IDFA Bertha Fund Activity Report 2015

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Activity Report 2015

IDFA Bertha Fund activity report 2015

Ukrainian Sheriffs wins Special Jury Award for Feature-Length Documentary

Hard work pays off Ukrainian filmmaker Roman Bondarchuk and producer Darya Averchenko received the Special Jury Award in IDFA’s FeatureLength Competition with their documentary Ukrainian Sheriffs.

After long and hard work – participating in the IDFAcademy Summer School, a long shooting period, a long period of editing and having a baby – the filmmakers finally presented Ukrainian Sheriffs at IDFA. Receiving the award heralded a fantastic start to their film’s festival career.

Contents Introduction Local Stories for Universal Truths

3 4

A Different Kind of Film

6

Showing the Other Side

8

A Global Problem

10

Encouraging Filmmakers’ Development

12

Activities and Results 1 IDFA Bertha Fund General

14

2 Selected documentary projects and festivals in 2015

15

3 Funding of documentary projects

19

4 Professionalization of filmmakers

23

5 Festivals and Distribution

28

6 IBF Network

35

Appendix I: Selection Criteria

39

Appendix II: Organization 2015

40

Appendix III: Statement of Income and Expenditure

41

4

IDFA BERTHA FUND

Introduction 2015 was an eventful year for the IDFA Bertha Fund, starting with the

Nurturing talented, courageous and tenacious documentary film-

introduction of a new funding scheme and ending with the presentation

makers will remain at the core of the IDFA Bertha Fund’s activities. By

of a very strong harvest of supported documentaries at IDFA 2015.

continuing to give financial support, mentoring, and providing access

With its new initiative IDFA Bertha Fund Europe, the Fund makes

to a network of documentary professionals, the Fund creates oppor-

available financing for the production and distribution of co-

tunities for filmmakers from Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle

productions between European producers and producers from Africa,

East and parts of Eastern Europe to create beautiful, remarkable and

Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. Doing

­necessary documentaries. Films that enrich the international docu-

so allows the Fund to increase its investments in feature-length

mentary landscape.

documentaries with the potential to connect with a large audience, as well as offering filmmakers and producers the opportunity to work at

This annual report gives an outline of the Fund’s activities in 2015 and

an international level and increase their network.

the impact its support has had on filmmakers and organizations in

The 2015 harvest of the Fund comprised a range of impressive,

this period. In the opening pages of this report, we present a series of

important and challenging documentaries by filmmakers who shared

interviews with a variety of partners and filmmakers, who discuss their

their visions and stories using a strong, personal visual language. Three

own work, the state of documentary filmmaking in their respective

films supported by the IBF ended up winning awards at the festival:

countries and their experiences in the documentary industry. The sec-

Ukrainian Sheriffs won the IDFA Special Jury Award for Feature-Length

ond part gives an overview of the activities carried out in 2015 as well

Documentary, Roundabout in My Head won the IDFA Special Jury

as all relevant facts and figures.

Award for First Appearance, and Sonita won the Bankgiro Loterij IDFA Audience Award.

In 2015, a total of 32 documentary projects and festivals were selected to receive support, hailing from 26 different countries, including Algeria, Pakistan, Kenya and Bhutan. These are films in which filmmakers show everyday life in their country through visual storytelling or which give insight into controversial and important

issues. In addition, IBF continued its support of three festivals that were also selected in 2014, and supported a fourth event, for documentary screenings in Afghanistan.

The Fund intensified its support of filmmakers in strengthening their

Bertha Foundation supports activists, storytellers and lawyers

projects, for instance by facilitating the participation of 7 projects in

that are working to bring about social and economic justice, and

the IDFAcademy Summer School and inviting filmmakers to the IBF

human rights for all. Envisioning a society in which activists build

Project Factory, a mentoring program during IDFA.

collective power, stories come from many different voices, and law is used as a tool for justice. By investing in the IDFA Bertha

With support from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs the Fund

Fund the Foundation supports filmmakers and documentaries

presented a program for documentaries on human rights and social

that make a difference.

injustice for the second time. Besides financial support and training for

Rebecca Lichtenfeld, Director of Social Impact Media at

documentary projects, a day focused on human rights documentaries

­Bertha, “We are proud to support the IDFA Bertha Fund, where

was organized during IDFA. Furthermore, the Fund organized an

we are consistently inspired by the depth and breadth of the

outreach workshop for selected filmmakers in collaboration with the

projects being supported from around the world. The fund

Bertha Foundation.

plays an important role in strengthening the documentary

IDFA Bertha Fund Europe was made possible by support of the Creative

field globally and we are honored to be a part of it.”

Europe Media Programme.

Thanks to the Bertha Foundation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hivos, and the Creative Europe Media program, 2015 was a year in which the IDFA Bertha Fund was able to continue supporting creative and courageous filmmakers that make a difference.

5

Shooting The Siren of Faso Fani

Burkinabe director Michel K. Zongo received production funding in 2013 for The Siren of Faso Fani. It was one of the first films from Burkina Faso that was supported by the fund. The film had its world premiere at the prestigious Berlinale festival in 2015 and screened in the Best of Fests programme at IDFA. The film was also screened in the director’s own country, at the Fespaco festival in Ouagadougou, where it won two awards.

6

IDFA BERTHA FUND

Local Stories for Universal Truths In his third film The Siren of Faso Fani, photographer-turned-filmmaker Michel K. Zongo chronicles the consequences that the closure of a textile factory has had on daily life in his home town in Burkina Faso.

The down-to-earth story is heightened by several stylictic flourishes.

“I was inspired by a film by Michael Moore: Roger & Me. That story touched something for me. Just like Moore, I go back to a factory that has been closed. I used to work in this factory myself during my school holidays. It’s a universal story, the same all over the world: the global economy is wreaking havoc in local lives. Similar films could have been made in Europe, in America, in Asia, and every time, it’s the workers who are left hanging.

“Michael Moore sets out to attack the system, but I don’t have his pushy character, haha! Besides, who could I have asked to speak on behalf of that system? The director of the International Monetary Fund? There’s no one person, or group of persons, responsible for this situation. There is no perpetrator, except for the system itself, so I wanted to give voice to the victims instead. In a way, the clips from radio shows that I use dotted through the film, are the incarnation of the system’s message. Which is always: “Everything is fine”, even while the city is in a deep recession.

“I wanted to take the side of the workers, and allow them to tell their stories. After all, they’re the ones suffering the consequences of the decisions taken somewhere in that system. That’s not just true for the people working at the factory. Every one of them was supporting others: his family, sometimes friends, often up to ten other people.

So the economy of the entire town came to a halt when the factory was closed. But the story isn’t over: there are still a lot of people, often women, creating artisanal textile in the city. I wanted to show that there is still a chance to revive the town’s economy, if they could manage to form a cooperative. They have a lot of energy, but they weren’t really organized.

“What’s important for me stylistically is that I’m the one who films.

I handle the camera myself, and work with a very small crew. And because I have my camera with me all the time, it becomes a part of me, and the reactions I get are very natural. They’re not staged, journalistic interviews - I simply have conversations with people, talk about life, sometimes argue with them. Every person has a story, and all those stories are connected. For me, the world is like a village. So it’s only through telling these very local, very personal stories, that you can approach something universal. Something that’s not black or white, but simply human.

“The end of the film is like a dream. It’s still just as true as everything that has come before it, but it’s a little bit like a dream of how we could restore life in the city, by actually creating the cooperative people are talking about. So it needed someting a bit more extraordinary visually as well. That’s why I have the camera go up in the air - it becomes a dream for all the world.”

7

Director Mohamed Jabaly and producer Mohanad Yaqubi presented their project Ambulance at IDFA Forum 2015.

Untill recently Jabaly lived in Gaza and Yaqubi lives on the West Bank, IDFA was their first opportunity to meet in real life – before that, the two had worked together via Skype and phone conversations. Jabaly and Yaqubi pitched their project Ambulance at IDFA Forum 2015 together with their Norwegian co-producer. Palestinian producer Yaqubi was also invited to participate in the IDFAcademy. The project received post-production support from IBF in 2015 and is expected to be ready in time for IDFA 2016.

8

IDFA BERTHA FUND

A Different Kind of Film With a full roster of projects with young directors, Palastinian producer Mohanad Yaqubi is developing a new direction for independent documentary in the Arab world.

Yaqubi: “There are so many camera’s in Gaza these days, so many news crews. Almost to a point that you become blinded. Hearing about Mohamed’s story, it was very personal, which is not usually the case most of the images from Gaza you see are created by media agencies.

Mohamed’s material is different, because you get the perspective of how it feels in the streets.”

Jabaly: “Last summer, before the war started, I was working with a local hospital, documenting their work. So when the war began, I immediately asked the director of the hospital if I could join the ambulance unit. I was with them all the time, all 51 days of the war. I followed them from attack to attack and experienced it all with them, as a human being and as a filmmaker. That experience made me feel even stronger that I needed to show this: that we are just normal people, and we don’t want this war.”

Yaqubi: “It’s a very difficult situation to make films at the moment in Gaza. There’s a kind of amnesia: everybody is just reporting on the action. So they are reactionary films, in a way: if they put up checkpoints, they make films about the checkpoints. But filmmakers aren’t taking the responsibility to make an action themselves - to make films that can have a force in reality. We’re trying to make a change in direction, to make a different kind of film, which is really exciting.”

Jabaly: “During those 51 days, I was simply filming what was happening around this hospital, how people were experiencing the war, how they react in moments when an attack happens close to them. I just carried the camera with me all the time - it was still reflective. Now, we’re in the middle of editing, and I’m trying to take some distance from it, to focus on the film. It’s hard to relive those experiences. There were many moments where I barely made it out alive, and I’m watching that material every day. It’s tiring. But have to shut it out, and be a filmmaker.”

Yaqubi: “I think this story has a real chance of connecting with an international audience, while at the same time staying honest to what it’s like to live in Gaza.

This is what we want the world to see, through independent, creative documentaries, not just TV reports. That’s not something that has a big tradition for us, it’s kind of a new area to discover, but it’s becoming bigger and bigger. From Lebanon to Egypt, documentary has been growing for the last four, five years. Before that, you never heard about independent documentary. I mean, there were maybe five or six main players, but now there’s a lot of new blood, developing a new aesthetic.”

9

Directors Alka Sadat and Sahra Mosawi at IDFA 2015

Alka Sadat’s film Afghanistan Night Stories was supported by IBF and screened at IDFA 2015. In Afghanistan she also runs a Women’s Film Festival in Herat. Sahra Mosawi’s film Kaloo School screened at IDFA 2012, and the fund supported her initiative Windows to Peace, fortnightly screenings of documentaries in Kabul including Q&A sessions with Afghani filmmakers.

10

IDFA BERTHA FUND

Showing the Other Side Sarah Mosawi and Alka Sadat are female filmmakers in Afghanistan, and both also organize festivals, in their home towns of Kabul and Herat respectively. Both try to stay optimistic despite the hardships their country is facing.

Mosawi: “Living in Afghanistan is really difficult, and even more so as a female filmmaker. Female artists are not accepted by the fundamentalists; women should stay home, or become a teacher or a nurse. This is the mentality all men in our country grow up with: to control women, to speak on our behalf. We grow up in a kind of censorship, hiding what we really want, even from ourselves. It was only when I went outside of my country, and saw how women could live in a healthy society, that I found out that something was missing in my own life.”

Sadat: “I already wanted to make Afghanistan Night Stories for three or four years.

I had made several films about women’s rights, all very sad, and wanted to make something with more hope. The idea was to show soldiers from all over Afghanistan coming together to defend their nation - although in the end the film didn’t turn out that optimistic. But as a woman, I could not get access to the military, especially the elite unit the film deals with. Most people in Afghanistan don’t trust filmmakers, because they feel that foreign filmmakers come to our country and only show the bad things. Every time some of them would become more friendly, the more conservative ones would start asking me what I was doing there. I had to tell them that I was married and had children for them to confide in me.”

Mosawi: “People don’t have the opportunity to leave the country, and see how people around the world are living. There’s a proverb that says: ‘How can you know your city if you don’t leave your city?’ That’s why we try to bring stories from other people in other places, to show how similar we are.”

Sadat: “With the film festival, we try to teach people that film can change things.

Human rights films are very important for us, and especially women’s rights films, because we have a lot of female visitors. So we want to show them films about strong women in other countries: what problems do they face, and what solutions do they find. People haven’t really had the chance to see those kinds of films.”

Mosawi: “Our screenings are held at the University in Kabul, at lunch time, so that students can come to the films. It’s also good for women, because the location is in a big park, which has very high security. We’re under attack from three different sides, but people are still coming to see the films, as if there’s no war going on.

People want to have some cultural activities, to be happy, to stay human, instead of only living in war and worrying.”

Sadat: “We don’t know which side is which, between the Taliban, the army and Daesh. Every time you say goodbye to your family, you don’t know if you will see them again. The Taliban had taken a city near Herat just before this year’s festival was starting. People were very scared, and the day before the opening, when all our international guests were arriving, city officials said we should cancel. In the end, we managed to convince them that we shouldn’t, and the government and the city helped us a lot. But it was the first time in my life that I prayed for the festival to finish without anything happening. But all that we can do is keep going, and hope that next year will be better.”

11

Director Zhao Liang was present at IDFA 2015 with his film Behemoth

Zhao Liang is one of the fund’s oldest acquaintances and a regular guest at IDFA. Back in 2003 the fund supported his film Return to the Border and in 2006 IDFA screened City Scene in its Paradocs section. His latest documentary Behemoth was supported with a production grant in 2014. It premiered at the prestigious Venice Film Festival as the only documentary in competition and was presented in the Masters program at IDFA 2015.

12

IDFA BERTHA FUND

A Global Problem Like a documentary version of Dante’s Inferno, Zhao Liang’s Behemoth takes us on a trip from a coal-mining hell through purgatory to the empty shell of the paradise that is powered by pollution.

“Starting a new film is never sudden for me - it’s not just one moment. I’m not sitting around thinking: ‘What kind of new work can I make?’ It’s an ongoing process. For me, Behemoth started three or four years ago. In China today, the environment is very important in daily life. Every day, the first thing we do after waking up is checking an app on our phones which tells us how much pollution there is in the air. If it’s bad, we don’t go out. So life revolves around pollution.

“I was on a trip following the Yellow River, all the way through China. Along the way, I came to this place in inner Mongolia, where there are lots and lots of coal mines. A very barren area, a landscape made just of stone, very tough.

Tough to be in, as well, because the air is full of dust. So then I knew where the pollution came from. And then, step by step, the film started to take form.

“I shot a lot of different types of material over a few years: people talking while they worked, traditional interviews, the usual documentary elements.

In fact, I followed a few of the people you still see in the film for two years.

For instance, the person who holds the mirror, and several factory workers. But when we started editing, I just got very bored with the traditional documentary, with the talking heads. It just didn’t work for me. In the end, although they are still in the film, I didn’t want to focus on any of these people - I wanted to show the places. Those people now become our guides from this foreign region to the world we know.

“During filming I had also shot a lot of images for my work in visual arts, and I started to ask myself why I was so much more comfortable with that kind of work. In the end, it should always be a combination: on the one hand, the visual arts allow me a kind of freedom. But on the other, it’s like a child, that always needs a teacher to take it by the hand. It needs that documentary element to really say something. But human beings are a visual animal, you don’t need to tell that story using words. That’s why the sound has become so important in the film: there’s hardly any dialogue in the film, so the sound really creates the ambience. That’s why I always ask the operator to play the film really loud, at all the festivals where the film has screened.

“I’m very happy that the film is playing all over the world. In my previous work, I really wanted Chinese people to see it, because they dealt with subjects of importance to them. I was much more focussed on my own country with those films. But with Behemoth, I didn’t really think about the audience.

It’s drawn from what’s inside myself, as an artist, just as a writer writing a book, or a painter making a painting, draws on his own experiences. I didn’t think about who would be watching it, whether it’s Chinese people or foreign people. Because this is not just a problem for China. It’s a problem that’s just as relevant in Europe, in America - it’s global.”

13

Festival director Alejandro Andujar at the opening ceremony of RDOC in the Dominican Republic

Alejandro Andujar is one of the founders of RDOC. IBF supported the first three editions of the festival, of which the third has taken place in March 2016. The festival’s goal is to screen more creative documentaries from Central America, the Caribbean and Latin America. The festival has managed to secure a place within the Dominican cultural scene and now also receives support from the local government. Andujar was invited to IDFA for the second time in 2015 to network, scout documentaries and join a special event for festival programmers set up by the IDFA Bertha Fund.

14

IDFA BERTHA FUND

Encouraging Filmmakers’ Development As one of the founders of the RDOC International Documentary Film Festival in the Dominican Republic, preparing it’s third edition for 2016, Alejandro Andujar has kept a close eye on documentary filmmaking in the Caribbean over the last few years.

“In my country, people think documentaries are what you see on National Geographic, or in TV reports. Sometimes people come up to me after watching a movie at the festival and say, ‘That movie was really good, but that’s not a documentary - there’s no interviews!’ So what we want to do is show creative documentaries, show different kinds of works, and try to educate people that documentaries are cinema.

“Before we started, there wasn’t much space for these kinds of films.

There were already a few film festivals in the Dominican Republic, but they didn’t really screen documentaries, and the only documentaries in cinemas were some American ones showing in mainstrean theatres. Other kinds of documentaries were forgotten. So three years ago, a group of us decided to start a festival exclusively for documentaries from Central America, the Caribbean and Latin America.

“We started big, right out of the gate. Ten, eleven festival days, with about 40 movies - too much, maybe. But we were very enthusiastic, so it just kept getting bigger, haha! The opening night film was a Dominican documentary called Blanca, about albino people in our country, and there were around 500 people at that screening. But other films didn’t do so well - there were a lot of films, a lot of activities, and maybe it was a little too big. So for the second edition last year, we pulled back a little bit - the festival was just one week, with about 35 films in the program, as well as Q&A’s, workshops and master classes.

Usually, the films that play better are the one that have Q&A’s after the screenings - people really seem to be drawn to that. And it’s good for the filmmakers’ development to get in contact with an audience too, which was quite hard before we started the festival.

“We get a lot of movies, but some of them are really bad! Around 250 films were sent in for the last festival. There’s a lot of filmmakers, but funding for documentaries is still very hard in the Caribbean and Latin America. There aren’t many funds, and so the ones that are there, like the IDFA Bertha Fund or Ibermedia, are very competitive. And private sponsors are very hard to persuade to do a documentary - they wan’t telenovellas, or fiction films. So there are a lot of people making documentaries with very little money, but a lot of heart. The works are getting better; filmmakers are thinking more about the form. There are a lot more interesting documentaries now than when we started.

“It’s been really good for documentaries in the Dominican Republic.

Because the films get the opportunity to hold a premiere and screen at the festival, they are getting more recognition; some have even managed to get regular distribution on the back of a premiere at the festival. The other festivals have also started to add documentaries to their programs. So we’ve seen a real change.”

15

Activities and Results

1. IDFA Bertha Fund General

IDFAcademy Summer School: Selected filmmakers supported by IBF can take part in the annual IDFAcademy Summer School, where they receive intensive coaching from leading documentary professionals from all over

Aims

the world.

Since its foundation in 1998, the IDFA Bertha Fund (IBF), formerly known

IBF Project Factory: Filmmakers and producers of supported projects

as Jan Vrijman Fund, has striven to stimulate the documentary film

are invited to IDFA and follow a special route through the IDFA Forum1,

climate in Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East and parts of Eastern

IDFAcademy2 and Industry Talks3 or follow the IDFA Bertha Outreach

Europe. The IBF supports independent filmmakers who make creative

Workshop.

documentaries. In addition, the Fund supports the organization of docu-

Tailor-made consultancies and feedback: Supported filmmakers can

mentary film festivals in these countries, aiming to address the shortage

receive individual consultancy in areas concerning script or editing.

of screening opportunities in developing countries. In 2015 the Fund has

The Fund can also provide advice to filmmakers on distribution, festival

added measures to stimulate collaborations between independent Eu-

strategies or entering into agreements with distributors or TV stations.

ropean producers and producers from developing countries by supporting the production and distribution of documentaries realized through

Festivals and Distribution

co-productions.

Getting a film made is one thing; getting it screened is quite another.

By supporting film festivals and several other activities, the Fund

How we work

contributes to creating screening opportunities in developing countries

The IBF acts as a financier, matchmaker and promoter of talented film-

and assists its selected filmmakers in navigating the international

makers, documentaries and documentary film festivals from developing

documentary field.

countries. Each year, projects are selected for financial support. The IBF then

Support of documentary festivals in developing countries: By supporting

makes efforts to strengthen and promote these projects and to ensure

film festivals in developing countries, the Fund wishes to ensure

that filmmakers and festival organizations have access to an international

independent documentaries get screened.

network of film professionals.

International distribution of IBF documentaries: Each year, the

From 2015, the Fund comprises of four different categories, which can be

completed documentaries are presented at IDFA and entered into

each applied for in different selection rounds throughout the year. The

IDFA’s market Docs for Sale, where international distributors, festival

applications the IBF receives are assessed by an international selection

programmers and television buyers view the new documentary harvest.

committee consisting of members active in various capacities within

Festival circulation of IBF documentaries worldwide: After IDFA, the

the documentary film world. Appendix I shows the selection criteria

documentaries are often invited to countless other international

applied in making the selections and Appendix II gives an overview of the

festivals. In this way, local stories are disseminated worldwide.

Screenings of IBF documentaries in the Benelux: IBF-supported docu-

selection committees in 2015.

mentaries contribute to the cultural diversity of IDFA and play a signifi-

Core activities

cant part in attracting curious audiences to the festival. Each year, a

Funding of documentary projects

number of the titles are released through the DVD label IDFA’s Delicates-

To strengthen documentary production in developing countries, the Fund

sen, included in The Best of IDFA on Tour, screened online through IDFA.

provides financial contributions to creative documentaries at various

tv, selected for special IDFA screening programs and offered to television

stages of their production. Contributions for project development during

channels, cinemas and festivals in the Benelux.

the early phase play a crucial role in starting up these projects. Financial support during the production phase allows filmmakers to make a start

IBF network

on the actual realization of their projects. During the post-production

Over the past 18 years, aided by IDFA’s status within the documentary

phase, the documentaries are edited, finished and made suitable for

industry, the Fund has built up an extensive international network of con-

screening on television, in cinemas and at (international) festivals.

tacts and a wealth of experience with local partners as well as knowledge

With the IDFA Bertha Fund Europe program, the Fund also supports the

of the documentary industry. The Fund maintains a number of structural

collaboration between producers and the distribution of documentaries

relationships with organizations in developing countries. Making these

realized through co-productions.

contacts, this experience and knowledge available to filmmakers and organizations in developing countries is one of the Fund’s core tasks. Every year,

Professionalization of documentary filmmakers

the IBF sends consultants to workshops and festivals all over the world in

By focusing on talent development and assisting the selected

order to promote the Fund and IDFA, to extend its network and to provide

filmmakers in furthering their professionalization, the Fund stimulates

concrete professional support to filmmakers from developing countries.

the development of these filmmakers, thereby also strengthening the

1 IDFA’s international co-financing and co-production market.

2 The IDFAcademy organizes workshops and training programs for emerging filmmakers during IDFA and throughout the year.

3 Talks on current developments in the documentary industry, covering such topics as rights and sales, outreach campaigning, and new financing models through branded funding.

documentary genre. The Fund offers a range of activities aimed at supporting filmmakers in their creative process:

16

IDFA BERTHA FUND

In addition, the IBF strives to bring filmmakers and organizations

meeting place for the documentary industry, and during the festival a

from developing countries in contact with the international docu-

great number of activities take place aimed at stimulating filmmakers

mentary industry. To achieve this, every year the Fund invites several

and organizations to make use of existing networks and co-produc-

filmmakers and festival programmers to attend IDFA. IDFA is a major

tion markets.

9%

18%

16%

2. Selected documentary projects and festivals in 2015

10% 14%

12%

20% 29%

In 2015, the Fund supported 32 projects with a total amount of â‚Ź 507,000 in all its 28% categories combined. The table below gives an overview of the

44%

selection in 2014 and 2015.

Table 1 Selection Number of projects

Granted amount

Number of14% projects

14%

7

35.000

14%

Classic: Production & Post-Production

22

359.850

23%

14

Europe: International Co-production

n/a

n/a

n/a

9

3

40.000

32

434.850

Total

13%

% low income DAC countries

22%

44.500

22%

222.500

21%

5

200.000

20% 35%

33%

4

40.000

50%

22%

32

507.000

24%

24%

Other Activities Classic: Documentary Festivals

Granted amount

9% 2015

2014

Documentaries Classic: Project Development

% low income DAC countries 17%

31%

22%

12% 6%

14%

Explanatory notes on table 1: With support from Creative Europe, the Fund

Female filmmakers21%

has initiated the new category IBF Europe: International Co-production in

The Fund considers it important that female filmmakers are represented

41% among 29%the selected projects. The figures below show the ratio of male

2015, to stimulate co-productions between European producers and those from developing countries. Five projects were selected in this category, re-

to female filmmakers.

29%

ceiving a total amount of â‚Ź 200.000. This explains the difference between

35%

the total amounts granted in 2014 and 2015.

7% filmmakers involved in selected6% Figure 3: Female projects

Table 1 further shows that less projects were selected in the Classic cat-

% Female filmmakers in 2014

% Female filmmakers in 2015

egories compared to 2014. This is due to less financing being available in 2015, as well as the introduction of the IBF Europe scheme. Counting both the Classic category and the new IBF Europe category, the number of selected projects is exactly the same.

48%

In the Documentary Festival category, the same amount was given out

52%

58%

42%

as in 2014, but divided between four festivals in stead of three. The Fund decided to continue its support to three festivals which also received support in 2013 and 2014 for a third and final year. In addition, a new initiative from Afghanistan was supported. As in 2014, a lack of financial means meant that the Fund could not hold an open call for Documen-

Male

Female

tary Festivals.

Remarkably, a larger percentage of the selected projects in the Classic

Explanatory notes on Figure 3: Since 2012, the number of selected

categories (26%) came from the low income countries on the DAC list 4;

projects by female filmmakers has grown and in 2013 and 2014 more

26% is the average for all classic categories together.

than 50% of the filmmakers were female. In 2015 this percentage has decreased to 42%. For the purposes of the figures above, both directors and producers are considered filmmakers. Director and producer often play an equal role in the creation of a documentary: the director in terms of content and the producer in the area of getting the film made. Although women are in the minority as far as absolute numbers go, more than half of the selected projects have female talent involved either as a director or producer.

4 The DAC list 2014, 2015, 2016 as drawn up by the OECD, http://www.oecd. org/dac/stats/documentupload/DAC%20List%20of%20ODA%20Recipients%20 2014%20final.pdf. As low income countries the Fund considers the two lefthand columns on the DAC list named Least Developed Countries and Other Low Income Countries.

17

Selected Projects 2015 The following projects received support from the Fund in 2015. The list below includes the amount granted and a brief description of each project.

Project development 1 5 Houses Bruno Gularte Barreto, Brazil € 5.000

In a small city in Brazil there is a house whose owners died, there is a school where nuns pray, there is a haunted farm where an old man lives, there is a young gay man being beaten up on the street, and there`s an old lady playing the piano. They talk about life, death, violence, prejudice, compassion and joy.

2 Alabang Boy Monster Jimenez, Phillippines € 5.000

Joseph Tecson, at 22 years old, spends 4 years in prison, falsely accused of heading a drug syndicate.

In jail he starts to paint portraits of prisoners. After his acquittal, Joseph emerges a celebrated artist, but struggles to adjust to his new reality.

3 Big Character Anqi Ju, China € 5.000

On Google Maps from ten kilometers above the unpopulated westerly region of the Gobi desert, it’s possible to see thirty huge Chinese characters and an exclamation mark - poems of Chairman Mao. How did these characters appear in the deslotate and unibhabited Gobi?

4 Inseparables Arun Bhattarai, Dorottya Zurbo, Bhutan/ Hungary | € 5.000

Tashi and Tshering grew up together in a remote village in the isolated Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan. When the two 13-year-old girls both get selected into the first national women football team, an inseparable bond develops in a faraway training camp.

5 The Land of Fire Alfredo Pourailly De La Plaza, Chile € 5.000

Every piece of land has its own resources. The film pursues the stories of the people who inhabit the Land of Fire island because there, in the isolated and almost uninhabited land, we can see more clearly the way we build our world.

6 Love Song. Pastorale Tinatin Gurchiani, Georgia € 5.000

How would you love to spend last years of your life? With past, presence or future? And when the evening of the life arrives, what would you love to remember?

7 Past, Continuous Nishtha Jain, India € 5.000

Past, Continuous looks at the anachronistic existence of the jute industry in India and Bangladesh, and its umbilical ties to the original jute-opolis, Dundee in Scotland. A film essay about global capitalism, labour struggles, the eco-friendly nature of the fiber, and cinema itself.

8 The Second Revolution: A dream for the poor, a nightmare for the rich?

Khalo Matabane, South Africa | € 5.000

A young militant political activist goes against the Nelson Mandela narrative of forgiveness and reconciliation to take on both the white and black South Africa elite and eradicate the widening gap between the poor and the rich.

9 Written On Your Face Simon Lokwang, South Sudan € 4.500

Twelve-year-old Turo wants to become a man but to do so he and his friends from the village must go trough the initiation ritual during three weeks out in the bush and endure the painful scarification.

Production & Post-Production 10 Ambulance Mohamed Jabaly, Palestine/Norway € 15.000

Ambulance is a raw, first-person account of the last war in Gaza, July 2014. Mohamed Jabaly, a young man from Gaza City, joins an ambulance crew as war approaches.

11 Cecilia Pankaj Johar, India/Norway € 17.500

A personal and grueling quest for justice in the case of the mysterious suicide of a 14-year-old girl in Delhi. The police believe that this live-in maid for a wealthy family committed suicide, but no one can explain what might have driven her to do such a thing.

12 Checks and Balances Malek Bensmaïl, Algeria/France € 17.500

It’s spring 2014. The Algerian presidential election is in full swing when filmmaker Malek Bensmaïl gets permission to film the newsrooms of the independent French-language daily El Watan. He encounters a microcosm that, as the hours pass by, increasingly resembles a pressure cooker.

13 Children of the War Mariana Viñoles, Uruguay € 14.000

Children of the War tells the life’s story of people who had to leave their country behind, their families, their smells, their traditions to start a new life in a far away country they knew nothing of called Uruguay.

14 Indispensable Asad Faruqi, Pakistan € 17.500

Indispensable follows two bomb disposal squad members of the KPK Bomb Disposal Unit to the front lines of the war in Pakistan. The film gets up close and personal with these bomb technicians as they penetrate enemy territory, often using just their bare hands.

15 The Letter Maia Lekow, Christopher King, Kenya € 17.500

After his grandmother is accused of being a witch, a young rapper sacrifices his street-cred by embarking on an investigation to unmask the taboos around witchcraft, and record an outspoken album to stop the killing of elders in Kenya.

16 Roundabout in My Head Hassen Ferhani, Algeria/France/Lebanon/ Qatar | € 15.000

The magnificent caverns of a slaughterhouse in Algiers serve as a microcosm of Algerian society. The abattoir is a world within a world; during their breaks the men discuss politics, the refusal of some French-Algerian soccer players to sing “La Marseillaise,” and their own expectations for the future.

18

IDFA BERTHA FUND

17 The Sound of Masks Kofi Zwana, Sara Gouveia, South Africa € 17.500

A visual account of Mozambique’s past and present told through dance. We focus on a group of people living in the Military Zone in Maputo, who were given land as a reward for fighting in the independence and civil wars. They are facing eviction to make way for housing for the rich.

18 Spiral Jeffery Kalousdian, Maria Saakyan, Armenia | € 17.000

After 30 years dancing and teaching abroad, one of the most accomplished ballet dancers from the Soviet Union returns home to Armenia to revive the national ballet. He strives to turn the insular, undisciplined troupe into a world class modern company.

19 Sumercé Victoria Solano, Colombia/UK € 17.500

Three Colombians – veteran activist Don Eduardo, rising political leader César Pachón and future human rights lawyer Wilson Arias – fight their government’s decision to allow mining companies to carve up their birthright in a battle for the future security of over 12 million Colombian campesinos.

20 Syiagul Amanbek Mairambek Uulu, Kyrgyzstan € 5.000

The 46 year-old Duisheeva Syiagul lives in Bishkek with her family. For more than seven years she cares for children with autism abandoned by their parents, while she has three adult kids of her own.

In the meantime Syiagul has also been fighting with cancer for many years.

21 Trembling Mountain Kesang Tseten, Nepal € 17.000

A natural calamity of an order unseen this century in Nepal brought destruction of highland villages of mud-and-stone dwellings of Langtang, one of the most scenic trekking spots in the Himalaya. How does this mountain community deal with a calamity beyond the ordinary?

22 The Waiting Bench Suhaib Gasmelbari Mustafa, Chad/ France/Sudan | € 17.500

Ibrahim, Manar, Soliman and Eltayeb, 4 filmmakers and close friends since more than 45 years, furrow Sudanese roads with their traveling cinema. The Waiting Bench is the story of their journey to look for a new movie screen and their cinema attempt in a wounded country.

23 When the Guns Go Silent Natalia Orozco, Colombia/France € 17.000

After half century of armed struggle, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the oldest guerrilla in the world, are preparing to silence their weapons and undertake the transition into the political realm. This documentary follows the FARC’s commander Pablo Catatumbo.

Unique perspective of an unknown country

Inseparables is the second documentary project from Bhutan ever supported by IBF. The inseparable friends Tashi and Tshering have one big dream: to become part of the first Bhutanese national women’s soccer team. Their story comes to symbolize the rapid modernization of Bhutan, where television was introduced as late as 1999. Filmmakers Dorottya Zurbó and Arun Bhattarai reflect on the crossroads between traditional and western values.

19

IBF Europe International Co-Production 24 Fathers & Sons - The Legacy of War Talal Derki, Germany/Syria € 40.000

Fathers and Sons tells the story of the young generation in Syria and asks about the future of children, who grew up in the war.

25 Freedom Fields Naziha Arebi, Libya/Scotland € 40.000

In post-revolution Libya a group of women are brought together by one dream: to play football for their nation. As the country descends into civil war and the utopian hopes of the “Arab Spring” begin to fade, can they realise their dream?

26 The Grown-Ups Maite Alberdi, Chile/The Netherlands € 40.000

A group of friends with Down syndrome have attended the same school for over 40 years. They’re aging and they have not been allowed to live adulthood on their own.

27 Hissène Habré, A Chadian Tragedy Mahamat Saleh Haroun, Chad/France/ Senegal | € 40.000

Hissène Habré, Chad president from 1982 to 1990, is to be judged for his crimes in 2015. Victims have been seeking to bring him to justice for 23 years.

28 The Iron Demon - A Journey into a Broken Land Jude Ratnam, France/Sri Lanka | € 40.000

In 1983, a Sri Lankan Tamil boy escapes an ethnic massacre by fleeing on a train. Today, now 30 years later a filmmaker, he boards a new train to revisit the recently ended civil war that tore his country apart.

Documentary Film Festival 29 Cine-DOC Tbilisi 2015 Artchil Khetagouri, Georgia € 10.000

Ciné-DOC Tbilisi Documentary Film Festival is an international documentary festival in the South of Caucasus that focusses on creative documentary. The IDFA Bertha Fund supported the 1st edition in 2013, the 2nd edition in 2014, and the 3rd edition in 2015.

30 RDOC, Int. Documentary FF Alejandro Andujar, Ana Poala van Dalen, Dominican Republic | € 10.000

The International Documentary Film Festival of Dominican Republic and Caribbean, RDOC, is the first meeting space and broadcast point for documentary film in Dominican Republic. The IDFA Bertha Fund supported the 1st edition in 2014, the 2nd edition in 2015, and will support the 3rd edition in 2016.

31 Wathann Film Festival Thu Thu Shein, Myanmar € 10.000

The Wathann Film Festival is a platform for Myanmar filmmakers to show their films in the field of documentary, fiction and experimental films to the Myanmar public. The IDFA Bertha Fund supported the 3rd edition in 2013, the 4th edition in 2014 and the 5th edition in 2015.

32 Window to Peace Documentary FF Sahra Mosawi, Afghanistan € 10.000

A monthly screening event of documentaries in Kabul including Q&A sessions with Afghani filmmakers which takes place from June 2015 to June 2016.

New talent develops into a master

The Grown-Ups is the second documentary project from Maite Alberdi supported

by IBF. Her previous documentary Tea Time received production funding in the IBF Classic scheme and screened at more than 30 international festivals after its World premiere at IDFA 2014 and won 11 awards. During her IDFA visits she met her new Dutch co-producer Volya Films, who received the IBF Europe grant for Co-production support for The Grown-Ups.

20

IDFA BERTHA FUND

3. Funding of documentary projects

3.1 IBF Classic

Selected documentary applications

The IDFA Bertha Fund’s Classic categories support independent docu-

Of the 619 applications, 23 projects were selected. This constitutes less

mentary projects by both experienced and talented young filmmakers.

than 4% of applications received. Some of the documentaries supported

In addition, the IBF is one of the few funds in the world that supports

by the Fund are from unstable areas or countries with limited freedom

projects at the development stage, as well as projects dealing with risky

of expression, an essential precondition for an independent film indus-

topics or shot in dangerous situations. Often, projects by young, talented

try. In 2015, 12 projects (52%) were selected from countries where the

filmmakers who have almost no chance of finding finance elsewhere are

situation concerning freedom of the press is difficult and 4 projects (17%)

selected. In this way, the Fund strives to encourage a new generation of

from countries where the situation is very difficult.6 In total, 70% of the

male and female filmmakers to develop a voice and style of their own.

selected projects come from a country in which freedom of expression is

The diagrams below give an overview of the geographical distribution of

limited. All mentioned percentages are nearly the same as in 2014.

applications received, applications selected and documentaries realized.

New makers are well represented in the selection as a whole. Of the

9%

18%

10% 14%

23 selected projects, 14 projects (61%) are the director’s first or second

12%

Documentary applications received

16% documentary.

In 2015, a total of 619 applications were received for documentary projects

Of the selected projects, 22% were from the low income countries on

20%

29% the DAC list, a higher percentage than in the applications received.

from Africa, Asia, Latin America, parts of Eastern Europe and the MENA5

28%

region. The percentage of applications from the low income countries as

44%

Figure 2: Geographical distribution of selected projects

specified on the DAC list was 11% in 2015, compared to 12% in 2014.

% Selected projects in 2014

% Selected projects in 2015

Figure 1: Geographical distribution of applications % Applications received in 2014

9%

18%

16%

% Applications received in 2015

12%

17%

10% 14%

14%

31%

28%

44%

Total selected projects: 29 Africa

Asia

17%

Latin America

14%

22%

22%

35%

24%

29%

Africa

13% 9%

20%

Total applications received: 555

14%

Total applications received: 619 MENA

14%

Latin America

21%

Total selected projects: 23 MENA

Eastern Europe

12% 6%

Explanatory notes on Figure 2: There are a number of notable shifts in

Eastern Europe

13%

Asia

22%

the selection. The most prominent change can be seen in the 41%Africa re-

29%

Explanatory notes on Figure 1: As shown in9% the diagrams, the geo-

gion, increasing from 14% in 2014 to 22% in35% 2015. However, in absolute numbers the amount 29% of projects from Africa has not changed. The in-

14% distribution of applications received has changed quite a lot. graphical 31%

crease is not 7% hard to explain: the Fund selected fewer 6%projects in 2015,

However, the incredibly large amount of Brazilian 22% applications (132 of

35%received the total of 619), skews these figures. In past years, the Fund

but gave preference to African projects because there were many good

24%

around 25 applications from Brazil, but because the national film fund

applications from this region. In some previous years, little applications

communicated the IBF deadline very actively this year, the IBF was

from Africa had stood up to the quality that the Fund is searching for.

overwhelmed by 182 applications from Brazil, of which 132 actually fell

Secondly, fewer projects from Eastern Europe were selected than

within the Fund’s guidelines. This number greatly 6% the image of 12%skews

before. Every year new Non-EU Eastern-European countries are eligible

seems to have decreased by 9%, but when we disregard the extra

these countries can no longer apply for IDFA Bertha Fund support. Thus

41% in Brazilian projects there is only a decrease of 4%. The 16% increase

the number of applications from Eastern Europe is steadily declining,

14%

21% the geographical distribution.

The number of applications from Asia

for the Creative Europe52% Program, which means 48% 58%that filmmakers 42% from

29%

applications from Latin America is largely35% due to the Brazilian contribu29%

resulting in a smaller selection. In 2015 filmmakers from Montenegro, Albania and Bosnia & Herzegovina were no longer eligible.

tions; disregarding them leaves an increase of only 4%. The percentage

7%received from Africa and MENA have of applications decreased only 6%

The high percentage of selected projects from Asia (35%) has

slightly - in absolute numbers it’s just a decrease of 12 projects. The

remained virtually unchanged for several years now. However, as op-

number of applications from Eastern Europe is slightly up.

posed to recent years when most projects where from India or China,

5 MENA = Middle East-North Africa

6 Based on the World Press Freedom Index 2015: http://index.rsf.org/#!/

48%

52%

58%

42%

21

Table 2 Selection of Human Rights Projects

there was more diversity: from the Philippines, Nepal and Bhutan to Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan.

The percentage of selected projects from the MENA region is steadily

Documentary Project

Director

declining, from 9 projects in 2013 to 4 in 2014 and only 2 in 2015. How-

Cecilia

Pankaj Johar

m/ f m

India

ever, 2013 constituted a high-water mark: the political unrest in several

Indispensable

Asad Faruqi

m

Pakistan

MENA countries led to a greater number of urgent projects from the

The Letter

Maia Lekow, Christopher King

region in 2012 and 2013, which also led to a larger selection. The ongo-

Sumercé

Victoria Solano

f

Colombia

ing unrest is now allowing fewer projects to be made.

When the Guns Go Silent

Natalia Orozco

f

Colombia

f/m

Country

Kenya

Human Rights & Social Injustice

IDFA Human Rights Day

With support of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Fund

As part of the program, IDFA collaborated with the Movies that Matter

launched a program (2014-2015) for human rights and social injustice

Festival in organizing a Human Rights Day during IDFA 2015. This

documentaries. The program focusses on stories of human rights viola-

Movies that Matter Day consisted of a program of four films from the

tions which would not be seen or reflected upon without these docu-

IDFA programme: Lampedusa in Winter, Censored Voices, I Am Sun Mu

mentaries. Stories which denounce social injustice through powerful

and Guantanamo’s Child: Omar Khadr. Each screening was followed by

means such as witness accounts. Stories whose revelation put their

Extended Q&A’s with the filmmakers.

makers, defenders of human rights, at risk.

Each year five documentaries receive a production grant. In addition to

Bertha Foundation/IDFA Outreach Workshop

funding, guidance is offered during production and editing. The selected

The filmmakers of all projects selected for the human rights

filmmakers also participate in an outreach workshop, guiding them in

program were invited to IDFA, where they participated in the Bertha

using their films to draw attention to certain themes and subjects. Con-

Foundation/IDFA Outreach Workshop. A total of ten filmmakers and

nected to this program, a day of human rights films is held during the

producers attended the workshop, given by the Bertha Foundation and

IDFA festival.

Britdoc, two institutes experienced in creating campaigns for message films. The one-day workshop started with a plenary session in which

Selection human rights program

case studies were used to explain the basic tenets and possibilities

From the applications, five projects from Pakistan, India, Kenya and

of outreach campaigns. The workshop then split into smaller groups,

Colombia were selected. The projects focus on individuals who are at risk

allowing experts and participants to focus on individual projects,

in their home countries, fighting for their own rights or for the rights of

taking the first steps towards creating their own campaigns.

their community. Cecilia premiered at IDFA 2015. The other four films are

The selected filmmakers all indicated that they want to have a wide

still in production.

distribution of their films and not necessarily through traditional

Fighting for peace in Colombia

When the Guns Go Silent received production support from IDFA Bertha Fund via the Human Rights and Social Injustice program of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The project is about the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the oldest guerilla organization in the world, and their preparations to silence their weapons and undertake the transition into the political realm. During IDFA 2015 the filmmakers participated in the Bertha Foundation/IDFA Outreach Workshop.

22

18%

14%

12%

16%

IDFA BERTHA FUND

20% 29%

28%

44%

screens. Their stories are all of importance in their home countries,

Explanatory notes on Figure 4: The number of realized projects was

while several could also be used as part of an international campaign.

slightly higher in 2015 than it was in 2014. For the past three years, the Fund was able (as it wasn’t in 2012) to hold two selections round per

Documentaries14% realized 17%

year, increasing the number of supported documentaries in production

13%

22% from In 2015, 17 documentaries that previously received a contribution

and thus the number of realized projects. The Fund is expecting this

9%

increase to continue in the upcoming years.

the Fund were realized. Of these, 12 were selected for IDFA 2015, 4

were14% debut films and 2 were made in a country from the low income 31% countries of the DAC list.

22% 35% 24%

With regards to geographical distribution, it is notable that most projects come from Asia and MENA. In 2012 and 2013 many documentaries from MENA were selected, as the start of the Arab Spring

Figure 4: Geographical distribution of documentaries realized

resulted in an increase of applications from the region. The resulting

Documentaries realized 2014

films are now starting to be released. In addition, Asia has long been a

Documentaries realized 2015

front-runner in both the number of selected projects and the number

14%

12% 6%

21%

29%

tions being sent in and selected in the last few years, resulting in 6 out of 17 projects realized in 2015 (35%) hailing from these two countries.

41%

35%

29%

of realized projects. China and India in particular saw many applica-

Unfortunately there is a decrease in the number of realized projects from Africa, even though the amount of selected projects has changed very little over the last few years. A number of projects from

7%

6%

Total: 14

Total: 17

this region are taking longer than expected to reach the finish line, but the Fund expects to see these films realized in the next few years.

Africa

Asia

Latin America

MENA

Additionally, a number of African projects which received development support from IBF did not enter production, because the film-

Eastern Europe

makers could not get financing. The Fund, too, rejected applications

48%

52%

58%

for production support for these projects, as they did not comply

42%

with the Fund’s quality requirements.

The upcoming MENA region

One of the projects from the MENA region was Roundabout in My Head by Algerian director Hassen Ferhani, which portrays daily life in an Algerian slaughterhouse. The fund supported Roundabout in My Head with a production grant in 2015 and could proudly present the film in the First Appearance Competition at IDFA 2015, where it won the Special Jury Award.

23

3.2 IBF Europe 2015 saw the launch of a new funding scheme, IDFA Bertha Fund Europe,

Explanatory notes on figure: The number of applications from The

to support the production and distribution of international co-produc-

Netherlands was surprising, as Dutch documentary producers are not

tions between Europe and developing countries. By focusing on funding

usually very active with regards to international co-productions. Their

documentaries from developing countries through these European

colleagues in France and Germany are more active in comparison:

partners the Fund will be able to increase the support to these films, to

co-productions are more common in these countries because more op-

strengthen the creative participation of the European partners and to

portunities for the financing of co-productions are in place.

stimulate the circulation of documentaries from developing countries in

The Fund is eager to attract producers from countries where possibili-

a world that is mostly dominated by western media.

ties for co-productions are scarcer, and will give more attention to this

In 2015 a first selection round was held for the category IBF Europe:

in upcoming selection rounds.

International Co-production support. The first selection round for IBF Europe: Distribution support for International Co-productions will take

Selected projects

place in 2016. The tables below give an overview of the applications

Of the 24 applications, 6 projects were selected. In the end, one se-

received and selected.

lected project fell through: the contract with the Fund was terminated after the co-producers decided to part ways. Therefore, the percent-

Applications for International Co-production support

ages in this report reflect 5 selected projects for IBF Europe: Interna-

For this first selection round, the Fund received 24 applications, entered

tional Co-production. All filmmakers of these selected projects have

by producers from a.o. France, The Netherlands, Estonia, the UK and

dealt with the Fund before: three projects were previously supported

Portugal, co-producing with a wide range of countries in Africa, Asia,

through IBF Classic, and in two other cases the Fund supported previ-

Latin America, the Middle-East and Eastern Europe.

ous works by the filmmakers.

IBF expects to be able to present all films realized with the IBF Europe support at IDFA 2016. For an overview of all selected projects, see

Table 3: Applications for Co-production support Estonia France Germany Italy

1 6 3 1

The Netherlands Norway Portugal United Kingdom

page 16.

7 1 1 4

Learning a different approach in editing

Inadelso Cossa from Mozambique worked with editing mentor Menno Boerema on his project Kula: A Memory in Three Acts during the IDFAcademy Summer School. “It was crucial for me to get a different approach to editing and Menno played a very important role in achieving this”, Cossa says. “I came to the Summer School with a narrow vision and wrong ideas about the use of narration and voice over. Menno’s masterclass showed me that this can be an important tool to grab the audience and move the audience forward. I went home with new tools to work with and new ideas about openings and beginnings.”

24

IDFA BERTHA FUND

4. Professionalization of filmmakers Since a few years, the IDFA Bertha Fund has made it a priority to not

Since 2008, filmmakers with projects selected by IBF have been able

only give financial support to filmmakers, but also provide tailor-made

to participate in the IDFAcademy Summer School. In 2013 the Fund set

practical guidance. IBF offers its selected filmmakers a number of

up the IBF Project Factory. Both programs offer supported filmmakers

training opportunities to stimulate their development and strengthen

different opportunities to receive consultancy on the development,

their documentaries. The Fund aims to support filmmakers in their

editing and distribution of their projects.

creative process and where necessary, help them bring their work to an international level. In most countries where the Fund is active, there is

IDFAcademy Summer School 2015

little or no film training and hardly anything that could be called a film

From June 29 through July 4, young filmmakers, editors and pro-

industry. Often there are no funds offering support to documentary

ducers from 13 different countries gathered at De Brakke Grond in

filmmaking and filmmakers struggle with inadequate screening op-

Amsterdam for the eighth IDFAcademy Summer School. A week full

portunities for their documentaries.

of discussions, lectures and workshops helped participants take their documentary projects to the next level. Two workshop tracks were offered, focusing on writing and editing respectively. In 2015, a total of 16 projects were selected for the Summer School, seven of which were supported by the IBF.

Table 4: IBF Participants at the IDFAcademy Summer School 2015 Documentary project

Country

Summer School Category

Filmmakers / participants

M/F

Have a nice day!

Brazil

Development

Tali Yankelevich & Rachel Vianna

F/F M/F

Inseparables

Bhutan/Hungary

Development

Arun Bhattarai & Dorottya Zurbó

Anonymous project

Paraguay

Development

anonymous

The Sound of Masks

South Africa

Development

Kofi Zwana & Sara Gouveia

M/F

Spiral

Armenia

Development

Jeffery Kalousdian & Maria Saakyan

M/F

Kula: A Memory in Three Acts

Mozambique

Editing

Inadelso Cossa

Winners

Iran

Editing

Omid Abdollahi & Emad Jalali Bostanoo

M

M M/M

Explanatory notes on Table 4: Of the seven IBF projects that participat-

2015. The Summer School helped in founding the focus of

ed in the IDFAcademy Summer School 2015, six are still in production

the documentary.

and one is completed. Most projects were selected for the develop-

Lyari Notes had its world premiere in the Panorama section of IDFA

ment category, meaning they were at the beginning stages of their

2015 and was nominated for the Alliance of Women Film Journalists’

creation in summer of 2015. Most of these projects will be finished in

EDA Award for Best Female-Directed Documentary. The Summer

2016, with some following in 2017. In addition, three documentaries

School in 2013 was very special for this project: the director from

that participated in previous editions of the Summer School were

Pakistan and the director from India met in real life for the first time.

realized in 2015. Two of them screened at IDFA 2015: Ukrainian Sheriffs

During the Summer School the filmmakers structured the narrative

(Ukraine) and Lyari Notes (Pakistan/India). Both projects attended the

and found a European co-producer in their Summer School mentor.

Summer School to work on the development of the story.

The Shadow Lawyers (Egypt) and Winners (Iran) were also realized in

Ukrainian Sheriffs had its world premiere in the IDFA Competition for

2015, but unfortunately didn’t reach the IDFA 2015 selection.

Feature-Length Documentary and won the Special Jury Award at IDFA

25

Table 5: Overview IBF Summer School projects 2008-2015 Since the first Summer School in 2008, the Fund has facilitated participation by a number of supported projects. Table 5 shows the course these projects have taken, and the final outcome.

Documentary project

Year Summer School

Country

Status

Cinema Komunisto

2008

Serbia

completed

The Caviar Connection

2008

Serbia

completed

IDFA Forum

2007

IDFA

Docs for Sale

Total Festivalscreenings

Total Awards

2010: FA Competition

2010

31

5

2008: FA Competition

2008

32

5

The Devil Operation

2008

Peru

completed

2010: Panorama

2010

45

4

King Naki and the Thundering Hooves

2008

South Africa

completed

2011: FA Competition

2011

7

2

Retiro Shelter

2008

Argentine

completed

2008: Panorama

2008

14

3

Good Old Bad Times

2008

Bolivia

on hold

Therapies in Tehran

2008

Iran

in production

expected for 2017

The Death of Jaime Rold贸s

2009

Ecuador

completed

2013: Panorama

2013

17

10

My Name is Salt

2009

India

completed

2013: FA Competition

2013

73

28

2012

34

5

Other

IDFA Award for Best First Appearance

Sand Fishers

2009

Mali

completed

2012: Panorama

World without Shadow

2009

Maleisia

completed

rejected for 2011

The Iron Demon

2009

Sri Lanka

in production

expected for 2016

5 Broken Cameras

2010

Palestine

completed

2011: FA Competition

2011

64

22

Oscar Nomination 2013, IDFA Audience Award & IDFA Special Jury Award

Are you Listening!

2010

Bangladesh

completed

2012: Panorama

2012

31

5

Opening Film Leipzig Int. F.F.

Citadel

2010

Bolivia

completed

2011: Panorama

2011

8

1

2012

29

5

2014

13

3

3

Where the Condors Fly

2010

Chile

completed

2012: Panorama

Bukom Fighter

2010

Ghana

in production

expected for 2016

In the Dark

2011

Serbia

completed

Lost in Shanghai

2011

China

completed

Waiting for Heaven

2011

Palestine

on hold

What Will Tomorrow Bring

2011

Nigeria

on hold

The White Volta

2011

Ghana

in production

2011 online

2014: Panorama

1

rejected for 2014

expected for 2016

The Devil's Lair

2012

South Africa

completed

2012

2013: Best of Fests

2013

19

I, Afrikaner

2012

South Africa

completed

2009

2013: FA Competition

2013

15

Red Wedding

2012

Cambodia

completed

2011 online

2012: ML Competition

2012

24

4

IDFA Award for Best Mid-Length Documentary

Camera / Woman

2012

Morocco

completed

2012 online

2012: ML Competition

2012

48

3

IDFA Nomination for Best Mid-Length Documentary

The Cleaner

2012

Morocco

on hold

GITI - Paradise in Hell

2012

Rwanda

in production

Logs of War

2012

Kenya

in production

Whose Country?

2012

Egypt

in production

The Mulberry House

2013

Yemen

completed

2013: Panorama

2013

17

3

2013

54

8

3

expected for 2016 expected for 2016 2011

expected for 2016

The Silence of the Flies

2013

Venezuela

completed

2013: Panorama

Little Red Dragonfly

2013

South Africa

in production

expected for 2016

Die Before Blossom

2013

Indonesia

completed

2014: FA Competition

2014

7

Lyari Notes

2013

India

completed

2015: Panorama

2015

1*

The Shadow Lawyers

2013

Egypt

completed

rejected for IDFA 2015

2015

26

IDFA Nomination for Alliance of Women Film Journalists' EDA Award for Best Female-Directed Documentary

IDFA BERTHA FUND

The Donkey that Carried the Cloud on its Back

2013

Kenya

in production

expected for 2016

Mother of the Unborn

2014

Egypt

completed

2014: FA Competition

2014

23

5

IDFA Peter Wintonick Special Jury Award for First Appearance

Tea Time

2014

Chile

completed

2014: FA Competition

2014

32

10

IDFA Alliance of Women Film Journalists' EDA Award for Best FemaleDirected Documentary

Another Wall in the Sugar Fields

2014

Dominican Republic

in production

expected for 2017

Bukom Fighter

2014

Ghana

in production

expected for 2016

God's Ambassador's Netball Club

2014

Kenya

in production

expected for 2016

Kula: A Memory in Three Acts

2014

Mozambique

in production

expected for 2016

Proposition for a Revolution

2014

India

completed

expected for 2016

Ukrainian Sheriffs

2014

Ukraine

completed

2015: Feature Length Competition

2015

1*

1

IDFA Special Jury Award for Feature Length Documentary

Have a Nice Day

2015

Brazil

in production

expected for 2016

The Sound of Masks

2015

South Africa

in production

expected for 2017

Spiral

2015

Armenia

in production

expected for 2016

Stories from the Field

2015

Bhutan

in production

expected for 2017

Anonymous project

2015

Paraguay

in production

expected for 2017

Kula: A Memory in Three Acts

2015

Mozambique

in production

expected for 2016

Winners

2015

Iran

completed

rejected for IDFA 2015

2011

FA Competition = IDFA Competition for First Appearance, ML Competition = IDFA Competition for Mid-Length Documentary, FL Competition = IDFA Competition for Feature Length Documentary, *These films had their world premiere or international premiere at IDFA 2015 and are starting their festival careers in 2016.

Explanatory notes on Table 5: Since 2008, 50 IBF projects have partici-

A little over half of all the projects have now been realized (29 completed

pated in the IDFAcademy Summer School. Two projects have partici-

projects, 58%). Of these 29 realized projects, 24 were selected for IDFA

pated twice, in both the script as well as the editing workshop. Both

(83%). Exactly half of these films (12) were screened in one of the festi-

of these projects are from Africa: Bukom Fighter from Ghana and Kula:

val’s competitions, and half of those again (6) won awards at IDFA.

A Memory in Three Acts from Mozambique. These countries have no

Of all the projects, 17 (34%) are still in production and 4 projects (8%)

educational programs for filmmakers, who also have little to no access

are on hold due to safety concerns or a lack of production funds. Of the

to consultants or other training opportunities, so the IDFAcademy

projects still in production, 13 (76%) are expected to be completed in

Summer School provides a much-needed push. Both films are expected

time for IDFA 2016.

to be finished in 2016.

27

IBF Project Factory 2015 From November 19-25, IBF filmmakers from eighteen projects in

program, attend lectures and discussions, consult with experts in the

production and one realized documentary were invited to attend the

area of development, editing or outreach and meet other internation-

third edition of the IBF Project Factory during IDFA 2015. For an entire

al documentary professionals. The Fund has flown all participants to

week, the participants were able to immerse themselves in the IDFA

Amsterdam and facilitated their participation in these programs.

Table 6: Participants at the IBF Project Factory 2015 Documentary project

Country

Participants

Ambulance

Palestine, Norway

Mohamad Jalaby Mustafa

The Second Revolution: A dream for the poor, a nightmare for the rich?

South Africa

Khalo Matabane, Neil Brandt

The Waiting Bench

Chad, France

Marie Balducci

M/F

Pitch at IDFA Forum + pitching workshop M M/M F

IDFA Forum Observer Children of the War

Uruguay

Mariana Viñoles, Stefano Tononi

F/M

Freedom Fields

Libya, UK

Naziha Arebi, Flore Cosquer

F/F

Hisséne Habré, A Chadian Tragedy

Chad, France

Florence Stern

The Iron Demon - A Journey into a Broken Land

Sri Lanka, France

Jude Ratnam, Julie Paratian

F M/F

Love Song. Pastorale

Georgia

Tamar Gurchiani

F

The Oldies

Venezuela, Canada, UK, Cuba

Rosana Matecki

F

IDFAcademy program 5 Houses

Brazil

Bruno Gularte Barreto, Jéssica Luz

M/F

Alabang Boy

Philippines

Monster Jimenez, Mario Cornejo

M/M

The Land of Fire

Chile

Alfredo Pourailly De La Plaza

The Letter

Kenya

Maia Lekow, Christopher King

M F/M

Love Song. Pastorale

Georgia

Tamar Gurchiani

F

Syiagul

Kyrgyzstan

Amanbek Mairambek Uulu

M

Ambulance

Norway, Palestine

Mohanad Yaqubi

M

Bertha Foundation/IDFA Outreach Workshop Cecilia

India, Norway

Pankaj Johar, Sunaina Kapoor

M/F

Indispensable

Pakistan, USA

Asad Faruqi, Clare Vance

M/F F/M

The Letter

Kenya

Maia Lekow, Christopher King

Sumercé

Colombia, Argentina, UK

Victoria Solano, Paul Vaccaro

F/M

When the Guns Go Silent

Colombia, France

Natalia Orozco, Julian Giraldo

F/M

Pitching, networking and getting feedback

Director Khalo Matabane and producer Neil Brandt were invited to IDFA Forum to present their project The Second Revolution at a Round Table pitch. “Pitching at IDFA was an exhilarating experience. Being able to constructively engage with some of the best minds in documentary financing really helps you come to grips with the international potential of your film, and bring it to the attention of those that have the power to funds and access to the market and global audiences. As a result of our pitch we are now in advanced discussions with numerous broadcasters and institutional funders from around the world.” Producer Neil Brandt from South Africa.

28

IDFA BERTHA FUND

Tailor-made consultancies and feedback

Explanatory notes on Table 6: Each project was invited to participate in one of IDFA’s industry or educational programs. Six projects attended

The timing of the IDFAcademy Summer School and the IBF Project Fac-

the IDFA Forum as an observer to broaden their network and to meet

tory is not convenient for all filmmakers in relation to their production

possible financiers or co-producers. Three projects, Ambulance, The

process. In order to still offer support to these filmmakers, the Fund

Second Revolution and The Waiting Bench, were selected for the IDFA

offers feedback from the IDFA staff on rough cuts of the films. In 2015

Forum for a round table pitch to a panel of commissioning editors

feedback was given to Lyari Notes, Sonita, Cecilia, Winners, Ukrainian

and attended a pitch workshop. IBF facilitated the participation of

Sheriffs, Afghanistan Night Stories and Wedding: A Film. Five of these

the projects in the Forum as well as the pitch workshop, helping them

seven films subsequently screened at IDFA.

prepare their presentation. For The Waiting Bench the manager of the

In terms of the business side of documentary making, the filmmakers

IBF assisted the pitch itself as a financier of the project.

can also approach the Fund for advice on distribution, on festival strat-

Seven projects took part in the IDFAcademy, an intensive four-day

egies or on agreements with distributors or TV stations. To provide

training program for emerging filmmakers and producers. And the five

this, the Fund makes use of the knowledge present within IDFA as well

projects from the human rights program (see page 20) participated in

as its extensive international network.

the Bertha Foundation/IDFA Outreach Workshop. Three projects took part in two of these various programs.

In light of its new IBF Europe category, the Fund also invited a number of European co-producers for the first time. Of the six projects selected as Forum Observers, three come from the IBF Europe selection.

Crash course in the documentary industry

Kenyan director Maia Lekow was part of a live brainstorm during the IDFAcademy session Blending impact & distribution. The Letter was one of the projects that participated in the IDFAcademy, where directors Lekow and Christopher King had the opportunity to meet a broad spectrum of highly esteemed documentary professionals, gain up-to-date market knowledge and receive practical tips and advise on pitching and impact strategies and an outreach campaign.

29

5. Festivals and Distribution Screening opportunities for documentaries in general and especially in

Table 7 reflects the development of these festivals over the past years.

the countries where the IDFA Bertha Fund is active are often limited. By

All of the above mentioned festivals were selected for the last time. The

providing financial support to documentary festivals, the Fund creates

Fund hopes the festivals can stand on their own two feet after three

new opportunities for the screening of independent documentaries in

years of support. They have grown significantly in these years, both in size

developing countries. Furthermore, various means are used to promote

and in quality, and have managed to connect with various other partners.

IBF documentaries among festivals and distributors worldwide. Most

The programmers were invited to attend IDFA for the third time in

of the documentaries realized are presented at IDFA, an important

order to network, get to know the IDFA organization and to follow a

starting point for the international career of a documentary. Docu-

special program for festival programmers, organized by IBF for the

mentaries that screen at IDFA and are included in Docs for Sale often

second time. This program consisted of two roundtable sessions on

go on to have many more screenings at international festivals or to be

obtaining sponsorship and generating funds and on audience building

broadcast on television worldwide.

and programming strategies, followed by networking drinks. The first session was led by Marthe Jongmans, who was responsible for spon-

Support of documentary festivals

soring and fundraising at IDFA 10 years. Filmmaker and festival director

The Fund supported three festivals which were also supported in 2013

Manolo Sarmiento from the festival Edocs from Ecuador (which exists

and 2014. This is in line with the decision in 2013 to emphasize creating

since 2002) was invited to guide the second session.

long-term relationships with supported festivals, by supporting at

Additionally, a new initiative was added to the festival selection in

least three consecutive editions of every festival. In addition, the Fund

2015: the Windows to Peace festival in Afghanistan. This new festival

offers guidance regarding programming, organization and financing,

was picked up by the Fund after it was entered at the Movies That

where needed, allowing these festivals to lay the foundations on which

Matter Foundation, for which the IBF Manager is a member of the

to build an independent future. In 2015, the Fund continued its support

selection committee. Due to the festival’s broad programming range,

for the Wathann Film Festival in Myanmar (September 2015), Ciné-Doc

it was a better fit for the IDFA Bertha Fund. Throughout one year,

Tbilisi in Georgia (October 2015) and RDOC in the Dominican Republic

Windows to Peace organizes monthly screenings of documentaries and

(March 2016).

feature films at the University of Kabul, followed by Q&A’s. The initiative will run through June 2016.

Table 7: Festival support Ciné-doc Tbilisi Number of selected films

2013 61

2014 41

2015

RDOC

2014

2015

2016

Wathann Film Festival

2013

2014

2015

40

Number of selected films

39

39

n/a

Number of selected films

35

23

37

Numer of screenings

85

70

57

Numer of screenings

39

39

n/a

Numer of screenings

56

54

59

Audience Attendance

4.900

6.500

7.500

Audience Attendance

2.700

2.450

n/a

Audience Attendance

2.634

1.115

4.131

Reknowned filmmaker Audrius Stonys gives a presentation on truth and illusion in documentary film for Georgian documentary professionals

Festival director Ana Paola van Dalen in a conference with a.o. Spanish filmmaker Raul Riebenbauer at RDOC

The support of three consecutive years of Ciné-Doc Tbilisi by IBF had an impact on the whole Georgian film industry, says Artchil Khetagouri, director and founder Ciné-Doc Tbilisi. “Due to the long cooperation with IDFA and the IDFA Bertha Fund there were so many Georgian documentary professionals at IDFA this year, more than ever before. Even the Georgian National Film Centre highlighted the importance of IDFA and the IDFA Bertha Fund for the Georgian film industry.”

“The existence of RDOC accelerated the support for documentary production in the DR”, says Alejandro Andujar, director and founder of RDOC. “In the last few years the DR film commission organized documentary workshops and it started to support two documentaries every year. The Dominican filmmaking communities also embrace the existence of RDOC as it not only allows them to watch the documentaries being made in the region, but also to have a place to interact with international documentary filmmakers and learn from their experience.”

30

Award ceremony of the Wathann Film Festival “The three years of funding were important for the festival, looking at the development of Myanmar in this time and the development of the media sector”, says Thu Thu Shein, director and founder of the Wathann Film Festival. “It is very important to have a film festival celebrating artistic films and giving the Myanmar filmmakers the confidence to have their own voices heard.”

IDFA BERTHA FUND

Explanatory notes on Table 7: The festival in Eastern Europe (Ciné-Doc

International distribution of IBF-supported documentaries

Tbilisi) managed again to attract a high number of visitors to its third

IDFA 2015

edition in 2015. Over its three years of existence, the audience numbers

In 2015, 13 documentaries supported by IBF were presented at IDFA.

have gradually increased.

Twelve of these were new films, while one was an older IBF-supported

The festival in Latin America (RDOC) was held for the second time in

film (Tishe!) selected for Sounds Real, a theme program focused on the

2015. The audience numbers decreased slightly. As is visible in the table

use of sound in documentary. Three of the newly presented docs were

above the audience numbers at the 2015 Wathann Film Festival (4.131

selected to participate in a competition program. Roundabout in My

visitors) were significantly higher than the previous edition. The festival

Head won the IDFA Special Jury Award for First Appearance, Ukrainian

had to relocate last minute in 2014, but managed to solve this problem

Sheriffs won the IDFA Special Jury Award for Feature-Length Documen-

in 2015, which is reflected in the numbers. The Wathann Film Festival

tary and Sonita won the Bankgiro Loterij IDFA Audience Award.

has grown enormously on social media as well: from 7,000 followers on

2015 was a unique year for the IBF harvest at IDFA; a high amount of

Facebook in 2014 to 21,058 followers in 2015.

IBF films were selected for special theme programs and for special audiences. The Chinese Mayor, Checks and Balances and Ukrainian

Of the four selected festivals, the Wathann Film Festival from Myan-

Sheriffs were selected for the highly acclaimed theme program

mar and Windows to Peace from Afghanistan are from the low income

Benjamin Barber: Jihad vs. McWorld 2015. The films were chosen by

countries of the DAC list (50%). Together, the four events accounted for

Benjamin Barber himself out of the whole IDFA selection. After the

screenings of 121 films, of which on average 71% were drawn from their

screenings of The Chinese Mayor and Checks and Balances, Extended

own continent. These events attracted a total of 14,441 visitors.

Q&A’s were held with Barber and the filmmakers. Sonita and

As there were no selection rounds in 2014 and 2015, no new festival

Ukrainian Sheriffs were selected for the youth program CJP serveert

applications were received. The Fund hopes to find a new financier in

and Behemoth, The Siren of Faso Fani and Ukrainian Sheriffs were

2016 to be able to reopen this category in 2017, allowing new festivals

screened during the World Documentaries Program, a compilation

to be discovered.

program consisting of three films supported by the IDFA Bertha Fund.

Checks and Balances and the Chinese Mayor were placed in special

Chinese City Politics Go Global

The Chinese Mayor gives a special, rarely seen insight in Chinese society and was therefore one of the more popular films on the festival circuit in 2015. It premiered at Sundance, travelled to another 33 festivals worldwide, was selected for IDFA’s Best of Fests section and is continuing its world tour in 2016. It is striking that The Chinese Mayor has not yet been screened very often in its own region, Asia. Therefore it is all the more significant that the film won the Golden Horse Award in Taiwan, a prestigious prize famous in the Chinese community.

31

sponsor days; the former first in the TV5MONDE day and the latter

the forced marriages of minor girls. Additionally, Sonita was screened

in the Volkskrant IDFA day. The Chinese Mayor was also screened for

during IDFA’s school program, dedicated screenings for school kids of

members of Club IDFA. Debate center De Balie chose The Siren of Faso

all ages held every morning during the festival.

Fani and Sonita to be screened with an Extended Q&A, including a

At the close of the festival Ukrainian Sheriffs and Sonita also became part

very special conversation after the screening of Sonita with Mabel

of the Best of IDFA program, consisting of award-winners of the festival.

van Oranje, co-founder of Girls not Brides, an organization fighting Table 8: IBF documentaries selected for IDFA 2015 IDFA Competition for Feature Length 1 Sonita Rokhsareh Ghaem Maghami Iran/Germany/Switzerland, 2015, 90' WP 2 Ukrainian Sherrifs Roman Bondarchuk Ukraine/Latvia/Germany, 2015, 80' WP IDFA Competition for First Appearance 3 Roundabout in My Head Hassen Ferhani Algeria/France/Lebanon/Qatar, 2015, 100' IP Masters 4 Behemoth Liang Zhao China/France, 2015, 90' DP 5 Checks and Balances Malek Bensmaïl Algeria/France, 2015, 97' DP Best of Fests 6 The Chinese Mayor Hao Zhou China, 2015, 87' DP 7 The Siren of Faso Fani Michel K. Zongo France/Burkina Faso/Germany, 2014, 89' 8 Surire Ivan Osnovikoff, Bettina Perut Chile/Germany, 2015, 80' DP Panorama 9 Afghanistan Night Stories Alka Sadat Afghanistan, 2015, 60' WP 10 Cecilia Pankaj Johar India/Norway, 2015, 85' WP 11 Lyari Notes Miriam Chandy Menacherry, Maheen Zia India/Pakistan, 2015, 80' WP 12 Please Remember Me Qing Zhao China, 2015, 78' WP Sounds Real 13 Tishe Victor Kossakovsky Russia, 2002, 80'

Illegally living in Tehran, an 18-year old Afghani refugee named Sonita dreams of being a rapper in this exciting document of her search for her own path in life.

A tragicomic portrait of a two-man team of sheriffs in a remote Ukrainian village disturbed by everyday incidents and political developments.

The magnificent caverns of a slaughterhouse in Algiers serve as a microcosm of Algerian society.

The Chinese mining industry has devastating effects on people and nature, creating something more akin to Dante’s Hell than the intended prosperous paradise.

A nice observation of daily life in an Algerian newsroom, where the country’s political reality is conveyed with talent, intellect and humor.

The mayor of the Chinese city of Datong embarks on an immense demolition and building project to transform his city into a tourist attraction.

The enforced privatization of the Faso Fani textile plant brought an end to prosperity in Koudougou, where the dream of a return to its heydays is still kept alive.

Perut and Osnovikoff’s magnificent wide shots and beautiful close-ups observe life on the Salar de Surire, a protected salt flat in the Chilean Andes.

A special commando unit was set up within the Afghan army to fight against the Taliban. Sadat records everyday life of the soldiers and follows them on their dangerous, often nocturnal, missions.

A personal and grueling quest for justice in the case of the mysterious suicide of a 14-year-old girl in Delhi, the daughter of the 54-year-old housekeeper of filmmaker Pankaj Johar.

Four girls from the violent Lyari neighbourhood of Karachi, Pakistan, get free weekly music lessons, oftfering them a ray of hope in their dire circumstances.

88-year old Lou has had Alzheimer's for the last 10 years and recognizes almost no one except for her husband Feng. The elderly couple in Shnghai gracefully struggles with age, illness and memory loss.

From his window, Victor Kossakovsky filmed the endless roadwork on a St. Petersburg street over the course of a year.

WP = World Premiere, IP = International Premiere, EP = European Premiere, DP = Dutch Premiere

32

IDFA BERTHA FUND

Sonita steals audiences’ hearts

Right after the world premiere director Rokhsareh Ghaem Maghami thanked her protagonist Sonita with a generous hug.

The audience’s warm response and four standing ovations visibly moved both the filmmaker and Sonita. After the premiere the film immediately conquered the first position in the audience favorites ratings list and stayed there for the remainder of the festival.

Eventually Sonita won IDFA’s Audience Award.

Table 9: Audience Attendance at IDFA

The number of tickets sold and the occupancy rate of the theatre are listed separately for each screening.

1

Screenings

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Total

IDFA Competition for Feature Length Sonita

732

100%

223

96%

141

99%

334

87%

148

99%

407

85%

177

100%

4.6991

100%

Ukrainian Sheriffs

382

100%

305

99%

244

100%

532

73%

192

100%

223

96%

77

44%

3.114

100%

3

1.7302

100%

8.591 5.069

IDFA Competition for First Appearance 97

55%

47

36%

51

39%

90

67%

63

70%

348

Checks and Balances

147

48%

43

11%

60

46%

77

44%

71

53%

398

Behemoth

52

50%

36

20%

175

100%

218

57%

77

44%

558

The Chinese Mayor

306

100%

195

63%

233

32%

285

75%

191

100%

The Siren of Faso Fani

59

56%

51

38%

77

54%

77

44%

Surire

72

69%

47

47%

96

100%

115

37%

Afghanistan Night Stories

87

64%

136

100%

82

91%

76

75%

Cecilia

75

42%

51

38%

34

35%

79

58%

Lyari Notes

108

80%

94

54%

56

58%

118

91%

376

Please Remember Me

90

100%

133

99%

75

83%

90

100%

388

55

41%

121

97%

Roundabout in My Head Masters

Best of Fests 728

100%

191

100%

132

100%

2261 264

174

99%

504

57

59%

296

Panorama 381

Sounds Real Tishe

176 19.610

Total

1. S onita screened in the IDFA Audience Favorites, Docs around the Clock and The Best of IDFA. 4.699 is the total audience number for these 9 screenings together, all of which were at 100% capacity.

2. Sonita was onderdeel van de schoolvoorstellingen. 1.730 is the total audience number for the 15 schoolscreenings together.

3. U krainian Sheriffs screened in The Best of IDFA program, which showed in five auditoria. 3.114 is the total number of tickets sold for these auditoria together, all of which were 100% sold-out.

33

Explanatory notes on Table 9: The many screenings and selections for

Cecilia

24

81

special programs made 2015 a very successful year for the Fund, which is

Lyari Notes

13

78

reflected in the viewing numbers. A striking feature of the figures given in

Please Remember Me

4

26

the table above is the audience numbers for Sonita and Ukrainian Sheriffs.

Fireflies in the Abyss

2

25

Both were award-winners and therefore automatically included in the

Total

287

1435

IDFA 2014 Harvest

Docs for Sale @ IDFA 2015

Docs for Sale online 2015

Die Before Blossom

NA

68

Mother of the Unborn

NA

117

Tea Time

NA

176

The Storm Makers

NA

122

The Dream of Shahrazad

NA

130

Beats of the Antonov

NA

108

Ady Gasy, the Malagasy Way

NA

84

Fest of Duty

NA

82

In the Dark

NA

49

Saken

NA

39

Total

NA

975

sold-out Best of IDFA program, reaching an audience of 6,228 through these screenings alone. Because it won the Audience Award, Sonita was also placed in the IDFA Audience Favorites program and Docs around the Clock, reaching another audience of 1,585 people. Another notable fact is the sheer number of screenings of Sonita, Ukrainian Sheriffs and The Chinese Mayor. This is because these films were all selected for multiple programs, resulting in a great number of extra screenings and thus a larger audience.

Counted together, all 94 screenings of IBF documentaries during IDFA sold 19,610 tickets, against 6,131 tickets sold with 53 screenings of 13 documentaries in 2014. This enormous increase can be explained of course by the difference in the amount of screenings and also by the success of Sonita and The Ukrainian Sheriffs as explained above.

A disappointing point, however, are the audience figures for the World Documentaries program, a compilation program consisting of three films supported by the IDFA Bertha Fund. While this program usually

Explanatory notes on Table 10: This overview shows the 2015 Docs for

sells out, it was visited by only 231 people in 2015, an occupancy rate of

Sale viewing figures for the IBF harvest of 2014 and 2015. The figures

44%. A possible explanation is the fact that audience figures for IDFA in

show that films screened at IDFA live a long life online, as the 2014 har-

general were lower than in the previous year.

vest remained popular in the online library throughout 2015, especially titles such as the award-winning Tea Time, Mother of the Unborn, The

Docs for Sale 2015

Storm Makers, Beats of the Antonov, and The Dream of Shahrazad, each

In 2015, 13 new documentaries supported by IBF were included in Docs for

registering more than a hundred views.

Sale; in the Docs for Sale festival catalogue (during IDFA) as well as the

Sonita is especially popular from the 2015 harvest, due to it being a big

online library (starting from November 2015). Twelve of these were part

success at the festival and winning the audience award. In fact, it was

of the official IDFA selection, while one was rejected for IDFA. Besides the

the film with the most views of all 484 films offered at Docs for Sale

new documentaries, 10 older films of the 2014 IBF harvest were still avail-

2015. Ukrainian Sheriffs and Behemoth also reached a satisfactory audi-

able in the online library throughout 2015. Docs for Sale is IDFA’s docu-

ence, mostly through online views, especially considering these titles

mentary market, with an extensive online catalogue available throughout

were in 2015 only available online in November and December. In total

the year and a video library during IDFA where the documentary industry

the IBF films at Docs for Sale garnered 2,697 views.

can watch the latest films. It is a major meeting point for distributors, sales agents, television buyers and festival programmers worldwide. The

Cooperation with sales agents

Fund pays for all IBF-supported titles to be offered in Docs for Sale as well

The newest IBF harvest selected for Docs for Sale is made available

as Docs for Sale Online for a period of one year, in order to reach those

online in early November, several weeks ahead of the festival, to allow

documentary professionals who couldn’t be at IDFA in person.

sales agents to view films before coming to Amsterdam. The Fund brings its documentaries to the attention of world sales agents and tries to negotiate when there is potential for cooperation between a

Table 10: Docs for Sale viewing figures IDFA 2015 Harvest

Docs for Sale @ IDFA 2015

Docs for Sale online 2015

Sonita

87

516

Ukrainian Sherrifs

52

170

Roundabout in My Head

15

80

Checks and Balances

14

78

Behemoth

23

195

The Chinese Mayor

15

44

The Siren of Faso Fani

10

27

Surire

8

46

Afghanistan Night Stories

20

69

sales agent and an IBF filmmaker.

In 2015 these contacts have been strengthened further because the Fund invited world sales agents and distributors to take a seat in the selection committee for the new IBF Europe category. This allows these sales agents and distributors to get acquainted with the IBF projects at an earlier stage.

Although the Fund doesn’t hold the Benelux rights for its films anymore since 2013, the Fund will however continue to promote selected documentaries in the Benelux, and forward requests to the relevant sales agents.

34

IDFA BERTHA FUND

Festival circulation of IBF documentaries worldwide

number of festival screenings and the number of awards won gives an

After IDFA, most of the documentaries go on to have a lot of screenings

important indication of the international appreciation for a documen-

at international festivals. In 2015, IBF documentaries screened on the

tary, which in turn can give an impulse to local production, inspire new

international circuit at major festivals like the Venice Film Festival, the

filmmakers who are just starting out and ensure that filmmakers are

Berlinale and the Sundance Film Festival as well as the Hot Docs Festival,

able to build a reputation, making it easier to find financing for their

Fespaco, Film Festival Locarno and the Guadalajara Film Festival. The

next project.

Table 11: Circulation of IBF-supported documentaries at film festivals in 2015 Documentaries from:

Africa

Asia

Latin America

MENA

Eastern Europe

Total

2014

2015

2014

2015

2014

2015

2014

2015

2014

2015

2014

Number of IBF films shown at festivals

6

7

16

8

12

7

8

10

5

1

47

2015 33

Number of festivals that selected IBF films

47

110

131

105

94

72

81

71

8

12

361

370

% national screenings at festivals

6%

8%

26%

3%

9%

15%

3%

2%

0%

17%

13%

7%

% regional screenings at festivals

6%

10%

7%

9%

38%

24%

12%

11%

50%

33%

17%

13%

% international screenings at festivals

88%

82%

67%

88%

53%

61%

85%

87%

50%

50%

70%

80%

5

19

30

18

23

20

15

15

0

3

73

75

Total number of awards

Explanatory notes on Table 11: In 2015, a total of 33 IBF documentaries

African documentaries which started their festival careers in 2015.

were screened at 370 festivals worldwide. This is a notable decrease

In Asia, too, the percentage of films screened in their own region is

when compared to 2014, when a full 14 titles more were circulating on

notably low, with a marked decrease from 2014. Films such as Gulabi

the festival circuit. Nevertheless, these 33 films garnered more screen-

Gang, My Name Is Salt and Powerless were very popular on their home

ings than the 47 in 2014, and even won slightly more awards.

turf in 2014, causing a high-water mark in those numbers. All three are

33% of the circulating documentaries was screened at 15 or more festi-

from India, a country with quite a lot of film festivals. In 2015, most of

vals in 2015 (17% in 2014). The extremely popular films were screened at

the Asian titles circulating came from China, Cambodia, Bangladesh

a remarkably long list of festivals, such as Tea Time (30 festivals), Beats

and Indonesia, countries with only one or a few film festivals.

of the Antonov (35 festivals), The Chinese Mayor (35 festivals), My Name As in 2014, Latin American titles did very well with regional audiences.

is Salt (32 festivals), The Siren of Faso Fani (23 festivals), The Storm Mak-

National and regional festivals account for 39% of all screenings in 2015. Es-

ers (25 festivals) and Mother of the Unborn (20 festivals).

pecially popular in South America were Surire, Tea Time and for the second year running The Silence of the Flies, which world premiered at IDFA 2013.

The number of IBF films circulating in 2015 was approximately the same for every region (around ten titles each), with the exception of Eastern Europe, from which only a single film was visible at 2015 festi-

From Eastern Europe there was only one film (In the Dark from Serbia)

vals. The number of films from Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe

entering the festival circuit in 2015, which did very well in its own region.

has decreased slightly in 2015 when compared to 2014. In opposition,

Screenings of IBF documentaries in the Benelux

the number of films from MENA and Africa has increased.

In 2015 in the Benelux, IBF-supported documentaries were shown at The largest number of IBF films circulating on the festival circuit came

IDFA, online, on TV, at festivals and in special themed programs.

from the MENA region. This has been gradually increasing over the last

Beats of the Antonov was part of the program IDFA in Kriterion. Sonita,

few years, with the beginning of the Arab Spring especially bringing

Ukrainian Sheriffs and The Chinese Mayor were screened at satellite

many applications and selections by the Fund. All these films were real-

festival IDFA @ Vlieland. In addition, Sonita was part of the IDFA school

ized in 2014 and 2015 and subsequently travelled the world. It is notable

screenings, where 1,730 high school students saw the documentary.

that only a very small percentage of these films get screened in their

Furthermore, a number of films were available on-demand through

own region, possibly due to their sensitive subjects and the dwindling

several Interactive TV services, including Ziggo, Cinetree and The

infrastructure for film festivals in these conflict territories.

Entertainment Group (TEG), which manages a number of platforms, including services for KPN TV-subscribers, Tele2 subscribers as well as

Although only one more film from Africa was in circulation in 2015 (7)

Videoland On Demand, MovieMax Online and MeJane.com.

compared to 2014 (6), the number of festival screenings more than

The Dutch public broadcasters purchased some older IBF-supported

doubled. The seven documentaries from this region circulating in 2015

titles, including Nero’s Guests, My Name Is Salt and Gulabi Gang, to be

were shown at a stunning 110 festivals worldwide, with 82% of the

screened through the digital channel NPO Doc in 2015. Furthermore, 98

screenings in the international circuit and a smaller number of national

IBF-supported documentaries were available through IDFA.tv during

or regional screenings, due to the minimal screening possibilities in Afri-

2015, of which 81 were already available in 2014 and 17 were new addi-

can countries. Beats of the Antonov, The Siren of Faso Fani, The Dreams of

tions to the catalogue.

Shahrazad and Ady Gasy, the Malagasy Way were the four most popular 35

Table 12: Screenings in the Benelux of IBF-supported documentaries

Film Screenings Benelux Tolhuistuin

Amsterdam

Sonita

IDFA in Groninger Forum

Groningen

Sonita

IDFA @ Vlieland

Vlieland

Sonita + Ukrainian Sheriffs + The Chinese Mayor

IDFA at Lumière Cinema

Maastricht

Sonita

IDFA schoolvoorstellingen

Amsterdam + Nijmegen

Sonita

Club IDFA

Amsterdam

The Chinese Mayor

Architecture Film Festival

Rotterdam

The Chinese Mayor

IDFA in Lux

Nijmegen

Ukrainian Sheriffs

De Nieuwe Kolk

Assen

Tea Time

Cinema Arabe

Amsterdam

From My Syrian Room

Vlaams-Nederlands Huis deBuren

Belgium

On the Way to School

Yunus Emre Institute

Belgium

On the Way to School

IDFA in Kriterion

Amsterdam

Beats of the Antonov

Oude Raadhuis

Hoofddorp

5 Broken Cameras

Lumière

Maastricht

Vivan las Antipodas!

TV Screenings Benelux NPO Doc

The Netherlands

Nero's Guests + My Name is Salt + Gulabi Gang

VPRO Zomergasten

The Netherlands

fragment Last Train Home

Video on Demand Ziggo

The Netherlands

Return to Homs

Videoland

The Netherlands

Vivan las Antipodas + 5 Broken Cameras + Last Train Home

Cinetree

The Netherlands

Return to Homs + 5 Broken Cameras

Dalton VOD

The Netherlands

Return to Homs + Vivan las Antipodas!

IDFA TV

The Netherlands

98 IBF supported documentaries

Up-close and personal

After the screening of Sonita in De Balie, Princess Mabel van Oranje led a conversation about child marriage with Sonita Alizada herself, representatives of NGO Girls not Brides and the audience. The film Sonita was very popular in the Benelux as is clearly visible in the screenings overview above. The presence of protagonist Sonita at the festival allowed for intimate Q&A’s with the audience.

36

IDFA BERTHA FUND

6 IBF Network The Fund has an extensive industry network, which encompasses both

­Central-America. Each partner brings its own set of expertise to the

the international film industry and organizations active in the regions

table. The collaboration started in 2014 when the Fund was closely

the IBF focuses on. In addition to its core activities as outlined above,

involved in the early stages, advising on the structure of EMC-Docs’

the Fund utilizes this network to provide information to filmmakers,

guidelines and categories. The partnership was continued in 2015,

organizations and other interested parties. For example, European

when the Fund was involved in training sessions for selected projects.

producers and filmmakers often approach the Fund for contacts within a specific region or country the Fund is active in, and vice versa.

International partner organizations

This experience and network function was also utilized in several coop-

The Fund has a number of close relationships with other organizations

erations with other organizations in 2015.

working with filmmakers from Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle

The new IBF Europe category further extended this network in 2015,

East and Eastern Europe, such as the Sundance Institute Documentary

and the Fund hopes to be able to use this network to connect European

Fund from the United States, the Hubert Bals Fund of the International

producers with filmmakers from developing countries.

Film Festival Rotterdam, the Movies that Matter Foundation in Amsterdam and Dutch crowdfunding platform Cinecrowd. New organiza-

Local partner organizations

tions the Fund has started a relationship with in 2015 are the rough cut

In 2015, the Fund continued and reinforced partnerships started in

service, an international platform for filmmakers to receive consults

previous years and also instigated new collaborations.

from experienced editors on documentary rough cuts, and Dare to

For the fifth consecutive year, IDFA and the IBF were partners in the

Dream Asia, a documentary series on the dreams, aspirations and

Durban FilmMart in South Africa, the annual co-finance market for

frustrations of Asian youth, a Finnish/South African initiative. These

documentary projects from the region at the Durban International Film

organizations are important additions to the IBF network.

Festival. The aim of this collaboration is to stimulate the documentary

The Fund exchanges information on filmmakers, projects, contacts

industry in Africa. In the first three years, IDFA and IBF contributed to

and organizations with the Sundance Institute Documentary Fund,

the day-to-day operation of the Durban FilmMart. The last two years

the rough cut service and Dare to Dream Asia.

IBF and IDFA took part in project selection and played an advisory role

Since 2014 the IBF and IDFA have collaborated with Cinecrowd

in the formation of the program.

to give IBF-supported films the chance to start a crowdfunding

2015 saw the launch of New Dimensions: A Virtual Reality Lab in South

campaign. The IBF and Cinecrowd advise these filmmakers on their

Africa, for which the IBF and IDFA played an advisory role. The IBF has

texts, contacts and teaser materials, and both IDFA and IBF help in

been in contact with organizers Big World Cinema for several years,

promoting the campaign through their newsletters, website and

and for this new initiative the Fund supplied contacts and connected

social media channels. For Cinecrowd, this is a way of finding interna-

the organizers to IDFA DocLab, IDFA’s department which showcases

tional projects as well as to connect with the IDFA brand, while the

interactive non-fiction storytelling and explores how the digital revolu-

collaboration allows IBF to help projects find additional funding as

tion is reshaping documentary art.

well as international attention. In 2015 both IDFA and IBF promoted

Since 2007, the Fund has maintained good contacts with the Syrian or-

the campaign for the project Laila at the Bridge from Afghanistan and

ganization of the Dox Box festival. In 2013 began a process of reshaping

started with the preparations for the campaign of Inseparables from

Dox Box to a center for Syrian and Arab filmmakers, which took shape

Bhutan, to be launched in early 2016.

in Berlin in 2014. In 2015 they started a residency editing program for

The IBF has maintained a good relationship with the Hubert Bals Fund

six Syrian documentaries and laid the foundations for an academy

for many years now. The two funds often compare notes on working

program. IBF plays an advisory role through the organization’s board.

processes, subsidy applications and contacts. In 2015 the Fund has es-

Additionally, the Fund is in contact with several organizations in partner

pecially consulted HBF for the initiation of the new IBF Europe category

countries to exchange information and knowledge about documen-

for European co-producers of projects from developing countries. The

taries, filmmakers, organizations and contacts. In 2015 there were

IBF and HBF are part of a network of co-production funds which also

particularly intense contacts with DOCUBOX in Kenia, a film fund in

includes World Cinema Fund, Aide au Cinema du Monde and Torino

Eastern Africa, Afridocs in South Africa, a weekly broadcast stream for

Filmlab. These funds consult each other on a regular basis and share

mainly African documentaries to be screened across 49 countries of sub-

experiences and evaluations. The network lobbied successfully with

Saharan Africa, and the NAAS Network in the Middle East, a network of

the European Union to include a scheme for co-production funds in the

independent arthouse cinemas and cultural agencies in Egypt, Jordan,

new Creative Europe program that is operational as off 2015.

Lebanon, Morocco, Sudan, Tunesia and the United Arab Emirates which

Every year IDFA is host to official delegations from various countries.

is aimed at developing a common cinema culture in the Arab region.

The Fund is closely involved with several of these contacts and helps

In 2015 the Fund also continued its collaboration with EMC-Docs

put together an activity program. In 2015, delegations from China,

(Estímulo México-Centroamericano para Cine Documental), an initia-

Chile and South Africa as well as a delegation from the Arab Funds for

tive by the Mexican film fund IMCINE to support documentaries from

Arts and Culture (AFAC) from Lebanon were assisted in this way.

37

Consultancy worldwide

their documentary project as well as advice on fundraising in general

Each year, the Fund sends consultants to workshops and festivals all

and on the IDFA Bertha Fund in particular. In 2015, such working visits

over the world. During these visits, concrete support is provided to indi-

were made to documentary events in South Africa, Colombia, Uruguay,

vidual filmmakers from the region, local organizations are incorporated

India, Mexico, Palestine, Egypt, Brazil and Turkey.

into the Fund’s network, the Fund is promoted in developing countries

This table also includes travels to Croatia, Germany, Qatar, Taiwan and

and the knowledge and contacts obtained are shared. During indi-

France. These are not countries where the Fund is active, but are regu-

vidual consulting sessions, filmmakers are given concrete feedback on

larly visited by filmmakers from regions where the Fund is active.

Table 13: Consultants at festivals in 2015 Country

Documentary Event

Activity

Bosnia

Sarajevo Film Festival

Individual meetings with filmmakers

Colombia

BAM Bogota Audiovisual Market

Individual meetings with filmmakers

Croatia

ZagrebDox

Panelist for project pitches and individual meetings with filmmakers

Egypt

Caïro (bijeenkomst)

Part of Network Meeting and Part of Panel about Arabic Films

France

Cannes International Film Festival

Individual meetings with filmmakers and presentation about IBF

Germany

DOK Leipzig

Individual meetings with filmmakers

Germany

Berlin International Film Festival

Individual meetings with filmmakers and presentation Coproduction Funds

India

Docedge Kolkata

Individual meetings with filmmakers and part of pitching panel

Mexico

EMC Workshop

Individual meetings with filmmakers and presentation IDFA + IBF

Mexico

Guadalajara Film Festival

Individual meetings with filmmakers

The Netherlands

International Film Festival Rotterdam

Presentation Coproduction Funds

Palestine

Ramallah Docs

Individual meetings with filmmakers and part of pitching panel

Qatar

Qumra

Individual meetings with filmmakers

Taiwan

CCDF Pitching Forum

Part of pitching panel for a.o. Chinese filmmakers

Turkey

Greenhouse

Part of pitching panel

Uruguay

DocMontevideo

Presentation about IBF and how to apply

Meeting at IDFA

Another important meeting place at IDFA are the daily Guests Meet

Each year, the Fund invites all filmmakers of IBF-supported documen-

Guests drinks, an opportunity for all documentary professionals to

taries selected for the IDFA program, as well as a number of program-

come together in an informal setting. This is also an excellent occasion

mers from festivals in developing countries, to attend IDFA. Addition-

for the Fund to introduce filmmakers to specific people from its own

ally, the Fund organized the third IBF Project Factory during IDFA 2015

network who can be of use to the filmmakers.

(see page 26). Attending IDFA is a great opportunity for documentary

A new addition in 2015 was IDFA’s Industry Office. Housing Guest

professionals to expand their networks, as well as to see many docu-

Services, the Press Desk, a box office, the writing room and the First

mentary films unavailable in their own region. They can then make di-

Aid Doc Clinic, the Industry Office is a place for all pass holders to meet

rect contact with the approximately 3,000 international professionals

up, network and do business. New services included consultancies on

who are present in Amsterdam during the festival. During IDFA, many

various subjects, daily Industry Sessions on subjects such as film rights,

activities take place aimed at stimulating filmmakers to make use of

video-on-demand and editing, and meetings with upcoming talents

existing networks and co-finance markets, such as the IDFAcademy,

from the festival program as well as IDFA staff. For IBF filmmakers, as

the IDFA Forum, the Industry Talks and the Guests Meet Guests drinks.

for others, this became an important hub to meet up with contacts and

IBF-supported filmmakers were able to attend plenary sessions at the

extend their professional knowledge.

IDFAcademy, structured as master classes by established filmmakers, producers and other documentary experts. These sessions are not only

Network building for Filmmakers with a selected documentary

of great educational value, but are also important opportunities to

All directors and producers of the 13 IBF-supported documentaries se-

meet documentary professionals.

lected for IDFA 2015 attended the festival – 21 directors and producers

IBF-supported filmmakers present at IDFA can also visit the IDFA Forum,

in total. After IDFA, the Fund sent out a survey to the filmmakers of the

IDFA’s annual co-financing market. This is one of the major meeting

12 new documentaries (thus excluding the director of Tishe!).

places for filmmakers and the industry, which gives the Forum a very

83% filmmakers stated that they considered their attendance at IDFA

significant networking function.

to be valuable, primarily because it enabled them to expand their

At the daily Industry Talks during the festival, attending professionals

network. 83% of the makers invited stated that they met other film

further their knowledge of the documentary industry and get up to

professionals and filmmakers. In addition, the survey revealed that a

speed on its latest developments. Topics included rights and sales, out-

lot of the filmmakers 67% gained knowledge about the documentary

reach campaigning and new financing models through branded funding.

industry and used their visit to watch other documentaries 75%.

38

IDFA BERTHA FUND

25% of the filmmakers were introduced to the IDFA Forum, and three

sessions on obtaining sponsorship, generating funds, audience building

IBF supported projects still in production were also selected to pitch:

and programming strategies the festival programmers not only received

Ambulance, The Waiting Bench and The Second Revolution: A dream for

information and guidance by the mentors, but could also exchange ideas

the poor, a nightmare for the rich. Filmmakers also actively participated

and experiences with each other. This proved to be a valuable experience

in networking events such as the IDFA Bertha Fund lunch 42%, Guests

for building their network.

Meet Guests 67%, Filmmakers Breakfast 42% and Docs for Sale 42%.

Other opportunities to meet each other were provided during Guests Meet Guests and at Docs for Sale, IDFA’s documentary market where

Network building for Festival programmers

these programmers have access to a catalogue of close to 500 selected

The Fund invites festival programmers to IDFA to bring them into con-

documentaries as well as opportunities to get in touch with filmmakers

tact with documentary organizations from all over the world, to see the

and world sales agents at the Docs for Sale Happy Hour.

documentaries selected for IDFA, to pick up ideas for the organization of their own festivals and to expand their networks. In 2015, organizations

Network building for Filmmakers selected for the IBF Project Factory

from Iraq, Afghanistan, the Dominican Republic, Myanmar, Georgia and

The third IBF Project Factory gave filmmakers in attendance the opportu-

Morocco were invited. The Fund covers all expenses for these visits to

nity to not only broaden their knowledge and skills, as described in para-

IDFA. Without this support, it would be almost impossible for the organi-

graph 4, but also increase their networks. During IDFA, they had various

zations from these countries to attend IDFA and meet the international

opportunities to meet the international documentary industry, during

documentary industry. Most of the festival programmers were invited

the IDFAcademy program, Guests Meet Guests and the IDFA Forum.

for the 2nd or 3rd time. The festival programmers from Iraq, the Dominican Republic, Myanmar, Georgia and Morocco took part in the festival program created by IBF for the 2nd year. The setup of the round table

Master Meets Talent

Algerian talent Hassen Ferhani (director of Roundabout in my Head) and Algerian master filmmaker Malek Bensmaïl (director of Checks and Balances) met again at IDFA 2015. Both their films give insight into Algeria’s society and soul using a strong visual language. The films show two fascinating microcosms within Algerian society: a newsroom and a slaughterhouse. Hassen worked with Malek before as his assistant director, and the two were happily reunited at IDFA.

39

APPENDIX I: Selection Criteria

Selection Criteria IBF Classic:

Feasibility of project (maximum score 20 points) • Feasibility of the budget

General criteria for selection:

• Feasibility of the finance plan

• Intrinsic qualities of the proposed project

• Assessment of the proposed expenditure of the grant

• The cinematographic qualities of the project

• Feasibility of finalizing production before end 2016

• The importance of the subject • Originality of the subject, the perspective on the subject and/or the style of the proposed film • The narrative structure of the proposed project

Artistic quality of the team (maximum score 20 points) • Experience of the filmmaker • Artistic quality of previous work • Professional experience of the applicant

Secondary criteria for selection:

• Professional experience of other co-producer(s) from Europe

• Trust in the filmmaker and the proposed project • Need for financial aid from the fund to achieve the proposed project

o=(if applicable) • Professional experience of the co-producer(s) on the DAC list

• The situation of the documentary climate in the region or the country • The presence of a documentary tradition and options for fundraising

Quality of the co-production structure (maximum score 20 points)

• Intensity of general documentary productions

• Level of artistic involvement of applicant in the project

• The position of the producing country on the DAC-list of the OECD

• Added value of IDFA Bertha Fund - Europe program compared to other co-production schemes in applicant’s country of origin

Selection Criteria IBF Europe International Co-production

Quality of the global distribution and marketing strategy (maxi-

In selecting the projects the selection committee uses the following

mum score 15 points)

criteria, for which a maximum of 100 points can be attributed:

• Distribution plan • Analysis of potential target groups

Quality of the proposed project (maximum score 25 points)

• Timeline

• Originality of the subject, point of view, style • Subject matter • Narrative structure and treatment • Cinematography • Audiovisual presentation (trailer, demo, edited sequence)

Getting Inspired and Exchanging Ideas

Taher Alwan, director of the Baghdad International Film Festival, explained the challenges of organizing a festival in a country like Iraq during the round table sessions for IBF festival programmers. At this session the participants advised and inspired each other based on their own experiences and received guidance from two mentors adding extra ideas and presenting case studies. The programmers kept in touch after IDFA and are taking into consideration the option to exchange programs, for example a Myanmar film program in the Dominican Republic and vice versa.

40

IDFA BERTHA FUND

Appendix II: Organization 2015 Board

Selection committee IBF Classic:

The board has the following members:

The selection committee of the documentary projects is composed of

Chairman: Walter Etty, partner at Andersson Elffers Felix

a group of alternating members and guest readers for each selection

Member: Jan Hoekema, mayor of Wassenaar, former Ambassador for

round. The committee consists of five or six members per round.

International Cultural Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Member: Adrienne van Heteren, director small media foundation

Selection committee February 2015:

London

• Adriek van Nieuwenhuijzen, Head of IDFA Industry Office

Member: Marischka Leenaers, consultant in fundraising and sponsoring

(the Netherlands) • Carmen Cobos, producent, Cobos Films (Spain/the Netherlands)

Member: Marijn Wiersma, Senior Financial Inclusion Officer FMO

• Iikka Vehkalahti, producer IV Films & former commissioning editor

Staff

YLE (Finland)

Director: Ally Derks

• Isabel Arrate Fernandez, IDFA Bertha Fund manager (the Netherlands)

Fund Manager: Isabel Arrate Fernandez

• Peter Jager, former CEO, Autlook Filmsales (Austria)

Project Manager: Mélanie de Vocht

Selection committee May 2015:

Producer: Malka Jonas

• Isabel Arrate Fernandez, IDFA Bertha Fund manager (the Netherlands)

Pre-selection committee for IBF Classic:

• Don Edkins, producer, Steps International (South Africa)

All projects submitted for IBF Classic are first assessed by a pre-selec-

• Fleur Knopperts, producer, Volya Films (the Netherlands)

tion committee. This committee is composed of IDFA staff members

• Orwa Nyrabia, producer, Proaction (Syria/Germany)

and documentary experts on specific regions.

• Elizabeth Wood, founder and director of DocHouse (UK)

Pre-selection committee February 2015:

Selection committee IBF Europe:

• David Teigeler, IDFA viewer (the Netherlands)

All projects submitted for IBF Europe are assessed by a selection com-

• Isabel Arrate Fernandez, IDFA Bertha Fund manager (the Netherlands)

mittee composed of IDFA staff members and internationally renowned

• Joost Daamen, programmer IDFA Program Department

documentary experts.

• Adriek van Nieuwenhuijzen, Head of IDFA Industry Office

(the Netherlands) • Laura van Halsema, Special Programs coordinator and Press &

(the Netherlands) • Isabel Arrate Fernandez, IDFA Bertha Fund manager (the Netherlands)

Publicity coordinator (the Netherlands) • Laurien ten Houten, coordinator IDFA Docs for Sale (the Netherlands) • Mélanie de Vocht, IDFA Bertha Fund project manager

• Iikka Vehkalahti, producer IV Films & former commissioning editor YLE (Finland) • Peter Jager, former CEO, Autlook Filmsales (Austria)

(the Netherlands) • Raul Niño Zambrano, programmer IDFA Program Department (the Netherlands) Yorinde Segal, coordinator IDFA Forum (the Netherlands) Pre-selection committee May 2015: • David Teigeler, IDFA viewer (the Netherlands) • Isabel Arrate Fernandez, IDFA Bertha Fund manager (the Netherlands)

Colophon

• Joost Daamen, programmer IDFA Program Department (the Netherlands)

Text: Joost Broeren, Isabel Arrate Fernandez, Mélanie de Vocht,

• Judy Kibinge, director East African Fund DOCUBOX and filmdirector (Kenya)

Marloes den Hoed Translation: Joost Broeren

• Laurien ten Houten, coordinator IDFA Docs for Sale (the Netherlands)

Production: Mélanie de Vocht

• Mélanie de Vocht, IDFA Bertha Fund project manager

Lay-out: Sjoukje van Gool

(the Netherlands)

Photography: Bram Belloni, Nichon Glerum, Felix Kalkman,

• Malka Jonas, IDFA Bertha Fund producer and IDFA Forum

Corinne de Korver, Michiel Landeweerd

producer (the Netherlands) • Yorinde Segal, coordinator IDFA Forum (the Netherlands)

This is a publication of the IDFA Bertha Fund

41

Appendix III Statement of Income and Expenditure 2015 Foundation Jan Vrijman Fund, Amsterdam

2015

2014

FNL. STMNT 2015

BUDGET 2015

FNL. STMNT 2014

€

€

€

INCOME Government grants Other grants

307.428

360.000

150.000 530.000

460.000

460.000

Other income

44.269

55.000

46.388

811.697

875.000

726.388

EXPENDITURE

Administration costs Staff

29.999

28.350

29.006

Housing/support costs

35.230

37.000

39.288

Total administration costs

65.229

65.350

68.293

Activity costs

Staff

78.266

77.550

80.358

Projects and programmes

682.008

732.100

581.704

Total activity costs

760.274

809.650

662.062

Contingency

Net result

-

-

-

825.503

875.000

730.356

-13.806

-

-3.968

42

Contact: IDFA Bertha Fund / E: idfaberthafund@idfa.nl / P: 31 20 6273329 / www.idfa.nl/idfaberthafund