16-03-2009

FNE in Sofia: Sofia IFF brings industry and art together

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    The 13th edition of the Sofia International Film Festival, 5-15 March, attracted local crowds as well as European industry professionals of both feature and documentary films from all over Europe with an emphasis on the Balkans.

    In addition of a well selected programme of films both in and out of competition highlights included the Sofia Meeitngs and Sunny Side of the Doc where producers and directors came together to pitch projects and find co-producers.

    As part of the Sofia Meetings pitching sessions Romanian director Radu Jude won a prize of 5000 Euros from Nu Boyana Studios (http://www.nuboyana.com/) for his project Everybody in Our Family (Hi Film Productions-Bucharest- http://www.hifilm.ro/) and Bulgarian director Stephan Komandarev won 5000 Euros in services from Syncro Lab (in Vienna for his pitch for The Judgement (Agro Film- This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). By the end of the Sofia Meetings Komandarev had already secured Simone Baumann of Le Vision as a coproducer on the project and organizer Mira Staleva said that many more potential coproduction deals looked likely to result from the pitching sessions.

    Winners of the Sofia International Film Festival

    Best Feature Film: For My Father

    Director Dror Zahavi

    Producers: Praxis Productions (http://www.praxixfilms.co.il/) Israel/ Relevant Film (www.relevantfilm.de)Germany

    Special Jury Prize:Zift

    Director Javor Gurdev

    Producer Miramar Film (http://www.miramarfilm.com/) Bulgaria


    Best Director: Ozcan Alper for Autumn

    Producer: Kuzey Film Production (http://www.kuzeyproduction.com.tr/) Turkey / Filmfabrik (http://www.filmfabrik.com/) Germany

    Best Bulgarian Short Film: Three Sisters and Ahdrey

    Directors: Andrey Paunov and Boris Despodov

    Best Balkan Film: My Marlon and Brando

    Director Hueseyin Karabey

    Producer: A-si Film Yapim (www.asifilm.com) Turkey/ Spier Films (http://www.spierfilms.com/) Germany

    Best Bulgarian Festure: Zift

    Director Javor Gurdev

    Producer Miramar Film (http://www.miramarfilm.com/) Bulgaria

    Best Documentary: Rene

    Director: Helena Trestikova

    Producer: Negativ (www.negativ.cz) Czech Republic



    FIPRESCI Prize for Best Film: The Happiest Girl in the World

    Director: Radu Jude

    Producers: Hi Film Productions (http://www.hifilm.ro/) Romania/ Circe Films (http://www.circe.nl/) Netherlands