Cannes

The International Emerging Film Talent Association (IEFTA) In Collaboration With Cannes Docs and The Marché Du Film Is Pleased To Announce For The Third Year The Winner of IEFTA’s 10,000€ Prize For Documentary Works-In-Progress

Prize Awarded To:

 Cent’anni

Directed by Maja Doroteja Prelog

— Showcase CIRCLE Women Doc Accelerator —

The Monaco-based International Emerging Film Talent Association (IEFTA), in the third year of its Docs-In-Progress collaboration with the Marché du Film’s Cannes Docs, presented an award of 10,000€ with professional long-term project follow-up to the film Cent’anni. Directed by Maja Doroteja Prelog, and Produced by Rok Biček (Cvinger Film, Slovenia), Alessandro Leone (Agresywna Banda, Poland) and Massimo Casula (Zena film, Italy). Cent’anni was a part of the Showcase CIRCLE Women Doc Accelerator and was one of the 32 docs-in-progress from eight presenting partners participating in the Marché’s Docs-in-Progress Showcases at the Cannes Docs program headed by Pierre-Alexis Chevit, Head of Cannes Docs.

Filmmaker Maja follows her partner Blaž, a leukemia survivor who embarks on an extraordinary cycling journey to heal from traumatic experience. What should have been a heroic journey became a battle for their relationship. Cent’anni is a personal confession about impact of the illness on a relationship told from the perspective of caregiver.

The Award was presented by the three members of the Docs-In-Progress jury on Tuesday, July 13 at the Doc Day Awards Ceremony in Cannes. Jurors for the 2021 Docs-in-Progress competition include Glenda BALUCANI, Stephan RIGUET, and Joanna SOLECKA (bios on Cannes Docs website) who made the following statement on Cent’anni: “To a courageous step in an unknown journey that dives into a couple’s struggle through a fight for life and love, with a promising cinematic approach.”

Besides the IEFTA Award, six additional prizes were awarded to the docs-in-progress productions including the Think-Film Impact Award consisting of a strategic impact workshop & an impact pitching coaching session to Munni, Directed by Tahrima Khan from Showcase South Asia; the DAE – Documentary association of Europe Award, offering a free membership and a rough cut consultation with one of its senior consultants to Gwetto, Directed by Michaël Andrianaly from Showcase ParisDOC - Cinéma du Réel; the Alphapanda Award, endowed with two exclusive consultations on film marketing & social media to Three Promises, Directed by Yousef Srouji from Showcase Palestine; the Cineli Digital Award, endowed with a professional DCP offered by Cineli Digital, Paris to Of Dogs and Gods, Directed by Laurent Van Lancker from Showcase ParisDOC - Cinéma du Réel; and the VOSTAO Award, endowed with French and/or English subtitles offered by VOSTAO, Paris to Meeting Point, Directed by Roberto Baeza from Showcase Chile; and finally two Honorary Mentions to Devi, Showcase South Asia, and Savoia from Showcase Italy.

Each year, Cannes Docs partners with a number of festivals and organizations from all over the world to showcase curated selections of docs-in-progress in finalization stage, aiming to hit the circuit within a few weeks or months. These showcases of docs-in-progress are primarily designed for decision makers looking for fresh new titles, in particular festival programmers and sales agents. The projects are also generally in search of post-production funding or general gap financing, and sometimes still open to co-production opportunities.

The list of countries/partners participating in the 2021Docs-in-Progress program included: Showcase CANADA, Telefilm Canada, partnered with The Montreal International Doc Fest, and in collaboration with Hot Docs; Showcase CHILE, organized by Chiledocs, and financed by ProChile and the Ministry of Culture, Arts & Heritage; Showcase CIRCLE, CIRCLE Women Doc Accelerator; Showcase ITALY, Festival Dei Popoli & Torino Film Festival, Toscana Film Commission & Film Commission Torino Piemonte; Showcase PALESTINE, Palestine Film Institute; Showcase PARIS DOC; ParisDOC is the professional program of Cinéma du réel, The International Documentary Film Festival in Paris; Showcase SHEFFIELD, Sheffield DocFest; Showcase South Asia, International Film Initiative of Bangladesh.

Pierre-Alexis Chevit, Head of Cannes Docs, said: “We are very excited with the way this year’s hybrid series of showcases of docs-in-progress worked out. Between the online forum and in-person attendees, our audience was able to discover these wonderful projects that are about to hit the market and begin their careers on the festival circuit. Congratulations to all the winners and all the films“

“IEFTA is proud to support Cent’anni and director Maja Doroteja Prelog through this cash prize through our partnership with the Marché du Film and Cannes Doc,” states IEFTA President Marco Orsini. ‘Especially during these times, we hope this award will encourage others in the industry to support documentary filmmakers in their own regions.”

Every year during the Marché du Film, Cannes Docs offers a dedicated venue and tailored program of events for all feature documentary film professionals – filmmakers and industry decision-makers alike. At the heart of the world’s n°1 film festival and market, Cannes Docs reaffirms the fundamental place and role of the documentary genre and works at ever strengthening its organic integration within the global cinema industry. https://www.marchedufilm.com/programs/cannes-docs/

IEFTA is a Monaco based non-governmental organization founded with the purpose of discovering and developing film talent from emerging regions, globally. We connect film makers to established industry professionals, engage cultural diversity and foster relationships that are; mentoring, inspiring and educational. This year marks the 15^th anniversary of IEFTA-supported initiatives. https://www.iefta.org