Norwegian co-produced film won the Critics Award in Venice
The SØRFOND-supported film Flapping in the Middle of Nowhere received last Friday one of the world's most prestigious awards, the Feodora Award, for best film at the 29th Venice International Film Critic's Week.
The SØRFOND-supported film Flapping in the Middle of Nowhere received last Friday one of the world's most prestigious awards, the Feodora Award, last Friday for best film at the 29th Venice International Film Critic's Week. The film is a collaboration between the Norwegian producer Alan R. Milligan (Letter to the King) the production company Filmfarms and Vietnamese debut director Nguyen Hoang Diep.
The film is backed with 850 000 NOK from the Norwegian Film Fund SØRFOND.
- This is one of the highest amounts the fund has awarded a project since its inception in 2012, says Creative Director at Films from the South, Lasse Skagen. SØRFOND is funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and administered by the Norwegian Film Institute and the Films from the South Foundation. The fund allocates financial grants to film production in developing countries where they for political or financial reasons, have difficulties performing productions.
The film is currently screening in Toronto, and will hit the canvas for the first time in Scandinavia during the main competition at the Films from the South Festival 9-19. October 2014.
Producer Alan R. Milligan, present during the Critics Week in Venice, comments:
- It is a great honor and pleasure to be part of Diep's film and receiving this award with her and the other producers. SØRFONDs support has opened new doors for Film Farms and our Norwegian projects, while we have supported an important film from a country that otherwise would not be able to contribute to the financing. This is film and development in perfect union and quintessential for freedom of speech.
Unclear whether the fund can continue
- We hope that SØRFOND can continue after the ongoing evaluation at MFA - so that new directors from developing countries have opportunities to realize new projects. The stories they tell are important to support, says Lasse Skagen.
- It gives very good credibility for us, that films supported by SØRFOND keeps artistic levels that make them attractive for some of the world's largest film festivals. It elevates the films onto the international scene, which no doubt will generate attention also at home for the respective directors. Visibility can generate new opportunities in countries where the possibilities to finance film is poor, and where freedom of speech has weaker conditions, concludes Skagen.
The press - read all about it:
"Harsh realities of inner-city life, Diep's film offers a sensitive, sensual and surprisingly candid representation of sexuality and adolescence in Vietnam"
The Italian filmcritic Francesco Di Pace who led the selection committee for Critics Week in Venice, described Flapping in the Middle of Nowhere as "a shocker" to Variety (Montages)
SØRFOND will be announcing the coming Wednesday this year selected candidates for the pitching forum which takes place on October 15th at Filmens Hus, under the Films from the South Festival.