Held this year from 24-31 August 2013 the festival wraps its fourth edition this weekend. FNE spoke to festival director Sergej Stanojkovski about why he decided to focus on European Coproductions and how the cooperation with organisations like Eye on Films, Eurimages and EAVE are making this aim a reality.
Stanojkovski said:”At Avvantura Film-Forum the focus is on the European film industry. We screen European coproductions in first and second feature film slots. There is also a focus on Croatia as a shooting location. This is also be the second year that we have partnered with Eurimages..
One of our most interesting partnerships is with Eye on Films. I thought this was an interesting model. This gives a platform from an audience point of view to films that it would be to find a distributor for.
In 2012 we had eight titles from Eye on Films and this year we have seven titles in the Eye on Films section of our festival.
We propose those films to a distributor or a broadcaster. We invite the filmmakers to the festival, they meet producers, distributors and partners at the festival. This year we also have a Croatian partner who will give the films a VOD platform.
If these films didn’t participate in Zadar they most probably wouldn’t get distribution in Croatia.”
EYE on Films: Bringing together 70 international partners, including 40 festivals and 30 distributors, the project aims to implement a selection of a dozen of recent films, 1st or 2nd feature films (fiction, animation, long-length documentaries), never screened or released outside their country of origin.
EYE ON FILMS SELECTION 2013
PEOPLE OUT THERE by Aik Karapetian
WATER by Yael Perlov, Nir Sa’ar and Maya Sarfaty, Yona Rozenkier, Mohammad Bakri, Ahmad Barghouti, Pini Tavger and Tal Haring
THE CUTOFF MAN by Idan Hubel (Venice Biennale Official Selection)
MORNING STAR by Sophie Blondy (Rotterdam Filmfestival, Torino Filmfestival)
HIDE YOUR SMILING FACES by Daniel Patrick Carbone (Official Selection Berlinale Generation, Tribeca Festival)
VILLEGAS by Gonzalo Tobal (Festival de Cannes Official Selection)
JO´S NEIGHBOURHOOD by Alain Minier
