Five projects from Germany, Spain, Hungry and Turkey will participate in San Sebastian’s WIP Europa initiative for films in post-production with majority European backing.
The programme will run September 25-27 during which the projects will be screened to producers, distributors, sales agents and programmers. A €10,000 WIP Europa prize is up for grabs to assist with post-production services.
Among the selection is Rima’s Song from Afghan filmmaker Roya Sadat whose debut feature A Letter To The President was the country’s 2017 submission for best international feature at the Oscars. Her second film is set against the backdrop of Afghanistan’s brewing civil war where two friends lie on opposing sides of the political fence. It stars Afghan-Canadian actor Mozhdah Jamalzadah and won the TAICCA Award at Busan Festival’s Asian Project Market as well as participating in this year’s Cannes Marche du Film.
Hungarian filmmaker Mihály Schwechtje is also competing with his second feature A Hunt For Hedgehogs about a music student who looks after her cousin’s children. The director’s first feature I Hope You’ll Die Next Time:) won best film in the youth strand at Tallinn Black Nights in 2018.
Another selected project is Michael Fetter Nathansky’s Mannequins which is set in Europe’s biggest mining town and explores the highs and lows of falling in and out of love. It is the German director’s second film after 2019’s You Tell Me.
Two debut features are also participating – On The Water Surface from Turkish director Zeynep Köprülü about a woman returning home for her widowed mother’s wedding; and María Trénor’s animation Rock Bottom which is inspired by the life and music of Robert Wyatt.
Last year’s WIP Europa winner Selman Necar’s Hesitation Wounds is competing in this year’s Venice Horizons strand.
WIP Europa participants 2023
Mannequins (Ger)
dir. Michael Fetter Nathansky
Rock Bottom (Sp-Pol)
dir. Maria Trenor
Sima’s Song (Sp-Neth-Fr)
dir. Roya Sadat
A Hunt For Hedgehogs (Hun)
dir. Mihaly Schwechtje
On The Water Surface (Turk-Ger)
dir. Zeynep Köprülü
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