Pawel Pawlikowski : European Talent 2010

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Pawel Pawlikowski

To conclude the European Rendez-Vous of the 63rd Festival de Cannes, Androulla Vassiliou, the new European Commissioner for Culture and Education awarded the prize for European Talent, recognising a filmmaker for his feature film project within the European Union MEDIA programme, on Monday 17th May 2010, to the Polish director Pawel Pawlikowski for his film Sister of Mercy. The European Rendez-Vous brought together numerous filmmaking professionals who had gathered to discuss the mechanisms of international subsidies…

The Polish writer-director Pavel Pawlikowski is this year’s winner of the MEDIA prize for European Talent awarded for his feature film project Sister of Mercy produced by Eric Abraham and Janine Gold. The price rewards a work of great quality and strong European potential. Born in Poland and living in London since 1977, Pawlikowski is no novice as his first two feature films, Last Resort and My Summer of Love, both of which he wrote and directed, won several awards at the BAFTAS and in events around the world. The producer and author of the project are invited to the Festival de Cannes and accompanied by a coach during their entire stay. They also make an appearance in the Marché in order to showcase their work and look for partners.

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© <p><span style="font-size: larger;"><strong><img height="200" align="left" width="150" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="http://cdn-media.festival-cannes.com/assets/Image/Communiques%202010/Panahi.jpg" alt=""></strong></span><span style="font-size: larger;"><strong>Join the call alongside of: le Festival de Cannes, la SACD, la Cinémathèque française, l’ARP, la Cinémathèque suisse, le Festival International du Film de Locarno, le Forum des Images, Positif, la SRF, les Cahiers du Cinéma, Citéphilo (in Lille)…<br>  <br><br><br><a target="_blank" href="http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/solidarite-jafar-panahi/" rel="noopener">>> Sign the on-line petition in support of Jafar Panahi</a></strong></span></p> <p><br><br><br><br><br><em>"We have just learnt, with great anger and concern, about the judgement of the Court of the Islamic Republic in Teheran, heavily condemning Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi.<br>  <br> The sentence: six years of imprisonment without remission, accompanied by a ban of twenty years on writing and making films, giving interviews to the press, leaving the territory, or communicating with foreign cultural organisations.<br>  <br> Another filmmaker, Mohammed Rassoulov, has been likewise sentenced to six years in prison. Jafar Panahi and Mohammed Rassoulov are going to join the many prisoners now rotting in jail in Iran in a state of total distress. Some are on hunger strikes, while others are gravely ill. <br>  <br> What does the Iranian government reproach Jafar Panahi with? Having conspired against his country and carried out a campaign hostile to the Iranian regime.<br>  <br> The truth is that Jafar Panahi is innocent and his only crime is wishing to continue to freely exercise his profession as a filmmaker in Iran. Over the last few months the Iranian government has put into place against him nothing short of a machine of war in order to destroy him, while locking him up to silence him.<br>  <br> Jafar Panahi is a renowned filmmaker and his films have been shown all over the world. Invited by the greatest film festivals in the world (Cannes, Venice, Berlin), he is today prevented from pursuing his work as a filmmaker. The heavy sentence inflicted upon Jafar deprives him of his freedom, while preventing him both physically and morally from carrying out his work as a filmmaker. Henceforth, he must remain silent, refrain from any and all contact with his fellow filmmakers both in Iran and anywhere else in the world. <br>  <br> Through this sentence inflicted upon Jafar Panahi, it is manifestly all of Iranian cinema which is targeted.<br>  <br> This sentence both revolts and scandalises us. So, let us call upon all filmmakers, actors and actresses, screenwriters and producers, all motion-picture professionals as well as every man and woman who loves freedom and for whom human rights are fundamental, to join us in demanding the lifting of this sentence.</em>"<br><strong><br>  <br><span style="font-size: larger;">>> </span><a href="http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/solidarite-jafar-panahi/%20" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-size: larger;">http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/solidarite-jafar-panahi/ </span></a></strong><br>  </p>
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© <p><strong>When it was inaugurated back in 2000, the<em> Village International</em> played host to 12 countries and 14 pavilions. Ten years later, it received 50 countries in 58 pavilions. In 2010, five new countries joined: Albania, Cyprus, Macedonia, Puerto Rico and Qatar. In fact, the <em>Village International</em> has grown so quickly that a number of countries, including Belarus and Azerbaijan, are currently on a waiting list. <br /> Let’s take a quick look at this dynamic initiative.</strong><br /> <br /> <img hspace="1" height="269" width="180" vspace="1" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" src="http://affif-sitepublic-media-prod.s3-website-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets/Image/MOSA%207%20DEC/_AAC7663.jpg" class="fl" alt="" /></p> <div>Located at the heart of the Festival de Cannes, the <i>Village International</i> is a microcosm of world cinema. This exhibition and networking venue aims to enable countries to showcase and raise the profiles of their cinematography, their cultural identity and their institutions. The “Riviera” plays host to foreign Ministries of Culture and Film Centres, while the “Pantiero”, which primarily unites all the French institutions (CNC, Unifrance, SACD, CST, <i>Rendez-Vous des Exploitants</i>, etc.) is becoming increasingly international every year with the arrival of funds and commissions from other countries (Italian Film Commission, Austrian Film Commission, the Belgium Wallimages Fund, and so on).</div> <div>The Village’s organisation operates smoothly and includes making contact with institutions at markets or festivals abroad <span>(Rome, Berlin, AFM, etc.),</span><strong><span> </span></strong><span>marketing the exhibition spaces, establishing needs</span><strong><span> </span></strong>(surface areas and services), creating each pavilion on-site and equipping and outfitting the Village (signs and decoration). The Village gradually takes shape between September and May.<i>“Cannes has enormous potential, but those attending the Festival need to know how to take advantage of the tools and synergies on offer. During the event, one of our main roles is to provide support and advice. This is a very important aspect.”</i> (Myriam Arab,Director of Operations, Marketing and Sales)</div> <div>In their pavilions, countries welcome professionals from home (producers, distributors, festival organisers and film commissions) and meet with their foreign counterparts to boost the promotion of their films. The productive nature of these meetings was demonstrated particularly well in 2010: thanks to the initiative of Serbia and Croatia, eight South-Eastern European countries joined forces to create the SEE Pavilion (South-Eastern Europe Pavilion) with the aim of enabling small countries with emerging film industries to raise their profiles on the international stage. While it is still too early to say what will be new in 2011, we already know that the organisers will be focusing on backing this nascent joint venture, which is a symbol of the success of the <i>Village International</i>, and on supporting emerging film industries.</div> <table width="600" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img height="115" width="180" src="http://affif-sitepublic-media-prod.s3-website-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets/Image/MOSA%207%20DEC/cannes%20%206823.jpg" alt="" /></td> <td><img height="121" width="180" src="http://affif-sitepublic-media-prod.s3-website-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets/Image/MOSA%207%20DEC/_AAC7646.jpg" alt="" /></td> <td><img height="126" width="180" src="http://affif-sitepublic-media-prod.s3-website-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets/Image/MOSA%207%20DEC/VIllage%20Riviera%208.jpg" alt="" /></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p><br /> <br /> <br /> <strong>> More information on </strong><a target="_blank" href="http://www.festival-cannes.fr/assets/File/Web/bloc%20de%20droite/VILLAGE_2010_FR_2.pdf" rel="noopener"><strong>the Village International</strong></a><strong>.</strong></p>
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© <p><strong>The 21st session of the Residence opened on 1st October. For four and a half months, it will host six young filmmakers from around the world in Paris and provide them with the most supportive conditions for writing their first or second feature film. This morning, we rang the doorbell of a large Haussmann-style apartment building in the 9th arrondissement where they are staying, in order to find out more about their backgrounds.</strong><br><br>  </p> <table width="120" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" border="0" align="left"><tbody> <tr> <td><img height="138" width="92" src="http://affif-sitepublic-media-prod.s3-website-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets/Image/MOSA%207%20DEC/Shahrbanoo%20profile.jpg" alt=""></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Shahrabanoo Sadat</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><img height="130" width="92" src="http://affif-sitepublic-media-prod.s3-website-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets/Image/MOSA%207%20DEC/Ronin%20Hsu(website)%20.JPG" alt=""></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Ronin Hsu</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td><img height="146" width="92" src="http://affif-sitepublic-media-prod.s3-website-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets/Image/MOSA%207%20DEC/OSCAR%20RUIZ%20NAVIA%20web%20site%20pic.jpg" alt=""></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Oscar Ruiz Navia</span></td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p>We met Chika Anadu (from Nigeria), Fernando Guzzoni (Chili), Ronin Hsu (China), Oscar Ruiz Navia (Colombia), Ruben Mendoza (Colombia) and Shahrabanoo Sadat (Afghanistan). They found out about the Residency in various ways: on the Internet (Chika), by noticing the Cinéfondation logo in the credits of films like <i>La Ni<span>ña Santa</span></i> by Lucrecia Martel (Oscar), because they had already worked with the Cinéfondation – Ruben presented <i>The Fence</i> in the Film School Selection in 2005 and took part in the Atelier in 2008 – or because they had been noticed by Georges Goldenstern in other Festivals (Ronin). <br> This first month has given them a chance to get their bearings and share their experiences. They have watched many films, sometimes as many as four a day, and some have already spent time at the Moulin d’Andé. Oscar is particularly pleased, as he thinks he may have found the subject of his feature film there and is ready to start writing. As for Ruben, he is still trying to define the character of his film. Ronin and Shahrabanoo are writing copiously, especially at night. When asked the question, “<i>What effect does the</i> <i>international dimension of this programme have on your work?”, </i>they are unanimous in acknowledging how enriching it is to be exposed to the critical perspective of someone from another culture and to appreciate these differences that enable them to compare their own personal histories and that of their countries. As proof, they invented “Critics’ Night at the Residence”: for one week, they take turns in organising an evening during which they present their films to the other Residents and guests, along with typical dishes from their homelands.<br>  </p> <table width="200" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" border="0"><tbody> <tr> <td><img height="84" width="150" src="http://affif-sitepublic-media-prod.s3-website-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets/Image/MOSA%207%20DEC/Profile%20Photo%20Chika.jpg" alt=""></td> <td><img height="84" width="150" src="http://affif-sitepublic-media-prod.s3-website-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets/Image/MOSA%207%20DEC/Ruben%20Mendoza_2.jpg" alt=""></td> <td><img height="84" width="150" src="http://affif-sitepublic-media-prod.s3-website-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets/Image/MOSA%207%20DEC/Fernando%20Guzzoni_2.jpg" alt=""></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Chika Anadu</span></td> <td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Ruben Mendoza</span></td> <td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Fernando Guzzoni</span></td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p> </p> <p><br><span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong>QUESTIONS ON HOW A FILM IS BORN</strong></span><br><br>  </p> <p><span style="font-size: larger;"><b>How does the idea for a film come about and how does it become a script?</b></span></p> <p><br><strong><em>Ruben: </em></strong>I always try to write a story as if it’s a piece of literature. I like words and I especially love playing with them. I write a lot; it’s almost become a sort of “straitjacket” for me!<br><br><em><strong>Oscar: </strong></em>I came here with a first draft and now I’m concentrating on the structure of the film. I’m playing with the scenes, moving them about and adding new characters…but I already know that I will need to return to Colombia to finish the script…<br><br><strong><em>Chika:</em> </strong>For me, an idea for a film and its script always starts with images that seem to flash into my mind. I am always very inspired by visuals. I see a picture or a scene in my head, and I try to fill it in with people and questions like “Who lives here?”, “Who owns this phone”? <br><br><strong><em>Shahrabanoo</em>: </strong>When I arrived here, I didn’t have a complete script but rather an idea about how I was going to approach the project. I had the general concept: it was going to be a mix between a documentary and a fiction. I decided to shoot the documentary there and write the fiction here, so that I could mix them together at the end. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a very good experience in Afghanistan: my character was a doctor who was killed. So I couldn’t continue filming my documentary. Now, my subject is the same but I have to change everything.</p> <p> </p> <div> <em><b>Ronin:</b></em> The idea for the script came to me a long time ago; I wrote it for one of my friends who is an actor.</div> <div> </div> <p><em><b>Fernando:</b></em> I arrived with an almost complete first draft of the script and now I’m trying to re-write some parts that I’m not happy with. This is my third version of the script and I am striving to finish it.<br><br><br><img height="100" width="417" src="http://affif-sitepublic-media-prod.s3-website-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets/Image/MOSA%207%20DEC/residents1.jpg" alt=""><br><br><span style="font-size: larger;"><strong><br></strong></span><span style="font-size: larger;"><b>How do you feel when you pass from the writing stage to the production stage?</b></span><br>  </p> <div> <em><b>Oscar:</b></em> I don’t believe in having a very polished script for my cinema, with excellent dialogues, etc. As I work with non-professional actors, I tend to write the dialogues with the actors when I’m filming them. So it all depends on the atmosphere of the scene. The most important thing is to keep a sense of spontaneity.</div> <div> </div> <div> <em><b>Chika:</b></em> I’ve only made two short films so far. I try to work with people I know and trust, whose work I like. I know what I want and I tell them. When I think about producing this feature film, it scares me a little because my first short only featured two actors and there was no dialogue. In my second short, I was the only actress and I knew exactly what I wanted… But in this one, there are more characters…</div> <div> </div> <div> <em><b>Ruben</b></em><b>:</b> I’m always very excited before shooting, I love it! You can’t imagine just how mad and beautiful it is to shoot in my country. I work with non-professional actors and hold the camera myself. For me, the script is a comforting tool for the team.</div> <div> </div> <div> <em><b>Shahrabanoo</b></em><b>: </b>This is my first experience making a long feature film. I have an idea in my head and I really know what I want to show, what I want to say in the film. I don’t like to write everything down because I know that when I go back to Afghanistan to shoot the film, I will most probably have to change the story an awful lot.</div> <div> </div> <div> <em><b>Fernando</b></em><b>:</b> I really enjoy writing the script but when I’m shooting, the film takes on a life of its own, there’s so much spontaneity during filming. I am always really focused during the writing process, but then I gladly let myself be influenced by what’s happening around me or by the career of an actor, for instance.</div> <div> </div> <div> <em><b>Ronin</b></em><b>: </b>I suffer when I write, but I like the suffering! I enjoy seeing the script beginning to take shape. And when I start shooting, I get really excited. For me, everything depends on the story. Sometimes, I need a real script, and sometimes I only need one or two pages and everything comes to life during shooting.</div> <p><br><br><span style="font-size: larger;"><strong><img height="100" width="417" src="http://affif-sitepublic-media-prod.s3-website-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets/Image/MOSA%207%20DEC/residents2.jpg" alt=""><br><br><br></strong></span><span style="font-size: larger;"><b>Which filmmakers or films have inspired you? What made you want to work in cinema?</b></span></p> <div> <em><b>Chika</b></em><b>:</b> I didn’t know I wanted to be a filmmaker until four years ago. I was studying law and wanted to save the world and work for the UN … I always loved films. And then one day, I saw Cinema Paradiso and it was like a revelation. It is not <span>my favourite film – not even in my top 20 – but it conveys a real love of cinema! It was just so beautiful. A light went on in my head: I was supposed to become a filmmaker.</span> </div> <div> </div> <div> <em><b>Fernando</b></em><b>:</b> <span>I don’t know exactly when I had the “revelation”, but there are a few filmmakers who inspire me and they are all different, ranging from Robert Bresson to Glauber Rocha. In fact, it all depends on what I’m working on. When I’m working on a film, I collect images that are related to my subject and use them as inspiration.</span> </div> <div><span><br></span></div> <div> <em><b>Oscar</b></em><b>: </b>I think I always wanted to become a filmmaker, or at least ever since I was at secondary school. My first references were Stanley Kubrick and Woody Allen, both of whom are masters of the art, of course. But the world of cinema is so vast! It was one of my teachers who made me realise that I still had so much to learn about cinema. Then I discovered Tarkovski’s work. Before, I didn’t believe in God but now I definitely believe in sacrifice!</div> <div> </div> <div> <em><b>Ruben</b></em><b>:</b> There are some directors who are very important to me, as important as my grandmother or father, for example. Because I think that cinema is in everything. You can write with a camera. And then I experienced some revelations, like discovering Buñuel. You can also make poetry out of cinema.</div> <div> </div> <div> <em><b>Shahrabanoo</b></em><b>:</b> I don’t remember exactly which directors or films inspired me at the beginning. I like a lot of directors, but for me, it’s a little different. I live in a very special country and, above all, cinema provides a very powerful way of expressing the problems there and changing the way people see Afghanistan, as something more than just a country racked by terrorism and war. It is my country’s special political situation that made me want to make films.</div> <div> </div> <div> <em><b>Ronin</b></em><b>:</b> Charlie Chaplin. He’s the reason I wanted to become a filmmaker. A long time ago, when I first watched his films, I didn’t realise right away how important he would be for me. But I also love a lot of other very different directors: Kusturica, Jim Jarmush, etc. The directors I like don’t inspire me, they influence me.</div> <p><br><br><img height="100" width="417" src="http://affif-sitepublic-media-prod.s3-website-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets/Image/MOSA%207%20DEC/residents3.jpg" alt=""></p> <p>  </p> <p><strong>> More info on <a target="_blank" href="http://www.festival-cannes.fr/en/theResidence/sessions.html" rel="noopener">the 21st session</a>.</strong></p>
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