The IDFA Bertha Fund has announced its support for Zinder, the new feature film by Nigerien director Aicha Macky. Selected for the IBF Europe – Distribution track, the French-Niger-German co-production directed by director Aicha Macky will receive a grant of €30,000 for distribution in France, Niger, Switzerland, and Denmark.
Centering on Macky’s hometown of Zinder, in the heart of Sahel, the film offers a candid glimpse into the stories of the local young people who, without other prospects, join local gangs or Palais. Powerful and hopeful in tone, Macky’s in-depth portrait is notable for its impassioned ability to steer clear of stereotypes, bearing witness to the violence in Zinder while showing there is much more to life in the town.
The film was produced by Point du Jour – Les films du Balibari and co-produced by Tabous production and Corso Film.
Known from its world premiere at Visions du Réel’s International Feature Film Competition this spring, Zinder has seen considerable success in recent months, going on to screen at CPH:DOX and DOK.fest Munich. Most recently, the film won the Adiaha Award for Best Documentary Film by an African Woman, where the Ladima Foundation’s jury lauded it as a “compelling, unadorned, and humane portrait of a harsh and neglected corner of the world.”
Now the film returns to Niger where, having locally premiered in the country’s only cinema, it will be distributed through the Ciné-Nomade impact campaign, a mobile cinema project that will travel across the country, bringing the film directly to audiences via buses, local neighborhood gatherings, schools, conferences, and general public screenings. Distribution in Niger will be handled by Macky’s own production company, Tabous Production.
In Europe, the film has already launched successful festival campaigns in Switzerland, Denmark, and France. In the latter territory, AndanaFilms is also overseeing the release via widespread public screenings in libraries, outdoor screenings, and other non-commercial venues.
The IDFA Bertha Fund selection committee included Maëlle Guenegues (Festivals and Acquisitions, CAT&Docs), Liselot Verbrugge (Sales Agent, Deckert Distribution), and Mélanie de Vocht (Project Manager, IDFA Bertha Fund).
Call for submissions: IBF Europe – Distribution support
The IDFA Bertha Fund remains open for submissions to the IBF Europe – Distribution category, continuously accepting entries until October 1, 2021 or while grants are still available. . For further information, click here
IDFA has also put out its final call deadline of September 15 for Docs for Sale submissions – September 15. For further information, click here.
