Berlin-based sales house Rise and Shine have three major music-themed documentaries on their IDFA slate, including the Here We Move, Here We Groove about Balkan Beats godfather Robert Soko in Dutch Competition. Festival manager Anja Dziersk also points out that work life under lockdown hasn’t been so bad…
When it comes to sales life under corona, the news has generally been downbeat. But Anja Dziersk of Rise and Shine World Sales bucks that trend, albeit with a disclaimer.
“We enjoy the online market activity and I can´t say that we have been less busy this year compared to previous years,” she says. “I presume we even managed to have more very focused sales and acquisition meetings online.”
There is a ‘but’ however. “But all technology will never be able to beat the opportunity to meet our clients in person. It´s especially these little informal moments at festivals and markets that form a business relationship – and we are yearning to get these back as soon as the situation has gotten better. We are missing the hugs!”
One film with plenty of dancefloor hugs is Here We Move, Here We Groove by Sergej Kreso, about maverick DJ Robert Soko’s search for a new musical sound that blends the talents of new migrant voices. “We are very excited about this film, as our office is literally across the road from the Balkan Beats club headquarters in Berlin,” raves Dziersk. “We see loads of potential here for theatrical and non-theatrical after the lockdown – and for TV and platforms.”
An upcoming release selected for the IDFA Forum Rough Cut is A Symphony of Noise by Enrique Sánchez Lansch. “It has been in the making for 10 years and dives into the creative mind of Matthew Herbert, one of the most interesting musical and conceptual artists of our time; a really unique piece by the director of Rhythm Is It and the editor Andrew Bird, who is famous for all his editing work for Fatih Akin.”
The company is also handling Vienna Symphony, which gives an insight into the work of the famous Vienna Symphony Orchestra. “Especially in these depressing times of the pandemic, this is a light film that carries you away with the beautiful music of Beethoven, Mahler and Strauss. The film follows the audition for a new leader of the orchestra over more than a year. Finally, for the first time ever in 120 years, a woman will get the position!”
“We are really excited to see what effect the online only format at Docs For Sale will have on sales and festival bookings,” further comments Dziersk, noting how she expects a lot of interest in her titles The Wall of Shadows (Eliza Kubarska), Discount Workers (Christopher Patz), Finding Sally (Tamara M Dawit) and Sven Blume’s For Somebody Else. “We have strong expectations that programmers, scouts and buyers will be able to focus stronger and use the advantage that it´s easier now to liaise amongst the teams and make decisions on selections and acquisitions quicker.”
