25-01-2021

Projects From FNE Partner Countries Receive SEE Cinema Network Funding

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    Sticker by Georgi M. Unkovski Sticker by Georgi M. Unkovski

    SKOPJE: Films from Cyprus, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro have received South Eastern Europe Cinema Network (SEE Cinema Network) grants for development of feature-length projects. Each project will receive 9,000 EUR.

    The SEE Cinema Network's general assembly held its 31st session online on 19 January 2021. A total of 15 submitted proposals were examined and eight were selected for funding (one from each member country).

    The winners include the Macedonian debut DJ Ahmet by Georgi M. Unkovski, produced by Cinema Futura, which is looking to be filmed as a coproduction with Serbia. Unkovski, who also wrote the script, premiered his short film Sticker / Nalepnica in the International Narrative Short Films at the Sundance Film Festival 2020 and won the Best Narrative Short Prize at the Brooklyn Film Festival. The film received over 170 awards and qualified for a further Oscar nomination.

    The second funded debut is Romanian Crissea IV by Vladimir Dembinski. Bogdan Crăciun produced it on behalf of Libra Film Productions. Crissea IV was also selected to MIDPOINT Feature Launch 2020. Dembinski's graduation short film Tennis (2012) was selected for festivals including Clermont-Ferrand, Festival Europeen du Film Court Brest, Curtas Vila do Conde.

    Third is Teen Bull Terrier, the debut feature by Serbian producer Ivica Vidanović, produced by Jelena Filipović through Crossmedia agency.

    The fourth supported project is Montenegro’s Planet 7693 / Planeta 7693 by Gojko Berkuljan. The film is written by Ane Vujadinović. Marko Jaćimović is producing through Giggling Goat Production. The project was recently selected for Kids Kino.Lab to participate in the 5th edition of its script development programme. The film received a grant from Film Centre of Montenegro in 2020 for production of film works for children and youth.

    The fifth project, Maya comes from Cyprus and is directed by Tonia Mishiali. The fantasy/drama is planned as a coproduction with Poland, produced by Bark Like a Cat Films. It also participated in the 2020 development workshop of the Torino Film Lab, as well as script development programmes in Greece and Germany.

    The South Eastern Europe Cinema Network (SEE Cinema Network) was set up in 2000. The goal is to support the film industry of Southeast European countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Cyprus). It is governed by the General Assembly of national representatives of each country. The Greek Film Center is operating costs.

    Selected projects:

    DJ Ahmet (North Macedonia)
    Directed and written by Georgi M. Unkovski
    Produced by Cinema Futura

    Crissea IV (Romania)
    Directed and written by Vladimir Dembinski
    Produced by Libra Film Productions

    Teen Bull Terrier (Serbia)
    SEE Cinema NetworkDirected by Ivica Vidanović
    Produced by Crossmedia agency

    Planet 7693 (Montenegro)
    Written by Ana Vujadinović and Gojko Berkuljan
    Directed by Gojko Berkuljan
    Produced by Giggling Goat Production

    Maya (Cyprus)
    Directed by Tonia Mishiali
    Produced by Bark Like a Cat

    Burek (Kosovo)
    Directed by Ismet Sijarina

    That Burning Light (Greece)
    Directed by Efthimios Kosemund Sanidis

    Sex Cut (Albania)
    Directed by Eno Milkani