Eliza Petkova’s German-Bulgarian co-production The Worker was among the winners at Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event, the professional platform of Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF).
The fifth film from Bulgarian director Petkova, The Worker won the €20,000 Eurimages Co-Production Development Award in the Baltic Event Co-Production Market. Currently in development with a €2m budget of which €450,000 is already secured, The Worker follows a Roma man who leaves his Bulgarian family for work in Germany, where he constructs a façade of living a luxurious life while he struggles as an undocumented worker.
Scroll down for the full list of winners
It is produced by Nicolas Kronauer, for production companies ROW Pictures and Fourmat Film. The jury credited “a journey during which the director invites us to rethink the meaning of community and masculinity.”
The jury also gave a €20,000 Eurimages Special Co-Production Development Award to a Ukrainian project – Ivan Tymchenko’s English Lesson, in which several children tell their stories of war during an online lesson. Produced by Svitlana Soloviova for SvitlorforFilm and written by Olga Voitenko, the film also received a €1,000 grant from Many More Films.
For the first time at PÖFF all categories also handed out Public Favourite Awards, voted for by industry attendees. Norway-Sweden-Denmark co-production Push The Button by Anton Kallrot received the Public Favourite Award in the Co-Production Market.
The Works in Progress strand presented 17 projects across International, Baltic Event and Just Film categories.
Stefanos Tsivopoulos’ Greek project Late Shift (a.k.a. Kindness) won the Best International Project prize, with €6,000 of Studio Beep services and €1,000 travel allowance. The film also handles the topic of migration, as a single mother from Romania with a history of activism struggles to fit into Greek society. The jury noted “captivating acting by the lead actress… harnessing cold and stark cinematography that pulls the audience in.” Currently in post-production, Late Shift has €455,000 of its €602,000 budget already in place.
Gabriele Urbonaite’s Latvia-Lithuania co-production Renovation won the Best Baltic Project award, with the same prize as the International Project. “Capturing the anxious nature of young adults in their 30s, this piece brings forth rich elements of self-discovery and the burgeoning yet complex emotions of love and companionship,” said the jury. Ezequiel Erriquez Mena’s Emi won the €2,500 Just Film Works in Progress award.
The prizes were handed out at a ceremony at the Kino Soprus in Tallinn on Friday, November 22. The main PÖFF ceremony takes place this evening (Saturday, November 23), with the festival wrapping up the following day.
Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event 2024 awards
European Genre Forum
Most Promising Project – The Dark Architect (Fin) dir. Risto Tuominen; prod. Ilkka Matila, MRP Matila Rohr Productions
Special mention – Vrykolax (Gr) dir. Achilleas Gatsopoulos; prods. Minos Nikolakakis, Vassilis Economou, Apshalt
Public Favourite Award – Neighbour (Est) dir. Oskar Lehemaa; prod. Evelin Penttila, Stellar Film
Script Pool
Most Promising Project – Kingpins (Lat) dir. Kristians Riekstins; prod. Alise Rogule, Mima Films
Public Favourite Award – Fabula Rasa (Ger-Lux-Can) wris. Miriam Suad Buhler, Maurice Sinner; prod. Steffen Gerdes, Red Balloon Film, maze pictures
Works in Progress
Best International Project – Late Shift (a.k.a. Kindness) (Gr) dir. Stefanos Tsivopoulos; prod. Nikos Smpiliris, Boo Production
Special mention – Wolves (Switz) dir. Jonas Ulrich; prod. Nicole Ulrich, Dynamic Frame
Public Favourite Award – Interior (Ger) dir. Pascal Schuh; prods. Timo Ackermann, Katrin Haase, Olivier Arnold, U5 Filmproduction & Co.
Best Baltic Project – Renovation (Lat-Lith) dir. Gabriele Urbonaite; prods. Uljana Kim, Alise Rogule, Studio Uljana Kim, Mima Films
Public Favourite Award – Sand In Your Hair (Lith) dir. Mantas Verbiejus; prod. Zivile Gallego, Fralita Films
Best Just Film Project – Emi (Arg-Ur) dir. Ezequiel Erriquez Mena; prod. Laura Mara Tablon, Rite Cine
Public Favourite Award – The River (Chile-Arg) dir. Cristobal Garcia; prods. Francisco Bisanez, Santiago Ortuzar, Vortice Films
Baltic Event Co-Production Market
Best Project – The Worker (Ger-Bul) dir. Eliza Petkova; prod. Nicolas Kronauer, ROW Pictures, Fourmat Film
Eurimages Special Co-Production Development Award – English Lesson (Ukr-Est-Swe-Cze) dir. Ivan Tymchenko; prod. Svitlana Soloviova, SvitloforFilm
Public Favourite Award – Push The Button (Nor-Swe-Den) dir. Anton Kallrot; prods. Ylva Olaison, Jonathan SIlen, Madeleine Ekman, OGAT Film
Producers Network Prize – Yann Sochaczewski, Miriam Kunde for Amy – Great Adventures on Little Paws!; Ruta Petronyte, Justinas Pocius for The Flood
Enterprise Estonia Film Award – The Code of Thule (Est) dir. Liliana Torres; prods. Helen Lohmus, Rene Ezra, Oree Films
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