berlinale palast

Source: Andreas Teich

The Berlinale Palast

The Berlinale’s European Film Market (EFM) has given details of its upcoming edition that is running online from March 1-5, including how its market screenings platform will work. 

The EFM will also include a presentation of the Berlinale’s film selection.

Films will be available to watch by delegates within a 120-minute time window from a designated start time. These will be determined by local time zone. For example, a film available from 10.00-12.00 in Berlin would be available from 10.00-12.00 in any other global location.

Additionally, the online EFM Industry Sessions will consolidate the event’s physical conference strands across the five days. It will incorporate Berlinale Series Market, DocSalon, EFM Producers Hub, Berlinale Africa Hub, EFM Landmark, EFM Horizon and the Initiative Diversity & Inclusion.

The programme for EFM Industry Sessions will be announced in February; it will be framed by an opening and closing event, and will provide opportunities across multiple networking formats for creating new business contacts.

Online market badges are presently available for €89, rising to €134 from January 31.

 “International sales agents have filled their lineups for the start of the year and have an attractive variety of films on offer,” said the EFM’s new director Dennis Ruh. ”Many films are also currently in production and ready for pre-sales. We want the digital EFM in 2021 to be an impulse for a new beginning in the international film industry.  Since the EFM is an integral part of an international convention calendar, and therefore part of an economic system that includes events such as the Marché du Film in Cannes and the American Film Market in Los Angeles, a later date is not an option.”

Berlinale Co-Production Market

Furthermore, 35 feature projects have been selected for the Berlinale Co-Production Market, also taking place from March 1-5. They include new projects from  Brazil’s Anna Muylaert and Poland’s Jan Komasa. Muylaert will present the Portuguese-language title The Business Women’s Club, produced by Brazil’s Glaz Entretenimento and África Filmes. Her 2015 film The Second Mother played at the Berlinale after a Sundance premiere, winning the CICAE and audience awards in Panorama.

Komasa’s latest project is titled Shine Of The Sun, produced by Poland’s Aurum Film. The director was Oscar-nominated in 2020 for Corpus Christi, and also directed last year’s internet thriller The Hater.

Both titles are in the 19-strong Official Project Selection, with a further five in Berlinale Directors Projects, including The Oblivion Theory from Palestinian filmmaker Annemarie Jacir, produced by France’s Incognito Films and Germany’s One Two Films.

One title, Shahrbanoo Sadat’s Kabul, has been selected for the Rotterdam-Berlinale Express, presented in partnership with CineMart Rotterdam.

Some 14 female and 13 male directors are working across those 25 titles.

There are also 10 titles in the Talent Project Market, including Tropical Gothic from Isabel Sandoval, director of Venice Days 2019 selection Lingua Franca; and UK feature Learning To Breathe Under Water directed by Rebekah Fortune and produced by God’s Own Country producer Jack Tarling of Shudder Films.

Producers from the selected titles will meet with international co-producers, world sales agents, broadcasters, streaming platforms, distributors, representatives of public funds and financiers, with more than 1,000 meetings organised in advance.

Berlinale Co-Production Market 2021

Official Project Selection

Left Over (Tur) dir. Yeşim Ustaoğlu, prod. +90 Film Production & Ustaoğlu Film,

Wild Encounters (Fr) dir. Sarah Arnold), prod. 5à7 Films

Sea Sparkle (Bel) dir. Domien Huyghe, prod. A Private View

Shine of the Sun (Pol) dir. Jan Komasa, prod. Aurum Film

Matria (Sp) dir. Álvaro Gago, prod. Avalon P.C., Ringo Media

Handling the Undead (Nor) dir. Thea Hvistendahl, prod. Einar Film

Land of Savages (Chile) dir. Fernando Guzzoni, prod. Fabula

We Are All Strangers (Sing) dir. Anthony Chen, prod. Giraffe Pictures

The Business Women’s Club (Bra) dir. Anna Muylaert, prod. Glaz Entretenimento, África Filmes

My Soul Startled (Gr) dir. Syllas Tzoumerkas, prod. Homemade Films

Who Killed Narciso? (Par) dir. Marcelo Martinessi, prod. La Babosa Cine

Pussy Project (Fr) dir. Nora El Hourch, prod. Manny Films

Holly (Bel) dir. Fien Troch, prod. Prime Time

Puan (Arg) dirs. María Alché, Benjamín Naishtat, prod. Pucará Cine, Pasto

Lava (China) dir. Youjia Qu, prod. Rediance, Notation Film

Four Little Adults (Fin) dir. Selma Vilhunen, prod. Tuffi Films

Matias (Braz) dirs. Filipe Matzembacher, Marcio Reolon, prod. Vulcana Cinema, Avante Filmes

Maysoon (Ger) dir. Nancy Biniadaki, prod. Watchmen Productions

Milk Teeth (Ger) dir. Sophia Bösch, prod. Weydemann Bros.

Berlinale Directors

Two Peas in a Pod (Isr) dir. Elite Zexer, prod. 2-Team Productions

Vic & Doc & Duke Go To The Store (Can) dir. Bruce McDonald, prod. BrancSeater Productions, Shadow Shows

England Made Me (Swe) dir. Måns Månsson, prod. Fasad Production

The Oblivion Theory (Fr-Ger) dir. Annemarie Jacir, prod. Incognito Films, One Two Films

The Woman From the Sunken Island (Fr) dir. Alanté Kavaïté, prod. Les Films d’Antoine

Rotterdam-Berlinale Express

Kabul Jan (Ger-Den-Afg) dir. Shahrbanoo Sadat, prod. Adomeit Film, Wolf Pictures

Talent Project Market

Tropical Gothic (US) dir. Isabel Sandoval, prod. Carlo Velayo, 7107 Entertainment

Oasis of Now (Malay) dir. Chia Chee Sum, prod. Yve Vonn Lee, Afternoon Pictures

Fallen (Cub) dir. Damian Sainz Edwards, prod. Viana Mylena González Delgado, Autonauta Films

6th Finger (Phi) dir. Sheron Dayoc, prod. Alemberg Ang, Daluyong Studios

Glory B (Gr) dir. Konstantinos Antonopoulos, prod. Fani Skartouli, Faliro House

The Turtles (Sp) dir. Belén Funes, prod. Alba Bosch Duran, Oberon Media

Mshki (Fr) dir. Diako Yazdani, prod. Camille Genaud, Paraíso Production

Learning to Breathe Under Water (UK) dir. Rebekah Fortune, prod. Jack Tarling, Shudder Films

Viva la Vida (Fin) dir. Ulla Heikkilä, prod. Marja Pihlaja, Tekele Productions

Sleepless City (Sp) dir. Guillermo García López, prod. Lina Badenes, Turanga Films