Stefan Arsenijevic's wins New Cinema Network prize

The project, which is one of the first entries from the Balkans, won $14,900 (€10,000). It is produced by Miroslav Mogorovic’s Belgrade-based Art & Popcorn and written by Vuk Rsumovic. Clothing manufacturer Levis sponsors the prize.

The film is the true story of a boy discovered living in the wild and ensuing attempts to re-introduce him to society.

The jury, made up of Agora producer Simon De Santiago, Italian co-production specialist and producer Rosanna Seregni and Oscar winning producer Cedomir Kolar, praised the film for showing “the absurdity of prejudice through innocent eyes” through an impacting and original story.

Meanwhile, the jury also gave special mentions to:

• Team Mario – by Nic Balthazar and produced by Peter Bouckaert’s Belgium-based Eyeworks. It tells the story of Mario Verstraete – the first person to use Belgium’s euthanasia and assisted suicide law to end his own life for “the actuality of the theme and the humanity of the characters.”
• English Lessons – by writer-director Pascal-Alex Vincent and produced by Nicolas Breviere’s Paris-based Local Films. A comedy about French teens abroad for a language study program, it was highlighted “for a fun view of different religions, social and cultural views.”
• What’s a Bear Good For? by writer-director Tom Fernandez and produced by Javier Mendez from Spain’s MediaPro. An environmentally concerned project for “showing with irony and tenderness how saving a bear could save the world.”

NCN selected a total of twenty-six projects between their two strands Focus Europe and Focus International from over twenty countries. Over eight hundred meetings were organised, with over one hundred twenty companies present.

Separately, producers Diana Elbaum and Jani Thiltges received the European co-production award -  Prix Eurimages. Announced during the festival’s Business Street market, the prize aims to recognize producers who have combined their efforts to develop and promote European cinema.

Belgian-based Elbaum’s production company Entre Chien et Loup, was founded in 1989 and was joined by Sebastien Delloye in 1999. They have produced thirty features. Luxembourg-based Thiltges’ Samsa Film was founded in 1986 in association with producer Claude Waringo and together they have produced forty commercial art house films.

The duo has also joined forces with Patrick Quintet, Delloye and Waringo to create the Paris-based production company Liaison Cinematographique.

Roberto Olla, executive director of Eurimages, said: “This prize is important because it underlines the role of producers in the realisation of quality films across boarders.”

The Prix Eurimages will be presented during the European Film Awards Ceremony in Bochum Germany on Saturday December 12.