World Cinema Fund by the German Cultural Foundation will expire in late 2007

Dear Friends and Colleagues of the World Cinema Fund,



We need your help:

As you probably know, the initial support of the World Cinema Fund by the German Cultural Foundation will expire in late 2007.



The World Cinema Fund has been established by the Berlin International Film Festival as an initiative of the German Cultural Foundation in order to support filmmakers from transition countries. The WCF-entitled regions until 2007 are Africa, Near/Middle East, Central Asia and Latin America.



Unfortunately our initial funding by the German Cultural Foundation is limited to a period of three years. This is why one of our main goals at the moment is to ensure the future financing of the World Cinema Fund, and we would like to ask you to help us with this.

It would be fantastic to hear ideas and suggestions from your side, and especially to receive an individual letter from you in which you can tell us why you think the World Cinema Fund is an important fund/initiative and why it must not cease to exist after 2007.



As you may know, the World Cinema Fund receives about 100 submissions for each of the two annual deadlines, and as there are so many good projects, we try to also be pragmatic in the project selection in order to ensure that the funded projects are going to be realised quite soon. Since the creation of the WCF two years ago we have given production support to 20 films already. Some of them are currently in post-production or already very advanced in the pre-production, and several of them have already been or are screened at international festivals or in cinema. This makes us very happy of course, and it also gives us the opportunity to demonstrate the importance and the necessity of the World Cinema Fund – a German fund which is committed to world cinema and cultural diversity, and whose support must be spent in the WCF-regions and not in Germany. This fact allows us to work efficiently, even though our annual budget of 500.000 – 600.000 Euros is quite small.



As a German partner is required for the project once it is supported by the WCF, we try to serve as a link between filmmakers and production companies from the WCF-regions and possible German partners, and we are more than happy to have been able to help establishing several contacts already.

In addition to this, we noticed that more and more German production companies are interested in films from WCF-eligible regions. This is of course important for us as well, because it shows us that the international awareness for films from these regions is increasing. This is significant with regards to the film industries of the regions – one of the basic elements of our work.



Please find attached a list of all WCF-supported projects until now.



We would be grateful to receive letters from you saying why the World Cinema Fund is important (if possible by the end of October, by e-mail or fax, if possible with your letterhead). This would help us to create an awareness for the necessity of the continuation of the World Cinema Fund after 2007.



If you have any further questions, please just let us know.



Looking forward to hearing from you.



Best regards



Sonja Heinen Vincenzo Bugno



The World Cinema Fund is initiated by German Federal Cultural Foundation in cooperation with Goethe Institute.
Supported Films - World Cinema Fund
VENICE 2006:
SUELY IN THE SKY (Brasil) by Karim Ainouz, Brasilian-French-German coproduction
(Videofilmes, Celluloid Dreams, Shotgun Pics) as well as ROME RATHER
THAN YOU (Algeria) by Tariq Teguia, Algerian-German co-produktion (Neffa Films,
Flying Moon) have just been screened in the section Orizzonti of the International Film
Festival of Venice 2006.
CANNES 2006:
Hamaca Paraguaya (Paraguay) by Paz Encina, Argentinian-French-German coproduction
(Fortuna Films, Lita Stantic, Slot Machine, German partner: CMW
Film/Black Forest Films) - Cannes Film Festival 2006 „Un Certain Regard“ – awarded
with the Fipresci Prize.
BERLINALE 2006:
Competition: The Minder/EL CUSTODIO (Argentina) by Rodrigo Moreno,
Argentinian-German co-production (Rizoma Films, German partner: Pandora Film) –
awarded Alfred-Bauer-Preis. Screened on many international film festivals (e.g. San
Sebastian and Santiago de Chile – awarded with the 1st prize). In Lima it won the award
for the best script. Sold by The Match Factory in different international territories.
Forum: Atos dos Homens/Acts of Men (Brasil) by Kiko Goifman, DOCUMENTARY,
brasilian-German co-production (Paleo TV, German Partner: MilColores
Media/Cachoeira Films), screened furtheron at the festivals of Guadalajara, Buenos
Aires and São Paulo.
Other WCF-FILMS AT INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVALS, AWARDS etc.:
Paradise Now (Palestine) by Hany Abu-Asad, German-Dutch-French-Israelian coproduction
(Augustus Film, Lumen Films, Lama Productions, German partner: Razor
Film), so to say "the first WCF-funded film" won the Golden Globe as best foreign film.
It was screened in Competition at the Berlinale 2005, awarded with an audience award,
the Amnesty International Award and other prizes and was nominated for the Oscars.
Screened on nearly 50 international film festivals und awarded for the best script at the
European Film Awards 2005. In the meantime internationally sold by Celluloid Dreams
to more than 40 territories.
Saratan (Kyrgyzstan) by Ernest Abdyshaparov, German-Kyrgyzsian co-production
(Kyrgyz Filmstudio, German partner: Icon Film) was in Berlinale 2005/Panorama, and
was afterwards screened at about 15 international film festivals, awarded the first prize
at Marrakesh Film Festival.

The World Cinema Fund is initiated by German Federal Cultural Foundation in cooperation with Goethe Institute.
A Perfect Day (Libanon) by Khalil Joreige and Joana Hadjithomas, Libanese-French-
German co-production (Mille et Une Productions, German partner: Twentytwenty,
Thanassis Karathanos), screened at the festival in Locarno in 2005, awarded by the
Fipresci-Prize. Further festivals: a. o. Toronto, Dubai, Montreal, Istanbul, Hong Kong.
IN POST-PRODUCTION:
EL OTRO (Argentina) by Ariel Rotter, Argentinian-French-German co-production
(Aqua Films, Celluloid Dreams, Selavy Filmproduktion)
Las Vidas Posibles (Argentina) by Sandra Gugliotta, Argentinian-German co-production
(El Angel Film, Fieber Film)
FARO – La Reine des Eaux (Mali) by Salif Traoré, Mali-French-German co-production
(PAV Communication, German Partner: Bärbel Mauch Filmproduktion)
Other supported projects, shooting in 2007
Ghussoun (Israel/Palestine) by Yaron Shani & Scandar Copti, Israeli-palestinian-
German co-production (Inosan Productions, German partners: Twentytwenty,
Thanassis Karathanos, World Sales already attached: The Match Factory)
Zion and his Brother (Israel) by Eran, Norma Productions
Song from the Southern Seas (Kazakhstan) by Marat Sarulu, Kazakhian-German-French
co-production (Kino Company, German partner: Rohfilm)
Distribution Support (for distribution of films from WCF-regions in Germany
El Abrazo Partido (Argentina) by Daniel Burman,
Pegasos Filmverleih (Frankfurt), German Release: 03.08.2005
Dias de Santiago (Peru) by Josue Mendez,
W-Film-Verleih (Cologne), German Release: 08.12.2005
Bombón (Argentina) by Carlos Sorin,
Alamode Film (Munich), German Release: 25.08.2005
The man who copied - O Homem que copiava (Brasil) by Jorge Furtado,
Kool Film (Freiburg), German Release: 01.09.2005
Moolaadé (Senegal) by Ousmane Sembene,
Neue Visionen Filmverleih (Berlin), German Release: 11.05.2006
Madeinusa (Peru) by Claudia Llosa,
Kairos-Filmverleih (Göttingen), German Release: 09.11.2006
The Wind (Argentinien) by Eduardo Mignogna,
Arsenal Filmverleih (Tübingen), German Release: soon.





World Cinema Fund

Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin
ein Geschäftsbereich der
Kulturveranstaltungen des Bundes in Berlin GmbH

Potsdamer Strasse 5
10785 Berlin
Tel: +49-30-259 20 516
Fax: +49-30-259 20 529

worldcinemafund@berlinale.de
www.berlinale.de
8.-18.02.2007