DocPoint Encounters January 28th - 29th, Ateneum Hall

During the 2010 edition, DocPoint – Helsinki Documentary Film Festival launches a distribution, funding and networking project “DocPoint Encounters”. 

Finnish projects selected for DocPoint Encounters
Programme
Schedule
How to participate?

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DocPoint offers a unique chance for five Finnish filmmakers to present their forthcoming film projects to some of the top professionals of international documentary filmmaking field. The aim of DocPoint Encounters is to increase knowledge and visibility of Finnish documentary films abroad and to develop the know-how of Finnish filmmakers about international funding and distribution possibilities. At the same time the event itself will test the international potential of the selected projects. 

Finnish projects selected for DocPoint Encounters

From Next Door (dir. Tuija Halttunen, Elokas Cooperative)
Love is Enough (dir. Mia Halme, Avanton Productions)
Once I Dreamt of Life (dir. Jukka Kärkkäinen, Mouka Filmi Oy)
Reindeer Spotting (dir. Joonas Neuvonen, Bronson Club)
Red Forest Hotel (dir. Mika Koskinen) 

Before the actual event, on 20th January 2010, the selected film projects will get to participate to a one-day workhop, where project presentation skills will be developed and the participating international funders, distributors and commissioning editors and their companies will be presented in depth to the participants. The trainers of the workshop will be Programme Coordinator Leena Pasanen from YLE, Artistic Director Stefano Tealdi from Documentary in Europe and Producer Ulla Simonen, who also works as a moderator in the public discussions throughout the event. During this workshop the projects will also be presented to other participants and after the feedback they still have time to polish their presentations before the actual event. 

Programme

DocPoint Encounters will be held in Ateneum Hall on Thursday 28th and Friday 29th January 2010.

The first day of DocPoint Encounters starts with public presentations of the selected film projects and one-on-one meetings with the international guests. Claire Aguilar from ITVS, Peter Jäger from Autlook Filmsales, Esther van Messel from First Hand Films,Greg Sanderson from BBC and Anne-Laure Negrin from ARTE have already confirmed their participation to DocPoint Encounters. In the afternoon a public discussion will deal with the presented projects in general and through common feedback will lead to the next day’s topic, marketing and distribution of documentary films. 

On Friday the distribution and marketing of documentary films will be discussed through two case studies, Burma VJ by Danish Anders Østergaard and Recipes for Disaster by Finnish John Webster. The case of Burma VJ will be presented by the producer Lise Lense-Møller (Magic Hour Films) together with distributor Esther van Messel from First Hand Films. Producer Kristiina Pervilä will be telling more about Recipes for Disaster.

Burma VJ will be screened for the participants of DocPoint Encounter on Thursday early afternoon.  

On Friday afternoon, From Margin to Mainstream? – Open Discussion About Distribution and Marketing of Documentary Films will reveal opinions of Finnish distributors, producers and financiers on the current state and future of distrbition and marketing of documentary films in Finland. 

The working language of DocPoint Encounters is English with the exception of Friday afternoon, when the discussion will be held in Finnish. 

Schedule

Thursday 28th January
11am          Presentations of the selected film projects 
1pm           Break
1.45pm         Screening of Burma VJ 
3.15pm         Break
3.30pm-5pm General discussion about the project presentations

Friday 29th January 
9.30am         Case Studies: Burma VJ & Recipes for Disaster
1.15pm         Break
2pm-5pm From Margin to Mainstream? – Open Discussion About                                 Distribution and Marketing of Documentary Films (In Finnish)

Participation

The programme on Thursday is aimed for documentary film professionals and students. Registration to the event on Thursday is now closed. The programme on Friday doesn’t require signing up. During the event access to the Ateneum Hall only from the Ateneuminkuja street. The event is free of charge for both days. 

Further information

Further information about the project can be obtained from Project Coordinator Helena Mielonen, tel. +358 41 532 3394, email helena.mielonen@docpoint.info.  

DocPoint Encounters is organised in cooperation with AVEK Encounters project, The Finnish Broadcasting Company YLE, The Finnish Film Foundation and Ministry of Education.