11 Projects Selected for Alliance 4 Development 2023
Alliance 4 Development (A4D) is a co-development program for film projects from Austria, France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland hosted by Locarno Pro. The aim of the program is to future-proof the market potential of the projects and foster long-term creative and business ties between the targeted countries.
From 4 to 6 August, the delegates of 11 projects, which were chosen out of 74 submissions, were guided by international experts on their presentations, partaked in one-on-one meetings with potential partners, and attended panels and high-profile networking events.
Francesca Palleschi, project manager of Alliance 4 Development, comments:
"This year's selection presents a variety of genres, themes, and visions in a dynamic balance between emerging and more established filmmakers. We are proud to support these projects, including several debuts and more than half helmed by female directors, along the path of their development."
The selected film projects for Alliance 4 Development 2023 are:
Calm, directed by Sara Fattahi, produced by Sabine Moser and Oliver Neumann (FreibeuterFilm, Austria)
ll principe Aden (Prince Aden), directed by Gianluca and Massimiliano De Serio, produced by Alessandro Borrelli (La Sarraz Pictures, Italy) in coproduction with Luis Urbano (O Som E A Furia, Portugal)
Irina Makinskaïa (working title), directed by Alexandra de Saint-Blanquat, produced by Omar El Kadi and Nadia Turincev (Easy Riders Films, France)
La Passion d’Aline (The Passion of Aline), directed by Rokhaya Marieme Balde, produced by Linda Vogel, Cyril Schäublin and Chantal Scheiner (Seeland Filmproduktion, Switzerland)
La P’tite (The Young One), directed by Despina Athanassiadis, produced by Quentin Daniel (Wombat Films, France)
Mila/Marija, directed by Andrina Mračnikar, produced by Alexander Dumreicher-Ivanceanu and Bady Minck (AMOUR FOU Vienna, Austria) and Daniel Hočevar (Vertigo Ljubljana, Slovenia)
Objet a, directed by Ann Oren, produced by Kristof Gerega, Sophie Ahrens and Fabian Altenried (Schuldenberg Films, Germany)
Pas Ta Maman, directed by Michèle Flury, produced by Jochen Laube, Fabian Maubach and Felix Schreiber (Sommerhaus Filmproduktion, Germany)
To Put Out One Fire, directed by Jela Hasler, produced by Olivier Zobrist (Langfilm, Switzerland)
Urania, directed by Pier Lorenzo Pisano, produced by Domenico Procacci and Laura Paolucci (Fandango, Italy)
Who/Man, directed by Lorenz Merz, produced by Michela Pini (8horses, Switzerland)
The three-day program culminated in an award ceremony, where the projects have a chance to win one of the awards provided by various partners: the Alphapanda Market Breakout Award, consisting in consultancy services in the value of 3'000 €; a script consultancy residency at DreamAgo, offered by the Valais Film Commission, worth 5’000 CHF; the MIDPOINT Consulting Award for an in-depth online script consultancy with one of the MIDPOINT Institute experts; and the Ticino Film Commission Residence Award, consisting of a 2-day location scout (worth 4’000 CHF) and Letter of Intent (LOI) for financial support for the production company (worth up to 12’000 CHF), if all or part of the film will be shot in Ticino (Switzerland).
The winner projects:
Alphapanda Market Breakout Award
Pas Ta Maman by Michèle Flury, produced by Felix Schreiber from Sommerhaus Filmproduktion
Jury statement: “The Alphapanda Market Breakout Award goes to a film that will certainly move audiences just like it has moved us, a brutal yet playful tale, that uses contrasting genres to explore a current and important topic, abuse against women and what it means to be sexualised, victimised, and to fight back. We were very touched by the pitch and can’t wait to see this film on a big screen.”
Script consultancy residency at DreamAgo, offered by the Valais Film Commission
La P’tite (The Young One) directed by Despina Athanassiadis, produced by Quentin Daniel (Wombat Films, France)
MIDPOINT Consulting Award
WHO/MAN directed by Lorenz Merz, produced by Michela Pini (8horses, Switzerland)
Ticino Film Commission Residence Award
Objet a by Ann Oren, produced by Kristof Gerega, Sophie Ahrens and Fabian Altenried (Schuldenberg Films, Germany)
