Cannes Docs

Runtime: 90'

Expected release: April, 2024

Production stage: Production

Budget: €308.287 (32% in place)

1st feature: Yes

Looking for: Gap financing, Sales agents, Festivals, Distributors

Synopsis:

Maka, the daughter of a strict math teacher and high-maintenance mother, launches a journey around post-Soviet Georgia to observe children in the process of education. This quest is accompanied by her intimate conversation with her mother Nino. Two women of different generations, with different experiences and clashing perspectives, reflect on parenting, education and systems of power.

Director’s profile:

Maka Gogaladze is a director and photographer based in Georgia. With a degree in medicine, she started working as a photographer in 2010. In 2016, Maka received a master’s degree in Multimedia Journalism and Media Management at the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs. Currently she is Multimedia Storytelling tutor at the GIPA and directs short documentaries for the South Caucasian media platform Chai-Khana. In 2016, Gogaladze co-founded FORMO Production. She is an alumna of Berlinale Talents, CIRCLE, ESoDoc, EAVE Change, IDFA Academy, CineDoc mentoring program and Close Up. “Ever Since I Knew Myself” is her first feature documentary.

Producer’s profile:

After completing a degree in medicine, Maka Gogaladze found her true self in photography in 2008. She have been collaborating with the NGO, media and other organisations in Georgia since. In 2016, Gogaladze embraced documentary filmmaking while completing a master’s degree in Multimedia Journalism and Media Management at the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs (GIPA). Currently she is tutoring photography at GIPA. Since 2016, Gogaladze have been directing short documentaries for the South Caucasian media platform Chai Khana. In 2016, she co-founded FORMO Production Company in order to develop my own projects – which have been supported by the Georgian National Film Center – and start collaborating with international co-producers. Ever Since I Knew Myself is her first feature-length documentary.

Runtime: 90'

Expected release: September, 2023

Production stage: Post-Production

Budget: €350.885 (75% in place)

1st feature: Yes

Looking for: Gap Financing, TV Coproduction, Prebuys, Sales Agent, Festival, Impact Partners

Synopsis:

A woman’s life has been incomplete ever since her son was wrongfully accused, sentenced to death and executed within a year. From a grieving mother she transforms to a symbol of the struggle against the death penalty. Today, she shares her painful reminiscences with a theater group of 4 young people, all displaced for different reasons. They all gather to poetically process the mother and son’s story, combining documentary theater with media and family archives.

Director’s profile:

Anna studied documentary film at Doc Nomads international master program. Her main interest is creative documentary, hybrid and experimental cinema, while in her work she tends to explore the dialogue between the genres. Based in Belgium and Spain, she works both as director and editor. Her feature documentary project “72 Hours” was awarded at DOK Industry Leipzig 2019 (EWA Network Talent Award), at East Doc Market 2021 (Czech TV co-production award) and won FIFDH Geneva 2021 Impact Day Award.

Producer’s profile:

Playtime Films is founded in 2007 in Brussels, Belgium. It focuses on ambitious cinematographic works and eye-catching television shows with international scope in both the fiction and documentary genre. Playtime is always on the road searching for audacious authors and directors who have a singular vision of the world. Isabel de la Serna joined Playtime Films in 2010 and one year after she became partner and producer in charge of Playtime’s films development and production. As the unique producer at Playtime Films, she aims to build up a strong network of Belgian and international talented writers and directors to develop and produce high-hand documentaries with international potential and art house and market driven feature film.

Runtime: 80'

Expected release: March, 2024

Production stage: Final cut

Budget: €227.328,53 (70% in place)

1st feature: Yes

Looking for: Festivals, Sales agents, Distributors, Buyers

Synopsis:

40 years ago in Mexico, a group of women filmmakers gathered to make films dealing with taboo subjects, gender violence, rape, feminicide, clandestine abortion, labor discrimination. They called themselves “Cine Mujer” and were active as a collective for over 10 years. Today they reflect on violence against women and their continuous struggles, which are still prevalent in modern society.

Director’s profile:

Andrea Gautier was born in Madrid in 1980. A producer, journalist and cultural manager, as well as an advisor in the cabinet of the Minister of Culture, González Sinde. Since 2011, she has been producing both fiction and documentary films, focusing on arts, culture, and society from a critical feminist perspective, while also teaching film production in several institutions offering high audiovisual studies. Andrea is an alumna of Berlinale Talents. “Rebeladas” is her first feature film, co-directing with Tabatta Salinas (Mexico).

Co-Director’s profile:

As a director, Rebeladas will be Tabatta Salinas’ first feature documentary. She has a degree in Communication Sciences from the Intercontinental University, with professors such as Paty Luke, Ximena Urrutia or Mario Luna. She is a member of the board of directors of the Association of Producers of Madrid (AMA) and of the Spanish coordination of short films. Part of the production team of the Fluffers del CCC generation, she has directed mainly on advertising and web content. Her latest short film was selected for Shorts Mexico (September 2016).

Producer’s profile:

Manuel Díaz Pereda (Mintxo Díaz), Bilbao, 1980. In 2011 he created his own production company, DYNAMITE FILMS S.L. the projects are focused in a visual quality and an international feature.In 2016 he got completely involved in the production of his first company’s feature film, Maus in coproduction with Apaches Entertainment, Cine 365 and Orange. In collaboration with “Next Step” – Semaine de la Critique du Festival de Cannes. He participated in the Berlinale Talents 2017.

Runtime: 75'

Expected release: January, 2024

Production stage: Work in Progress

Budget: €733.180 (84% in place)

1st feature: Yes

Looking for: Festivals, Sales Agents, Distributors, Buyers

Synopsis:

A journalist, long estranged from her father for being violent to her as a child, discovers that he’s being abused. When she agrees to help him expose the injustice, will she also be able to heal the pain he caused her?

Director’s profile:

Lina Vdovîi is an award-winning independent reporter from Moldova, based in Romania, with experience in investigative and narrative journalism and new media. Her articles have been published in major national and international outlets and her work was nominated for the European Press Prize. Lina’s filmmaking career started with the news and documentary producing for the national German television ZDF. She was the screenwriter of Acasa, My Home. Currently, she is co-directing her debut documentary TATA, a film about her relationship with her violent father. The project won several awards: the Eurimages Co-production Development Award at CPH:Forum 2021 for the best pitch and – Alex Leo Serban award at Transilvania International Film Festival for best script.

Co-Director’s profile:

Radu Ciorniciuc’s debut feature documentary film, “Acasa, My Home”, tells the story of a family that lived for two decades in the wilderness, in perfect harmony with nature, until they are chased out and forced to adapt to life in the big city. The film premiered at Sundance 2020, where it won the Special Jury Award for Cinematography. It later had an exceptional festival run, and has been selected for a nomination at the European Film Academy Awards.

Producer’s profile:

Monica Lăzurean Gorgan is an experienced Romanian producer, with over ten years of international co-productions. Among the titles of the films she produced or co-produced, there are: Between Revolutions (Berlinale 2023), ACASA, MY HOME, by Radu Ciorniciuc, winner of the Cinematography Award, Sundance 2020, TOUCH ME NOT by Adina Pintilie, winner of Golden Bear (Berlinale 2018), CHUCK NORRIS VS COMMUNISM by Ilinca Calugareanu (Sundance 2015), A MERE BREATH, THE CAGE by Adrian Sitaru, with over 20 awards including an award in Berlinale 2010. Monica is an EAVE 2011 graduate, “Producer on the Move” at Cannes IFF 2012 and Oscar Academy member.