Netherlands Film Fund grants €200,000 for ‘Hubert Bals Fund Plus’

International Film Festival Rotterdam / Netherlands Film Fund

PRESS RELEASE July 15, 2010

Dutch companies Circe Films, IDTV Motel Films, Volya Films and NFI Productions have been selected to receive each € 50,000 from Hubert Bals Fund Plus, a joint project of the International Film Festival Rotterdam and the Netherlands Film Fund. The Dutch producers will coproduce four films from Chile, Uruguay and Argentina.
Hubert Bals Fund Plus, initiated in 2006, promotes international involvement of Dutch producers with films already supported by Rotterdam’s Hubert Bals Fund.

Iwana Chronis, Manager of the Hubert Bals Fund about the Plus program: “Hubert Bals Fund Plus, now in its fifth year, has proven to be a successful program that works for both filmmakers and coproducers: AGUA FRÍA DE MAR by Paz Fabrega, coproduced by Isabella Films, took a Tiger Award in Rotterdam; THE LIGHT THIEF by Aktan Arym Kubat, coproduced by Volya Films, premiered in Cannes’ Quinzaine and has been selected for Locarno’s Piazza Grande Screenings.
The majority of the projects received for the 2010 selection round originated from Latin America. While the Hubert Bals Fund Plus’ main criteria remain the quality and viability of a project, the project aims at a more geographically diverse set of applications in the future. To facilitate and open up possibilities for (Dutch) coproducers, in 2011 Hubert Bals Fund Plus moves from one to two applications deadlines: March 1st and October 1st (2011).”

Hubert Bals Fund Plus Selection Summer 2010:

• IDTV Motel Films coproduces TANTA AGUA (SO MUCH WATER), the début feature of Uruguayan directors Ana Guevara & Leticia Jorge, produced by well-known Control Z Films from Uruguay (25 WATTS, GIGANTE) and Bonita Films from Mexico. TANTA AGUA builds, from daily events and humor, a melancholic portrayal of a family vacation in which nothing turns out as expected. A trip to a thermal spa where it rains constantly and where there is nothing to do is the background for a story about a girl cautiously entering adulthood and independence.
• Rotterdam based NFI Productions coproduces VILLEGAS by Gonzalo Tobal, produced by Argentinean Rei Cine and Tresmilmundos Cine and French Cine-Sud Promotion. This début feature tells the story of two cousins who meet again after a couple of years. Unexpected events twist the trip to their grandfather’s burial and they end up, lost together in the middle of the infinite pampa landscape, with the car as their only shelter. The story follows the cousins’ reactions to the journey, the family reunion and the small conflicts, unforeseen events and emotions that slowly arise.
• Circe Films, based in Amsterdam, coproduces DE JUEVES A DOMINGO (THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) by Chilean filmmaker Dominga Sotomayor, produced by Chilean companies Cinestación and Forastero. DE JUEVES A DOMINGO, which was part of Cannes Cinéfondation 2010, begins on a Thursday when two young children go on holiday with their parents to the north of Chile. It all ends on a Sunday. Although their parents have decided to split, the trip with the children still takes place. The solitude of the landscape and the confinement in the car begin to expose the crisis of the couple, while, at their back, the two siblings fight over the seat, play at reading each other’s mind and try to understand what is going on at the front.
• Rotterdam company Volya Films coproduces SOLO, Uruguayan Guillermo Rocamora’s début feature, produced by Uruguay Seacuatico, French Promenades Films and Argentinean Sudestada Cine. Nelson has been playing the trumpet in the Air Force band for more than twenty years. He feels that his life has not amounted to anything. After his wife leaves him, he finds a chance for fulfillment in a music contest. The Air Force forces upon him a trip to Antarctica with the promise of a possible promotion. This journey will change Nelson’s life forever.

Hubert Bals Fund Plus
The Hubert Bals Fund of the International Film Festival Rotterdam supports filmmakers from developing countries with contributions in the stages of script development, post-production and distribution. Annually 20 to 40 film productions are realized with the support of the Hubert Bals Fund. In order to offer Dutch producers the possibility to get involved more often in international productions, and to support the ‘Hubert Bals Fund projects’ in the stage of actual production as well, Hubert Bals Fund Plus has been set up in 2006 by the Netherlands Film Fund and the Hubert Bals Fund of the International Film Festival Rotterdam.

Since 2006 the Netherlands Film Fund has yearly made € 200,000 available for Hubert Bals Fund Plus. Applications can be granted with a maximum of € 50,000 for a Hubert Bals Fund project, which already received script and project development support, co-produced by a Dutch producer. Successful Hubert Bals Fund Plus supported films include:

• AGUA FRÍA DE MAR (COLD WATER OF THE SEA) by Paz Fábrega (Costa Rica, coproduced by Isabella Films) competed in Rotterdam 2010 and took a Tiger Award.
• THE LIGHT THIEF by Aktan Arym Kubat (Kyrgyzstan, coproduced by Volya Films) premiered in the Quinzaine des Réalisateurs 2010.
• LOS VIAJES DEL VIENTO - Ciro Guerra (Colombia, coproduced by Volya Films, premiered at Cannes 2009’s Un Certain Regard).
• • GIGANTE - Adrian Biniez (Uruguay, coproduced by IDTV/Motel Films, premiered at Berlinale 2009 and was awarded two Silver Bears).
• SAHMAN (BORDER) by Harutyun Khatchatryan (Armenia, coproduced by Volya Films, premiered at Rotterdam 2009).

Approximately half of the films realized with support of the Hubert Bals Fund are made in cooperation with European coproducers. The International Film Festival Rotterdam offers Dutch producers the opportunity to participate in international and artistically acclaimed productions through the extensive network of the Hubert Bals Fund and at the same time further support projects that were selected by the HBF.

(End of press release)

Press information:
IFFR Press Office, Bert-Jan Zoet, [email protected], +31 10 8909090
Netherlands Film Fund, Jonathan Mees, [email protected], +31 20 5707681