GAIFF Pro Industry Platform announces its winners for 2024 edition

ArmInfo. The industry platform of the Golden Apricot International Film Festival ran from 8-12 July,  2024 in Yerevan, Armenia, and seven projects have been awarded.

    GAIFF Pro Industry Platform, the co-production and financing event  held under the wing of the Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film  Festival (GAIFF), has wrapped its latest edition which ran from 8-12  July, and handed out its awards to emerging filmmakers from the  Western Asia region. The 2024 edition was brought to life by a  collaboration between Golden Apricot International Film Festival and  IMS - International Media Support, and in partnership with AGBU, with  a special focus on documentary films.  Local and international  professionals attended and Nare Leone Ter-Gabrielyan, the Head of  GAIFF Pro Industry Platform presented the categories and the Jury  members who announced the winners in each section.

    A total of seventeen projects participated in the Co-Production  Market - twelve features in development and five in the  work-in-progress stage - bringing together filmmakers and producers  from over fifteen countries. The lineup included projects from Saudi  Arabia, Cyprus, Georgia, Iran, Turkey, Lebanon, and Armenia, with  co-production partner countries including France, Serbia, Germany,  the United States, and Belgium.

    The International Jury for the Grand Prix consisted of Henrik  Underbjerg (Regional Team Lead at IMS), Dominique Welinski (founding  CEO at DW, curator and producer of the Factory program at Director's  Fortnight in Cannes), and Marianne Ostrat (founder and creative  producer at Alexandra Film).

    They selected an Iranian project in development, The Blood Price by  Mojgan Sayyadi. The Jury announced the winner with the following  words: "Directed by a Tehran woman who has succeeded in being  accepted by a male-dominated community, this film offers a rare and  unique insight into an Iranian minority where nomadic rules still  govern daily life - including the harsh tradition of the Blood Price.

    The director's courageous exploration of this community not only  highlights a deeply relevant subject matter but also brings to the  forefront a fight for humanity in the most concrete way. The film's  subject is both tragic and poetic, weaving a narrative that captures  the raw essence of human struggle and resilience.  This work stands  out for its bravery, relevance, and its powerful portrayal of a  seldom-seen world."

    As the recipient of the Grand Prix, the project was awarded $5,000  supported by IMS and Golden Apricot International Film Festival. The  Jury also bestowed a Special Mention to the Armenian project 14.5 KM  Away From Ararat by Lilit Mkhitaryan with the following words: "This  film will reveal to the world that Mount Ararat is actually not in  Armenia. Three kids have let the team into their life and into the  small village they live in, close to Mount Ararat. From the village  to the mountain there are 14.5 kilometres - containing the forbidden  zone and a border that might or might not open. Through their  stories, we follow their struggles in daily life, while still  allowing themselves to dream - a dream shared by the whole country."

    The award includes mentorship sessions by GAIFF to be organised for  the team of the project based on the project's needs. A Confidential  Special Mention was also announced to be given to the team of the  confidential project. Jury's words mentioned: "Extremely relevant  topic, firm artistic vision - and the will to carry through. The  Confidential Special Mention goes to the Confidential Project  directed by the Confidential Director."

    In addition, the Jury bestowed the Pre-production & Promotional  Package award supported by DJAN Service Production and Golden Apricot  International Film Festival to the project Shut Up by Diana  Kardumyan. "This film tackles a taboo subject, one that society often  dictates should remain unspoken and hidden. By daring to address this  forbidden topic, the film becomes a highly relevant piece for us all,  challenging societal norms and encouraging us all to speak up.  Drawing parallels to the classic musical "Singin' in the Rain," this  film could be seen as an Armenian counterpart, blending the elements  of musical storytelling with profound and significant themes that can  shake the contemporary audiences. Women should never shut up," said  the Jury.

    The Mentorship Award with Yvette Amirian, ACE was given to the  work-in-progress project Between the Rails by Nairi Hakhverdi.

    In addition, GAIFF Pro was proud to present Short Cuts Nest - a  market for Armenian short film projects with the objective of  boosting the development of the local short film sector. Five short  films competed for the Best Short Film Project Award accompanied by  an Equipment Prize of 6,000,000 AMD by KINOKET PRODUCTIONS. The  International Jury featured Yorgos Tsourgiannis, managing director  and producer at Horsefly Films, Majlinda Tafa, Balkan and Southern  Europe representative at Denkungsart, and Kamen Balkanski, the head  of the desk at Creative Europe MEDIA desk Bulgaria. The prize was  awarded to the short project A Quiet Blue by Ovsanna Shekoyan. "For  the extremely topical subject of alienation and modern cruelty, shown  through the prism of individual experience and beautiful visual  narrative," added the Jury.

    The Short Cuts Nest Special Mention by Golden Apricot International  Film Festival, which includes a distribution mentorship, went to the  project Relic by Sona Khachatryan. The project was awarded "for its  endearingly metaphorical portrayal of a community that has long lost  its spirituality and its urgent need to restore its compassion and  belief in the miraculous."

    IMS operates with the fundamental belief that documentary film is a  tool for change. Recognising the unique power of documentaries to  raise awareness, propose solutions and inspire action, the  organisation believes that documentaries have become one of the most  influential ways of telling stories in a time of unprecedented  disruption in the media and in the world. Building partnerships with  independent filmmakers and film institutions in some of the world's  most challenged regions is their primary methodology. IMS strives to  influence audiences and power holders to react and contribute to  meaningful and positive change.

    The Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) is the world's largest  Armenian non-profit organisation devoted to upholding the Armenian  heritage through educational, cultural and humanitarian programs.  With a global presence in over 70 cities in 40 countries, AGBU is  committed to making a difference in the lives of 500,000 people  across Armenia, Artsakh and the Armenian diaspora each year. Since  the very beginning, AGBU has been committed to the development and  prosperity of Armenia. Through both tragedy and triumph, we have  pioneered and supported initiatives designed to empower the nation  and its people.

    Kinoket Prodcutions is a film production company based in the  Republic of Armenia. Knowing the territory as well as being trained  constantly with the new equipment and its possibilities, the company  thrives to perfect knowledge and deliver world-class cinematic  experience.

    Here are the winners of the 2024 GAIFF Pro Industry Platform:

    Co-Production Market 

  Grand Prix

    THE BLOOD PRICE - director: Mojgan Sayyadi, producer: Farnaz  Jurabchian (Iran)

    Special Mention

    FOURTEEN POINT FIVE KILOMETRES AWAY FROM ARARAT - director: Lilit  Mkhitaryan, producer: Lilit Manukyan (Armenia) 

  Confidential Special Mention

    CONFIDENTIAL PROJECT - Confidential team

    Pre-production & Promotional Package

    SHUT UP - director: Diana Kardumyan, producers: Ofelya Tovmasyan,  Vardan Hakobyan

    Mentorship Award with Yvette Amirian, ACE

    BETWEEN THE RAILS - director: Nairi Hakhverdi, producer: Karlen  Muradyan 

  Best Short Film Project

    A QUIET BLUE - director: Ovsanna Shekoyan, producers: Andranik  Sahakyan, Karlen Muradyan (co- producer)

    Short Cuts Nest Special Mention

    RELIC - director: Sona Khachatryan, producers: Artashes Yeremyan,  Artem Baghdasaryan