In the 39th jury session of the Berlinale World Cinema Fund (WCF), the juries have made 14 funding recommendations to projects and films from Argentina, Chile, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ecuador, Egypt, Iran, Israel, Mozambique, Nigeria, the Republic of Belarus, Rwanda, Senegal and Thailand. The current funding for eleven production and three distribution grants totals 360,000 euros. The WCF is pleased to be able to support independent cinema even more strongly in times of crisis and to promote the visibility of the cultural complexity of our world.

"We are looking at the results of the last WCF-The jury meeting and marvel at the strength, courage and incredible creativity of these future films. Most of the films supported WCF-projects deal intensively with the multifaceted complexity of our world. Cinematic views of a world that is not easy to decipher, often with characters who may live very far away from us and yet are very familiar to us. This is cinema as empathy and empathy as a cross-border attitude to life. We are delighted to be able to support these projects," says WCF-Manager Vincenzo Bugno.

The funding recommendations of the 39th jury meeting

The WCF-The jury made its selection from 194 submitted projects from a total of 62 countries. The funding recommendations include funds totalling 360,000 euros.
Members of the jury are the documentary film producer and documentary creative advisor Marta Andreu (Spain), the director, screenwriter and producer Ayşe Polat (Germany), the film scholar and curator Viola Shafik (Germany / Egypt) as well as the WCF-Vincenzo Bugno (Italy / Germany). In addition, there will be jurors for WCF Africa the producer and director of the pan-African film festival FESPACO and the Berlin festival Afrikamera Alex Moussa Sawadogo (Burkina Faso) and the filmmaker and curator Dorothee Wenner (Germany).

Production funding WCF

DembaDirector: Mamadou Dia (Senegal). Production: Joyeddi Sarl (Senegal), Maba Ba, NiKo Film (Germany), Nicole Gerhards. Feature film.
Funding amount: € 35,000

The Misterious Gaze of the FlamingoDirector: Diego Céspedes (Chile). Production: Quijote Films & Rampante (Chile), Giancarlo Nasi. Feature film.
Funding amount: € 34,000

NunkuiDirector: Verenice Benítez (Ecuador). Production: Caleidoscopio Cine (Ecuador), Isabela Parra. Feature film.
Funding amount: € 30,000

Talitha KumiDirector: Hadar Morag (Israel). Production: Medalia Productions (Israel), Hilla Medalia; Maze Pictures (Germany), Caroline Daube. Feature film.
Funding amount: € 40,000

A Useful GhostDirector: Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke (Thailand). Production: 185 Films Co (Thailand), Cattleya Paosrijaroen. Feature film.
Funding amount: € 35,000
In 2021, the director has Berlinale Talents participated.

Zone|MythDirector: Darya Yurkevich (Republic of Belarus). Production: AN|DA Film (Republic of Belarus), Darya Yurkevich; Doppelplusultra (Germany), Frank Müller. Documentary form.
Funding amount: € 35,000

WCF Europe

BoomerangDirected by Shahab Fotouhi (Iran). Production: Rainy Pictures (Iran), Majib Barzegar; New Matter Films (Germany), Mariam Shatberashvili. Feature film.
Funding amount: € 30,000

Inside the NoiseDirected by Martina Juncadella (Argentina). Production: Una Presencia (Argentina), Julieta Juncadella; House on Fire (France), Vincent Wang. Feature film.
Funding amount: € 30,000

WCF Africa

Minimals in a Titanic WorldDirector: Philbert Aime Mbabazi Sharangabo (Rwanda). Production: Imitana Productions (Rwanda), Philbert Aime Mbabazi Sharangabo. Feature film.
Funding amount: € 25,000
In 2020, the director has Berlinale Talents participated.

The Nights Still Smell of GunpowderDirector: Inadelso Cossa (Mozambique). Production: 16mm Filmes (Mozambique), Inadelso Cossa; Kaske Films (Germany), Thomas Kaske. Documentary form.
Funding amount: € 25,000
In 2015, the director worked on Berlinale Talents participated.

Distribution support for the cinema release in Germany

Augure (Omen), Director: Baloji (Democratic Republic of the Congo). Distributed by: Grandfilm. Feature film.
German cinema release: 4 April 2024.
Funding amount: € 8,000

Mummy WataDirected by C.J. "Fiery" Obasi (Nigeria). Distributed by: Cinemalovers e.V.. Feature film.
German cinema release: 11 January 2024.
Funding amount: € 3,000

Lending promotion WCF Europe

EurekaDirected by Lisandro Alonso (Argentina). World Sales: Filmgarten (Austria). Distribution: Filmgarten (Austria); Grandfilm (Germany) and LAT-E (Argentina). Feature film.
German cinema release: 21 March 2024.
Funding amount: € 30,000

WCF Europe-TFL Audience Design Award

The WCF also has the WCF Europe-TFL Audience Design Award together with the TorinoFilmLab (TFL), organised by the Museo Nazionale del Cinema. The award consists of a special programme of audience design consulting carried out by internationally renowned experts selected by TorinoFilmLab. The award goes to:

Muchachos bañándose en el lagoDirected by Michael Labarca (Venezuela). Production: Todos los Ríos (Venezuela), Patricia Ramírez-Arévalo; Ticket Shoot Films (France), René Osi. Feature film.
The project was approved in July 2023 for a WCF-Promotion recommended.

Since 2004, the Berlinale World Cinema Fund with its increasingly differentiated support programme (WCF, WCF Europe, WCF Africa, WCF ACP) successfully supports film production in regions with a weak film infrastructure and promotes cultural diversity in German cinemas. The programme also promotes cooperation between production companies from the regions and countries receiving funding and German/European production companies. General information on the WCF promotion.