Finnish project Paloma Brouhaha has won Women in Film & Television International (WIFTI)’s inaugural Worldwide Pitch, which featured 19 projects from six continents.
The WIFTI Worldwide Pitch, which was held online, was developed with support from Netflix’s Grow Creative Equity framework to promote unheard voices and untold stories.
First place and a $1,000 cash prize were awarded to Paloma Brouhaha, written by Natalie Immonen with director Oliwia Tonteri and producers Aleksi Bardy and Helen Vinogradov of Helsinki Filmi, which has credits including Tove and Tom Of Finland. The project, which was submitted by WIFT Finland, centres on wheelchair-bound Paulina who follows her dreams to become burlesque performer Paloma.
The runner up prize went to AGG, which was awarded $500. AGG, by writer/director Shaina Ghuraya and producers K. Giselle Johnson and Jack Walterman, tells the story of a soon-to-be wedded off young Punjabi woman, the differently abled Agg, who moves from revenge to redemption. The project was submitted by WIF LA.
Special mentions were given to two projects: Checkpoints and I Love You, I Miss You, I Kiss You.
Checkpoints is survival story of women’s war traumas written by Rita Borodiyanski and developed with producer Osnat Saraga of Ananey Studios, submitted by WIFT Israel.
I Love You, I Miss You, I Kiss You is the story of a young, first-generation Iranian-Australian woman navigating the legacy of her grandmother with her own needs, by writer/director Shideh Faramand with producers Kirsty Stark of Epic Films and Kerrin McNeil, submitted by WIFT Australia.
The Nordic Factory Development Award went to two projects, to support further packaging and development through coaching: director/producer Desiree Meiffret (WIFT Namibia) for A Whisper In The Wind; and writer/director/ producer Kirtana Banskota (WIFT Austin) for the animated feature Maya From The Himalaya.
The 19 feature film projects were pitched live online to a global audience and a panel of 25 industry professionals, including executives from Endemol Shine, Asacha Media, The Rabinovich Foundation, Creativity Capital, TorinoFilmLab and XYZ Films.
“There are still an abundance of unheard voices and untold stories to be found. The WIFTI Worldwide Pitch proves how important it is to create new spaces for new stories to emerge, “ said WIFTI President Helene Granqvist.
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