The Berlinale World Cinema Fund released their seven new funding recommendations today. During the 36th jury session of the Berlinale World Cinema Fund (WCF), six funding recommendations were made for projects from Burkina Faso, Chile, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt and Iran, as well as one recommendation for distribution funding for the German release of a film from Sudan.
Among them, from Egypt the feature film The Settlement, directed by Mohamed Rashad, production by Hassala Films (Egypt) and Hala Lotfy. It has been recommended to receive WCF Production Funding of €30,000. From Iran, the feature film My Favourite Cake, directed by Maryam Moghaddam and Behtash Sanaeeha, production by Honare Khiyal (Iran), with Behtash Sanaeeha and Watchmen Productions (Germany) and Christopher Zitterbart. It has also been recommended to receive WCF Production Funding of €30,000. The Iranian project also participated in the Berlinale Co-Production Market in 2022.
Sudanese title, and a film which premiered to critical acclaim in Venice in 2019, You Will Die At Twenty (Mit 20 wirst du sterben), directed by Amjad Abu Alala has been recommended to receive Distribution Funding for €8,000. The film will enjoy a German release, starting August 25th, 2022 and is distributed by missingFILMs Acrivulis & Severin (Germany), Christos Acrivulis.
“Right now, in times of war and global conflicts, the WCF’s work seems especially important. The WCF actively promotes the democratization of international collaborations. Additionally, it focuses on films that connect people instead of confining them — films that convince with their artistic identity”, says Vincenzo Bugno, head of the WCF.
With its increasingly differentiated funding program (WCF, WCF Europe, WCF Africa, WCF ACP), the Berlinale World Cinema Fund has been successfully supporting film production in regions with weaker filmmaking infrastructures since 2004, as well as advocating cultural diversity in German cinemas. Cooperation between production companies from the disadvantaged regions and European production companies is supported as well. Click on link for general information on WCF funding.
The funding recommendations for the WCF Europe program will be announced in early September.
For the full list of titles, check out the Berlinale website.
