Venice 80: Final Cut in Venice Unveils Seven Promising Work-in-Progress Films from Africa and the Middle East

Final Cut in Venice has been a crucial initiative since 2013, facilitating the completion of films from African nations and five Middle Eastern countries, including Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria. This year’s program offers filmmakers a unique opportunity to present their ongoing projects to international film professionals, fostering potential collaborations and securing post-production support.

The three-day event, to be held during the 80° Venice Film Festival, will commence with two days of screenings, during which the seven selected films will be introduced to producers, buyers, distributors, post-production companies, and film festival programmers. On the third day, September 5th, a special one-to-one meeting session will be organized between the selected projects and industry professionals attending the Venice Production Bridge.

THE SEVEN FILMS SELECTED

The 11th edition of Final Cut in Venice has selected seven promising work-in-progress films. In the fiction, category are “Allah is Not Obliged” (Animation) by Zaven Najjar (France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Canada, USA, Slovakia), “Carissa” by Jason Jacobs and Devon Delmar (South Africa), “Happy Holidays” by Scandar Copti (Focus on Germany) (Palestine, Germany, France, Qatar, Italy), and “Life Is a Railroad” by Kevin Mavakala, Manassé Kashala, Tousmy Kilo, and Isaac Sahani (Congo DR, France, and Germany). The documentary category includes “Sudan, When Poems Fall Apart” by Hind Meddeb (France, Tunisia), “She Was Not Alone” by Hussein Al-Asadi (Iraq, Saudi Arabia), and “Zion Music” by Rama Thiaw (Senegal, Ivory Coast, Germany).

AWARDS AND SUPPORTERS

The program culminates with the distribution of prizes, which aim to provide essential financial support for the post-production phase of these remarkable films.

For the seventh consecutive year, La Biennale di Venezia will award a prize of € 5,000 to the best film in post-production. Other project supporters, the heads of the institutions, and the service companies, including Laser Film, Studio A Fabrica, Oticons, MAD Solutions, Titra Film, Sub-Ti Ltd., Sub-Ti Access Srl, Red Sea International Film Festival, Rai Cinema, El Gouna Film Festival, Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), Cinémathèque Afrique of the Institut Français, Festival International du Film d’Amiens, and Festival International de Films de Fribourg, have generously contributed providing other prizes.

As cinephiles eagerly await the world premiere of these inspiring films during the 80th Venice International Film Festival, Final Cut in Venice remains a beacon of hope for filmmakers, fostering creative exchange and ensuring that compelling stories from Africa and the Middle East reach a global audience.

The Venice Production Bridge, of which Final Cut in Venice is an integral part, is a thriving platform for cinema, audiovisual, and VR professionals. From financing and co-production opportunities to networking events and market screenings, the Venice Production Bridge offers a comprehensive range of services for industry players. The event takes place from August 31st to September 5th, 2023, during the 80th Venice International Film Festival, with a focus on fostering business-to-business exchanges among European and international professionals.