Book of projects Interchange 2012 by TorinoFilmLab

kts Book roect 12 of Book of Projects 2012 Interchange

with the support of

Book roect 12 of Book of Projects 2012 Interchange

with the support of

Index 6

Interchange Programme

Interchange 8

Tutors

The Green Shoes Caroline Chomienne, Michael Raeburn, Sabine Sidawi

Angels Of Egypt Adrianos Georgantas, Nataly Douka

Thala Mon Amour Mehdi Hmili, Mohamed Ali Ben Hamra

The Hakawati’s Daughter Rana Kazkaz, Anas Khalaf, Palmyre Badinier

Brother-in-law Elie Khalife, Alexandre Monnier, Francine Lusser

In Which Land You Die Ahmed Maher, Amr Waked

The Slap Burhan Qurbani, Martin Behnke, Johanna Teichmann

I Am Here But You Can’t See me Feyrouz Serhal, Oualid Mouaness Trainee Script Consultants

Menna Ekram

Myriam Sassine

Staff

This is the third Interchange Workshop, a collaboration between the TorinoFilmLab, European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs (EAVE) and the Dubai International Film Festival, which brings together writer/director and producer teams from the Arab and EU countries.

Interchange Programme

During a week in Torino in June and a further week in Dubai in December the writers, in many cases writer-directors, focus intensively on the development of their scripts working individually and in small groups with the help of script tutors. At the same time, the producers concentrate on the many aspects of the producer’s craft including financing, marketing, packaging, sales and distribution, pitching and networking. Crucially, the year culminates with a direct encounter with ‘the market’ when the participant teams pitch their projects to industry decision makers attending the Dubai International Film Festival. A fundamental aspect of our philosophy is that the process of meeting and working together creates long term relationships between the participants which will endure into the future to the benefit of as yet unknown projects and co-productions. This year the Interchange participants come from eight different Arab and European countries. They are joined by two script editor trainees – an innovation introduced from the start of Interchange – from Egypt and Lebanon. An update on past Interchange projects and people: Mai Masri with her project 3000 Nights was selected for the prestigious 2012 Cannes Cinéfondation Atelier, and, in October, was awarded production finance by Aide aux Cinemas du Monde, the newly established French global production fund; Zaid Abu Hamdan’s Nostalgia was selected as one of the ten worldwide finalists for the Producers Guild of America 2012 Showcase; Beirut, I Love You by Zeina El Khalil and Gigi Roccati

and produced by Vivo Film, was selected for the 2012 IFP No Borders Co-Production Market, having already been awarded $110.000 at the 2011 Torino Film Lab Meeting Event, and is due to shoot in 2013; Back To The Jungle directed by Wissam Charaf won the Film Clinic Debut Feature Award of $10.000 at the 2011 Dubai Film Connection. Congratulations to Sabah Haider whose Interchange 2011 project, Beirut Solo, has been selected to participate in the Dubai Film Connection 2012 and also to Haifaa AlMansour, a participant in Interchange 2010, whose film Wadjda, the first feature shot in Saudi Arabia, premiered in Orrizonti at the 2012 Venice Film Festival. The film has gone onto be selected for the Telluride and London film festivals and is currently in competition in Dubai. We hope that the industry decision makers meeting the Interchange participants at the Dubai Film Market will enjoy their encounter with some great people and fascinating projects and wish all our participants the best of fortune not only with their current projects but in the rest of their careers. We have enjoyed working with you this year in Interchange 2012!

Alan Fountain President, EAVE Savina Neirotti TorinoFilmLab Director Jane Williams Dubai Film Connection & Film Forum Director

Tutors Antoine Le Bos - France

Jacques Akchoti - France

Nicola Lusuardi - Italy

Roshanak Behesht Nedjad - Germany

scriptwriter & story editor

scriptwriter

producer

Antoine Le Bos is a French screenwriter and script consultant with more than 25 feature film scripts delivered under contract as a writer or co-writer and the experience of over a hundred feature projects followed as a consultant.

After his studies at NYU Filmschool, Jacques Akchoti has worked in different areas of film production with directors such as R.Bresson, JJ. Beineix, L. Von Trier.

Since 1990, Nicola Lusuardi has been working as a playwright in collaboration with several production companies and as a screenwriter with television networks. He also writes essays (La Rivoluzione Seriale, Dino Audino Editore, Roma, 2010) and teaches dramaturgy at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia (national school of cinema).

Roshanak Behesht Nedjad started her career in the film business during her studies at the University of Karlsruhe by organising film festivals and programmes and working as a freelancer for various TV programmes.

Following a first life as a sailor and an interrupted Phd in philosophy at the Sorbonne, he graduated from the CEEA in Paris (the French conservatory for film writing) in 1996. After directing short films and on-stage experiments, he co-created the 3D animation series Ratz, which aired in more than 20 countries and in 2002 created the Ciné-Ecritures workshops in Paris. Soon he discovered a deep taste for dramaturgy. He has worked as a consultant for the Moulin d’Andé (CECI, France), tutoring their 2005 to 2007 rewriting sessions, as well as on the European Short Pitch 2007 to 2010 sessions and teaches screenwriting at Brest University. He won the Gan Foundation Prize as a writer in 2005 and works with, among others, the Afghani director and Prix Goncourt Atiq Rahimi. Since 2007, he has been the Artistic Director of Le Groupe Ouest, European centre for film creation in Britanny and recently co-created the Cross Channel Film Lab between France and Great Britain. Since 2007, he has been a tutor for the Script & Pitch Workshops and TorinoFilmLab as well as for Interchange since 2009.

He then becomes a screenwriter, script consultant, and heads the development of many French and international films for cinema and television which obtain selections and awards at major film festivals. Most recently, A Screaming Man by Haroun Mahamat Saleh, recipient of many prizes, notably the Jury Prize at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival and recepient of a number. He has directed a feature film for television and written several screenplays. His latest script, “Don’t Look back“, a film by Marina De Van featuring Sophie Marceau and Monica Bellucci was part of the Official Selection of the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. Jacques has been teaching writing and directing at the Femis (National French Filmschool) since 1988 and has facilitated many international screenwriting and development workshops, among which EAVE, Sud Ecriture, DV8 films, Vision Cinema, Ekran, Interchange, etc.

He is the National Coordinator of the “Associazione 100autori” which is the largest Italian guild for screenwriters and directors. Screenplays: Barabba - directed by Roger Young; In Treatment - italian edition - by Saverio Costanzo; Un amore e una vendetta - directed by Raffaele Mertes; L’ultima Trincea - directed by A. Sironi; Little Dream - directed by D. Marengo, story M. Carlotto; Puccini - directed by G. Capitani; Pantani - directed by C. Bonivento; Morte di un Confidente - directed by Manetti Bros., story M. Carlotto; The Black Arrow - directed by F. Costa, based on the novel by R.L. Stevenson; La Monaca di Monza - directed by A. Sironi; Daddy - directed by G. Battiato; Casanova - Directed by G. Battiato; Renzo e Lucia - directed by F. Archibugi; Ultimo II - The Challenge - directed by M. Soavi.

In 1999, she started the production company Flying Moon with Helge Albers. Since then, they have been producing fiction and documentary films with a strong focus on international co-productions. Their films have been screened at international festivals and sold around the world. Roshanak also works as an expert and consultant for various institutions and training organisations such as MEDIA International, EAVE for their European and international programmes, TorinoFilmLab, Focal and the Academy of Children’s Media, Germany. Roshanak is a member of the German and European Film Academy, an EAVE graduate (2003) and since 2010, also a group leader at EAVE.

Tutors Sibylle Kurz - Germany pitching expert

Program Interchan Ic

Sibylle Kurz specializes in pitching training, project presentation, proposal development and dramaturgical doctoring. She also offers communication skills, negotiation training and personal coaching for companies and individuals.

With an academic background in media & communication science, sociology and psychology; she has a postgraduate education as a communication skills trainer and is a certified NLP Trainer (INLPT Associational standards). She works as a Pitching Trainer and consultant for film schools and film institutions all over Europe. Her experience in “The Art Of Pitching“ is a result of more than 15 years experience in the acquisition, distribution and co-production of theatrical, video, and TV films in the German-speaking market at a distribution company that she co-founded in 1981. She left the organisation in 1995 to start her own company.

Kurz’ intensive workshop sessions enable producers to hone and time-tune their projects prior to pitching as well as gain insight into their own professional practice. In 1995, she co-founded d-net-work, an alliance of young European producers (feature & documentary) to help find co-production and distribution partners for their projects. She is a member of the European Documentary Network and the author of two books.

Book of Projects 2012

Interchange

script & intention My films always tell the stories of immigrants like Lorca (2012) where a teenager goes from Paris to Spain to rediscover her flamenco culture. I also manage a multicultural audiovisual NGO in Paris. I see more and more young people with two nationalities. They all question their identity but eventually learn that they are richer and stronger than others, they are more open-minded and they fit better into our global world. The Green Shoes is about exactly that. It is a quest for identity and the search for one’s origin. Petra, a young Lebanese woman living in Paris, goes to see her boyfriend in Beirut. After discovering that he has betrayed her with her sister, she runs away to her father in the countryside. Shocked, she starts to analyse the notions of love and betrayal. People she meets on the road feel for her and try to ease her pain by telling her stories, citing poems. Their compassion is contrasting to the indifference she knows in Paris. She discovers Lebanon as a country where poetry is culturally integrated into the minds whatever the tensions, and she learns how art can help one to live. At the end, she accepts her lost love and goes back with a better understanding of who she is and where she comes from, with a heart full of joy.

The Green Shoes writer & director: Caroline Chomienne director & producer: Michael Raeburn co-producer: Sabine Sidawi

France / Lebanon synopsis Petra (20) born in France to a Lebanese father, falls in love with Rafik, a musician passing through Paris who seduces her with poetry. Petra adores her sister Carmen, an extroverted and self-confident flamenco dancer,, the complete opposite of Petra. Sad because Carmen is leaving on a tour of the Middle East, Petra borrows her green shoes as a keepsake Soon Rafik goes back to Beirut. Petra misses him so much that she goes to Lebanon to look for him. . After days looking for Rafik, she finds him on stage with Carmen and the couple seem to be deeply in love. She is shocked and after a big fight, runs away. Carmen is devastated. She did not know Rafik was her sister’s lover. Rafik feels very guilty. Together, they go after the girl with green shoes. Petra, totally lost, decides to go to her father in the Bekaa plain. During her road trip, Petra films her journey and her questions: what is love, and betrayal? Most of the time, people answer with appropriate parables from their favourite poet and in searching for her father, she discovers his country’s soul. She finally finds her father, and as they work in the garden together he shows her how poetry is part of Arab life. Petra forgives the lovers and goes back full of strength.

On a trip to Beirut, Petra discovers her lover betrayed her with her sister. Fleeing the city to her father, she discovers the soul of Lebanon.

The costumes will be offbeat to characterize the protagonist’s propensity for the love of poetry. The light should emphasize them against the backdrop of raw Lebanese natural sets, to mark the differences between her inner state, “by moment wild, by others in fury” and the world around her in its daily activity. Slowly this gap will fade: while men and women help her to overcome her problems, her costumes will better match the beauty of the settings, as if she is discovering the beauty of the world. We will tell her story by following her journey through Lebanon. The distance in these shots will throw us emotionally into a poetic realm like in An Angel At My Table by Jane Campion. We will also see Petra’s inner world through the images taken by her camera, accompanied by her questions to her lost lover, things she asks her father and herself about love and betrayal. I was born in Morocco, my mother is Spanish and I live in Paris. I know my main character very well. I know how it feels to deal with many cultures inside oneself and about the search for identity. I also believe that knowing your cultural backgrounds helps you to understand who you are and the world you are living. And that is what my film is about.

Caroline Chomienne writer & director Born in Morocco, Caroline studied Law and Literature at Aixen-Provence University, Film at Paris 8 University and graduated with an MBA in cultural organization from CNAM, Paris. In 1987, she founded Altermédia, an open and free multicultural organization for film training and international exchanges that she still manages. Between 2000 and 2010, Altermédia organized the Songe d’une nuit DV Festival (Digital summer night dream festival) and for 2013 has programmed a Mediterranean digital crossover program between Lebanon, Algeria and Paris. A former dancer with the Opera of Marseille, Caroline has directed several award winning short films and documentaries. Her feature films, Des Lendemains Qui Chantent and Freestyle gained critics’ recognition for their qualities of independence of mind and creativity and were selected for festivals like Carthage, Fespaco, Cannes – Acid, Paris - SRF, Lyon, Torino, Stockholm, Sao Paulo, Urban world N.Y., Pan African L.A… She makes musical and poetic films about cultural roots and identity.

production notes Founded by Ghassan Salhab, and then joined by Caroline Chomienne and Michael Raeburn, Creative Camera production (previously GH Films) has always produced films reflecting human diversity and based on cross-cultural encounters, as it happened with the three producers-directors, coming from Lebanon, Morocco and Egypt. Caroline Chomienne was a dancer and music and poetry always play a role in her films. Freestyle was a musical drama that plunged us into the hip-hop scene in an Arab district of downtown Marseille with street poets-rappers. In her last film Lorca, Caroline uses Federico G. Lorca’s poems and flamenco music to express the quest of a young girl, looking for her roots in Andalucia, Spain.

original title Les Chaussures Vertes The film deals with two themes that are deeply rooted in Lebanese history and culture: multiculturalism and poetry. The more the world becomes global, the more multiculturalism is growing. We can see this growth everywhere; so this it a point of commonality between the audiences from Lebanon, Arab and European countries. Caroline wants to show how poetry is part of every day life in Arab countries. Khalil Gibran’s poetry, crosses all cultures and societies, it is certainly an asset which will appeal to an audience from anywhere.

production company Creative Camera Productions 44 rue Montmorency 75003 Paris France T +33 1 42 43 10 30 M + 33 6 80 14 84 83 creativecamera@altermedia.org Orjouane Productions Imm Bou Assi, Oumara Street Baabda – Lebanon T/F +961 1 333 432 M +961 3 49 90 80 orjouaneproductions@gmail.com total production budget € 2.000.000

The Green Shoes

current financial need € 2.000.000

writer & director: Caroline Chomienne director & producer: Michael Raeburn co-producer: Sabine Sidawi

production status Script Development

France / Lebanon With her new project, The Green Shoes, Caroline continues to explore the themes of culture and identity and by setting her story in Lebanon, makes us discover the poetry of Khalil Gibran. It is also a story about love and maturity. Budget and financing The script is currently being rewritten and we expect to have a finalized draft by the end of December. By this time, the co-production structure will be confirmed and financing will have commenced. The budget is estimated to be around 2 million Euros. The film will be a co-production between France, Lebanon and a second European country, possibly Germany because it has the same cultural structure as France with a large percentage of the population originating from the Arab world. There is potential for a European actress to be cast for the film, depending on our co-producer. We are already negotiating with a Lebanese production company who will be in charge of local and Middle East financing. The French part will consist of public funding and TV presales.

Distribution and sales Besides the classical distribution: festival, international sales, domestic releases in France and Lebanon, the theme and the elements in the film provide a good base for an additional marketing strategy. As an example, we are considering to create a world of poetry online, in combination with the film’s release, travelling online through Lebanon’s history and poetry. Moreover, for the role of Rafik, we will cast a popular singer, so that the film will reflect a contemporary taste. We will use social networking to create a buzz about that popular singer and draw his fan base to see the film.

Sabine Sidawi

Michael Raeburn

co-producer

director & producer

In 2007, Beirut-based producer Sabine Sidawi founded Orjouane Productions which is one of the most renowned production companies in Lebanon today.

Born in Egypt and brought up in Zimbabwe, Michael went on to study cinema in France.

She has produced, co-produced and line produced more than 25 fiction and documentary films, including: May In The Summer by Cherien Dabis (postproduction), Beirut Hotel by Danielle Arbid, Carlos by Olivier Assayas, We Were Communists by Maher Abi Samra and Everyday Is A Holiday by Dima El-Horr.

He has produced and directed internationally released feature films such as: The Grass Is Singing, Jit, Vent De Colere and Triomf (Best film in Durban FF 2010). He joined GH Films in 2007, today called Creative Camera Productions, to develop independent films with experienced filmmakers from Southern countries. In 2012, he produced Lorca, Caroline Chomienne’s third feature. With the support of the French National Center of Cinema and Media program funds; he is currently developing Nadine Mouque, a feature film he will direct, and The Green Shoes, Caroline Chomienne’s fourth movie.

script & intention I have been haunted by this story since I was a small child. Dark skinned children in my neighbourhood alleys or sitting next to me in class and adults at the homes of distant relatives. I could not understand why they were referred to as “the Egyptians.” Later, as I was growing up, I came to understand that they were the Greeks who left Egypt after the revolution in 1956. They were, and still remain, reticent people. They disclosed few details about their “previous” life because no one understood them and they were always nostalgic about their brilliant past which was forever lost since returning to their ancestral homeland.

Adrianos Georgantas writer & director

I was enchanted by the stories of their life in Egypt. I collected them religiously and made them mine, adding my own details to fill in the gaps. I created my own imagined world; of mansions, cotton plantations, servants, with visuals, sounds and even scents about the lives of those who refused to abandon the country of their birth. Today, many years after I first learned about “the Egyptians” and as I observe most of them on the verge of leaving life itself, I couldn’t resist the temptation to once again imagine what life would be like now for those that stayed in Egypt. What became of them? How did they live? How did they deal with their glorious past? Was it worth hanging onto their past? Did they regret not leaving with the others?

Angels Of Egypt writer & director: Adrianos Georgantas producer: Nataly Douka

Greece synopsis 1996, Cairo, in a dilapidated mansion: Naguib (85) is an Egyptian servant who has worked his entire lifetime for Eugene (80), the last of a great Greek family who, despite his financial wounds and poor health, refuses to abandon his birthplace. He regularly locks himself into his office, writing his memoirs, and ever so often attempts suicide. Naguib willingly contributes to the imaginary preservation of a luxurious past. One day, a letter announcing the deadline of a dept settlement and confiscation of all assets, overwhelms them both. They fight and Naguib finally abandons Eugene. Only to find a publishing house who would deal with Eugene’s memoirs, to set up yet another fake reality in order to convince his stubborn former boss to leave the house and go to a retirement home. On his return he finds Eugene in another suicide attempt. They fight and suddenly secrets burst out: about Mireille, their common love and a letter by Naguib’s sister, sent 30 years ago, which Eugene had hidden. In this moment of truth, both men reconcile.

An 80 year-old Egyptian servant struggles to disengage his Greek master from a delusional past that verges on the absurd.

It was not difficult for me to imagine the lives they might now lead. For my character, his life has turned into a prison. He is an aging man, living in isolation in a dilapidated mansion with his equally ancient servant. Their two existences on this planet have been so different, yet at the same time, in essence they are very similar. The filming approach I want to use is one of great sensitivity and respect to capture the spirit of their wrinkled faces, their desperate gazes and shaking hands. Their lives will be echoed by the use of sharply contrasting imagery and careful lighting. For example, the darkness of the solitary mansion is illuminated by violent lightening penetrating from the outside or the soft light of the day will be a metaphor for hope, reconciliation and love. Sounds will also play a leading role in the story. In the silence of solitude, the sounds of today and the past, the external sounds of the wind and the rain, will all take part in the dramatic development of the film.

Adrianos Georgantas was born in Greece but also lived in France for many years. He studied Design and Sculpture at the Beaux Arts in Paris as well as Film Directing at I.D.H.E.C. (Institut des Hautes Etudes Cinématographiques), Paris, France. In the early days of his career, he worked as an editor, director and scriptwriter on several television series for both French and Greek broadcasters. For the past ten years, he has been working in the film industry and has produced and directed two feature-length films: When We Dance Together (2003) and Dogs, Cats & Rats (2012).

They leave together, sailing the Nile, packed among a felluca’s cargo. When Eugene dies in Naguib’s arms, he knows that he is dying in his friend’s arms.

production notes Aiolia Films is a production company focusing on producing documentaries and TV series, and now turning towards producing feature films and international co-productions. I chose to produce Angels of Egypt mainly because I read a simple and sincere story about two socially recognizable characters in their twilight years driven by romance and fear, still debating over three ideals: Equality, freedom and friendship. Like “the Dresser” of Ronald Harwood, in Angels of Egypt, the characters and their story represent the truth of life, the truth of human relation, the truth about the war of the castes. Like Les untouchables or The Help and Amour, it is a personal story about

original title Angels of Egypt Unfinished Life, this film will draw a remarkable festival path and attract audiences even outside our core age group. Due to well-balanced doses of bitter sweet “flavor”, comedy rests and «black» moments, accomplished by the writer, I consider it moving and at the same time, entertaining. The co-production structure will be according to the actual needs of the film. The film can be shot anywhere in the world as long as the scenery of the location and weather conditions do not betray the story. An Egyptian co-producer as well as a French origin co-producer (since 99% of dialogue is in French) would be a perfect combination. We are proud to have already the full support of

Angels Of Egypt writer & director: Adrianos Georgantas producer: Nataly Douka

Greece people undergoing severe changes in their lives, attempting emotional healing. This is a story, taking place today. In reality, the south is revolting against its past, looking for a glimmer of hope. This film, in simple words, moved me and gave me hope. We have seen the change occurring in terms of audience over the last few years. It seems that middle age is back in the theatres, judging by the success of The King’s Speech, The Black Swan etc. Angels of Egypt is a film easily targeting ages 50+. The epic touch of the story appeals to this audience, who have experienced somehow the changes in history of a certain time and can hence identify with changes and their impact on personal lives. The friendship theme is there and somehow grows out of boundaries. I believe, that like similar films in terms of servant-master relation ship: The King’s Speech, Driving Miss Daisy, The Others, The Help, Les Untouchables- Old Age and Friendship: Amour,: Second Hand Lions, Of Gods and Men, an

Rina Khoury and Wika films, as a co-producer. We await funding confirmation from the Greek Film Centre and the Greek national broadcaster ERT. We expect to find the majority of the financing in France and possibly, if needed, from other European sources (like Belgium or Luxembourg), mainly through public funding and TV presales and/ or TV co-productions.

production company AIOLIA FILMS Miaouli STR, 24 Neo Irakleio Athens - Greece aioliafilms@gmail.com T +30 6944473969 total production budget € 1.872.003 current financial need € 1.710.863 production status Development, seeking third partner from Europe/Middle East

Nataly Douka producer Nataly Douka studied Political Sciences and Film Direction at university. In the early years of her career, she worked as a location manager, production manager, and line producer on more than 40 short films, several TV series, commercials and 5 feature films progressing to the level of associate producer. In 2005, she began working as a series producer and script editor for Studioata s.a. She recently joined Aiolia Films as an executive producer on Angels Of Egypt.

Given it is a character driven film, a psychograph, the challenging performance opportunities offered by the script are remarkable and therefore we are confident in winning the interest of well-known actors with an international market potential. As soon as the rest of development financing is secured, we will, besides finalizing the script, start with the casting. In our case, the launching of the film will be a classical one. Together with a sales agent we will go down the route of festival – theatrical – VoD – TV.

script & intention In 2007, I ran away from my country. I could no longer bear the dictatorship. I could not publish my texts nor shoot films freely. Four years of exile went by before the Tunisian revolution put an end to my silent suffering. On the night of January 13th 2011 and just after the last speech made by President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, I boarded a plane from Roissy, France for Tunis. Upon arrival, I was detained at the airport and so I was not able to take part in any of the events on January 14th. On the 15th, I paced along Avenue Bourguiba, in a new Tunisia freed the day before. As I quietly think about all that, my native village, Thala, comes into my mind. I think of my grandfather buried there. He was a union leader who worked in the mines and had always fought for the freedom of the Tunisian people. He died a few days after my departure for France. I never forgave myself for abandoning him. I am sure he was upset with me. I lived with that burden of guilt for many years and even considered myself as a deserter, the cursed prodigal son.

Thala Mon Amour writer & director: Mehdi Hmili producer: Mohamed Ali Ben Hamra

Tunisia synopsis Mohamed, a union leader and political prisoner, escapes from jail and returns to his home town Thala. There, he finds a city in revolt. Pursued by agents of the regime, he has only one goal: to find his wife, Hourya, and flee to Algeria. Mohamed is aided in his quest by Belgacem, a charcoal maker, who hides him and agrees to help look for Hourya who lives in the village of Kasserine. Hourya is one of the leaders of the popular revolt in Kasserine. A tender reunion between the couple takes place under the bullets of oppression. Hourya, a fervent militant, convinces Mohamed to take part in a demonstration. But it ends badly and the couple narrowly escape arrest.

Once upon a time in Thala, during a cold January night, freedom was born...

I always promised myself that one day I would go to Thala to fight the dictatorship. If one day there was to be a guerrilla revolt in the mountains, I would definitely be there with the men to overthrow the tyrant. I genuinely believed in it. That day came but I was not there. By publishing poems against the regime, in Tunisian Arabic, I tried to resist differently. I felt guilty for having abandoned my country in such circumstances. After the revolution, roaming the devastated streets of Thala, I started to imagine the protagonist of my film. A man too guilty to live, an anti-hero tired from resisting and so exhausted by relentless struggles, finally decides to run away with his wife, far from the country that had caused them such suffering. The film was taking place in front of me. It was all very natural. Pain and hope had only one face, the face of Thala. I sat down in a corner and started to dream of this film: a love story that would triumph over the fundamental threats to dreams of freedom.

Mehdi Hmili writer & director Mehdi Hmili was born in Tunis and graduated from the Paris Film School. Whilst in France, he directed his first short film Li-La (2011), a black and white drama about the difficulty of loving. In March 2012, he directed his second short The Night Of Badr, a black and white drama about an old homosexual poet who spends his last night in exile in Paris with his young lover. He is currently working on his first feature film Thala Mon Amour, a drama that takes place in the village of Thala during the Tunisian Revolution.

Thala Mon Amour is thus my purgatory and liberation. It is a love letter addressed to the nations that rebel against injustice and to the people who live in the shadows and die in the shadowsâ&#x20AC;Ś I am making this film for Thala, my village, for Tunis, my town and for Tunisia, my countryâ&#x20AC;Ś

Mohamed, torn between his love for his wife and his doubts about the revolution, wants to leave the country at any cost. As they reach the Algerian border, they meet a group of partisans trying to get to Thala to help the population. Hourya persuades him that the revolution they dreamed of is finally happening and that the tyrant is condemned to fall. Overcoming his scepticism, Mohamed decides to go back and continue the resistance. Mohamed is shot as he tries to rescue a wounded man. He lies under an olive tree and dies as young people place barricades in the distance. That same night, the people of Thala free their town.

production notes Polimovie International Pictures is a Tunisian film production company that develops, produces and coproduces short and feature-length films. Our vision is to tell original, moving stories that provide a refreshing challenge for an international audience. The company plays an active role in supporting emerging Tunisian talent and the projects we develop have a strong potential for international coproduction and distribution. I started working on this film before the Tunisian revolution. We wanted to make a low budget film about how Tunisia must get up and face the dictatorship of Ben Ali. A few days after Mehdi sent me the first draft, the revolution took place. We

original title Thala Mon Amour parts of the world as we believe that this key to a successful and sustainable industry at home. In terms of production, we estimate the production budget to be approximately 811.000 Euros. So far, the project has been granted 172.000 Euros from the Tunisian Cinema Fund and 43% of the budget has been secured. For the remainder of the budget our strategy is to target funds in Europe (regional and national funds in France and in Germany). We are looking also for Swiss or Belgium co-producers, Canadian co-producers, TV partners, sales agents and distributors. The script is being rewritten and will be completed by the beginning of January 2013. Shooting is set to take

Thala Mon Amour writer & director: Mehdi Hmili producer: Mohamed Ali Ben Hamra

Tunisia were happy but also worried about the future with all the political turmoil. After visiting Thala with Mehdi we knew that the village would be the ideal place to shoot our film so we started meeting the people who had participated in the revolution and we were inspired by their heroic struggle. This film is not only a fictional story that aims to entertain, but also a story rooted in a society undergoing immense changes where the women and men finally have the opportunity to make choices and determine their futures. We would like to make this project to mark the beginning of a new chapter in the history of our country and with the opportunities that the current environment offers. From the outset, we would like to have the involvement of foreign co-producers which will give the film greater potential to be screened around the world. It is important for us that Tunisian films get greater exposure so that we can better promote Tunisian filmmakers and filmmaking. Our goal is to eventually help in exporting Tunisian talent to other

place in Tunisia in the winter of 2014, mainly in the villages of Thala and Kasserine. We could also shoot the whole film in a studio. An agreement has already been signed with the Tarak Ben Ammar Group in case we need to use the studios of Ben Arous. We are convinced that we can make a balanced film where all the components for a successful production are in place in order to reach the widest possible audience. The selection of Thala Mon Amour in the Interchange programme 2012 and participation at the Dubai Film Market as well as other coproduction forums and markets in 2013 will help us find partners for the project, in order to refine, develop, fund and market the film. We believe that the film has the potential to do well at international festivals and theatrically. We are working on the casting and are looking to work with some famous Tunisian-French actors / actress. We are looking for co-producers that can help with distribution in their territories to ensure that the film is seen by audiences all around the world.

production company Polimovie International Pictures 20, Rue Echam 1002 Tunis – Tunisia Mohamed Ali BEN HAMRA T (00216) 22 91 44 07 polimovie@polito.it total production budget € 811.000 current financial need € 461.000 production status Financing, seeking co-producers

Mohamed Ali Ben Hamra producer Twenty-six year old Mohamed Ali Ben Hamra is the General Manager of Polimovie International Pictures. He has produced the feature film Isole (2007) by Italian director Rocco Riccio as well as several short films in Tunisia, Italy and France. In 2010, he was selected to participate in Beyond Borders, a Media International training program for creative producers as well as the Producers Network – Carthage Film Festival. In 2011, he took part in the Berlinale Talent Campus and the Producers Workshop at the Festival de Cannes. He also contributed in the first Franco-Tunisian Co-Production Workshop in 2011. In 2012, as the lead producer on Please Yourself With The Worst, a feature film project by Majdi Lakhdar, he was selected to participate in La Fabrique des Cinémas du Monde - 65th Festival de Cannes. Mohamed is also the artistic advisor of Sousse International Film Festival for Children and Youth (FIFEJ) and member of Tunisia’s producers’ union.

script & intention We got married in Damascus knowing we’d be six months pregnant at the wedding. We wanted to follow tradition, but we also wanted it to adapt. For Anas, the pre-marriage pregnancy was freedom from the traditional Muslim values with which he was raised. For Rana, it was a way of challenging society’s expectations. The scandal ended up being minor, however the gossip that ensued was major. Years later, Rana is still referred to, often by people we don’t know, as “the one who was pregnant at her wedding.”

Rana Kazkaz writer & co-director

To this day, this is a story that we, and apparently others like to tell. Why? Syrians take great pride in their traditions. So, when untraditional events happen, there is a kind of enjoyment in them. Our pregnancy added a moment of excitement to an otherwise consistent way of life.

The Hakawati’s Daughter

The experience inspired us to examine our other traditions, such as that of the Hakawati.

writer & director: Rana Kazkaz co-director: Anas Khalaf producer: Palmyre Badinier

Like many traditions in the Arab World, the role of a Hakawati, (storyteller) is an inherited one; passed on through the generations since 600 AD from Father to Son.

Syria / France

Sadly, it seems that this has also been the course of leadership in Syria.

synopsis Syria 1960s. Located within the maze of Damascus’ Old City sits the centuries old Al Nawfoura Cafe. This magical place is where Sharazad’s father, Abu al Kheyr, the Hakawati, sits on his throne to tell a continuous fairytale every night of the year. Once upon a time, especially during Ramadan, the cafe was bustling with people - a captivated community eager to listen to this nightly ritual. But as time has passed, so has the audience who are more interested in the newly introduced television, putting both the cafe and the Hakawati tradition in jeopardy of survival. Now aged, the time has come for Abu al Kheyr to find his successor. And although Sharazad possesses her father’s gift for storytelling, only a Son is entitled to the position. Unfortunately, Sharazad is Abu al Kheyr’s only child. Regardless, Sharazad decides that she is going to claim the throne and save this dying tradition. But when Abu al Kheyr denies her the role, Sharazad is forced to train Qais, the chosen heir. However, when it becomes clear that Qais lacks the right spirit, Sharazad has no choice but to confront her family and society in order to restore the tradition of storytelling to its rightful place in society.

Can a Syrian woman maintain the tradition of the Hakawati when gender prohibits it?

We love storytelling and therefore the tradition of the Hakawati, but it’s a dying one. Since the introduction of the television into Syrian society in the 1960s, subsequent generations have gradually become more interested in that, and as a result, the art of oral storytelling has become in danger of extinction. And so, interested in adapting traditions, we asked our fellow Syrians, “What if the key to preserving the tradition, just happened to be a woman… a female Hakawati, a Hakawatieh?” “Impossible! Never!” was the reaction. Of course, we disagree. And through this film, we hope to re-inspire our countrymen to not be afraid of changing the ‘storyteller’. We want to make this an animated film. The Hakawati’s Daughter is about possibility, not reality. Animation will allow us to dream. It will allow us to fantasize with sounds, colors, atmosphere and expressions and show how 1960s Syria was different from the present: mini-skirts, flowing rivers, a country exploring democracy and unity. It also allows us to portray things that we are not able to shoot because of the current situation. And although the film is geared towards an adult audience, animation triggers memories of childhood, fairytales and the stories we were told … the right frame of mind for dealing with possibility.

Rana began her career as an actor, studying at the Moscow Art Theater. From acting she turned to writing and wrote her first screenplay Gibran, based on the life of Kahlil Gibran, which was selected for development by Tribeca All Access (2005); the Middle East Screenwriter’s Lab / Sundance Institute (2005); and MFCB, Cannes (2007). From there she studied directing and was one of eight women selected to attend the American Film Institute’s Directing Workshop for Women (2006). Her current projects in development include the The Sytuation, which will be produced by John Molloy of Mushroom Pictures, Australia and the short film Ham to be shot in Chicago. Her short films include Kemo Sabe, Exquisite Corpse, Deaf Day and Biznagas. She has also served as a script advisor on the films: The Foolishness Of God (2013) and Three Veils (2011). She holds an MFA in Acting from Carnegie Mellon University.

production notes As a producer based both in France and in the Middle East, when Anas first pitched The Hakawati’s Daughter to me, I saw in the story of the last Hakawati and his daughter a compelling way to portray Damascus, its society, and some of its challenges. And when I read the first draft of Rana’s script, I understood it was a unique occasion to make a film about this particular and not very well known part of the world. Anas and Rana are among the few filmmakers who have an insider’s point-of-view as well as the skills to create a Syrian film that’s able to target a wide audience. I immediately knew I wanted to be part of the adventure.

original title The Hakawati’s Daughter The Hakawati’s Daughter was awarded a full scholarship to the Mediterranean Film Institute while attending Thessaloniki’s Crossroads coproduction market. It was also one of six shortlisted projects out of almost 150 entries for the Shasha Grant Award in Abu Dhabi, where it won Second Prize. We Europeans dream of 1001 Nights and Shahrazad’s storytelling gift that saved her life. And this film is about exactly that – about storytelling and about how this possibly can save our soul – but told with a modern twist that will address both European and Arab audiences. This animated fairy-tale for adults also deals with the universal

production company Les Films de Zayna 52 rue du Sergent Bobillot 93100 Montreuil, France T +33 6 89 27 79 74 T +33 9 53 21 10 40 palmyre@zayna.fr www.zayna.fr co-production company Synéastes Island 10J, Building 13, Dummar Project, Damascus, Syria T +943 933 757 396 anas@syneastes.com

Anas Khalaf

Palmyre Badinier

co-director

producer

After having worked in the oil and gas industry, Anas risked everything and turned his sights towards a career in film.

The Hakawati’s Daughter

total production budget € 3.500.000

writer & director: Rana Kazkaz co-director: Anas Khalaf producer: Palmyre Badinier

current financial need € 3.000.000

Born in Syria, but raised in France, Anas moved to Los Angeles in order to work with Frederic Golchan Productions. Whilst in LA, he co-produced the feature Prospect and also served as First AD on The Adventures Of Frank Dern.

Palmyre studied Arabic Literature and International Relations at the Sorbonne University and has worked in the fields of journalism, diplomacy and international artistic exchanges.

Syria / France Presently, Damascus has not been spared any of the violence that is taking place in Syria. And this past Ramadan, the Hakawati did not have much of an audience as he sat on his throne in the old coffee shop. Syria is a diverse country. I think that producing this film today will offer a wide audience the opportunity to have another image of Syrian society; one that is still part of its culture but is currently vanishing in the conscience of the world given the current circumstances. This story is universal and deeply rooted in its culture, and this is what Les Films de Zayna has in common with the project. Syneastes and Les Films de Zayna are handling the development of The Hakawati’s Daughter. We have already produced Deaf Day, a short film shot in Damascus that allowed Rana and Anas to have their first opportunity to co-direct a film. This experience gave us a clearer understanding of the challenges faced when making a Syrian film. Deaf Day premiered in the Abu Dhabi Film Festival last year before being selected for Palm Springs and other international festivals.

production status in development / seeking co-producers conflict between generations and clearly addresses a slightly older audience of 45+, the biggest group of cinema-goers in Central Europe and the under 40ies as a secondary audience. To target the latter, we want to create a universe of storytelling in the digital world. That way, a younger audience can dive into the mysteries and fantasies of storytelling in the Middle East and into a Damascus that might have existed or will have the chance to exist. We are currently polishing the script and approaching animation experts. Our goal is to have those key project elements in place by early 2013 in order to start with the main part of the financing - approaching broadcasters, distributors and sales agents and apply to the various funds. For the development, Les Films de Zayna secured the MEDIA Development grant (€ 60.000) for this project. We believe that 30% of the budget can be raised in France, and we are seeking other international co-producers who would like to join us on the journey of this unique film.

With BintFilm, Anas served as Executive Producer on Driving To Zigzigland (Winner Best Film, Amal Festival) and developed Sleeping On Stones (Middle East Screenwriter’s Lab and MFCB, Cannes). His short Syrian film Deaf Day is currently touring international festivals. His current projects in development include The Sytuation, which will be produced by John Molloy of Mushroom Pictures, Australia and the short film Ham to be shot in Chicago. Anas holds an MBA from the Normandy Graduate School of Business in France

Her career in the film industry began in 2006, while working on the development of films from the Middle East. In 2008, Palmyre graduated with a Masters in Law and Management for the Audiovisual Industry. Her first feature film as a producer was the award-winning documentary Fix Me (2009) by Raed Andoni, which premiered at Sundance and Cannes. Palmyre is the co-founder of Les Films de Zayna. The Parisbased company develops and produces films by emerging directors as well as established filmmakers such as Nassim Amaouche, Sameh Zoabi and Mais Darwazeh. Recent titles include the collective documentary Family Albums. Currently, Palmyre is developing Raed Andoni’s second feature film. Palmyre also works as an associate producer for the Palestinian production company Dar Films.

script & intention I met my German in-laws for the first time after my wife and I got married. With no language in common, the conversation was pretty awkward until I found myself showing them oriental dance moves a few hours later - this definitively broke the ice! Then came my brotherin-law, a delightful outcast. He was the catalyst for wanting to make this film. My friend and co-director Alexandre also married into a different culture. His encounter with his Indian brother-in-law was also significant. This story partly comes from our own personal experiences with our respective families and in-laws. With its calm and idyllic nature, Switzerland is the perfect setting for this comedic road movie involving a risk-averse Lebanese pharmacist and his wacky Swiss brother-in-law. With nothing in common, this odd pairing will inevitably clash, but they will ultimately overcome their differences because of a very strong tie between them – Julia: one’s sister, the other one’s wife.

Brother-in-law co-writer & co-director: Elie Khalife co-writer & co-director: Alexandre Monnier producer: Francine Lusser

Ziad is a law-abiding pharmacist with a strong work ethic who is adept at surviving in the chaos and instability of his native Lebanon. Married to lovely Julia, he thinks he has it all. In sharp contrast, Benny is an eccentric drifter and an unconventional soul. He feels like an outcast in his native Switzerland.

Switzerland synopsis ZIAD, a Lebanese pharmacist living in Beirut, is married to JULIA, a Swiss archaeologist. Julia is fed up with the daily flow of relatives, showing up unannounced, a Lebanese tradition. One day, Julia returns home from work to find her mother-in-law in full cleaning mode. Enough is enough! Julia decides to take the first flight home to Geneva. Ziad, desperately alone without Julia, decides to win her back at any cost and leaves for Switzerland not having managed to tell his in-laws about his visit. He is crushed to learn that, neither Julia’s parents nor her brother, BENNY, know where she is. But Benny has an idea: during their youth, she used to seek refuge in an old convent. Ziad and Benny go looking for Julia across the countryside. Benny is eccentric, chaotic and a real pain in the butt. Ziad is straight-laced and is not sure to enjoy adventures. The trip proves to be a trial for Ziad. Julia is nowhere to be found. But during the journey, Ziad starts to understand who his wife really is. When he gets a call from one of his many cousins to say Julia has just been seen in Beirut, he returns home. Ziad and Julia reconcile. All seems fine until one week later, Benny shows up in Beirut. Unannounced!

He thought he had it all, until he went on a road trip with his brother-in-law...

What they ultimately learn about Julia and each other, during their road trip, will give them the insight to turn their lives around. Like our previous short movies Taxi Service and Merci Natex, we want to tell a simple story with engaging and likeable characters who find themselves in absurd situations. To reinforce the comedy, we explore the depth of each character with a zest of humor.

Elie Khalifé co-writer & co-director Elie studied cinema at the Geneva University of Art and Design. Together with Alexandre Monnier, he has written and co-directed two multi-award winning short films, Taxi Service (1996) and Merci Natex (1998) as well as the feature film Yanoosak (2010). He has also produced and directed Van Express (2004), a documentary, Love And Cigarettes (2006) and the short film Mersal El Hawa (1994). Elie is the owner of Taxi Films in Beirut and teaches filmmaking at universities in Lebanon. He also follows-up on graduation projects and tutors various film workshops.

Alexandre Monnier co-writer & co-director

Brother-In-Law aims to be a colorful and refreshing comedy set in the Swiss countryside with a Mediterranean flavor. The tone is light and pleasant, but behind that first layer, the film essentially explores how cultural duality can be a strong asset in love, family and friendship.

Alexandre graduated in cinematography from the I.A.D Film School, Belgium (Bachelor’s Degree) after three years of studies. He has co-directed with Elie Khalifé two multi-award winning short films, Taxi Service (1996), Merci Natex (1998), and a feature film Yanoosak (2010). Alexandre has owned the production company Taxi Films in Geneva since 1996. He also works as an assistant producer and postproduction technician for CTF-net, a Swiss production company, and as a digital technician at C-side Productions.

production notes It was Elie Khalifé’s and Alexandre Monnier’s short films, Taxi Service and Merci Natex, that really seduced me as they both reflected a sweet mix of everyday life and offbeat craziness. The two filmmakers manage to create an atmosphere that reminds me of Italian comedies. The upside down mix of two cultures - our Lebanese protagonist being meticulous and well ordered and the Swiss being chaotic and exuberant - packed in a weird cross countries road movie, with a nice human statement surfing with humour on prejudices, perfectly fits the kind of movies we wish to produce.

Comedies have a big comeback time in Europe and are very successful, especially those whose basic story setup are odd couples. And there is a reason for this, there is a reason why films like Intouchables work so well. The characters of these movies all embody different cultures and conflicts that clash throughout the story line, reflecting, of course in a heightened way, our everyday global life, all over the world. Their point of view is ironic, everyday problems get a different quality. Instead of dramatising problems, they make them humorous. A glass is not half empty but half full in the end. This makes life, without neglecting the problems, much more bearable. Good comedies are like that. And, they cross age groups as well as borders.

Brother-in-law co-writer & co-director: Elie Khalife co-writer & co-director: Alexandre Monnier producer: Francine Lusser

Switzerland Tipi’mages always tries to highlight different cultures, specializing in situations where crosscultural encounters are the guidelines of the stories. The films we make reflect our wish to cross cultural borders by telling universal stories in a very local setup. Elie and Alexandre have a strong friendship; they have been writing and directing movies together for over ten years. The Swiss nationality of Alexander gives us the possibility to be eligible for Swiss institutional writing, development and production funds. We are in the script development stage and are currently financing the development of the project. As the majority of the dialogue is in French, we would also like to have a French partner amongst our co-producers. It is with a strong script, that we will start looking for the national distributor and the international sales agent by going to international markets such as Cannes or Berlin.

This ambition asks for excellent dialogues and a strong cast for the main characters. In order to put this in place, we will need an additional dialogue writer and a very experienced casting agent. Our previous experience as a company that has line produced big international films like Syriana has given us a useful network of professionals that can also help us achieve our aim with this film. We don’t want to rush, we want to make it right.

production company Tipi’mages Productions 15, rue Maunoir CH - 1207 Geneva T +41 22 735 41 18 M +41 79 310 15 88 mail@tipimages.ch www.tipimages.ch total production budget € 1.400.000 current financial need € 1.400.000

Francine Lusser

production status financing: script & development seeking co-producers (Middle East / Europe)

Francine Lusser graduated in 1989 with a Masters degree in Economical Science from the University of Berne. Attracted to the world of cinema, she worked as a location and production manager on national and international films before she started her own production company.

producer

In 2003 she co-founded, Tipi’mages with Gerard Monier, managing smaller and big international shootings like Syriana, The Informant or Contagion (Swiss part) as a line production company. In 2006 she began producing her own films, starting with the very acclaimed, award winning feature documentary Nomads Land – In The Footsteps of Nicolas Bouvier, 3 tv docs and 3 period short films. Their latest cinema release was last September the feature doc Sâdhu (2012). They have currently 5 features and 2 documentaries in development. Francine is member of the EAVE network, part of the committee of the Swiss Federal Commission of Film, Mediadesk, SFP (Swiss film producers association) and co-president of the Forum Romand (Swiss French producers association).

script & intention After spending a lot of time in the West, mostly Italy, I found myself formed by both cultures which drove me to constantly travel between both countries, Egypt and Italy. I always felt conflicted about where I should live, as while I was staying in one place, I missed something from the other. Many times, while walking the streets of Rome, I would find myself seeing faces I felt I knew from Egypt, sometimes I would move from a square in Naples, imagining myself heading to a street in Cairo. This is a concept that I will extensively explore in a visual manner in the movie. I have thought about the notions of cultural identity and belonging often and became convinced that I was a product of both cultures, of both societies, of the similarities and the contrasts between them. This is how I began thinking about the main character. I did not want him to be a defeated oppressed immigrant like they are often depicted in both western and eastern movies. So I chose for him a deeper dilemma: he is facing himself, that inner conflict.

In Which Land You Die writer & director: Ahmed Maher producer & actor: Amr Waked

Egypt / Italy synopsis Reyad, an Egyptian illegal immigrant, has been living in Italy for twenty years. He has changed his identity and survives by committing petty crimes. He has never gone back home and has not contacted his mother in years. He finally calls her and finds out she is very ill. Feeling guilty, Reyad arranges for her to come to Italy for treatment. She arrives at Rome airport and drops dead at the immigration desk. Reyad is devastated. His illegal status means he cannot claim her body but knows she would want to be buried in Egypt. He decides to steal her body from the official safekeeping and return her there. Reyad knows an old gangster called “The Nightingale”, who needs a bone marrow transplant and whose tissue matches his. They make a deal. The mafioso will help arrange the trip to take the corpse back to Egypt in return for Reyad’s bone marrow. A complex power play builds between the two. Meanwhile, Reyad meets Paloma, an illegal immigrant from Latin America, who earns money being a surrogate mother. A romance ensues that is cemented by their common situation.

Reyad is an illegal immigrant in Italy. Soon he is forced to face the reality of his situation: the loss of his identity and the right to his own flesh and blood.

Thus, I found an important aspect that may be a decisive element in the differences between both cultures. Our main character’s troubles begin with his mother’s death, which provides good grounds for discussing the philosophical idea of body ownership. Reyad, the main character, finds himself bound to the promise he made to his mother that she would be buried in Egypt. He needs to return her dead body there after she dies in Rome’s airport. At the same time, he himself is not free to dispose of his own body because he is living illegally in the country and is under the thumb of “the Nightingale”, a mafia boss he’s working for. The same goes for Paloma, his girlfriend, who comes from Latin America and ‘rents” her womb to survive. Hence, we find lines intersecting and interlacing around the main character’s own dilemmas, leading to the exploration of the wider concepts of Mankind’s relationship to the body and his right to determine his own fate, alive or dead, sick or healthy. I have now shed a lot of side plots in my story and I have concentrated on the core. It is about the drama that enters into Reyad’s life with the death of his mother on Italian soil and how that brings about a virtual prison around him. The loss of ownership to his flesh and blood is the most important aspect of the film along with exploring the real alienation that ultimately occurs in a time of crisis when one’s place in society is marginalized.

Ahmed Maher writer & director Filmmaker Ahmed Maher was born in Cairo in 1968. In 1993 he received a grant to study Film and Art in Italy and has won the Grand Prix de Rome for Artistic Creativity in Cinema. In 1996, he began working in the film industry in Italy and was a writer and editor for a cinema magazine before founding El Bait Productions in 2000. Maher is a committee member at the School of Acting and Directing, he has participated at an international level in cinema conferences, taught directing, screenwriting and acting, trained professional actors and conducted seminars. He has written and directed 4 short-medium films, episodes for an American TV series, 6 documentaries and several music videos. Maher’s first feature-length film, The Traveller, starring Omar Sharif was part of the official competition at the 66th Venice Film Festival and represented Egypt at the Oscars in 2011. He has been living between Egypt and Italy for the past 20 years.

Reyad eventually manages “to pay the price” to take his mother back inside a container on a cargo ship. It arrives in Alexandria with him suffocated to death. 32

production notes I co-established ZAD with my partner, Salah Alhanafy, in 2005. I wanted to produce films that deeply affect people enough to change their behaviour. In my region, one may find a few behaviours that require a lot of attention. I have worked on various campaigns for behavioural change with various reputable organizations and my conviction that “good films change people” grows with every production.

an equity share of 750,000 Euros is secured via ZAD and its partners. I applied to a grant from the National Center for Egyptian Cinema and the script received the First Prize in March 2012. The sum of the prize is 250,000 Euros for production. I plan to also apply for production support from funds in the region, when the film finishes the development phase. I believe it is possible to secure a further 100-150 thousand dollars from Arab funds.

I personally have a particular passion for epic films. So, when Ahmed Maher first informed me of the concept of his film I was captivated by its strength and originality. I immediately felt united with the story and compelled to make this film. Shortly after

Given that around 35% of the budget is already secured, I am very eager to begin shooting this film, but I need other solid partners that will help us develop the film to its full potential. I have discussed the project with Roma Lazio Film Commission and

production company ZAD Communication and Production llc 17, Rashdan st, Dokki 12311 Giza, Egypt T +201001111173 T +201006204455 wakeda@zadcomm.com info@zadcomm.com www.zadcomm.com co-production companies AROMA, post-production house, Egypt MATERIAL HOUSE, production equipment rentals, Egypt EGYPTIAN NATIONAL CENTRE OF CINEMA, Egypt total production budget € 3.000.000 current financial need € 2.000.000

In Which Land You Die

production status The film is in the final stages of script re-write. We have met potential Italian co-producers, 3 of them are very interested in the project. They are now waiting for a final script. We have met with several Italian regional funds to see how we can benefit from the financial support and tax incentives in Italy. We have a close relationship with the Roma Film Lazzio Commission and the Puglia Region. They are both aware of the project and have been very helpful in organising meetings with potential co-producers.

writer & director: Ahmed Maher producer & actor: Amr Waked

Egypt / Italy that, I signed a contract with him to write and direct the film and he started writing his fascinating and clever idea into a script. Ahmed is a reputable director whose first film was in the official competition at the Venice Film Festival and I was pleased to work with him as an actor on his first film. I strongly believe that he is a director to follow in our region, for a person with his talent is scarce and special. As an actor, with a range of experience around the world, and a producer with an interest in influencing society, I want this film to affect society and humanity at large. It addresses the issue of illegal immigration from a very basic rights perspective. It is a misery when the rights to your mother, body and self, are taken away from you. This film poetically explores this condition and reflects upon its inevitably bizarre human relations.

the Torino Film Commission and both indicated positive opportunities for the film through an Italian co-producer. I also met with a few Italian producers in search for a co-producer but I am yet to find the right one.

The film targets an audience of 17-35 year olds in Egypt and Europe and particularly those people who are concerned with the issue of illegal immigration and those who contemplate practicing it. The impact we seek on the audience is that they discuss the issue of illegal immigration and witness the human aspect of this socio-political issue.

Amr Waked producer & actor Amr Waked is an internationally acclaimed Egyptian actor. In 2005, along with business partner Salah Alhanafy, Amr set-up ZAD Communication & Production. ZAD originally established itself by creating media productions and campaigns that raised the awareness of development issues in the MENA region that encouraged behavioural change. In 2010, ZAD expanded its scope to include film and television production. Since the Egyptian Revolution, ZAD’s focus has been to support the emergence of a new filmmaking movement in Egyptian Cinema. In 2012, the company produced its first feature film, Winter Of Discontent, directed by Ibrahim El Batout, which was selected in the Orrizonti section of the 69th Venice Film Festival. ZAD is currently producing a 10-episode television documentary series and has four fiction films and 3 featurelength documentaries in the development/pre-production stages.

Considering the Italian nature and language of the film, the task of financing the film requires support from territories other than the Middle East. Still,

script & intention Writer & Director Born in the 1980s, I consider myself much more a child of The Clash of Civilisations than of the Cold War. The 9/11 attacks and the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan were the most influential political events in my life. Growing up in Germany and being raised in an Afghan family in the Muslim tradition, I often felt torn between two worlds. This might be the reason why, similar to the characters in The Slap, I followed the rise of the Arab Spring with mixed feelings. Yes, euphoria and hope on the one hand, but also doubt and reluctance on the other. Global politics and changes in societies as profound as those that took place in 2010/11 are extremely complex. This is the reason why we chose a multi-plot structure for The Slap. We wanted to look at the Tunisian revolution from different dramatic angels in order get the bigger picture behind these events. Our formal approach is not documentary, but rather dramatic. We chose the genre of political drama inspired by films like The Battle Of Algiers by Pontecorvo or the early films by Costa-Gavras. We are going to give our story a plot driven pace, carried by strong characters and highly emotional human stories.The visual language will be a mixture of intense handheld camera and precise sequence shots that will carry the audience and draw them close to the images, sounds and atmosphere of the revolution.

The Slap writer & director: Burhan Qurbani writer: Martin Behnke producer: Johanna Teichmann

Germany / France synopsis Tunisia, 2010. The Slap is the story of 4 people in the first weeks of the Arab Spring. For each, the revolution raises questions about what they really believe in. Rashid, a young Tunisian, sees the revolt as a chance to fulfil his dream of being a press photographer. Soon he realizes that the western press agencies want more than “ordinary” photos of the uprising. Rashid takes photos that imply the revolution is driven by Islamists and suddenly his pictures sell! But he pays a high price: Rashid becomes a traitor to the cause of his people, family and friends. Alice is a young and idealistic German journalist. She believes in the fight of the people against the regime. Suddenly, she is caught up in the revolt and is lost in the turmoil. She has to choose between her ideals and mere survival. Michael is Alice’s father. He works for the E.U. Administration in Tunis and is an anti-Islamist hardliner. He distrusts the uprising and supports the Ben Ali regime. When he discovers his daughter is missing, he has to question his political agenda. Roman is a French security adviser who is hired to do the dirty work. His job is to defend the Tunisian phosphate mines – no matter how. When Michael contacts him to help find Alice, Roman’s cynicism is challenged. 36

Do you believe in change?

Writer As the writer of The Slap, I am particularly interested in two aspects of our story. Firstly, I like to examine the ambivalent role of Europe that supported the dictatorships in North Africa to assert their economic and political interest and focus on the different ways Europeans look at Tunisia and the societies in North Africa. Secondly, I am interested in exploring the Tunisian society at the point of its upheaval. I was born in East Berlin and experienced the breakdown of the socialist system during the so called “peaceful revolution“ and I see a lot of parallels in the nature of the repressive systems of Tunisia and the GDR as well as in their break-up. Both were societies in which repression was rarely reflected by violence. It was more a tight net of surveillance through a huge secret service which created an atmosphere of mistrust that oozed into all aspects of life and poisoned the relationships of the people. Moreover, these dictatorships provided a feeling of social and police security, offered health care, education and increased the equality between men and women. Many people supported the systems for these reasons and thus living in these countries was a life of mixed feelings.

Burhan Qurbani writer & director Burhan Qurbani was born 1980 in Germany after his parents moved there in 1979 as political refugees from Afghanistan. His father was a civilian employee in the U.S. Army and so Burhan grew up in different cities all over Germany. In 2002, he started studying film directing at the Filmakademie BadenWürttemberg. For his short films he received the Short Film Prize of German Film Critics, the German Camera Prize for best short and the “Black Pearl” for the best upcoming filmmaker at the Middle East International Film Festival in 2008. Shahada, Burhan‘s first full length feature film premiered as part of the Official Competition of the 60th Berlinale in 2010. The film had theatrical releases in Germany, France, Belgium, Luxemburg, the Netherlands and Greece. Shahada also received, amongst many other awards, the Golden Hugo at the Chicago International Film Festival and was screened at the Doha/ Tribeca Film Festival in Qatar.

production notes The dynamics the Tunisian revolution had in the whole region has fascinated me ever since the beginning of the so called “Arab Spring”. While reading the reports in the newspapers and the internet, it became evident to me how little we knew about the Arab countries and how hypocritical the Europeans sounded when they talked about the Arab revolutions. Telling our story as a political drama enables us to tell it emotionally while revealing political and economic power games. In the past 50 years Provobis has covered all aspects of film and television production for both fiction films as well as creative documentaries. As part of Tellux Holding, Provobis can rely on a

original title Die Ohrfeige are developing the film together with them. We are trying to push the realization of the film as quickly as possible as it is a current topic which needs to be done now. We already have attached a French co-producer, Les Canards Sauvages (Bruno Petit, France). We will develop the project according to the needs of his as well as our market but remain in the driving seat of this project as we are the rights owners. The lion’s share of the financing needs to come from Germany as the writer and director are both German. However, we will consider the international appeal of the project in all stages of development and production of the film.

production company PROVOBIS Gesellschaft für Film und Fernsehen mbH Laplacestr. 12, 81679 Munich, Germany T+49 89 90 90 11 13 Fax +49 89 90 90 11 30 johanna.teichmann@tellux.tv co-production company Les Canards Sauvages, France

Martin Behnke

Johanna Teichmann

writer

producer

total production budget € 3.500.000

Martin Behnke was born in 1978 in East-Berlin. He studied drama, literature and English at the University of Leipzig and ScreenWriting at the Film Academy Baden-Württemberg.

Johanna Teichmann was born 1981 in Germany. In 2003 she started studying production management and media studies at the University of Television and Film Munich. In that time she produced several short feature films and documentaries.

current financial need € 3.500.000

The Slap

production status Script development

writer & director: Burhan Qurbani writer: Martin Behnke producer: Johanna Teichmann

Germany / France team of six producers based all over Germany. The company works for all the major German television stations, public and private, and has good relationships with the public film funds. As the company is based in nearly every region in Germany (NRW, Berlin, Bavaria, Hamburg) it has access to all those regional television stations and funds as well. Over the years, Provobis has also built up a strong network of European co-producers, from both the West and East. Provobis is owned by nine German catholic dioceses. Thus Provobis is not only a profit orientated company but is focused on quality media products as well. Provobis tends to pick up cultural and historical topics in order to transfer them into feature or creative documentary films which address a broad audience.The editorial line has a humanistic approach. All films need to be relevant, to describe the society we currently live in and besides entertaining the audience, we always want to raise important social questions. Provobis came up with the idea of the film. We got Burhan Qurbani and Martin Behnke on board and

For the time being, our financing plan only includes European sources and we are confident to be able to finance the film with European money. Still, we would like to approach potential partners from the Arab countries as our film deals with the political collaboration of both, the European and the Arab worlds. We aim to address a politically interested arthouse audience. As the revolution started on the internet via social media we will intensively use the marketing tools the internet provides. Thus we will target young and intellectual spectators.

Besides screenwriting, Martin has directed several short films, works as a writer for theatre and conducts lectures on film studies. He worked on the dramaturgy for the documentary This Ain’t California which was part of the 2012 Berlinale. In 2012, he wrote the full length feature film We Are Young. We Are Strong about the events in Rostock-Lichtenhagen in 1992 where a home for immigrants was burned down. The film will be shot and directed by Burhan Qurbani in early 2013. Martin lives and works in Berlin

Between 2008 and 2011 she worked as a producer for Neue Bioskop Film in Munich, where she was responsible for the development, financing and production of several TV movies such as Föhnlage (BerndBurgermeister-Award 2011) as well as the feature film Flying Fish (Award at Max Ophüls Festival Saarbrücken). In addition she produced the documentary film Nowher Near Tomorrow which was shot in Syria in 2010 and premiered at the CHP:DOX 2011 in the section “free radicals” that showcases films about Arab countries. Since 2012, Johanna has been working as producer for Provobis (part of the Tellux Group) and is in production on the feature film Free which was shot in South Tyrol - Italy in the late autumn of 2012.

script & intention I Am Here But You Can’t See Me is primarily about my movement in this world. The movement that is innately incorporated in each living being is enhanced and challenged here by barriers; all kinds. It is also about the fictitious movement of the people I grew up with and about a marvel city that is based on Beirut. Movement is change and this film is about change; change as a means not just for survival but for life and what life stands for in its real sense. It is thus about a revolution. A revolution braver than most, one that lies beneath the surface in its aggression as it kills with unnerving calm: for light, for life.

Feyrouz Serhal writer & director

Although it looks like one, I Am Here But You Can’t See Me is not a slice of life, it is rather a film with a city that is armed with citizens conspiring in silence against those who threaten its movement, its life; a city that is intelligently, calmly and aggressively saying NO and celebrating the outcome.

I Am Here But You Can’t See me

It is not about conveying messages and setting examples, it is not about punishments and sentences, it is simply a film that moves in lines and layers that intersect at all times, a film with no climaxes, except in concrete sound when an explosion bursts; a film with no reactions as all citizens either know what is happening or are distant in their inner world.

writer & director: Feyrouz Serhal producer: Oualid Mouaness

Lebanon synopsis In the city of Beirut there lives Viola, a singer who seems to have busy days away from her singing career. One day she wakes up to find that the city is in revolt. From her kitchen window she sees a big demonstration in the street. Hastily she leaves and joins the group. She is there against the flood of people to listen and inspect. Prior to that and from the very beginning of the film, Farah, a man who is always in his car roaming the city searching for a friend has noticed her. From that moment on she seems to constantly haunt his field of vision, but alas she always unknowingly eludes him like a mirage. He becomes aware of her as she becomes ubiquitous to him. However, through all their crossing paths, he remains invisible and unnoticed by her. Viola drives back and forth on the same highways. A bombing resounds. A politician dies. People live. Another day. Another bombing resounds. Another politician dies. With every explosion the city is more alive.

Once upon a time in a film there was a city called Beirut, in that city Viola lived, she sang songs and killed politicians.

I will create this film as a microcosm of a surreal mechanical world that relays something truly human: One’s bravery to act on the impulsive desire to realize what to others might only remain imagined. It is as simple and as complicated as a child’s logic confronted by the danger of stopping him from living, it expresses the innate desire of that child to play freely with all the elements of life and death. Viola moves to catch the city of her dreams. Farah moves to catch Viola. And along their quest this film moves too, to tell of little things, of repetitions. I Am Here But You Can’t See Me is about details, about little pulses, about tunes and smiles; many... Its aggressiveness is toned down by eye contact, the sweetness of humanity and the paradoxes of life. This film will speak my mind and express the hybrid world I live in, one that is within me. It will be like a fable like a poem, taking its ingredients from reality and then shooting out to the stars. It is soft with contrasting colors, present with a dreamy mood. The peculiar city of this film sings and films, it also establishes eye contact with the audience as a tool for a revolution; as the camera looks and gazes, the people of the city look and gaze back. Their gazes reassure us that they all know they are being filmed, that they are being watched; consequently they drag the audience to conspire with them in their mission to their salvation.

Feyrouz Serhal acquired her Master’s degree in Film and Screen Studies from Goldsmiths College, University of London, after having worked extensively as director and producer at some of the most prominent Arab TV channels in the Middle East. She headed the television department at Signature Productions between 2007 and 2009. She has written and directed several independent short video works. Serhal is now the managing director of Roummana, a newly formed production boutique based in Beirut that is acquiring content primarily for feature film development and production. Currently, she is in late stages of development on ‘1982’ written and to be directed by Oualid Mouaness. In addition to scouting for new material to develop and produce, Serhal is also in development on I Am Here But You Can’t See Me, a film that will be her first feature as a director.

Another explosion rocks the city. Farah and Viola are in the same space. Their first eye contact happens. She smiles. Another politician is dead.

production notes Upon first reading Feyrouz’s simple premise for her story, I wanted to be both characters. I wanted to be privy to the senses of the city she is aiming to render. A person becomes so much a part of a city that he or she essentially becomes a living organ inside of it. The person and the city become codependent. They drive each other. They are the same engine that grinds daily. They are one. They are lovers. They are complete strangers curious to know and explore each other. In this case, the city is Beirut out of whose normalcy emerges occasional bouts of violence that serve to viscerally jostle its inhabitants, who only embed themselves deeper into it for fear of

The project is currently at the first draft stage. So far, both Roummana and Tricycle have funded the development startup. We will be seeking additional development funding through Middle Eastern and European grant programs. The first exposure for this project has been through Interchange at the treatment stage. Armed with a first draft by the year’s end, we will look to participate in co-production markets in 2013 and engage partners for co-production from France and potentially other European countries, and in doing so, capitalize on the official co-production agreements in place with Lebanon. With that in mind and the specific nature of our film’s scope and

4101 Holly Knoll Drive Los Angeles CA - 90027 - USA

current financial need 850,000 USD

Lebanon

I function as an independent producer through Tricycle Logic and gravitate towards projects that ultimately have an art and story sense. When I encounter subject matter that I like, I guide it towards a simple narrative that has the potential to have profound impact. I Am Here… can be exactly that.

TRICYCLE LOGIC A-27 Ground Floor Imm. J. Mouaness - Rabweh Antelias, Lebanon

total production budget 850,000 USD

writer & director: Feyrouz Serhal producer: Oualid Mouaness

This project is set up primarily through Roummana (Beirut) in partnership with Tricycle Logic (Beirut). Roummana is the brainchild of Feyrouz Serhal, whereby the intention is to create smart art and message driven films with a specific market sense for return. I Am Here… is a film that is small in its scope though big in its revolutionary message. Roummana propels itself from the ideology that film has the power to be revolutionary, artistic and accessible at the same time.

Feyrouz Serhal (Writer/Director/Producer) feyrouz@roummana.com

Oualid Mouaness (Producer) T +1.323.574.6650 (int’l) T +961.3.351.704 (lb) oualid@mac.com

I Am Here But You Can’t See me

losing it. The actions of this story’s characters are motivated by their desire to ultimately protect their city at whatever cost. Something few people are brave enough to do. This film expresses something that has not been expressed before in a Lebanese context and it does so bluntly.

production companies ROUMMANA Luca’s House Khalil Badawi St Mar Mkhael Beirut, Lebanon

audience, its budget will not exceed 1M USD. I would like this to be an accessible film as I believe that films should be made with a certain public in mind. This film expresses a frustration that every person from a country or place that has been ravaged by instability should be able to relate to and that is of paramount importance. The aim of this film is to reach an educated, young to middle-aged demographic who can relate to themes of disenfranchisement and alienation from socio-political systems that have let them down. This audience rarely sees itself represented on the big screen. We look to hit the right impulses and produce a film with international market potential that can pull in a more expanded audience that wants to see its yearning for change translated onto the big screen.

production status seeking financing and co-producers

Oualid Mouaness producer Oualid Mouaness, a RAWI Sundance Screenwriting Fellow, grew up between Lebanon and Liberia. He received an MFA in Writing and Directing from Florida State University in 1997. As a producer, he has worked on fiction features, music videos, commercials and documentaries; most notably Rize (Sundance/Tribeca 2005). Kitchen Privileges, the first independent film that he edited and co-produced, premiered at SXSW in 2000. Oualid’s work has been nominated for numerous awards. In 2012 his projects with Drake, Rihanna, Lana Del Rey and Taylor Swift were nominated at the VMA’s, MVPA’s and the CMA’s. Mouaness has directed seven short films including Saint In The Sun, which screened at the New York Independent International Film Festival in 2002. His company Tricycle Logic is in the final stages of development on Nineteen Eighty Two, which will also be his directing debut on a feature film. It is scheduled to shoot in the summer of 2013 in partnership with Roummana (Lebanon), 20 Twenty Vision (Germany), and Trancas International Films.

Trainee Script Consultants Menna Ekram Egypt

Myriam Sassine Lebanon

biography

Menna Ekram is a 26 year-old aspiring Egyptian filmmaker. She began her writing career at 16 when she wrote film reviews, political essays, short stories and articles for the best-selling teen magazine in Egypt. At university, she studied Broadcasting and Journalism whilst also working at private and government-owned TV stations. Following this, she began her pursuit of a career in film with a diploma in film subtitling and participation in workshops on screenwriting and documentary filmmaking.

Myriam Sassine majored in cinema studies at the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts (ALBA) in 2005, and received her M.A. in cinema research from the Institut d’études scéniques et audiovisuelles (IESAV) in 2009.

Menna has written 3 short films which have been produced and has worked as a second AD on feature films. She is currently studying for an MFA in Screenwriting and Editing from the Red Sea Institute of Cinematic Arts in Jordan, a school affiliated to University of Southern California Film School. In addition, she is a writer on a TV show produced by Sony Pictures Egypt which is an adaptation of the series Ugly Betty and plans to use her experience on Interchange to help polish her feature film scripts.

intention Years ago, on a writing course, one of the instructors likened the filmmaking process to having a baby where the screenwriter is the mother of the script; conceiving, nourishing and delivering an idea as a script to the director who is the father of the movie as he shapes that baby and officially gives it his name: A FILM BY…. I laughed, but am inclined to agree. During the writing phase, like in a pregnancy, you face varying emotions. At times you believe in your script and then you feel low and want to get done with the process. In come friends and relatives to support you and help make this possible. I perceive my role as the script editor to be one of those people. I am a facilitator and a supporter. I believe that editing scripts is a delicate process because you don’t want to impose yourself or how would you do things but rather be there to give options and detect what’s wrong in a way that respects the writer. So, my hope is to be a trusted friend or a Godmother to babies/scripts and be able to do this full-time as it fulfills my passion to tell stories. I also want to create a family of filmmakers who might one day, help me make my own films.

contact M +201223306361 menna.ekram@gmail.com menna.ekram@rsica.edu.jo www.linkedin.com/pub/ menna-ekram/49/529/a79

In 2005, she began working as a story producer on several reality shows such as the Arab versions of international formats like The Biggest Loser (Reveille Productions), Unanimous (Fox) and Ton Of Cash (Endemol). She also directed a documentary, The Palestinian Cause In The Lebanese Cinema (2009) and a short video, No Connection (2006), which was selected for the Tribeca Film Festival 2007 and was screened via ArteEast in Australia, France, Iran, Tunisia, and Scotland. Myriam then worked in content development at Lucky Monkey Pictures and Abbout Productions. She participated in the DocMed 2011 training program for Arab producers and she is currently the associate producer on two feature films: Stable Unstable by Mahmoud Hojeij and Mosqui Cinema by Mohamad Malas.

contact Bldg. 699 Saïfi Lebanon Street Beirut- Lebanon M +9613570020 F +9611447824 myriam@abboutproductions.com www.abboutproductions.com

intention A script not only tells a compelling story in an inventive way, it also reflects on our times, our countries, our societies. It can support causes and spread messages. A script must have a structured plot, developed themes and characters with motives, fears and desires. But in order to stand out, it must also have a distinctive tone and style with a coherent subtext that reflects the intention of the writer. Sometimes, there is a gap between what the author wants, what he thinks he has written and what he actually has written. This is where I come in to help. I consider the potential of the story. I try to determine its weak and strong points in order to guide it into a captivating screenplay. I try to ask the right questions to determine what the writer really wants to say and how to transfer these intentions on paper. Based on this information, we build the project together. During this process, what matters most is to focus on the big picture before taking care of the details. In the end, my objective is to collaborate in the making of powerful films that carry our stories to the rest of the world. 45

Ic Staff

Programm Interchang Ic Savina Neirotti TorinoFilmLab Director

Jane Williams Director of Dubai Film Connection & Film Forum Alan Fountain Head of Studies

Mercedes Fernandez Alonso TorinoFilmLab Head of Operations

Ayesha Chagla Associate Manager, Dubai Film Market

Trupti Ashar DFM Information and Services Supervisor

Interchange Programme for teams of writer & producer from Europe or the Arab world working on fiction feature film projects, and for Arab film professionals interested in script editing training. Application deadline: March 4th, 2013

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