10/01/2023 - A total of 33 projects, including those by Leonie Krippendorff, Natalia Smirnoff, Ioana Uricaru and Phuttiphong Aroonpheng, will be presented at the co-production platform

The 20^th edition of the Berlinale Co-Production Market has invited along 33 new feature-film projects hailing from 26 countries, and they will be presented from 18-22 February 2023. The producers of the projects will meet with potential international co-producers, world sales agents, TV broadcasters, fund representatives, streaming platforms and distributors, as well as other financing partners from all over the world. It should be underlined that 17 of the selected projects are directed by women. The Berlinale Co-Production Market is an integral part of the European Film Market, which will run from 16-22 February.

Martina Bleis, head of the Berlinale Co-Production Market, commented: “Rebellion, not allowing oneself to be marginalised, or consciously setting oneself apart from the norm; the empowerment of minorities in the face of war, colonialism and conservatism; and dealing with gentrification and climate change ― we have read about many, often courageous, projects whose bold approaches address such topics. Things will certainly be colourful and varied at our 20^th anniversary: coming of age at all ages, film noir, horror, absurd comedies and wild genre mixes on queer topics, as well as a powerful dose of feminism, are included in the selection, and we hope to contribute successfully to these new films being seen in cinemas soon.”

The official selection consists of 17 fiction-feature projects with budgets ranging between €600,000 and €5 million, chosen from among 302 submissions. Among them are the new projects by Leonie Krippendorff (Cocoon [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]), Natalia Smirnoff (Puzzle [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]), Ioana Uricaru (Lemonade [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ioana Uricaru
film profile]), Phuttiphong Aroonpheng (Manta Ray [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]), Muayad Alayan (The Reports on Sarah and Saleem [+see also:
film review
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film profile]) and Gustavo Pizzi (Loveling).

In the Berlinale Directors section, we find three projects in the early stages of financing, whose directors – Caru Alves de Souza (My Name Is Baghdad), Maria Solrun (Adam [+see also:
trailer
film profile]), Maryam Moghaddam and Behtash Sanaeeha (Ballad of a White Cow [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]) – have already shown successful films at the festival in the past. Also, two film projects are looking for partners at both CineMart Rotterdam and the Berlinale Co-Production Market as part of the Rotterdam-Berlinale Express. New in 2023 is the World Cinema Market section: in cooperation with the Berlinale World Cinema Fund, the WCF-funded project Los Ángeles by duo of directors and visual artists Joaquin Cociña and Cristóbal León, from Chile, will be presented.

The selection is rounded off by the ten projects (chosen from among 166 submissions) being presented at the Talent Project Market, which is taking place in collaboration with Berlinale Talents, where up-and-coming producers will have a chance to showcase their projects and will also be on the lookout for international partners. In addition to fiction features, there is also a documentary film project by Swedish directorial duo Lia Hietala and Hannah Reinikainen, who presented Always Amber [+see also:
film review
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interview: Hannah Reinikainen, Lia Hie…
film profile] in the Panorama section in 2020.

The companies in the Company Matching programme come from Chile, Estonia, the Philippines, Ukraine, Austria and Luxembourg, and participants can request individual meetings with them to exchange ideas on a structural level, or on the basis of project slates.

In the 20 years since it began, over 340 films have already been made from the projects that participated in the Berlinale Co-Production Market. Among others, the last two winners of the Golden Bear, Alcarràs [+see also:
film review
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interview: Carla Simón
interview: Carla Simón
interview: Giovanni Pompili
film profile] and Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Radu Jude
film profile], looked for partners there before shooting in order to secure their realisation. Oscar winners such as A Fantastic Woman [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Sebastián Lelio and Jojo Rabbit [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Taika Waititi are among the former projects, as are Quo Vadis, Aida? [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jasmila Žbanić
film profile] by Jasmila Žbanić, Force Majeure [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ruben Östlund
film profile] by Ruben Östlund and The Babadook by Jennifer Kent.

Here is the official selection of projects for the 2023 Berlinale Co-Production Market:

Amoeba - Siyou Tan
Producer: Akanga Film Asia (Singapore)

The Blindsight - Ruslan Batytskyi
Producer: 2Brave Productions (Ukraine)

Butterfly - Itonje Søimer Guttormsen
Producer: Mer Film (Norway)

Cheaper Than Stealing - Pedro Collantes
Producers: Sideral Cinema (Elamedia Studios), Mizar Films (Spain/France)

Everything That's Wrong with You - Urša Menart
Producer: Vertigo (Slovenia)

God Bless You - Gustavo Pizzi
Producers: Bubbles Project, Baleia Filmes (Brazil)

Hasse - Jan Matthys
Producer: Bulletproof Cupid (Belgium)

I'll Be Gone in June - Katharina Rivilis
Producer: Road Movies (Germany)

Iván & Hadoum - Ian de la Rosa
Producer: Avalon PC (Spain)

Ivy - Catarina Mourão
Producer: O Som e a Fúria (Portugal)

Mārama - Taratoa Stappard
Producer: Sweetshop & Green (New Zealand)

O Little Town of Bethlehem - Muayad Alayan
Producer: PalCine Productions (Palestine)

Pastoral Pathways - Ahmet Necdet Çupur
Producers: Les Films du Poisson, NiKo Film, Liman Film (France/Germany/Turkey)

Peeled Skin - Leonie Krippendorff
Producer: Kineo Filmproduktion (Germany)

Roger on the Loose - Natalia Smirnoff
Producer: Año Cero (Argentina)

Skiff - Cecilia Verheyden
Producer: Mirage (Belgium)

Tales from the Golden Age 3 - Ioana Uricaru
Producers: Mobra Films, 42 Film (Romania/Germany)

Berlinale Directors

Buran - Maryam Moghaddam, Behtash Sanaeeha
Producer: Hobab (Sweden)

Lonely Hearts - Caru Alves de Souza
Producer: Manjericão Filmes (Brazil)

Night Sweat - Maria Solrun
Producer: Wunderlust (Germany)

World Cinema Market

Los Ángeles - Joaquin Cociña, Cristóbal León
Producers: Globo Rojo Films, Autentika Films (Chile/Germany)

Rotterdam-Berlinale Express

Brace Yourself - Thati Pele
Producer: Urucu (South Africa)

The Burning Giants - Phuttiphong Aroonpheng
Producers: Diversion, 13 Little Pictures (Thailand/Singapore)

Company Matching Programme

Amour Fou Vienna/Amour Fou Luxembourg (Austria/Luxembourg)
Amrion Production (Estonia)
Epicmedia (Philippines)
ForeFilms (Ukraine)
Quijote Films (Chile)