CineLink and Docu Talents present 10 new documentary voices from Central and Eastern Europe

"CineLink Industry Days has identified a strong need of filmmakers in the region for further support to creative documentary industry in the Southeast Europe. After last year’s successful remodeling of the CineLink Industry Days’ pivotal documentary programme, Docu Rough Cut Boutique, we are proud to include Docu Talents from the East among our partners. The aim is to strengthen the documentary focus of CineLink and to help strategic placement possibilities for documentary film professionals in the region," says Maša Marković, CineLink Coordinator.

 

On August 15, participating directors and producers will introduce their projects during eight-minute presentations, accompanied by three-minute trailers. The presentations will be followed by one-on-one meetings with sales agents and festival representatives. The most promising project will receive the Docu Talent Award in the amount of $5,000, sponsored by Current Time TV.

 

Projects were selected by representatives of the Ji.hlava IDFF. Complete list can be found below.

 

Since 2005, Docu Talents has been a launch pad for a number of documentaries by both renowned and emerging directors such as Laila Pakalniņa, Vladimir Mansky, Bartek Konopka, Piotr Stasik, Peter Kerekes, Dmitrii Kalashnikov and Helena Třeštíková. Films presented at Docu Talents in the past had world and international premieres at major film festivals including in Cannes, Berlin, Locarno and Rotterdam.

 

Belarus, Ukraine | 71’

Director: Aleksandr Mihalkovich

Producer: Volia Chajkouskaya, Igor Savychenko

Production Company: Volia Films (BY)

Co-production Company: Directory Films (UA)

 

15 years ago, 80-year-old Zina has moved to the city of Evpatoria in Crimea to live out her last days. But after the annexation of the peninsula by Russia, her paradise turned into despair. The war between politicians and states has shifted into disagreements between once close people and friends. Zina will have to decide whether to stay in the Crimea or leave.

 

Azerbaijan | 63’ 

Director: Hilal Baydarov

Producer: Hilal Baydarov

Production Company: Ucqar Film

 

Today is a lonely woman’s birthday. Her husband died years ago, and her sons have left her alone. She expects nothing more than a simple telephone call, but nobody calls.

 

Germany, Czech Republic | 80’

Director: Cyprien Clément-Delmas, Igor Kosenko

Producer: Fabian Driehorst, Veronika Kührová

Production Company: Fabian&Fred (DE), Analog Vision (CZ)

 

"Why are you here? Are you mentally sick? Do you want to kill people?” the Ukrainian military commander asks 18-year-old recruit Artiom.

 

Serbia | 80’/52’

Director: Dragan Nikolić

Producer: Jovana Nikolić

Production Company: Prababa Production

 

A film about facing loss, based on the story of three generations of women who were involved in the same black wedding, a ritual of secret marriage between the dead and the living.

 

Poland | 60’

Director: Malgorzata Gozdzik

Producer: Magdalena Puzmujzniak, Joanna Zielinska

Production Company: Big Wave Films, Munk Studio

 

An woman returns to her family home as an adult, after years of artistic studies. She wants to reconnect with her grumpy, pessimistic father.

 

Macedonia | 87’

Director: Ljubomir Stefanov, Tamara Kotevska

Producer: Atanas Georgiev, Ljubomir Stefanov

Production Company: Trice Films, Apollo

 

The last female beehunter in Europe must save the bees and return the natural balance in Honeyland, when a family of nomadic apiarists invades her land and threatens her livelihood.

 

Czech Republic | 75’

Director: Petr Zaruba

Producer: Alice Tabery

Production Company: Cinepoint

 

Against a background of the personal and artistic story of the Czech painter Jan Jedlička, this film offers a meditation about our perception of landscape and its influence on people, and about the inner landscape we carry inside ourselves.

 

Romania | 80’

Director: Alexandra Gulea

Producer: Ana Maria Pirvan

Production Company: Anchor Films

 

An attempt to understand grand history through personal history and, at the same time, to share with the public an intimate relation with “the hands that raised us”. A tribute to those anonymous people who through our love become heroes.

 

Italy, Romania | 90’

Director: Sara Tirelli

Producer: Ioana Țurcan

Production Company: Studioset (RO)

 

A look at the life and work of the famous Italian fashion photographer and granddaughter of Benito Mussolini, Maria Vittoria Backhaus.

 

Czech Republic | 90’

Director: Adela Komrzy

Producer: Vit Komrzy

Production Company: Universal Production Partners

 

A documentary exploration and reconstruction of Czech video art against the background of communist totalitarianism.