Jury: Els Hendrix, Representative of Eurimages Mark Peranson, Head of Programming, Berlinale
Eight projects in production or post-production stage, each transgressing the borders of traditional filmmaking were showcased during this year's Eurimages Lab Project. The prize in the value of 50.000 EUR went to the winning project Atlantide (Italy, France), directed by Yuri Ancarani and produced by Marco Alessi.
The Eurimages Lab Project Award goes to a project which brings an unsettling yet fascinating vision of a dying world.
Using the metaphor of Atlantis, the director's singular gaze brilliantly synchronises the perspective of teenagers with the sad perspective of a vanishing city. Nevertheless, like contemporary Noah's arks, the motorboats race across the Venetian lagoon, driven by the energy of youth, in a life-affirming view of a possible future.
More information on the awarded projects:
Wild Roots
Countries: Hungary, Slovak Republic
Directed by: Hajni Kis
Scriptwriter: Fanni Szántó, Hajni Kis
Producer: Júlia Berkes, Balázs Zachar
Camera: Ákos Nyoszoli
Music: Oleg Borsos
Cast: Gusztáv Dietz, Zorka Horváth, Éva Füsti Molnár
Runtime: 98 min
Film synopsis
Ex-con Tibor’s brute force and savage temper serve him well in his work as a club bouncer, but less so in life. In financial straits and estranged from nearly everyone, Tibor hasn’t seen his wild child daughter Niki in seven years. Twelve-year-old Niki lives with her grandparents, and like Tibor, she can’t be kept under control. When Niki finds out that Tibor has been released from prison and is working at a local nightclub, she decides to go after him despite her grandparents’ strictest warnings. This unexpected reunion may be Tibor’s last chance to face his dark past, let the light into his life and face up to the responsibility of becoming a real father
The Alleys
Countries: Jordan, Qatar, France, Saudi Arabia
Directed by: Bassel Ghandour
Scriptwriter: Bassel Ghandour
Producer: Rula Nasser
Camera: Justin Hamilton
Music: Nasser Sharaf
Cast: Emad Muhtaseb, Maisa Abdul Hadi, Monther Rayahneh
Runtime: 113 min
Film Synopsis
The Alleys tells the story of a gossip-ridden, violent neighbourhood. At its heart is a charming hustler pretending to be a white-collar career man. He is secretly involved in a relationship with an innocent and playful young lady, but their romance is caught on camera by an extortionist and the embarrassing video is sent to her mother. Hoping to avoid public embarrassment, the mother discreetly convinces a gangster to put a stop to it all… but things don’t go according to plan and all of their lives collide not just with each other, but with others in the neighbourhood.
Atlantide
Countries: Italy, France
Directed by: Yuri Ancarani
Scriptwriter: Yuri Ancarani
Producer: Marco Alessi
Camera: Yuri Ancarani
Music: Lorenzo Senni
Runtime: 85 min
Film Synopsis
Venice: a city of gondolas, canals and inexorably sinking palaces, where tourists come and locals go. There is a parallel world here where teenagers pimp out their motorboats, customizing them with dazzling LED lights and powerful stereo systems and souping up their engines to a stunning horsepower so they can race across the Lagoon and live out their adolescence freely. And after the usual party on a deserted island, here they are, challenging each other in dangerous illegal races to win girls’ hearts, without lights to avoid the police, pointing their bows and wildly heading towards the Serenissima. Daniele, Luca, Alberto, our main characters, will drive us into their summer made by dreams and nightmares of a generation running at full speed.
The Lines
Country: Slovak Republic
Directed by: Barbora Sliepková
Scriptwriter: Barbora Sliepková
Producer: Barbara Janišová Feglová
Camera: Maxim Kľujev, Michal Fulier
Music: Jonatán Pastirčák
Runtime: 80 min
Film synopsis
Bratislava is a city of thick lines. A post-socialist metropolis, it is defined by the stereotypes and doctrines of its inhabitants. We are part of an on-going and everyday search for the right rhythm in an intimate and public setting. This urban essay about the loneliness of a city dweller is visually inspired by Slovak conceptual art and photography.
Usud
Country: Serbia
Directed by: Stefan Malešević
Scriptwriter: Stefan Malešević
Producer: Andrijana Sofranić Šućur
Film synopsis
In a Slavic pagan village, two brothers – the hard-working Mladen and lazy Radovan – inherit a farm after their parents die. Mladen’s frustration with his brother’s relaxed attitude leads to the division of the estate, after which Mladen’s luck takes a turn for the worse: grains don’t grow, fruit rots, animals die and the troubles don’t subside despite his diligence. When everything fails, he sets out to find the reason behind his misfortune, starting a long and adventurous journey to Usud, the god responsible for assigning destinies to people. It turns out that Usud has no real power or knowledge, but simply assigns destinies based on a predetermined set of rules. Mladen returns to his village broken, but wiser, trying to reconcile with his brother and unite the family property again.
