The Jury has opted for what was clearly one of the most original ideas amongst the 2007 CineMart selection. Set against the backdrop of the American occupation of the Philippines in the early 20th century, the project concerns a small family that has taken refuge in the woods in search of a quiet life. The story depicts their daily struggle for survival while simultaneously engaging with the more universal struggles for identity, freedom and humanity. This powerful and original project embodies a daring cinematographic voice with clear political undertones, where the unfolding narrative seems to emerge from images and sound rather than the established conventions of story telling. To quote the director Raya Martin, ‘[t]he film hopefully portrays an alternative resistance of the times, one that moves away from a history of armed struggle and delves deeper into the opposition of forces: a survival of human existence.’
The annual Prince Claus Fund Film Grant is awarded in co-operation with CineMart to support the first creative phase of a film production’s development. It is presented to a CineMart project that has been submitted by a filmmaker from Africa, Asia, Latin America or the Caribbean and has been selected by an international expert jury for its excellent concept and innovative quality.
The 2007 Prince Claus Fund Film Grant was presented on 31 January during the CineMart Closing Night Party in Rotterdam.
The Jury of the 2007 Prince Claus Fund Film Grant consisted of:
Emile Fallaux (the Netherlands), Jury chairman for the 2007 Prince Claus Fund Film Grant, editor-in-chief of the Dutch weekly ‘Vrij Nederland’ and member of the Board of the Prince Claus Fund;
Anup Singh (India/Tanzania), filmmaker and recipient of the 2006 Prince Claus Fund Film Grant;
Ido Abram (the Netherlands), director of the Binger Film Institute;
Ronald Ockhuysen (the Netherlands), film critic for ‘De Volkskrant’ newspaper and the VPRO broadcasting company;
Intishal al Timimi (the Netherlands/Iraq), director of the Arab Film Festival in the Netherlands.
For further information, please contact:
Iwana Chronis
tel +31.70.427.43.03
fax +31.70.427.42.77
i.chronis@princeclausfund.nl
