A Steady Job by Mattia Colombo and Gianluca Matarrese
After a tortuous week for the international doc industry, at last a measure of hope as Thessaloniki announces The Agora Doc Market awards after the event was conducted online due to coronavirus.
THESSALONIKI PITCHING FORUM AWARDS
The Thessaloniki Pitching Forum Award of 2,000 euros
A STEADY JOB
Direction: Mattia Colombo, Gianluca Matarrese. Production: Giovanni Donfrancesco, Altara Films. Co-production: Jasmina Sijercic, Bocalupo Films, Italy, France
Jury citation: The award is bestowed “to what we found was the best pitch overall, it has a lot of potential, is a wonderfully unique project and it is extremely timely capturing the essence of desperation and hope through a trip on a bus. The filmmakers were able to capture a key anxiety happening all around the world that we can all relate to where we fight for scarce resources.”
The ERT – Thessaloniki Pitching Forum award of 2,000 euros to a Greek project
MIGHTY AFRIN
Direction: Angelos Rallis. Production: Maria del Mar Rodriguez, Angelos Rallis, AR Productions. Co-production: Birgit Kemner, Manny Films, Greece, France
Jury citation: “We have selected a beautiful, yet heart aching, coming of age story. It is a story that deals with the universal themes of identity in a time of turbulence in the world in this young girl’s life” mentioned the jury.”
The MFI Doc Lab Script 2 Film Workshop award and full scholarship worth 2,500 euros.
A STEADY JOB
Direction: Mattia Colombo, Gianluca Matarrese. Production: Giovanni Donfrancesco, Altara Films. Co-production: Jasmina Sijercic, Bocalupo Films, Italy, France
Jury citation: “This is a wonderful project, we loved it, full of humanity and full of hope concerning those terribly dramatic issues, including the latest developments which is the coronavirus effect on the subject matter of the film.”
Beldocs Networking Award
EXPEDITION 49
Direction: Alisa Kovalenko, Co-author Stephane Siohan. Production: Stephane Siohan, East Roads Films. Co-production: Valery Kalmykov, Trueman Production, Ukraine, France
Citation: The jury mentioned that the project promises good drama potential for the development of characters and their interaction.
The award of digital transfer of archive material by Aylon Production Digital
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Direction: Luca Lancise, Production: Simone Catania, Michele Fornasero, Indyca, Italy
Citation: “It’s a story about an Italian who becomes a national idol in Argentina. We follow him through his teenage years until he becomes rebellious from his very conservative family in Italy but also form a conservative society, and he turns himself into a punk musician. We wish you congratulations and we look forward to seeing the final film” mentions the jury.
The DAE (Documentary Association of Europe) Award which offers three consultations and a free membership
BARK OF A STARVING DOG (working title)
Direction: Ketevani Kapanadze. Production: Ana Tsimintia, This Street Hurts Me, Georgia.
Citation: “Founded February 2020, DAE is a new Pan-European Association for documentary professionals to strengthen the industry, unite the community and create sustainable support for the genre. We loved this project, we really believe in its team and the talent behind this incredible story and we can’t wait to have the tailored sessions with you over the year and to welcome you as members of DAE.”
DOCS IN PROGRESS AWARDS
The Two Thirty Five post-production award and Visions du Réel award
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Direction/Production: Jude Chehab. Development/Production: Rita Baghdadi, Chehab Films, USA, Lebanon
Citation: “God moves in mysterious ways and so do women. The project the jury decided unanimously to award, is a voyage into a world of mysticism, beauty and pain that challenges all our pre conceived notions.”
Music and Sound Services Award by MuSou Music Group
EPIC OF A STONE
Direction: Sean Wang. Production: Jia Zhao – Muyi Film. Co-production: Zijian Wang – Black Fin, Valérie Montmartin – Little Big Story, Rea Apostolides, Yuri Averof – Anemon Productions. The Netherlands, China, France, Greece
The Greek Film Centre Award (3,000 euros to a Doc in Progress)
LAND OF MILK AND HONEY
Direction: Gonzalo Recio. Co-direction: Héctor Domínguez-Viguera, Carlos Mora. Production: Andrés Díaz, Zerkalo Films, Spain
Neaniko Plano Subtitling Award
DISPLACED IN HEAVEN (working title)
Direction/Production: Khaled Jarrar, Jenin Films. Co-production: Thomas Kaske, Kaske Film, Palestine, Germany, Qatar
Citation: “We think in this crucial moment of our collective history this is an important document that should be shown all over the world, we hope the subtitles will help in that matter” said the jury.
Aiming to strengthen the Agora Doc Market, the Festival presented a Golden Alexander Award, which is bestowed upon important figures of the audio-visual sector for their achievements in documentary. The first Golden Alexander award in the history of Agora Doc Market was given to sales agent Catherine le Clef.
Le Clef is considered one of the best-connected figures in the world of documentary sales. As a sales agent she has taken on award-winning docs such as: Citizenfour, Cameraperson, Communion, Sonita, Our Time Machine, Five Broken Cameras, China’s Van Goghs, Last Train Home.
