Biennale College Cinema: the new projects for the period 2020-2021

During the 77^th Venice International Film Festival, 12 projects have been selected for the 9th edition of Biennale College – Cinema 2020/21; their teams (composed of a director and a producer) will participate in the first 10-day workshop which will be held from October 3-12, 2020. Nine projects were selected from the Biennale College – Cinema  International competition, whereas another three came from the Biennale College Cinema – Italy competition. A total of 188 projects participated.

The 12 projects selected for this first phase of Biennale College – Cinema are:

• 78 DAYS - director: Emilija Gasic (Serbia);  producers: Milos Ivanovic; Andrijana Sofranic Sucur (Serbia)
• BIKECHESS - director: Assel Aushakimova (Kazakhstan);  producer:  Almagul Tleukhanova (Kazakhstan)
• IBLIS LOVERS - director: Karma Q (China);  producer:  Jenny Man Wu  (China)
• MADAME NÉGRITUDE - director: Madeleine  Hunt - Ehrlich (USA); producer: Christine Elyce - Sanders (USA)
• NUESTROS DÍAS MÁS FELICES - director: Sol Berruezo Pichon-Rivière (Argentina); producer: Laura Mara Tablón (Argentina)
• THE CATHEDRAL - director: Ricky D’Ambrose (USA);  producer: Graham Swon (USA)
• THE FOREIGN WOMAN - director: Patricia Pérez Fernandez  (Spain); producer: Heidi Hassán (Switzerland)
• THE SUBLETTER - director: Caspar Newbolt (UK);  producer: Valerie Steinberg (USA)
• THE TREASURE OF ATAHUALPA - director: José María Avilés (Ecuador);  producer: Julieta Juncadella (Argentina)

• A MUTUAL GIFT - director: Gianclaudio Cappai (Italy);  producer: Pilar Saavedra Perrotta (Italy)
• IN/BETWEEN - director: Marco Pellegrino (Italy);  producer: Giada Mazzoleni (Italy)
• LA TANA - director: Beatrice Baldacci (Italy);  producer: Aurora Alma Bartiromo (Italy)

Information about the 12 projects can be accessed at the website: http://collegecinema.labiennale.org/en/

After the workshop which will be held from October 3-12, 2020, four of these twelve projects (including one from the Italy section and at least two by female directors) will be selected to receive support from the Biennale to cover production costs, which cannot exceed € 150,000, and will be presented at the 78th Venice Film Festival in 2021.

Biennale College – Cinema promotes new film talents, offering them the opportunity to work in contact with top professionals to make micro-budget movies. Four of these 12 projects will receive support totaling 150,000 Euros, to make a maximum of four feature films (first or second films) which will be presented in 2021 at the 78th Venice Film Festival.

Biennale College – Cinema, conducted by the Biennale di Venezia, has the support of the Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities – Directorate General for Cinema. Biennale College – Cinema receives academic collaboration from IFP New York and TorinoFilmLab. The Director is Alberto Barbera; the Head of Programme is Savina Neirotti.

The International call is open for 10 international projects to be selected for the fifth edition of Biennale College Cinema – Virtual Reality for 2020-2021. Applications may be submitted starting Monday September 6 and through October 28, 2020, on the Biennale College Cinema website, where a dedicated application form is available.
Read the call

The selection has already been announced for the Italian section of the same programme. The 6 selected Italian projects will take part in a workshop to be held in Venice from October 9-14, 2020. They are:

• A JOURNEY INTO INFINITE -  directors: Valeria Mazzucchi, Andrea di Gangi; producer: Andrea Zulini
• INSPIRED -  director: Sara Tirelli; producer: Valeria Correale
• SENZA FRENI -  director: Matteo Nicoletta; producer: Sara Barbara
• SPELL DANCE VR -  director: Andrea Arena; producer: Martino Chiti
• THE LAST PARTY -  directors: collettivo Alterazioni Video; producer: Elisa Del Prete
• X – DEALING WITH ABSENCE -  director: Margherita Landi; producer: Alessandro Mancini
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Biennale College Cinema – Virtual Reality is a program of La Biennale di Venezia; its goal is to explore the most innovative and captivating technology of the moment: Virtual Reality. By navigating the aesthetic and narrative opportunities offered by this audio-visual format, Biennale College Cinema – Virtual Reality offers professionals from the world of the arts and film, who have a rich background of experience in various fields, the necessary expertise to work in the fascinating and interactive 360° format. Thanks to the support of international experts who work in this sector, Biennale College Cinema – Virtual Reality helps independent and creative filmmakers from all over the world to try their hand at virtual reality, and teaches them how to seamlessly adapt their own skills to this field. During the program, the participants will acquire specific know-how regarding 360° immersive storytelling, redefining the relationship between the story and the audience.

The educational activities of the Biennale College Cinema – Virtual Reality programs receive the support of the MEDIA Programme – Creative Europe of the European Commission – Connect Directorate General. It is supplemented by the support provided by the MEDIA Programme to develop the Venice Production Bridge.