23^th Session

Participants

• 

  Marí Alessandrini

  Mari Alessandrini was born in 1979 in Argentina and grew up in Patagonia. She got her start in photography and scenic arts. She has been travelling and working in different countries since the age of 18. Mari has also worked in theatres, circus’ and always photography. She studied film directing at the University of Fine Arts in Geneva. She is currently writing her first feature film to be shot in the patagonian steppe and Brazil.
• 

  René Ballesteros

  René Ballesteros was born in 1975 in Temuco, South Chile. After receiving his degree in psychology, René worked for five years in juvenile prison and then with street children in Temuco. René is also an Electronic musician. In 2004, he produced his first record and worked in collaboration with several rock and folk productions. After attending the Paris VIII University and le Fresnoy to study cinema he directed his first feature documentary, ‘La Quemadura’, in 2010. The film was screened in many international festivals and received several awards. René is currently developing his first fiction feature film ‘El Pelo Vivo’ a psychological horror movie to be shot in his hometown Araucania.
• 

  Etienne Kallos

  Etienne Kallos is a Greek- South African who studied and worked in theater in South Africa before moving to California where he made documentaries for several years. He shifted into fiction filmmaking after moving to New York to attend the NYU graduate film-directing program. His directed work has been selected for festivals such as Berlin International, Sundance, Cannes (Cinefondation) and Telluride... In 2007 his 20-minute fiction short, 'doorman' was released by Strand Releasing on dvd in North America and in 2009 his 30-minute fiction short, 'Eersgeborene' ('Firstborn') was awarded the 'Corto Cortissimo' Lion for best short film at the Venice Film Festival. It was the first Afrikaans-language film to do so. 'Eersgeborene' also won a National Board of Review (N.B.R) student film award in 2010 and the 'special jury' award for best narrative short at the Atlanta Film Festival. After graduating with his M.F.A, Etienne stayed on in New York and worked as a lecturer in the NYU graduate film program before moving back to South Africa in 2011 where he is currently developing his narrative feature projects 'Vrystaat' ('Free State') and 'Thirstland'.
• 

  Mariko Saga

  Mariko Saga Japanese born in 1983, Mariko graduated from the National Film School of Lodz. She directed "Kooniklaster" (2007), "Vena Cava" (2009), "Lisica i Mandarynka" (2011). Her feature film project is entitled "Viet Wander House".
• 

  Christopher Murray

  Christopher Murray (Santiago de Chile, 1985) holds a degree on Social Communication with the title of Audiovisual Director from the Catholic University of Chile. Parallel to his studies he directed several award-winning music videos and shortfilms. Right out of college, he shot his first feature film: "Manuel de Ribera", which premièred in Rotterdam 2010 kick-starting a tour around important film festivals including Viennale, Göteborg, Bafici, Toulouse and München. The film won the Best National Film price at Sanfic 2010 (Chile). Murray now develops his second feature film "The Parable of the Blind Christ" at the Cinéfondation Residence of the Cannes Film Festival. He is also producing the crossover project Film map from a Land, with the support of the Chilean Audiovisual Foment Fund.
• 

  Felipe Sholl

  Felipe Sholl was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1982. His first short film, "Tá", was selected for the Berlin International Film Festival, and won the Teddy Award for Best Short Film. His second short, "Gisela", premiered in Brazil at the São Paulo International Film Festival in August, 2011. As a screenwriter, he worked on "Hoje", by Tata Amaral, "Histórias que só existem quando lembradas", by Julia Murat, "O fim e os meios", by Murilo Salles, "Princesinhas", by Juliana Reis, and "Trinta", by Paulo Machline, and is working on an untitled screenplay with Sandra Kogut. He has also worked as an assistant director and personal assistant to the director in "Rio Sex Comedy", by Jonathan Nossiter. His first feature film project, "The other end", which he is currently developing at the Residence, was also selected for the Sesc Rio (former Sundance) Screenwriting Lab, and the Talent Project Market at the Berlin International Film Festival.