News

Twenty-four participants with nine projects of feature films and three script consultant trainees have presented themselves on July 28, 2021 within Works in Development – Feature Launch, a networking initiative and project showcase of MIDPOINT Institute and KVIFF’s Eastern Promises Industry Days.

The projects were being developed during the Feature Launch program in the first half of 2021. The main focus was put on script and project development, at the same time also gaining deeper knowledge about other aspects of the industry.

The creative teams consisting of the writer, producer and director were joined by three script consultant trainees – Olga Michalik, Mikulas Novotny, Eliza Subotowicz, who collaborated closely with the projects

Three awards altogether were given out to Feature Launch 2021 participants:

KVIFF & MIDPOINT Development Award 10.000 EUR
Winner: Head Nurse by writer/director Jan Vejnar, writer Vaclav Hasek, producer Kamila Dohnalova

Special Mention: Aliya by writer/director Dekel Berenson, co-writer Greer Ellison, producer Aleksandra Aleksander

The official statement of the selection jury consisting of Karla Stojakova (producer, head of the Production Department at FAMU, Prague), Arnaud Gourmelen (festival programmer and consultant), and Danijel Hocevar (producer, MIDPOINT Feature Launch Head of Studies):  

“The award goes to a project that represents an unusual mix between dark reality and comedy dealing with social issues. The jury also wanted to support a director-producer duo to continue their creative journey from a successful short to the first feature, as even from the treatment, it was clear to us what and how they want to achieve. The process of the MIDPOINT Feature Launch program really helped them to bring out strong characters and their needs.

Special mention goes to one of the best promises of a debut film. It is necessary both on the political and personal level, and the idea of an autobiographical story with a POV of a female character makes it very strong.”

This joint financial award of the Karlovy Vary IFF and MIDPOINT Institute is aimed to support emerging talents mainly from Central and Eastern Europe and help to further develop their feature film project.

connecting cottbus Award

The graduate project The Bomber, presented by the director Pauls Kesteris, writer Gatis Murnieks and producer Inese Boka-Grube, was granted the opportunity to attend the connecting cottbus co-production market in November 2021.

"The story captures a historical moment but universally asks what the voices are that shape us, both in a personal and political sense, which we find incredibly relevant right now", stated Marjorie Bendeck and Katharina Stumm from connecting cottbus, adding that “the selected projects at MIDPOINT Feature Launch were again really strong and varied and we’d like to congratulate all of the participants for their exciting work”.

Rotterdam Lab Scholarship Award

Aleksandra Aleksander, the producer of the project Aliya, was chosen to participate in the professional training program for producers, Rotterdam Lab, which will take place within International Film Festival Rotterdam in January 2022.

Alessia Acone and Mirjam Klootwijk from Rotterdam Lab commented upon their decision in following words:

"With this award, we offer the chance for a young creative producer to join our training programme during the IFFR Pro Days in 2022, helping an emerging professional to continue on their career journey. The winner's multifaceted industry experience convinced us she was the perfect candidate; someone who wants to grow as a producer, and position herself and her projects within an international context."

Interested industry professionals still have the opportunity to arrange one-to-one meetings with the creators via the digital platform WYTH of Eastern Promises Industry Days.

To conclude the whole program, Feature Launch partners, the co-production forum When East Meets West and Trieste Film Festival, invite all the participating producers to Trieste, Italy in January 2022 for follow-up event.