), Dada Kahindo (Mutotu). Democratic Republic of Congo, Belgium, Germany, Burkina Faso
OPENING SCENES TËNK AWARD Purchase of distribution rights for one film of the Opening Scenes section. Winner: L’Arrestation de C., by Arthur Jaquier, Switzerland
The winners of the Visions du Réel festival competitions will be announced on Friday 28 April VdR-Industry will be held next year from 14 to 18 April 2024.
New structure for the visions sud est fund
Endowed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and managed by a committee composed of four Swiss festivals (Locarno Film Festival, Fribourg International Film Festival, Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur and Visions du Réel), as well as Swiss distributor trigon-film, the visions sud est aid fund has “undergone a transformation,” writes the festival.
Visions du Réel is now responsible for managing the fund, set up to support cinema from Southern and Eastern countries. “This handover comes at a time when the fund’s support has just been changed, with a new list of eligible countries that has been drawn up in accordance with the objectives of the SDC, while support for documentary films has been bolstered by the introduction of production aid,” writes VdR.
From May 2023, current Visions du Réel selection committee member Madeline Robert will be leaving behind her role at the festival to devote herself to running the fund, alongside Philippe Clivaz, operational director of the Fribourg International Film Festival, who will assume the Presidency.
