Torino Film Lab winners
by Gabriele Barcaro
01/12/2010 - In the “monstrously” evocative Mole Antonelliana National Museum of Cinema (currently housing an exhibit on zombies and vampires), the TorinoFilmLab (TFL) ended its 2010 Meeting Event announcing the Development and Production Awards.
The former guarantee six of the 12 projects presented at this year’s Training Programme continuation on to the 2011 Development Programme. They are: Alvaro Brechner’s Mr. Kaplan (Uruguay/Spain), Axel Koenzen’s Deadweight (Germany), Anca Miruna Lazarescu’s Romanian Spring (Germany/Romania), Adama (France) by Julien Lilti and Simon Rouby, Benjamin Naishat’s Historia de miedo (Argentina/France) and Mercuriales by Virgil Vernier (France).
The Advisory Board chose five recipients for the Production Awards, whose varying but substantial monetary prizes are based on a project’s budgetary needs. The highest sum, of €140,000, went to Wolf by Romanian director Bogdan Mustata (winner of a Silver Bear for Best Short Film at the 2008 Berlinale). Jazmin Lopez receives €110,000 for Leones, while €100,000 goes to Bait by Aida Begic (the best known of the bunch and winner of the 2008 Cannes Critics Week with Snow [trailer]), Seng Tat Liew’s In What City Does It Live? and Fabio Mollo’s Il sud è niente (which also snagged the Post-Production Award).
The Audience Award (€30,000), created this year and awarded by an audience of film professionals who attended the project presentations, goes to Massoud Bakhshi’s Khorramshahr. TFL Savina Neirotti reminded everyone that “this project began here. Massoud came to the Training with a three-page treatment, he developed the screenplay in the Script & Pitch Workshop; met producers Jacques Bidou and Marianne Dumoulin at the 2009 Meeting Event and then won the ARTE Award at the Cannes Atélier for the screenplay”.
Wolf – Bogdan Mustata – Romania – €140,000
For its absolute freedom in creating an original landscape and for the deep impact of its emotional truth.
Leones – Jazmin Lopez – Argentina – €110,000
For her unique artistic vision and her delicate handling of youth, death and emotions.
Il Sud è Niente – Fabio Mollo – Italy– €100,000
For his personal exploration of the region and family and the devastating impact of collective silence.
Bait – Aida Begic – Bosnia-Herzegovina – €100,000
For a genuine voice that illuminates the memory of a generation and shapes a dream-like present.
In What City Does It Live? – Seng Tat Liew – Malaysia – €100,000
As a celebration of a charming journey through a city, village, jungle and human nature.
(Translated from Italian)