SEP 24-27 UTRECHT FILMFESTIVAL.NL
WALLONIABRUSSELS FEDERATION / THE NETHERLANDS MEETING THE NEW GENERATION PRODUCERS 15 20 26 SEPTEMBER
INTERNATIONAL SECTION OF THE NETHERLANDS FILM FESTIVAL
Contents Wallonia-Brussels Federation / The Netherlands Meeting 2015 The New Generation Producers 2 3 4
Credits and acknowledgments Foreword Programme
20 22 23 24 26 27
Producers: Wallonia-Brussels Federation Frakas Productions, Jean-Yves Roubin Left Field Ventures, John Engel Les Films du Carré, Nicolas George Need Productions, Anne-Laure Guégan Stenola Productions, Anton Stettner Tarantula, Valérie Bournonville Producers: The Netherlands BIND, Joram Willink BALDR Film, Frank Hoeve Lemming Film, Fleur Winters Hazazah Pictures, Maarten Kuit Submarine, Janneke van de Kerkhof Topkapi Films, Laurette Schillings
28
Index
6 8 10 12 14 16
Wallonia-Brussels Federation / The Netherlands Meeting 2015 The New Generation Producers is supported by:
Colophon Head Holland Film Meeting Signe Zeilich-Jensen Netherlands Film Commissioner Bas van der Ree Netherlands Film Fund Policy Advisor Int. Affairs Ellis Driessen Head of Cinema Production Department - WBF Emmanuel Roland
Coordinator HFM Co-Production Platform Mercedes Martínez-Abarca Producer Holland Film Meeting Corinna Dästner Guest Department Nasztázia Potapenko (Coord.) Daya de Jongh Wiesje van der Sijs Coordinator HFM Publicity Tito Rodríguez
Editing dossier Nick Cunningham Tito Rodríguez Design & layout Marinka Reuten Printing Veenman+ Netherlands Film Festival / Holland Film Meeting PO Box 1581 3500 BN Utrecht The Netherlands +31-30-2303800 hfm@filmfestival.nl hfmcopro@filmfestival.nl www.filmfestival.nl
Foreword Welcome to the Wallonia-Brussels Federation / The Netherlands Meeting 2015 The New Generation Producers This one day programme is a joint venture between the Film and Audiovisual Centre Wallonia-Brussels Federation and the Netherlands Film Fund and Film Commission, and the City of Utrecht – Film Commission. Prior to the discussions and preparations of the coproduction treaty between the WalloniaBrussels Federation and the Netherlands, our funds saw the importance of creating more possibilities for the producers from the two territories to meet and discuss their future films and plans. During the film festival in Cannes in May this year we arranged a first round of meetings and speed dating sessions. These meetings were both inspiring and effective. They gave us - and the participating producers - a taste for more. The idea for a special meeting for the young generation of producers to meet during the Holland Film Meeting was born earlier this year and has been further developed the last months. We were happy about the enthusiastic reactions that we have received regarding this initiative from both the French speaking Belgian producers and their Dutch colleagues and we would like to thank them for their contribution to make this day to a success. We hope that this day will help the participating producers to get to know each other, to understand more about the way the funds work together and to see something of the City of Utrecht, which is one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands. The day will start for the producers from Wallonia-Brussels Federation with a welcome and a quick course in the map of the Dutch film landscape and who-is-who at the Netherlands Film Fund. After a City boat tour with lunch in the company of the Netherlands Film Commissioner and the Film Commissioners from Utrecht, the afternoon will be spent in a series of speed date sessions with experts and producers from both countries. We will do our utmost best to introduce you and your company to your fellow producers and to inform you about the film industry in our both countries. In return we would like to encourage you to ask us everything you would like to know about film financing and production in the Wallonia - Brussels Federation and the Netherlands. We would like to wish all of you a fruitful stay at the Holland Film Meeting in Utrecht.
Doreen Boonekamp CEO of the Netherlands Film Fund Jeanne Brunfaut Head of Film and Audiovisual Centre- WBF Emmanuel Roland Head of Cinema Production Department - WBF
2015 WALLONIA-BRUSSELS FEDERATION/THE NETHERLANDS MEETING 3
Programme Saturday September 26 11:00-12:30
Meet the Funds Welcome words by Doreen Boonekamp (CEO of the Netherlands Film Fund) and Emmanuel Roland (Head af Cinema Production Department of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation) Grand Hotel Karel V / Lodewijk Napoleon Room
12:30 – 14:30
Networking lunch and Utrecht tour Tour hosted by the Utrecht Film Commission Lunch hosted by the Netherlands Film Commission
15:00 – 17:00
Speed-dating sessions Grand Hotel Karel V / Maria van Hongarije Room
17:00 – 18:00
Drinks Wallonia-Brussels Federation Grand Hotel Karel V / Maria van Hongarije Room Sunday September 27
09:30 - 11:00
Breakfast with the Neighbours With the participation of the Netherlands Film Fund, FFA and the Wallonia-Brussels Federation Film and Audiovisual Center Grand Hotel Karel V / Maria van Hongarije Room
4 WALLONIA-BRUSSELS FEDERATION/THE NETHERLANDS MEETING 2015
Producers Wallonia-Brussels Federation
2015 WALLONIA-BRUSSELS FEDERATION/THE NETHERLANDS MEETING 5
Frakas Productions
Company Profile
Project Le grand troupeau
Founded in 2007, the Belgian company Frakas Productions is active in the production of feature films, TV series and animated films, with a special eye for co-production. Amongst other, Frakas has produced films such as David Lambert’s Beyond the Walls, Delphine Noels’s Post Partum or David Lambert’s I am Yours.
Log Line Le grand troupeau follows six people whose paths cross in a building that is facing an apocalyptic storm.
Company’s filmography 2015 Scouts a documentary by Christophe Hermans 2014 I Am Yours a feature by David Lambert 2013 Post Partum a feature by Delphine Noels The Stranger a short fiction by Anne Leclercq 2012 Beyond The Walls a feature by David Lambert Bye Bye Blondie a feature by Virginie Despentes Fable domestique a short fiction by Raphaël Balboni and Ann Sirot 2011 La Permission de minuit a feature by Delphine Gleize Fancy Fair a short fiction by Christophe Hermans 2010 Thermes a short fiction by Banu Akseki 2009 Vivre encore un peu… a short fiction by David Lambert 2007 Songes d’une femme de ménage a short fiction by Banu Akseki
Synopsis A skyscraper rises towards a rainy sky. Inside is a maze of corridors, doors, and offices. The building is taking in water on all sides. Six “unconnected” people converge to this tall building, in search of solutions. SARAH, a disoriented little girl, is carried into the building by a flood of commuters. Looking for her parents, she wanders around until she meets an old man. JEAN, in his eighties, is visiting the building with a group of elderly. He parts company with his group, meets Sarah, and goes looking for his birth house, destroyed for the building’s construction. MANUELA, an economist, drops her baby at the nursery and rushes to the copier. Only a few hours left before the conference that will launch her career. She really has no time to breastfeed her baby when the nurse calls her in. FREDDY, a troubled fisherman, is seeking permission to turn his boat into a tourist attraction. He stubbornly searches the building for the right officer to help him but is simply bounced around. He slowly loses hope in a better future for his family. Then he meets Manuela. ABDEL has just been hired as courier in the building. He’s not yet familiar with the building and fails to help Freddy find his way. His enthusiasm clashes with his colleagues’ bleakness. Sent to the top floor, he finds an elegant woman, bored in a huge office. ELÉONORE, in her forties, is accustomed to power and is chocked by the routine of her position. She takes decisions that her instinct repudiates and struggles to ignore the strange phenomena occurring outside. As the day passes, these six people become witnesses of alarming disturbances. A presentiment takes hold of them: a deluge will destroy everything. Before it’s too late, they each will try to renew a link that had been broken.
6 WALLONIA-BRUSSELS FEDERATION/THE NETHERLANDS MEETING 2015
Thomas de Thier
Director’s statement Le grand troupeau is a war cry against an invisible enemy that is prowling around each one of us and that we clumsily call “the logic of the system”. While the building seems to drain them of their last vestiges of dignity, each of the six characters gradually becomes aware of what connects them to the others. Director’s filmography 2014 Le goût des myrtilles (feature) 2003 Des plumes dans la tête (feature) 1998 Gens presses sont déjà morts (feature) 1994 Caisse Express (short fiction) 1991 Je t’aime comme un fou (short fiction) 1990 Je suis votre voisin (short fiction) Current status Shooting planned for 2016. Aims at the HFM Looking for a co-producer from the Netherlands.
Jean-Yves Roubin
Director Thomas de Thier Producer Jean-Yves Roubin Screenwriters Thomas de Thier Sophie Museur Based on The book To The Slaughterhouse by Jean Giono Language French Genre Anticipation
Running time 90 mins Budget +/- €5,000,000 Present at the meeting Jean-Yves Roubin
Contact Frakas Productions Rue des Ixellois, 3 4000 Liège Belgium Tel: +32 4 2313863 Email: info@frakas.be www.frakas.be
2015 WALLONIA-BRUSSELS FEDERATION/THE NETHERLANDS MEETING 7
Left Field Ventures
Company profile
Project Mon Jaco
Left Field Ventures, founded by John Engel, has been focusing on feature film production and development since January 2008 – from audacious debut features to films by established directors with an international reach. We aim to produce films that combine depth and impact with audiences’ increasingly sophisticated expectations. John Engel is a member of the U.P.F.F. (Belgium’s Film Producers Guild); the Film Selection Committee of the Wallonie-Brussels Federation; the Directors Guild of America; the A.S.A. (Script Writers Association); the ACE Network (Ateliers du Cinéma Européen, ACE20) ; and a co-founding member of UniversCiné Belgium (VOD operator).
Longline A family tale where the almighty magic of Nature has its say.
Company’s filmography 2016 Dirty Wolves by Simon Casal de Miguel (Spain, Belgium) 2015 Evolution by Lucile Hadzihalilovic (France, Belgium) and Tête baissée by Kamen Kalev (France, Belgium, Bulgaria) 2014 Madame Bovary by Sophie Barthes (United Kingdom, Belgium) 2013 Chez nous c’est trois! by Claude Duty (France, Belgium) 2012 Little Glory by Vincent Lannoo (Belgium) 2010 Vampires by Vincent Lannoo (Belgium) Miss Mouche by Bernard Halut (Belgium)
Synopsis On the outskirts of a small town in the countryside there still stands an old orchard populated with hundred-year-old fruit trees. For three generations, the land was passed on from mother to daughter. The grandmother’s unusual talent for communicating with Nature skipped a generation. Her magic legacy went to her granddaughter ELECTRA (10). Electra’s only friend is JACO, a tree that speaks to her, as it once spoke to her grandma. But there is another legacy, the land, which Electra will also inherit. Her MOTHER confronts Electra with her future responsibilities: keep her land, at all costs. One day, Jaco is in danger of being cut down, and Electra is going to fight all kinds of adult enemies in order to save her orchard and her friend.
Projects in pre-production Bao - Directed by Maxime Pasque (Belgium, France). The Whale - Directed by Andrea Pallaoro (Italy, Belgium, France). I Want to Be Like You - Directed by Konstantin Bojanov (Bulgaria, Belgium).
8 WALLONIA-BRUSSELS FEDERATION/THE NETHERLANDS MEETING 2015
Psyché Piras
Director’s statement This is the story of an old orchard, as seen through the eyes of a little girl named Electra. This is a tribute to all the orchards that disappeared due to land speculation over the past forty years. This is a love story between Electra and Jaco, an ancient tree that she wants to save. And through this relationship, it is the tale of a family for whom the almighty magic of Nature has its say. Turning this context into a fantastic tale allows for a journey that does not accuse any particular individual. A tale that is a device to let us see things differently. To let the audience briefly see the world from another perspective, hear what surrounds them with fresh ears. For an instant, to be in tune with the child we all were... and rekindle our hope for a better world. Director’s filmography 2006 Sirène de Lune (35mm / 15 mins / black and white) Selected in 2006 at Namur Short Film Festival, Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival (Belgian and International sections); in 2007 at Festival le Court en dit Long (Paris) and Festival International du Film Indépendant (Brussels) and TRIBECA International Film Festival (New York, USA) and in 2008 at Buenos Aires International Human Rights Film Festival.
John Engel]
Director Psyché Piras Producer John Engel Co-Producers Jeanne Geiben, Pol Cruchten (Red Lion, Luxembourg) Screenwriter Psyché Piras Based on An original screenplay Language French Genre Ecological Fantasy Running time 90mins Budget €2,400,000 Present at the meeting John Engel
Current status of the project Secured financing from the Wallonia-Brussels Federation (€ 34.000), shooting planed for summer 2016. Aims at the HFM Looking for co-producer from the Netherlands and a sales agent.
Contact Left Field Ventures 97 Avenue Louis Lepoutre 1050 Brussels Belgium Tel: +32 234 54505 Email: info@leftfield.be www.leftfieldventures.com
2015 WALLONIA-BRUSSELS FEDERATION/THE NETHERLANDS MEETING 9
Les Films du Carré
Company profile
Project Orphea
Les Films du Carré is a young production company created in November 2012. Located in the Pôle Image in Liège, Les Films du Carré is mainly devoted to developing short and feature films, fictions as well as documentaries. The company’s aim is to produce and promote challenging and mainstream films, combining genre movie and author cinema sensibilities.
Logline To hell and back.
Company’s filmography 2017 The Livings by André Chandelle. Under development 2016 Places Like Home by Victor-Emmanuel Boinem (in post production) 2015 The Zombie with a Bike by Christophe Bourdon (selected in BIFFF Brussels) 2015 The Wall by Samuel Lampaert (selected in Encounters Bristol official selection, Ghent Film Festival official selection) 2015 Being by Fara Sene (theatrically realeased on June 10, 2015) 2014 Palace Beach Hotel by Philippe Venault (co-production with Cinétévé and ARTE France) 2013/14 The Century of..., documentary collection by Pierre Assouline (co-production with Cinétévé and ARTE France) 2012 The Impatient Boy by Bernard Garant (short)
Synopsis ISADORA, a talented cello player in her thirties, lives a beautiful love story with her husband, MARC. But ever since she got pregnant and met a strange old man in a park, Isadora has terrible nightmares unsettling her daily life. The sudden and mysterious disappearing of Marc makes things worse…
10 WALLONIA-BRUSSELS FEDERATION/THE NETHERLANDS MEETING 2015
Léo Medard
Dick Tomasovic
Director’s statement When I first read the script of Orphea, I recognized a dark and dream-related universe, which seemed very familiar to me. Beyond the strong emotional aspect of this story – a woman’s desperate quest to find back her missing lover – I think the main interest of this project is to explore Isadora’s progressive loss of bearings between reality and nightmare. As a director, picturing this imaginary and diabolical world represents a very stimulating challenge and would allow me to develop a creative and ambitious stylistic approach through image, sound, editing, set decoration or special effects. From a cold and bright uneasy atmosphere at the beginning, I would like the film to turn into a warm and organic terror. In general terms, I want the direction of this project to be sober, elegant and more suggestive than demonstrative to keep the tension. As a reference for this project, Jaccob’s Ladder (1990) is very significant to illustrate the kind of film I would like Orphea to be.
Nicolas George
Director Léo Medard Producer Nicolas George Screenwriter Dick Tomasovic Based on An original screenplay Language French or English Genre Thriller / Fantastic Running time 97 mins Budget €2,000,000 Present at the meeting Nicolas George
Director’s Filmography 2009 Un Havre de Paix – Produced by INSAS 2010 Tao Told Me – Produced by INSAS 2012 L’Attrape-rêves/Dreamcatcher – Produced by INSAS 2014 Timo. (in post-production) – Produced by Stenola 2015 Sang d’Encre (in post-production) – Produced by Stenola 2017 Orphea (in developpement) – Produced by Les Films du Carré Current status of the project Shooting planed for end of 2016. Aims at the HFM Looking for a co-producer from the Netherlands.
Contact Les Films du Carré Rue de Mulhouse, 36 4020 Liège Belgium Tel: +32 499 617916 Email: nicolas@lesfilmsducarre.be www.lesfilmsducarre.be
2015 WALLONIA-BRUSSELS FEDERATION/THE NETHERLANDS MEETING 11
Need Productions
Company profile
Project Unleashed Dogs
Need Productions is a cinema production structure with a strong identity and a no compromise editorial policy. Denis Delcampe founded the company in 1999. Since then, we have produced more than forty films: documentaries, short films, features, animation. Today, Anne-Laure Guégan carries out Need Productions’ new projects.
Log line Pierre, a young cop weakened by his past service in the military, has been involved in a succession of events that conduce him towards an unavoidable struggle between allegiance and vengeance. Unleashed Dogs is a merciless film noir.
Company’s filmography 2015 April and the Extraordinary World by Christian Desmares and Franck Ekinci (Cristal for Feature Film in Annecy 2015) 2013 Goodbye Morocco by Nadir Moknèche 2011 De bon matin by Jean-Marc Moutout Au cul du loup by Pierre Duculot 2010 Blanc comme neige by Christophe Blanc Beyond the Steppes by Vanja D’Alcantara 2008 Home by Ursula Meyer La fabrique des sentiments by Jean-Marc Moutout 2002 Carnages by Delphine Gleize Project in post-production Kokoro by Vanja D’Alcantara (casting including Isabelle Carré, Niels Schneider, Fabrizio Rongione and Jun Kunimura).
(working title)
Synopsis After a military mission in Mali, in which he witnessed his cousin’s death, PIERRE (30) returns to Brussels and joins the Police, despite the disagreement of his mother, whom he is taking care of. FRANK, a quite exceptional and aggressive cop, teaches him the tricks of the trade while trying to involve him in his ploys, often without qualms. Pierre ends up denouncing him to his superior. Frank, after being suspended, decides to ambush Pierre to make him pay the price of his complaint. Escaping uninjured, but traumatized from Frank’s trap, Pierre decides to get revenge and asks for help to his uncle KOEN and aunt MARTHA, two gangsters involved in greyhound’s clandestine races in Antwerp. Eager to help their nephew, that they consider as a son, after their own son’s death in Mali, the couple asks nonetheless for some favors, taking advantage of Pierre’s position, in exchange for their services. Pierre ends up being caught in a vice between his desire for revenge and his loyalty to the family.
12 WALLONIA-BRUSSELS FEDERATION/THE NETHERLANDS MEETING 2015
Cédric Bourgeois
Director’s statement Influenced by movies like Straw Dogs (Sam Peckinpah) or more recently the Pusher trilogy (Nicolas Winding Refn), Cédric Bourgeois is a young director that falls within the new film noir generation. In Unleashed Dogs, he deploys the narrative and aesthetic possibilities of the genre: an expressionist and highly contrasted light, a predilection for darkness, for the urban environment. A trajectory of survival will force the main character to make desperate decision to get through. Cédric seeks an equilibrium: the final purpose is not the transposition of a pessimistic vision of the world into a film noir. For him, hunting down humanity is essential in order to emphatically and emotionally drag the audience into the hero’s trajectory. Director’s filmography Born in 1983 in France, Cédric Bourgeois moved to Brussels in 2006. Since then, he wrote and directed six short films, of which five were self-produced: No Way Out, Littles Ones, The Wolf’s Death, The Beast within the Walls, Sophie and Monkey. In 2013 he co-directed Dreamcatchers - a documentary on wrestling. He is now writing his first full-length feature film and during the last year we have been accompanying him through his projects, among which a short film entitled You’re Lost, Little Girl expected in 2016.
Anne-Laure Guégan
Director Cédric Bourgeois Producer Anne-Laure Guégan Screenwriter Cédric Bourgeois Based on An original screenplay Language French, Dutch Genre Film Noir Running Time 90 mins Budget €2,000,000 Present at the meeting Anne-Laure Guégan
Current status of the project Script in development (writing). Aims at the HFM Looking for co-producer from the Netherlands. Contact Need Productions 9A rue des Chartreux 1000 Brussels Belgium Tel: +32 534 40 57 Email: anne-laure@needproductions.com www.needproductions.com
2015 WALLONIA-BRUSSELS FEDERATION/THE NETHERLANDS MEETING 13
Stenola Productions
Company profile
Project Hinterland
Stenola Productions is an independent production company based in Brussels, Belgium. Founded in 2009, the company focuses on the production and development of innovative, relevant and accessible feature films. Led by producer Anton Iffland Stettner, Stenola Productions focuses on cultivating strategic partnerships with independent filmmakers, production companies, and sales agents to make sure that each film reaches its full distribution potential. Stenola Productions has a proven commitment and passion for international co-production, storytelling and filmmaking.
Log line Jan is a fisherman in the North Sea. Working on a boat can be a life-threatening job. He lives off his catch. Catching 50 kilos of pure heroin was not part of the plan…
Producer’s profile Anton Iffland Stettner graduated in 2008 with a Master degree in film directing from INSAS (Brussels). In 2009, he founded Stenola Productions in Brussels. Having successfully supported directors in their first films such as Au-delà de l’Ararat by Tülin Ozdemir, he rapidly became involved with European co-production through films such as The King of Mont Ventoux by Fons Feyarts (produced by Associate Directors). Nowadays, Stenola Productions continues to accompany various directors at different stages of their filmographies and contributes, along with its European partners, to create quality fiction and documentary films with a large potential audience. Company’s filmography 2016 The Water Genie by Claudio Capanna Le Plaisir du désordre by Christian Rouaud A Butterfly flew by Julia Varga (co-production) The Second Night by Eric Pauwels 2014 Tokyo Anyway by Camille Meynard 2013 The King of Mont Ventoux by Fons Feyarts - RTBF, ARTE, MEDIA (co-production) Beyond the Ararat by Tülin Ozdemir - Visions du Réel Compétition Officielle
Synopsis JAN is twenty years old and works on his uncle’s fishing boat in the North of France. Almost every day ‘The Perfect Blue’ goes out on long difficult and sometimes dangerous fishing voyages off the coasts of Belgium and Holland in the North Sea. Jan never really chose to become a fisherman; it was more something that RONAN his uncle imposed on him after he dropped out of school. Ronan would like Jan to become the captain and owner of ‘The Perfect Blue’ at his retirement. One day, on a long fishing journey up North, Jan and Ronan bring up in the fishing nets a large rectangular package. Upon opening it, they find they have stumbled upon a heroin shipment that must have been thrown overboard by smugglers. In the heat of the action, Ronan orders Jan to throw the shipment overboard, but Jan disobeys and conceals the package on the boat. Upon returning to port, Ronan discovers that Jan has disobeyed him. Caught between the choice of bringing the drugs to the police or destroying it, the two men finally decide to try and sell it to pay back the many debts that Ronan has. Unfortunately, keeping the secret of their found treasure turns out to be very difficult and the Dutch drug traffickers are soon alerted about where to find their merchandise. An unforgiving game of cat and mouse is begun where no one wants to end up being the bait at the end of the hook… Jan’s struggle to survive and get out on top will take him from the small fishing villages in the North of France, through Belgium and to the gigantic port of Rotterdam…
14 WALLONIA-BRUSSELS FEDERATION/THE NETHERLANDS MEETING 2015
Camille Meynard
Samuel Malhoure
Director’s statement Fishermen defend their profession, but they are also prisoners of harsh conditions, often dangerous. The pride of these heroes from the sea and the fatality that seems to stick to their skin interested me right away. Hinterland is a film noir that invites itself into a social drama. Two worlds collide: one based on social struggle and the value of work, the other anchored in organized crime, illegal and easy profits. Inexorably, violence emerges in this poisonous atmosphere. One can see Hinterland like a Shakespearean tragedy. The characters cross the line that separates good from evil. The film will have a very strong visual identity. I want to play on different levels of character and ambiance. The decor of the film should be treated as a character in itself. Everything is bathed in moisture and grime. Hinterland is a thriller that gradually transforms into a tragedy with strong characters out to do what it takes to survive.
Anton Iffland Stettner
Director Camille Meynard Producer Anton Iffland Stettner Screenwriter Samuel Malhoure Based on An original screenplay Language French Genre Film Noir Running time 90 mins Budget €2,200,000 Present at the meeting Anton Iffland Stettner
Director’s filmography 2014 Tokyo Anyway (Magritte Nomination for Best First Feature Film). Current status of the project Secured financing from SACD Belgium. Shooting planned for 2017. Aims at the HFM To find a co-producer from the Netherlands.
Contact Stenola Productions 9A Rue des Chartreux 1000 Brussels Belgium Tel: +32 478 512423 Email: anton@stenola.eu www.stenola.eu
2015 WALLONIA-BRUSSELS FEDERATION/THE NETHERLANDS MEETING 15
Tarantula
Company profile
Project Marcheuse
Tarantula’s filmography includes twenty-four features, produced or co-produced, twelve documentaries, eleven short films, two films made for release on television, and one TV series. After seventeen years of existence we can be proud of several film critical acclaim at the world’s biggest festivals: seven films in Cannes (a.o. The Wakhan Front by Clement Cogitore, Face by Tsai Ming Liang, Batalla en el cielo by Carlos Reygadas), eight in Toronto, four in Locarno, four in Rotterdam, two in Venice (Last Winter by John Shank and Pasolini by Abel Ferrara), one in Berlin, two in Rome and seven in Namur, amongst other.
Log line Lina leaves her family in China to work in Paris. She realises reality is more a nightmare than a dream.
Producer’s profile Valérie Bournonville, producer at Tarantula, is a member of the ACE network, former member of the review Committee of CRRAV and a member of the film selection commission of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation.
Synopsis LINA, a 40-year old woman, wants to take advantage of the new economic development of the region. When she hears about the opportunity to go to work in Paris, she sees the possibility to realise her dream: to offer a better future to her husband and son. When she arrives in Paris she discovers a dark reality. Forced to pay her debts, she sinks into the lie. On her return to China, she is close to finally see her great project come true, but then her story is made public. Lina is devastated, she sees how her determination to fulfill her dreams endangers what is the most important to her: her family.
Company’s filmography 2015 The Wakhan Front by Clément Cogitore (with Jérémie Renier) 2014 Pasolini by Abel Ferrara (with Willem Dafoe) All Cats are Grey by Savina Dellicour 2013 A pelada by Damien Chemin 2012 Mobile Home by François Pirot Under the Figtree by Anne-Marie Etienne The Rif Lover by Narjiss Nejjar 2011 Last Winter by John Shank 2010 Carré blanc by Jean-Baptiste Leonetti Les yeux de sa mère by Thierry Klifa La cantante de tango by Diego Martínez Vignatti 2006 Private Property by Joachim Lafosse Congorama by Philippe Falardeau 2002 Une part du ciel (A Piece of Sky) by Bénédicte Liénard
16 WALLONIA-BRUSSELS FEDERATION/THE NETHERLANDS MEETING 2015
Olivier Meys
Director’s statement At all levels, my intent is to ancher the film in an accurate description of the reality of the ‘walkers’ lives; it is not a goal in itself, but it will be our way of allowing the spectator to be immersed in their lives, to forget the context and be fully in empathy with the characters, and experience the film through their feelings. A camera held by a man, a story filmed shoulder high, a frame that breathes the same breath as our main character. He has the right distance with which he knows how to grasp the humanity of characters in situations of weakness, his sensitivity, his respect. I will not film any sets independently, but always in relation to the characters. I plan on pursuing the work on my former movie with this film, by limiting the amount of shots and favouring the orchestration of rythm within the shot itself. Director’s filmography Olivier Meys is a Belgian filmmaker. He has directed several documentaries and fiction features including Dans les décombres in 2008. He was director of the AJC (Ateliers Jeunes Cinéastes) in 2001. He also produced radio documentaries such as A la source du bug in 1998 and Fièvre in 2001, which won the Grand Prix SCAM Radiophonic Festival in 2003. He spends his time between Beijing and Brussels and speaks fluent Chinese. In 2008, he has directed Première nuit à Beijing (First night in Beijing) a short film selected in several festivals. Current status of the project Secured financing from the Wallonia-Brussels Federation (Belgium), tax shelter (Belgium), Slate Funding (Belgium), Région Bretagne (France), Office Fédéral Suisse (Switzerland), Cineforom (Switzerland). In total: €1,300,000. Shooting planned for April 2016. Aims at the HFM To find a co-producer from the Netherlands.
Valérie Bournonville
Director Olivier Meys Producer Tarantula Co-Producer PS Production / Mille et Une Films Screenwriter Olivier Meys Based on An original screenplay Language Chinese Genre Drama Running time 100 mins Budget €1,800,000 Present at the meeting Valérie Bournonville
Contact Tarantula Rue Auguste Donnay 99 4000 Liège Belgium Tel: +32 4 2259079 Email: info@tarantula.be www.tarantula.be
2015 WALLONIA-BRUSSELS FEDERATION/THE NETHERLANDS MEETING 17
Producers The Netherlands
2015 WALLONIA-BRUSSELS FEDERATION/THE NETHERLANDS MEETING 19
BIND
Company profile Joram Willink and Piet-Harm Sterk’s objective with BIND is to tell striking, unique stories that move and inspire, that open eyes and take root. BIND develops and produces genuine, provocative films about real people and the quest for their identity. Films that have proven to be a powerful way to portray contemporary topics in an intriguing or surprising manner. BIND also represents the way we want to make films: by connecting driven and talented filmmakers to one another and by taking the time to develop a close relationship with them. Our aim is to create an effective connection between engaged filmmakers and their audience. Company’s filmography 2015 Son of Mine (orig. title Gluckauf, feature) - Ten nominations for the Golden Calves (including Best Film, Director and Actor) at the Netherlands Film Festival. Tiger award nomination IFFR 2015, Best Screenplay Award Brussel International Film Festival, Official Competition Mannheim-Heidelberg (October 2015), Official Competition Warsaw International Film Festival (October 2015) 2015 Dos Santos (Short) - Premiere at the Netherlands Film Festival 2015 (Golden Calf and Debute Competitions) 2015 Undertow (TV Movie) - Premiere at the Netherlands Film Festival 2015 (Golden Calf Competition) 2015 A Good Life (TV Movie) - Premiere at the Netherlands Film Festival 2015 (Golden Calf Competition) 2014 Anything Goes (children TV Movie) - International Emmy Kids Award, TIFF Award, CineKid Award, Best Children Short Oberahesen Kurztage, Winner Best Short Film Tokyo Kinder Filmfestival 2013 Mimoun (children TV movie) - Prix Jeunesse, nominated International Emmy Kids Award 2014 2012 Uncle Hank (Feature) - Grand Award Best Foreign Film and Special Jury Award Worldfest Houston
Projects in post-production Kingsday - Children short. Opening Film Cinekid 2015 from the Emmy winning team of Anything Goes. Directed by Steven Wouterlood with Maarten van Voornveld and Steven Wouterlood as screenwriters. Projects in financing The Judgment(1) - Feature film based on the true crime story and poignant trial by media case of ‘The Deventer murder case’. Directed by Sander Burger with Bert Bouma and Sander Burger as screenwriters. Projects in development Tess - Family feature film. Directed by Steven Wouterlood. Based on the book Mijn bijzonder rare week met Tess. In co-production with VPRO and Ostlicht (Germany). Poison - Feature film about the Dutch Ali Chemicali: Frans van Anraat. Directed by Arno Dierickx with Gustaaf Peek as screenwriter. Eyes Closed - Directed by Jeneke Boeijink with Liesbeth Wieggers as screenwriter. Script supported by the Netherlands Film Fund. Feniks - Youth series for VPRO/Zapp with Pieter Bart Korthuis and Franky Ribbens as screenwriters. The Expectation – Directed by Noud Heerkens with Jan van Dyck as screenwriter. James’s Way – Directed by Eelko Ferwerda with Eelko Ferwerda and Froukje Tan as screenwriters. Script development supported by The art of Impact. Charley – Written and directed by Jacqueline van Vugt. Northern Light (2) (working title) - Family feature based on the book De regels van drie with Evianne Lamme and Fiona van Heemstra as screenwriters.
20 WALLONIA-BRUSSELS FEDERATION/THE NETHERLANDS MEETING 2015
Joram Willink
Project The Judgment (1)
Project Northern Light (2)
Long line Everyone remembers the images, but hardly anyone knows the facts. Based on a well-known crime case in the Netherlands.
Synopsis TWAN and his twin sister LINDE travel with their mother and grandmother to Iceland to visit Twan’s great grandfather, OPI KAS, who lives there by himself. Opi Kas can no longer take care of himself and needs to be taken back to the Netherlands. But the old man has other ideas. He has conceived an escape plan and asks Twan to help him. Fortunately Twan has brought his survival book with him. What should he do: help Opi Kas or reveal the secret plan?
Synopsis Journalist BAS HAAN creates his own monster when he unintentionally gives opinion puller MAURICE DE HOND a platform for publicly accusing Michaël de Jong - alias ‘The Handyman’ - of the murder of the widow Wittenberg. In a journalistic battle, Bas Haan goes head-to-head with Maurice de Hond, who continues to classify this innocent man as a murderer, destroying his life during the ensuing media witch-hunt. Will Bas Haan succeed in unearthing the true facts about this case, and refute the false accusations? Trial by media in the Netherlands. Or how facts lose the battle to images. Director Sander Burger Producer (and original idea) Joram Willink Screenwriters Bert Bouma Sander Burger Based on A well-known crime case in the Netherlands Present at the meeting Joram Willink
(working title)
Screenwriter Evianne Lamme Fiona van Heemstra Based on The book De regels van drie script written by Marjolijn Hof and published by Querido
Contact BIND Stadhouderskade 152 1074 BC Amsterdam The Netherlands Tel: +31 20 3640030 Email: joram@bindfilm.nl www.bindfilm.nl
2015 WALLONIA-BRUSSELS FEDERATION/THE NETHERLANDS MEETING 21
BALDR Film
Frank Hoeve
Company profile BALDR Film (2012), is the Amsterdam-based production company of experienced producers Frank Hoeve and Katja Draaijer. BALDR Film focuses on developing and producing high-quality features and documentaries of a select number of filmmakers with a distinctive personal signature for an international market. Their latest credit is the feature length documentary Those who feel the fire burning by Morgan Knibbe about the hopeless existence of refugees stuck at the edge of Europe. The film was nominated for the IDFA Award for Best Film. BALDR Film is member of ACE. Company’s filmography 2015 Thanatos by Nova van Dijk Those who feel the fire burning by Morgan Knibbe According to Protocol by Anne-Marieke Graafmans For Emilia by Martijn Maria Smits Ketamine by Rogier Hesp 2014 Via Dolorosa by Menno Otten 2012 Sevilla by Bram Schouw
Producer’s profile Frank Hoeve graduated from the Haarlem Business School with a Bachelor of Economics. In 2004, he attended a course in Film Studies at the University of Barcelona. He has produced at IJswater Films for six years and one year at Dutch Mountain Movies/Talent United. In addition to his producers work, he was the chairman for the Association of New Film and Television Makers (NFTVM). In 2011 he participated in the Ateliers du Cinema (ACE) that provides training and a network for European producers and he attended the Story Editing Workshop by Franz Rodenkirchen at the Binger Filmlab. Presently he is a board member of the Go Short International Film Festival and moderates Breaking Ground NL (a platform for the European Student Film). Present at the meeting Frank Hoeve
Projects in production Brothers, feature film by Bram Schouw (release 2016) Lieland, feature documentary by Stephane Kaas, co-production with France and Israel (release 2016) Samuel in the Clouds, feature documentary by Pieter van Eeke, co-production with Flanders and the Wallonia-Brussels Federation (release 2016)
Contact BALDR Film Oudezijds Achterburgwal 77 1012 DC Amsterdam The Netherlands Tel: + 31 20 3032670 Email: info@baldrfilm.nl frank@baldrfilm.nl
22 WALLONIA-BRUSSELS FEDERATION/THE NETHERLANDS MEETING 2015
Lemming Film
Fleur Winters
Company profile Established in 1995, Lemming Film is a film and television production company based in Amsterdam, with a proven track record in delivering quality commercial films and television productions. Lemming Film is specialized in fiction for children, teen-and family audiences and international arthouse productions. We produce projects that reflect an open-minded vision on contemporary society. Our films perform well at the box office, have been widely shown at prestigious international festivals, are regularly financed from several international sources and sold internationally to more than 25 territories. The company now ranks amongst the leading Dutch production houses. Lemming Film continues to be run by producers and CEO Leontine Petit (Head of Productions) and Joost de Vries (Head of Business Affairs), and by producers Eva Eisenloeffel, Derk-Jan Warrink and Fleur Winters. Company’s filmography 2015 The Lobster by Yorgos Lanthimos Blood, Sweat & Tears by Diederik Koopal Boy 7 by Laurens Blok 2014 The Intruder by Shariff Korver In your Name by Marco van Geffen 2013 A Christmoose Story by Laurens Blok Blind by Eskil Vogt Heli by Amat Escalante Valentino by Remy van Heugten 2012 In The Fog by Sergei Loznitsa Tony 10 by Mischa Kamp Snackbar by Meral Uslu 2011 Taking Chances by Nicole van Kilsdonk The President by Erik de Bruyn Vivan las antipodas! by Victor Kossakovsky Among Us by Marco van Geffen My Grandpa the Bankrobber by Ineke Houtman 2010 Secret Letter by Simone van Dusseldorp
Producer’s profile Fleur Winters graduated at the University of Utrecht with a Master degree in Film Studies and in Art, Management and Policies. She attended several script courses and in 2014 she was part of the international jury under 27 at the Cannes Film Festival. She started working at festivals and film productions during her studies. When she finished her studies, she joined international film sales companies The Coproduction Office and Katapult Film Sales as one of their sales agents. She sold their acclaimed feature films from directors like Ulrich Seidl, Dagur Kari, Kornel Mundruczo and Carlos Reygadas to broadcasters worldwide. After a couple of years she switched to Endemol International to work as their senior acquisitions manager. She was responsible for the worldwide scouting and acquisitions of third party formats, scripted and non-scripted for the entire Endemol Group. In August 2011 she took up the position of Head of Cinekid for Professionals, the largest children’s media gathering of its kind in Europe during the Cinekid Festival. During the past five years she has also been a consultant for international scripted format deals. As per May 2015 she is working as producer at Lemming Film. Present at the meeting Fleur Winters
Contact Lemming Film Fleur Winters Valschermkade 36 F 1059 CD Amsterdam The Netherlands M: +31 6 1024 7751 Email: fleur@lemmingfilm.com www.lemmingfilm.com
2015 WALLONIA-BRUSSELS FEDERATION/THE NETHERLANDS MEETING 23
Hazazah Pictures
Company profile
Project Smile from above
Producer Jeroen van den Idsert and directors YANi and Arne Toonen founded Hazazah Pictures in Amsterdam in 2009. It was not for long until producer Maarten Kuit joined their team. Hazazah’s first feature length coproduction was Paradise Now which was nominated for an Oscar and won many international prizes including a Golden Globe. A few years later Toonens feature film Black Out became a success all over the world. In 2014 Rob Lücker was the proud winner of prestigious Dutch film award the Golden Calf for Best Short Film with his hilarious creation Digging ze Grave.We also love making documentaries: both The van Waveren Tapes (Wim van der Aar) and ZOMBIE- The Resurrection of Tim Zom (Billy Pols) were released into Dutch cinemas. We are 18 (Tomas Kaan) was selected for world-famous documentary festival IDFA in 2014.We are currently working on many exciting new projects – filming all over the globe for van der Aars new documentary All You Need is Me, Hanna van Niekerks debut film If the Sun Explodes and the documentary Rebels by Kari Anne Moe, a Norwegian co-production. Hazazah is currently developing the projects: Farm Fatale (Rob Lücker), William the Silent (Hany Abu-Assad) and Playboy Priest (Arne Toonen).
Log line This is the true story of Dave Mossing, who kills his own mother at age 21. It isn’t until after this gruesome deed when he finally comes to terms with the truth about his lonely and extraordinary childhood.
Company’s filmography 2015 2014 2012 2009 2005
If the Sun Explodes by Hanna van Niekerk (feature) De Boskampi’s by Arne Toonen (feature) Rebels by Kari Anne Moe (documentary) Bannebroek’s Got Talent by Pieter Kramer (feature) Wij zijn 18 by Tomas Kaan (documentary) The Resurrection of Tim Zom by Billy Pols (documentary) Das Wad by Rob Lücker - Winner of the Golden Calf to the Best Short Film at the Netherlands Film Festival 2014 (short) All Those Sunflowers by Bram Schouw (short) Black Out by Arne Toonen (feature) De van Waveren Tapes by Wim van der Aar (documentary) NPS kort! Val dood! by Arne Toonen (short) Paradise Now by Hany Abu-Assad (feature)
Synopsis In a world full of delusions, fear and insecurity we are witnessing DAVE’s search for the truth about himself. Within the four walls of their home his schizophrenic MOTHER has held him captive for most of his life. When his mother’s mental illness grows worse, she needs to be hospitalized. The situation at home escalates when Dave’s FATHER leaves them. Dave’s love for his mother is unconditional and he quickly becomes the main caretaker of his mother and his kid brother ROY. Dave learns to see a pattern in his mother’s behaviour: as soon as she has found a new lover she moves her family into his home, but it’s never long before the voices in her head take over and she needs to be hospitalized again. Each time the kids are left behind with vague relatives. When Dave is twenty years old his mother has already attempted suicide several times. One day she asks him to help her end her life, but he is shocked and declines. After another attempt he finds her farewell letter, explaining how she does not want to return to the hospital. After all, the voices in her head will never go away, and she feels she is not the mother Dave deserves. This letter makes him realise he has always fought for his mother but what gives him the right to keep her alive against her will? On February 3rd 1995 fate strikes and when Dave’s mother walks in screaming he does not think twice. He puts his big hands around her neck and kills her. He immediately calls the police, gets arrested and ends up in the Pieter Baan Centre. During his sessions with the psychologists here starts understanding what really happened in his life, why he killed his mother and why this was inevitable.
24 WALLONIA-BRUSSELS FEDERATION/THE NETHERLANDS MEETING 2015
David Cocheret
Director’s filmography At a very young age David Cocheret was caught by the magical world of the movies. Shortly after his first experiments with the family video camera, his talent and passion for film emerged. He enrolled in the Amsterdam branch of the international SAE Film Institute. After graduating in 2009, David took his first step as a professional film director with the short film Noorderweg 75. In 2010 David left the Netherlands and moved to Los Angeles to attend the New York Film Academy in Hollywood. He made several short films, some of which were awarded at film festivals including the LA Comedy Film Festival and the HollyShorts Film Festival in London. His award-winning thesis film Petra got David a distribution deal with Indieflix.com. The success of Petra was an important step towards fulfilling his biggest dream, directing a feature film. Night Eyes, his first feature film had its theatrical release at the end of 2014 in the Netherlands. Night Eyes is still waiting for a US distribution. David just started his new feature titled Smile from above.
Maarten Kuit
Director David Cocheret Producer Maarten Kuit Based on The novel Glimlach van Boven by Dave Mossing Language Dutch Genre Drama based on a true story Running time 90 mins Budget < â&#x201A;Ź1,000,000 Present at the meeting Maarten Kuit
Current status of the project Shooting planned for 2016. Aims at the HFM Looking for a co-producer from Belgium.
Contact Hazazah Pictures Maarten Kuit Plantage Parklaan 9 1018 SR Amsterdam The Netherlands Tel: +31 20 4226422 Email: maarten@hazazah.com www.hazazahpictures.com
2015 WALLONIA-BRUSSELS FEDERATION/THE NETHERLANDS MEETING 25
Submarine
Janneke van de Kerkhof
Company profile Submarine is an Amsterdam-based production studio that produces feature films, documentaries, animation and transmedia. Submarine has established itself as an innovative company, mixing traditional and interactive storytelling, all with an international focus. The company works with talented and acclaimed directors who explore the boundaries of the moving image. Submarine co-managing directors Femke Wolting and Bruno Felix are experienced in bringing together international co-productions, and collaborating with co-producers, broadcasters and distributors from around Europe and the United States including VPRO, BBC, HBO, ZDF, Arte, Channel 4 and many others. Submarine’s productions regularly premiere in competitions of major international film festivals and have received numerous awards, including the Prix Europa, NHK Japan Prize, Peabody Award, International Emmy Award and the SXSW Interactive Award.
Producer’s profile From 2000 till the end of 2008 Janneke van de Kerkhof worked for production studio Submarine as a line producer and was involved in many short and feature length documentaries and animation series. Titles include among others: My Life as a Terrorist; The Story of Hans Joachim Klein (Alexander Oey, 70 min, 2006), Satellite Queens (Bregtje van der Haak, 2007, 60 min), Rembrandts J’ accuse (Peter Greenaway, 100 min, 2008) The Unforbidden City (Floris-Jan van Luyn, 58 min, 2008), I Wanna Be Boss (Marije Meerman, 60 min, 2008) and the animation series Kika & Bob (26 episodes with running time of 13 min, 2008). In 2009, she worked as senior producer for VPRO Backlight , VPRO’s weekly, 50-minute, future affairs/ documentary programme. Since February 2010 she is again working for Submarine, as line producer and was involved among others in the documentaries Last Hijack (Femke Wolting / Tommy Pallotta, 2014, 82 min), and Poor Us (55 min, Ben Lewis, 2012), the animation series Picnic with Cake (13 episodes with running time of 5 min each, 2012) and the feature film Eisenstein in Guanajuato (Peter Greenaway, 2015). Present at the meeting Janneke van de Kerkhof
Contact Submarine Arie Biemondstraat 111 1054 PD Amsterdam The Netherlands Tel: +31 20 8204940 Email: info@submarine.nl www.submarine.nl
26 WALLONIA-BRUSSELS FEDERATION/THE NETHERLANDS MEETING 2015
Topkapi Films
Laurette Schillings
Company profile Topkapi Films was founded in 2011 by Frans van Gestel and Arnold Heslenfeld. The company traces its origins to the merger in 2008 of Motel Films (founded in 1996) and IDTV Film. Since 2012 Laurette Schillings has joined the company as producer. Topkapi Films develops, produces and co-produces feature films and television drama for the Dutch and international market. The company strives to build long-term relationships with writers and directors. With renowned talent as well as with upcoming talent Topkapi Films recently (co-)produced films as The Broken Circle Breakdown, The Family Way, Post Tenebras Lux, The Heineken Kidnapping, Code Blue and Black Butterflies.
Producer’s profile Laurette Schillings has worked for Motel films and IDTV Film for 10 years, in various capacities, on feature films such as: Black Book (Paul Verhoeven), Stellet Licht (Carlos Reygadas), Gigante (Adrián Biniez), Love is All (Joram Lürsen) and The Misfortunates (Felix van Groeningen). At Topkapi she is responsible for all international co-productions within the company and focuses on projects that have potential for co-producing in the Netherlands as well as partners abroad that like to participate in one of our productions. In addition, she produces her own projects on a national level. She is a member of the EAVE producers’ network. Present at the meeting Laurette Schillings
Contact Rapenburgerstraat 123 1011 VL Amsterdam The Netherlands Tel: +31-20 3032494 Email: Laurette@topkapifilms.nl www.topkapifilms.nl
2015 WALLONIA-BRUSSELS FEDERATION/THE NETHERLANDS MEETING 27
Index
Production Companies
Projects
The Netherlands BALDR Film 22 BIND 20 Hazazah Pictures 24 Lemming Film 23 Submarine 26 Topkapi Films 27
Directors
Federation Wallonia-Brussels Frakas Productions 6 Left Field Ventures 8 Les Films du Carré 10 Need Productions 12 Stenola Productions 14 Tarantula 16
Producers
Valérie Bournonville 17 John Engel 9 Nicolas George 10 Anne-Laure Guégan 13 Frank Hoeve 22 Janneke van de Kerkhof 26 Maarten Kuit 25 Jean-Yves Roubin 7 Laurette Schillings 27 Anton Iffland Stettner 15 Joram Willink 21 Fleur Winters 23
Hinterland 14 Le gran troupeau 6 Marcheuse 16 Mon Jaco 8 Northern Light (working title) 21 Orphea 10 Smile from above 25 The Judgment 21 Unleashed Dogs (working title) 12
Cédric Bourgeois 13 Sander Burger 21 David Cocheret 25 Léo Medard 11 Camille Meynard 15 Olivier Meys 17 Psyché Piras 9 Thomas de Thier 7
28 WALLONIA-BRUSSELS FEDERATION/THE NETHERLANDS MEETING 2015
35TH NETHERLANDS FILM FESTIVAL SEPTEMBER 23 - OCTOBER 02, 2015 FILMFESTIVAL.NL