European Work in Progress Cologne 2019: Here are the 28 selected projects

In only a couple of days, the wait for the people behind the 28 carefully chosen projects is finally over and the second edition of European Work in Progress Cologne (EWIP) will start on October 14 during the Film Festival Cologne. The event aims to bring together those creative minds with leading experts and representatives of international distributors, world sales companies, film festivals and other industry delegates in order to further develop and finalise collaboration and financing strategies. 

Torsten Frehse, board member of AG Verleih: “We are convinced not only of the diversity, but also of the quality of the projects we have selected and are very pleased that we were able to increase the number of presentations. After last year’s many success stories, we are already excited to see what the future holds for this year’s film selection!”

The 28 projects are all in post-production but vary in topics and genre. As opposed to last year, it was now possible to submit documentaries. The acclaimed production company ROAD MOVIES has submitted one of the highly anticipated documentaries. Additionally, AL-ONE will present an animated film – another first at EWIP. Following the success of “Martin Eden” at international film festivals, the production company THE MATCH FACTORY will be at the event with a new project. Joram Willink, co-founder of BIND, represented the Netherlands as Producer on the Move at the Cannes International Film Festival in 2019.

This year’s participants are not only diverse but more international, too. For instance, there will be South-American, Eastern-European and African co-productions. MANEKI FILMS joins European Work in Progress Cologne with a Brazilian/French co-production. Philipp Yuryev, who partnered up with ROCK FILMS for a Russian/Polish/Belgian co-production, is an up-and-coming director in Russia. AVALON is co-producing a Spanish/Mexican project. Other high-profile production companies that will join EWIP this year are MA.JA.DE, TUFFI FILMS, RED BALLOON and COOP99 FILMPRODUKTION.

During the event, all projects will be presented in pitching sessions to a circle of experienced professionals. The aim is to find partners for the international distribution and to foster the exposure of European high-profile arthouse cinema. European Work in Progress Cologne creates a productive space in which industry experts come together to develop collaboration opportunities. In addition to one-to-one meetings, various panel discussions on effective exploitation patterns and new release strategies in cooperation with Creative Europe Desks Germany and in partnership with EAVE will accompany this year’s program. European Work in Progress Cologne is mainly supported by the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, one of Europe’s leading film funding institutions, and hosted by AG Verleih, the association of German independent film distributors.

The jury comprised of Lili Hinstin, Artistic Director of the Locarno Film Festival, Margrit Stärk, Director of Acquisitions for Feature Films at ZDF Enterprises, Sabina Kodra, the co-founder of the Albanian film production company ERAFILM as well as Yohann Comte, Sales Agent and co-founder of the world sales agency Charades in France, will acknowledge the winners with prizes worth around 45.000 EUR including post-production services as well as international festival publicity. Award Sponsors are ARRI Media, K13-Studios, Eclair, LAVAlabs Moving Images and ZOOM Medienfabrik.

The 28 selected projects are:

A BLACK JESUS, Germany/Italy Genre: Documentary, Directors: Luca Lucchesi & Hella Wenders, Writers: Luca Lucchesi & Hella Wenders, Producer: Wim Wenders (Road Movies), Co-Producers: Dugong Films (Marco Alessi) and NDR

BLAST, France Genre: Thriller, Director: Vanya Peirani-Vignes, Writer: Vanya Peirani-Vignes, Producer: Loïc Magneron (WIDE)

BORGA, Germany/Ghana Genre: Drama, Director: York-Fabian Raabe, Writer: York-Fabian Raabe & Toks Körner, Producer: Alexander Wadouh (Chromosom Film GmbH), Elaine & Tommy Niessner (East End Film GmbH), Executive Producers: Danny Damah, Tony Tagoe, Holly Gilliam (Deal Real Productions)

CITY ON THE RIVER, Latvia/Lithuania/Czech Republic Genre: Tragicomedy, Director: Viesturs Kairišs, Writer: Viesturs Kairišs, Producer: Guntis Trekteris (Ego Media), Co-Producers: Julietta Sichel (8Heads Productions), Kestutis Drazdauskas (Artbox), Peter Ragaus

EMILY, Albania Genre: Drama, Director: Ajola Daja, Writer: Ajola Daja, Producers: Ajola Daja, Rezar Gjoka, A.R.Production), Co-Producers: Edmond Topi (MMS Nositi), Arta Dobroshi

GAMES PEOPLE PLAY, Finland Genre: Comedy, Drama, Director: Jenni Toivoniemi, Writer: Jenni Toivoniemi, Producers: Elli Toivoniemi & Venla Hellstedt (Tuffi Films)

GATE TO HEAVEN, Armenia/France/German/Lithuania Genre: Drama, Director: Jivan Avetisyan, Writer: Artavazd Yeghiazaryan, Producer: Kęstutis Drazdauskas (ARTBOX Production House), Co-Producer: Marco Gilles (7 Morgen Filmproduktion)

GRACE, Poland/Finland Genre: Documentary, Director: Mizutani Eri, Writer: Mizutani Eri, Producer: Anna Fam (Polished Productions), Co-Producers: Finnish Television Yle (LOI), Niklas Kullstrom, Hillstream Pictures (LOI)

HEAVENS ABOVE, Serbia/Germany/Croatia/Macedonia/Slovenia Genre: Dark Comedy, Director: Srdjan Dragojevic, Writer: Srdjan Dragojevic, Producer: Heino Deckert, (Ma.ja.de. Fiction), Co-Producers: Biljana Prvanovic (Delirium d.o.o), Angela Nestorovska & Vladimir Anastasov (Sektor Film), Darija Kulenovic Gudan (Hommage Zagreb Production), Eva Rohrman (Forum)

IGUANA TOKYO, Germany/Japan/Turkey Genre: Science-Fiction, Director: Kaan Müjdeci, Writer: Kaan Müjdeci, Producers: Kaan Müjdeci, Ryôhei Tsutsui, Co-Producer: Kanat Doğramacı (Coloured Giraffes)

IN THE SHADE OF THE TREES, Chile/Germany/France/Argentina/Colombia Genre: Drama, Director: Matías Rojas Valencia, Writer: Matías Rojas Valencia, Producer: Giancarlo Nasi (Audiovisual Don Qujote Films), Co-Producers: Titus Kreyenberg & Linus Günther (Klinkerfilm Production), Denis Vaslin (Mandra Films), Ivan Granovski (Autocroma), Jorge Botero (Septima Films)

JESUS EGON CHRIST, Germany Genre: Hybrid, Director: David & Saša Vajda, Writers: David & Saša Vajda, Producers: David Vajda (vajda film)

MEMORY HOUSE, Brazil/France Genre: Drama, Director: João Paulo Miranda Maria, Writer: João Paulo Miranda Maria, Producer: Paula Cosenza (Bossa Nova Filmes), Co-Producer: Didar Domehri (Maneki Films)

NAKED ANIMALS, Germany Genre: Coming of Age, Director: Melanie Waelde, Writer: Melanie Waelde, Producer: Anja Wedell (Czar Film), Executive Producers: Thorne Mutert, Jan Fincke

NOCHE DE FUEGO, Mexico/Germany Genre: Drama, Director: Tatiana Huezo, Writer: Tatiana Huezo, Producers: Nicolás Celis & Jim Stark (Pimienta Films), Co-Producers: Michael Weber & Viola Fügen (Match Factory Productions)

PORTRAIT OF A WHITE WOMAN WITH GREY HAIR AND WRINKLES, Spain Genre: Drama, Director: Iván Ruiz Flores, Writer: Iván Ruiz Flores, Ana González Gutiérrez, Producer: Carlo D’Ursi (Potenza Producciones), Co-Producers: David P. Sañudo, Agustín Delgado Bulnes, Elena Maeso (Amania films)

SIMPLE THINGS, Poland Genre: Drama, Director: Grzegorz Zariczny, Writer: Grzegorz Zariczny, Producers: Magdalena Sztorc, Przemysław Miękinia (Before My Eyes), Co-producers: Wojciech Suleżycki, Marek Śledziewski (Cinelitera)

TAILOR, Greece/Germany/Belgium Genre: Drama, Director: Sonia Liza Kenterman, Writer: Sonia Liza Kenterman, Tracy Sunderland,Producer: Ioanna Bolomyti (Argonauts Productions), Co-Producers: Tanja Georgieva (Elemag Pictures), Melanie Andernach (Made in Germany), Isabelle Truc (IOTA Production)

TALIA’S JOURNEY, Belgium/Senegal/Luxembourg Genre: Inspirational road movie, Director: Christophe Rolin, Writers: Christophe Rolin, Marc Recchia, Producer: Monique Marnette (ADV Productions), Co-Producers: Rhady Sissoko (Sunuy Films), Adolph El Assal (Wady Films)

THE DIARIES OF ADAM AND EVE, Germany/Argentina Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Director: Franz Müller, Writers: Franz Müller, Mark Twain, Producers: Eva-Maria Weerts, Franz Müller (Mizzi Stock Entertainment)

THE JUDGEMENT, The Netherlands Genre: investigative thriller, Director: Sander Burger, Writers: Bert Bouma & Sander Burger, Producer: Joram Willink (BIND)

THE MEANING OF LOVE, Germany/Spain/Ireland/South Africa Genre: Documentary, Director: Alexander Kleider, Writer: Alexander Kleider, Producer: Alexander Kleider (DOK-WERK filmkooperative), Co-Producer: Dok-Werk

THE WHALE HUNTER, Russia/Poland/Belgium Genre: Drama, Director: Philipp Yuryev, Writer: Philipp Yuryev, Producers: Alexey Uchitel (Rock Films), Kira Saksaganskaya (Rock Films), Co-Producers: Marion Hansel (Man’s Films Productions), Radoslawa Bardes (Orka Studio Produkcyjne)

TRASH, Italy Genre: Animation, Director: Luca Della Grotta, Francesco Dafano, Writers: Andrea Nobile, Francesco Dafano, Producers: Alan Vele, Mario Lanti, Riccardo Cesarini (AL-ONE)

WHAT HAVE WE DONE WRONG?, Spain/México Genre: Dramedy, Director: Liliana Torres, Writer: Liliana Torres, Producer: Daniel Froiz (Matriuska Producciones), Co-Producer: María Zamora (Avalon)

WHEN I’M DONE DYING, Turkey/ Germany Genre: Drama, Director: Nisan Dağ, Writer: Nisan Dağ, Producers: Müge Özen, Jessica Caldwell (Solid Film), Dorothe Beinemeier (Red Balloon), Yağmur Ünal

woMEN, GermanyGenre: Documentary, Directors: Kristine Nrecaj, Birthe Templin, Writers: Kristine Nrecaj, Birthe Templin, Producer: Katrin Springer (Filmkantine)

WORLD’S SHORTEST POEM, Austria Genre: Drama, Director: David Clay Diaz, Writers: David Clay Diaz & Senad Halilbasic, Producers: Bruno Wagner, Antonin Svoboda, Barbara Albert (coop99 filmproduktion)

For all your enquiries please do not hesitate and contact the team or the press agency.

CONTACT

Katharina Blum
Film- und Medienstiftung NRW
e-mail: katharinablum@filmstiftung.de

Hen-Suk Jung
Eventmanagement EWIP
e-mail: jung@european-work-in-progress.eu 

Leopold Grün
Managing Director AG Verleih
e-mail: contact@european-work-in-progress.eu

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