Two-Time Oscar Contender Arturo Montenegro Among Pitchers at Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event Works in Progress (EXCLUSIVE)
Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event, the Baltic region’s leading industry confab and sidebar to the Black Nights Film Festival, has unveiled the list of 17 films from 15 countries selected for its three Works in Progress sessions: the International Works in Progress, Baltic Event Works in Progress (from the Baltics and Finland) and Just Film Works in Progress (for kids and youth).
The projects – which are in production or post-production and are looking for sales, extra coin and festival platforms – will be pitched to more than 500 industry delegates from at least 45 countries on Nov. 21-22.
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Buyers and programmers who first discovered in Tallinn little gems like Berlin winner “20,000 Species of Bees” from Spain, can look forward to this year’s WiP program. “It is exciting, strong, and so diverse!”, said Marge Liiske, head of Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event. “From the Baltics, we have slightly fewer projects this year, as many international co-productions were delayed due to longer financing periods. But hopefully, we’ll see those catching up next year!”
Triin Tramberg in charge of the Work in Progress International, underscores the higher volume and quality of submissions across all works in progress sections, most likely connected to the Black Nights Goes to Cannes’ organised with the Marché du Film.“ “Filmmakers probably know that they have twice a year the opportunity to showcase films in post-production, so we are on their radar,” Tramberg said.
Standout projects among the six International works in progress include “Papers” about the infamous Panama Papers scandal, directed by heavyweight Panamanian helmer and producer Arturo Montenegro, who repped his country in the Oscars’ race with “Everybody Changes” (2019) and “Birthday Boy” (2023). Headlining the drama are Megan Montaner (HBO Max’s “30 Coins”) and Carlos Bardem (“Scorpion in Love”, “Cell 211”).
Three international projects are directorial debuts, including Switzerland’s “Wolves” by Jonas Ulrich, a 2020 Locarno Golden Leopard winner for his short “People on Saturday” and Germany’s “Interior” by Pascal Schuh, Student Academy Award finalist with “Songs of a Caretaker.
While the international works in progress run wide in storytelling and size, the four Baltic Event projects, picked among 11 submissions, share common narrative traits, according to the section’s manager Helen R?im. “We have four strong social dramas with powerful main characters, searching their way through love, desire and belonging, and even finding humor, despite circumstances. All films touch the common theme of societal expectation, revealing the paradoxical reality of our times and questioning whether you are allowed to live freely, regardless of age, time and place,” R?im said.
Lithuania dominates the slate, with two majority and two minority co-productions, including the debut feature “Renovation” by former N.Y Columbia University alumna Gabriel? Urbonait?. The feature about a young woman’s existential doubts and attraction to a Ukrainian construction worker, just as she’s about to commit to her boyfriend, is produced by Uljana Kim, recipient of the Eurimages International Co-production Award 2023.
From Estonia, rising talent German Golub, a Student Oscar winner with his short film “My Dear Corpses,” will be pitching the biopic “Our Erica” about track cyclist Erika Salum?e, the first female Estonian athlete to win an Olympic gold medal. Marju Lepp produces for Filmivabrik.
Meanwhile, the Just Film section will showcase its largest slate ever with two children projects and five youth films that tell “diverse tales of people from different places and times,” according to the section manager K?rt V?inola. “These five films are aimed at teenagers, but among them are also a few coming-of-age stories that also fit young adults” she noted.
High profile titles take in “Little Elephant in the Woods” by Dutch filmmaker Meikeminne Clinckspoor, Emmy-nominated for the toddler series “Doopie” (2020), and “Dirty Land,” the directorial debut of Portugal’s Luis Campo (“Monte Clérigo”).
Projects from the International Works in Progress and Baltic Event Works in Progress will be eligible for a €7,000 ($7,600) Best Project Award , partly sponsored by Prague-based post-production house Studio Beep. Jury members include Casey Baron, U.S. programming lead for the Tribeca Film Festival; Julie Marnay, program manager for First Cut Lab and Alexis Cassanet, Gaumont EVP international sales & distribution.
Jurors who will hand out a €1,000 ($1,100) Best Project Award for the Just Film Works in Progress comprise Janne Vierth, commissioner for the Swedish Film Institute; Portuguese film and TV screenwriter Teresa Lima, head of the kids and youth festival Play, and Germany’s Eva-Maria Schneider-Reuter, media educator and artistic director for the Sehpferdchen Film Festival for the Generations,
Full rundown of International Works in Progress:
“Late Shift,” (Stefanos Tsivopoulos, Greece, Romania)
Produced by Nikos Smpiliris (Boo Productions)
Maria Dragus and Penelope Tsilika star in the drama about a Romanian single mum with a history of activism, who struggles to fit into Greek society. Tsivopoulos’ directorial debut will be delivered in 2025.
“Balance,” (Bj?rn Schürmann, Germany)
An exploration of the complexities of a father-daughter relationship marked by physical distance. Helmed and produced by Schürmann on a shoe-string budget. “The project stands out because of its low budget with a very heartfelt story. A great example that it is possible to do great things with small means,” said Tramberg.
“Papers,” (Arturo Montenegro, Panama, Spain, Uruguay)
An ambitious feature by the multi-awarded Montenegro (“Everybody Changes”) based on the true Panama Papers scandal of 2016 in which 11.5 million financial and legal records were leaked to the press to denounce money laundering among the rich. In the pic, we follow the young lawyer Ana Mendez (Megan Montaner), trapped in the middle of the world-shaking Panama Papers scandal. She must fight the system, the global media and her own ethical compass to try to restore her reputation and save her family. Q Films is producing with Spain’s El Sue?o Eterno and Uruguay’s Criatura Cine. Delivery set for Dec. 28, 2024.
“Interior,” (Pascal Schuh, Germany)
Based on a true story. The burglar Kasimir (Daniil Kremkin) uses a hollow couch to break into people‘s homes and film their private moments. The recordings are given to Dr. Liebermann (Knut Berger), who watches them to try to learn how to feel emotions. The feature debut by rising talent Schuh, a 2022 Student Academy Awards finalist, is produced by U5 Filmproduktion. Expected premiere Jan. 2025.
“Wolves,” (Jonas Ulrich, Switzerland)
A coming-of-age drama about a young woman’s turbulent relationship with the enigmatic frontman of a metal band, leading her on a journey of self-discovery that blurs the line between freedom and fanaticism. Producer Nicole Ulrich (Dynamic Frame) said the central band in the pic was formed specifically for the production, with Bartosz Bielenia from the Oscar-nominated “Corpus Christi” as lead vocalist. Delivery: Feb. 2025.
“Face to Face,” (Javier Marco, Spain, Belgium)
Feature length version of the helmer’s multi-awarded eponymous short film. His first feature “Josefina” was nominated for three Goya Awards in 2022. Sonia Almarcha stars as famous TV host Lina who shows up at the house of her social media hater (Manolo Solo) to confront him, but the two soon discover they aren’t that different. Pecado Films produces with LaCima Producciones, Langosta Films, in co-production with Odessa Films, Biograf Capital AIE and Bullet Proof Cupid. Release set for March 2025.
List of Just Film Works in Progress:
Kids Projects
“Little Elephant in the Woods,” (The Nethertlands)
Directed by Meikeminne Clinckspoor for 100prcnt Film.
“Ella and Friends: Nature Calls,” (Finland)
Directed by Elin Gr?nblom for Don Films.
Youth/YA projects
“Aquarium,” (Georgia)
Directed by Tornike Bziava for Reactormonkey Films, Buni Productions, 29plus7 Pictures, Shengelaya Productions, Arebato Films.
“Dirty Land,” (Portugal, Italy)
Directed by Luis Campos for Matiné.
“Emi,” (Argentina, Uruguay)
Directed by Ezequiel Erriquez Mena for Rita Cine.
“Secret Delivery,” (Czechia, Slovakia)
Directed by Ján Sebechlebsky for 8Heads Productions.
“The River,” (Chile, Argentina)
Directed by Cristóbal García for Vórtice Films.
Baltic Events Works in Progress:
“Call Me Calendar,” (Latvia, Lithuania)
Directed by Juris Po?kus for Madara Melberga.
“Our Erika,” (Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia)
Directed by German Golub for Filmivabrik.
“Sand in Your Hair,” (Lithuania, Latvia)
Directed by Mantas Verbiejus for Fralita Films.
“Renovation,” (Lithuania)
Directed by Gabriel? Urbonait? for Studio Uljana Kim.
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