Film-makers/producers from Lower Saxony intend to design a film project together with international film-makers/producers as part of a workshop in Hanover. A springboard for international co-productions. In a five-day workshop (15.-19. November 2009), five young film-makers/producers from Lower Saxony will meet up with five international film-makers/producers known for their different cultural backgrounds and specific methods in film making and who are former or current participants in the international competition of the up-and-coming film festival.

The international film-makers/producers will contribute with their professional and artistic experience, as well as their close connection to the young film scene, in training talented film-makers who come from or live and work in Lower Saxony. The venture is to be a pilot project. The international film-makers come from Beijing, Montréal, Tromsø, Helsinki and São Paulo.

In teams of two (German/international), the film-makers will share their experience in the form of a cinematic self-portrait and develop the material for a future film project designed as an international co-production. The theme and the idea: Can one make the spirit of a city visible? The film-makers have 24 hours to roam through a city with the brief to find something unattractive/exceptionally ugly and to present this in a particularly ‘erotic’/‘attractive’ way.In the course of the workshop, they will create cinematic blueprints (treatments/screenplays) and 3-minute (pilot) films. It is up to the participants to choose the respective genre: feature film, animated film, experimental film or documentary.

The film-makers

Xi Xueqing (1986), Beijing

Independent film-maker. Graduate of the Beijing Film Academy (holds a BA degree in Film Directing). Fellow of Asian Film Academy 2009.

Miina Alajärvi (1984), Helsinki

Studied Cinematography at TAMK - Tampere University of Applied Sciences, School of Art and Media. Works as a continuity supervisor for a Finnish soap opera.

Daniel Faubert (1983), Montréal

Holds a Bachelor in arts and design, majoring in Visual Arts, from the University of Québec in Outaouais. Member of DÉRAPAGE, a festival at the University of Québec in Montréal dedicated to purely non-narrative, experimental video art.

Jim Hansen (1986), Tromsø

Co-owner of the production company Sweet Films AS. He has worked as a production manager and director’s assistant for international feature films. In 2006 he started www.counteract.tv, an independent web-tv site that organises film projects and workshops for young people in countries like Palestine, Western Sahara, South Africa and Haiti.

Leandro Goddinho (1982), São Paulo

Graduated in Cinema at UAM Laureate Universities, and in Drama at USP (São Paulo University) in 2008. His video art plays with the idea of fiction, documentary and performance. He is currently working as the video art director of the “Os Crespos” Theatre Company.

Martin Bargiel (1980), Hannover

Completed his diploma studies as a film director and scriptwriter at the University of Applied Science & Arts in Hanover. Martin Bargiel works as a free director and director of photography, specialising in feature movies and image campaigns.

Stef Füldner (1985), Braunschweig

a.k.a. Cylixe. Since 2006 she has been studying Free Art at the Art Academy of Braunschweig majoring in Video and Photography. She lives and works in Berlin.

Mira Amadea Breuer (1987), Braunschweig

Since 2007 she has been studying Film at the Art Academy of Braunschweig; since 2008 specialized course for film studies under Prof. Michael Brynntrup; since 2009 specialized course under Prof. Corinna Schnitt.

Finn-Ole Heinrich (1982), Hamburg

Film-maker and freelance author. He was a resident writer in Erfurt and received the BKM Screenplay Grant for a cinema feature film. He is currently on tour with his narrative series GESTERN WAR AUCH SCHON EIN TAG.

Martin Jehle (1983), Hildesheim

Since 2007 he has been studying 'Scenic Arts' (film, theatre, music, cultural policy) at Hildesheim University. Director, producer, screenwriter, director of photography, editor and sound engineer for various experimental films.