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Berlin backs Kurdish, Iranian films |
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Berlin backs Kurdish, Iranian films 9.1.2007
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World Cinema Fund funds
pic from developing countries
January 9, 2007
BERLIN — The Berlinale's World Cinema Fund
will provide coin for the distribution of two films,
Kurdish director Hiner Saleem's "Dol" and Iranian
helmer Rafi Pitts' "Zemestan" (It's Winter).
The funding makes it possible for films made in
Latin America, the Middle East, Central Asia and
Africa – the regions the body promotes -- to be seen
by German auds.
"The World Cinema Fund not only contributes to
developing world cinema, but also decisively
enhances the filmscape in Germany," said Berlinale
director Dieter Kosslick.
Added Hortensia Voelckers, artistic director of the
German Federal Cultural Foundation, one of the WCF's
main backers, "These outstanding films give an
authentic picture of the cultures in their countries
of origin and should not be withheld from German or
other European audiences."
Berlin-based Mitosfilm will release "Dol," which the
WCF is supporting with Euros 8,000 ($10,400), in
April. Pic is set in a Turkish-Kurdish village under
the rigid control of the Turkish military and
explores the conflict between the autonomous region
of Kurdistan in northern Iraq and areas in Turkey
and Iran.
Berlin distrib FSK Kino & Peripher is releasing
"It's Winter" in March.
Pic, which screened in competition at the Berlinale
last year, examines an Iranian family living on the
outskirts of Tehran that is forced to live apart in
order to survive financially.
The WCF recently selected five film projects from
Peru, Chile and Jordan for production funding,
including:
? "Dioses," from Peruvian director Josue Mendez,
which examines Peru's different social classes (WCF
funding:
$72,000).
— "Huacho," a family drama from Chilean director
Alejandro Fernandez (WCF funding: $65,000).
— "El Cielo, la tierra y la lluvia" (The Sky, the
Earth and the Rain), Chilean director Jose Luis
Torres Leiva's drama about three young women living
in a remote and rainy region in southern Chile (WCF
funding: $52,000).
— "La Teta asustada" (The Scared Breast), Peruvian
director Claudia Llosa's look at Peruvian legends
and customs, specifically at the "disease" affecting
generations of raped women (WCF funding: $65,000).
— "Recycle," Jordanian helmer Mahmoud Al Massad's
documentary examines the reasons and motivations
behind Islamic radicalism (WCF funding: $40,000).
The WCF is sponsored by the German Federal Cultural
Foundation and the Berlinale in cooperation with the
Goethe Institute.
variety com
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