07/08/2023 - The industry strand of the Swiss festival has also announced the laureates of the first-ever Heritage Online Restoration Contest

The winners of this year's Alliance 4 Development awards (© Locarno Film Festival)

On 6 August, Locarno Pro’s First Look jury, made up of Ava Cahen, Gaia Furrer and Eugene Hernandez, gave the Creativity Media First Look Award, which covers services geared towards aiding the completion of films in post-production, up to a value of €50,000, to the project Mother Vera [+see also:
trailer
film profile], helmed by Cécile Embleton and Alys Tomlinson, and produced by Laura Shacham, of She Makes Productions. Moreover, No Ifs or Buts by Sarah Lewis, staged by the director herself, of Felt Culture, and co-produced by DoBeDo, received both the Jannuzzi Smith Award – worth €8,500 for the design of an international poster – and the prize provided by leading industry magazine Le Film Français, which consists of advertising spaces worth €5,600.

(The article continues below - Commercial information)

From 4-6 August, the 12th edition of First Look showcased six British works in progress to an audience of sales agents, buyers, programmers and representatives of post-production support funds. This year, First Look was organised in co-operation with the British Film Institute (BFI), using funds from the National Lottery.

Meanwhile, the three-day co-development platform Alliance 4 Development also wrapped yesterday. Pas Ta Maman by Michèle Flury, produced by Felix Schreiber from Sommerhaus Filmproduktion, received the Alphapanda Market Breakout Award, consisting of consultancy services worth €3,500. Next, The Young One, directed by Despina Athanassiadis and produced by Quentin Daniel, of France’s Wombat Films, won a script-consultancy residency at DreamAgo, offered by the Valais Film Commission and worth 5,000 Swiss francs.

Furthermore, the MIDPOINT Consulting Award for an in-depth, online script consultancy with one of the MIDPOINT Institute’s experts was bestowed upon WHO/MAN, helmed by Lorenz Merz and staged by Michela Pini, of Switzerland’s 8horses. In addition, Objet a by Ann Oren, produced by Kristof Gerega, Sophie Ahrens and Fabian Altenried for Germany’s Schuldenberg Films, snagged the Ticino Film Commission Residence Award, consisting of a two-day location-scouting session (worth 4,000 Swiss francs) and a letter of intent for financial support for the production outfit (worth up to 12,000 Swiss francs), if all or part of the film is shot in Ticino.

Finally, Alberto Cavalcanti’s 1954 classic Mulher de verdade won the first-ever Heritage Online Restoration Contest. The Brazilian title will enter a restoration process, offered by Zurich- and Berlin-based company Cinegrell, which is set to be completed by the first half of 2024. The restored film is slated to premiere at the next edition of the festival, in the Histoire(s) du cinéma: Heritage Online section.

The full list of this year’s winners is as follows:

First Look

Creativity Media First Look Award
Mother Vera [+see also:
trailer
film profile] – Cécile Embleton, Alys Tomlinson (UK)
Producer: Laura Shacham
Production company: She Makes Productions

Jannuzzi Smith Award
No Ifs or Buts – Sarah Lewis (UK)
Producer: Sarah Lewis
Production companies: Felt Culture, DoBeDo

Le Film Français Award
No Ifs or Buts – Sarah Lewis

Alliance 4 Development

Alphapanda Market Breakout Award
Pas Ta Maman – Michèle Flury (Germany)
Producer: Felix Schreiber
Production company: Sommerhaus Filmproduktion

Script Consultancy Residency at DreamAgo
The Young One – Despina Athanassiadis (France)
Producer: Quentin Daniel
Production company: Wombat Films

MIDPOINT Consulting Award
WHO/MAN – Lorenz Merz (Switzerland)
Producer: Michela Pini
Production company: 8horses

Ticino Film Commission Residence Award
Objet a – Ann Oren (Germany)
Producers: Kristof Gerega, Sophie Ahrens, Fabian Altenried
Production company: Schuldenberg Films

Heritage Online Restoration Contest
Mulher de verdade – Alberto Cavalcanti (Brazil)