She also told us about her new projects, many of them debut features and at the same time international coproductions. She says that a tax incentives scheme would be very helpful for the Romanian film industry.
Ada Solomon also produced among others Child’s Pose through Parada Film and Aferim! by Radu Jude through HiFilm Productions.
Toni Erdmann is a German/Austrian/Romanian coproduction produced by Komplizen Film in coproduction with coop 99, knm, Missing Link Films, SWR, WDR, ARTE, HiFilm Productions. It was shot mainly in Romania with HiFilm Productions servicing.
FNE: How important is for you as a Romanian/Eastern European producer to work for a project that is so successful? What will it change for you?
Ada Solomon: For me, personally, the most important thing is that I had the chance to be part of such an amazing film. As for changing things, I don’t think it changes the life. It raises the expectations from you, it is challenging for the next projects, but here also, I am relaxed as I know that the coming projects, especially the ones which are almost ready - debut features Marița by Cristi Iftime, One Step Behind the Seraphim by Daniel Sandu, Soldiers by Ivana Mladenovic and Alexandru Solomon’s new documentary Tarzan’s Testicles are strong proposals that will generate a lot of interest.
As a Romanian producer I am upset that Toni Erdmann, this wonderful and so Romanian film, didn’t get support from the Romanian Film Centre. It was selected, but it didn’t qualify formally as a Romanian film – such a pity that a rigid points system stops a recognition that is obvious.
So, not the success of a film is changing my life, but the great experience that is working with wonderful people for magical projects, sharing the same values with dear friends.
FNE: Do you think that the buzz around Toni Erdmann will increase the number of international coproductions coming to Romania?
Ada Solomon: The success of Romanian cinema around the world, as well as the success of Toni Erdmann and the production value included in the way we organised the production, will surely catch the eyes of other foreign producers and filmmakers.
It helps, it gives confidence to people that are a bit reluctant about the conditions in this small Eastern country, Romania, but at the same time, in order to have a functional system we need to have local support. This support means the interest of the Film Fund in minority coproductions (an issue that is now pointed in the new Cinema Law) and a system of tax incentives that is still pending in Romania although it is functional in almost all the countries around us.
FNE: How was shooting Toni Erdmann in Romania from your perspective?
Ada Solomon: Very interesting, challenging, but I am most grateful for the way Maren did her research in Romania and how accurate the film is. Usually the development of a project is the period that I am most fascinated by and in this case it was the same, very intense and very efficient at the same time. I learnt a lot from Maren Ade about how to build a script and how to integrate a reality that is not necessary consistent with your ideas in a script. It was a very rewarding experience by all means.
FNE: How did you link with the German producers from Komplizen Film? Did you meet them at the pitchings in Berlin or Sofia?
Ada Solomon: I met Jonas Dornbach first at EAVE in 2007 - the most important formative workshop for producers I know. We met again a couple of years later at ACE, we continued to stay in touch for different proposals from both sides, and we developed a strong and real friendship over the years. The fact that Jonas is married to a wonderful Romanian lady is part of the heart felt links to my country, I suppose. Then I met Janine Jackowski in person, also at an ACE event, but of course that later we crossed paths in Berlin, Sofia and Sarajevo.
FNE: What international coproductions do you have in the pipeline?
Ada Solomon: We are in production with the Austrian documentary The Royal Train by Johannes Holzhausen, produced by Navigator Film, and we will very soon start shooting Marta Berman’s debut feature Alone at My Wedding, with Alina Șerban in the lead role, a main Belgian production with Frakas as lead producer. We are in development with Ștefan Constantinescu’s debut feature Man & Dog, a Swedish/Romanian coproduction for the time being. Other very special collaborations are in talks for 2017, but I am superstitious and I don’t want to talk about them before they are really happening.
