Workshop: My First Script
14-18/11 | Dokucinema KIC
The workshop is meant as active individual work on individual screenwriting projects, guided by two first-rate script doctors as mentors. Based on entries submitted to our open call, coming from all over the world, our selection committee chose six screenwriting projects by filmmakers, authors or co-authors of short, documentary or animated films, currently working on their first draft for a feature film screenplay.
Script doctors:
Srđan Koljević
A screenwriter and director, born 1966 in Sarajevo, who graduated with a degree in dramaturgy from the Academy of Drama Arts in Belgrade, where he now teaches. He wrote or co-wrote 11 feature narratives and wrote and directed three feature films, some of which screened and won awards at the most famous international festivals. Three of the films he worked on were national Oscar candidates, and (The Trap) was shortlisted. One of the most award winning screenwriters in the region, a multiple winner of all the local awards in this field, as well as a series of European awards. Circles, a film based on his script, won a number of honours, including awards at Sundance Film Festival and Berlin International Film Festival.
Pjer Žalica
Born 1964 in Sarajevo, he graduated with a degree in directing from the Sarajevo Academy of Performing Arts, where he is the acting dean and teaches directing. He has taught at different academic institutions across Europe and the USA and is one of the partners with Regresh production company. He wrote and directed a number of TV programmes, series, commercials, music and promo videos, as well as several stage plays, short films, documentaries (Mostar Sevdah Reunion, Rob) and three feature fiction films (Fuse, Kod amidže Idriza, Orchestra). Pjer Žalica produced several shorts and one feature and has won a host of local and international awards. A member of the European Film Academy and Sarajevo Film Centre’s supervisory board.
Macedonia
The Summer Of Sylvia, Andrej Ilievski Volkashin
Synopsis:
The Summer Of Sylvia is a coming of age road/adventure movie that can be described as “500 Days of Summer” meets “Into the Wild”. Alex(22), an art history student with a secret passion for wildlife photography, knows exactly what awaits for him after graduation – a teaching job he doesn’t want and a tiny flat in Skopje. But when he meets the mysterious artist Sylvia(27), he is enticed onto an adventure beyond his wildest dreams. They figure out a way to follow their dreams together while traveling the world. But the sudden death of Alex’s grandfather, reminds him of his fears and responsibilities, while Sylvia’s increasing thirst for danger makes him wonder if he really knows her.
Project status:
The project was awarded a grant for screenplay development from the Macedonian Film Agency and it has a producer attached. It participated in The Film Garage and Film TEEP 2015 workshops, was pitched at Courmayeur Noir in Festival 2015 and was nominated for best script awards at Oaxaca Film Festival 2016 and Amsterdam Film Festival 2015.
Croatia
Uncle, Andrija Mardešić
Synopsis:
It is 1989. The uncle is coming back from Germany in his Mercedes and with his presents to his happy Family, to spend the happiest day in the year with them. But nothing is as it seems: they are not happy, the Uncle is not an uncle, Christmas Eve is not Christmas Eve, the family is not Family. And it is not 1989. More accurately, the plot is set in 2016. The ‘Uncle’ is a psychopath who keeps a randomly chosen family captive. Just for him, for ten years, day in and day out, they are forced to stage and relive the most beautiful and happiest moment of their childhood – Christmas Eve 1989. In fact, it was the happiest until the ‘Uncle’s car killed them and their parents. The ‘Uncle’ now plays the role of the uncle and the ‘Family’ needs to try hard every day for history not to repeat itself…
Uncle is a psychological family horror with elements of family drama, thriller, grotesque, social satire and dark holiday comedy.
Project status:
In development.
Croatia
Splinters, Filip Peruzović
Synopsis:
Five young people from different parts of Croatia are trying something without even knowing what. Ivica (16) would do anything for Tihana – jump off a bridge, rob a petrol station, tattoo her name – everything but this. Robert (29) is experiencing a premature midlife crisis and doesn’t act his age, while his wife and son are waiting for him to come back home. Sanja (21) failed another exam and blames God for this. Frane (22) cannot bear island life anymore. Luckily, Andrea helps him kill time. Matija (24) is a party goer and a drug user. His life has taken a downward path, all until one day he decides to literally run away from his life.
Project status:
Splinters received a grant for script development from the Croatian Audiovisual Centre.
B&H
11 Days of Dying, Irfan Avdić
Synopsis:
Seventeen-year-old Malik is getting ready for a night on the town, but the news of his uncle’s death puts everything to a halt. That night Malik sees his father cry for the first time, which irreversibly destroys the image of his father as the head of the family. In the next 11 days, Malik is trying to rebuild himself as a strong male personality before his friends and his girlfriend, struggling at the same time with the burden of his family, changing to an unrecognisable degree because of his father’s illness.
Status projekta:
In development.
Montenegro
After the Winter, Ivan Bakrač
Synopsis:
An emotional triptych about a group of 27-year-olds from a small Montenegrin town and their friendship, scattered across Kotor, Belgrade and Novi Sad because of work or studies. These five people share a strong tie, their lives and adventures are powerfully interconnected, and they tell a story of three kinds of friendship – all female, all male and male-female. During the course of one year, spring to winter, they witness their youth coming to an end and their unfocused lives taking their respective paths.
Project status:
In development.
Georgia
Maya, Tamta Gabrichidze
Synopsis:
In a traditional Georgian village young lady called Maia living with her family receives the news of her husband’s death in a very ordinary evening. Her spouse was living abroad for several years to support his family financially. For his husband’s funeral Maya needs pretty large amount of money (6 000 USD) in a timely manner. Maia takes unbelievable steps, but all her efforts are unsuccessful. After selling the house, Maya finds out that her husband is already buried by his new family abroad, Maya decides to bury an empty coffin.
Project status:
In development.
