A TUNNEL (working title “THE PLATFORM”) at IDFA FORUM

Nederland, Amsterdam, 19 November 2018. Forum Round table. pitch of Nino Orjonikidze, Vano Arsenishvili (project: The Platform) Photo: Grasshopperstudios / Joke Schut

Documentary film project "The Platform" was selected for IDFA Forum 2018 - the largest and most influential meeting place for documentary filmmakers, producers, commissioning editors, funds, private financiers, and other documentary stakeholders.
It was presented at the Round Table Pitches as the only project from Eastern Europe in this year selection.

IDFA Forum press release:
The selection process was particularly competitive this year: with a record-breaking 768 projects submitted. Of the 51 projects selected to present at IDFA Forum, 24 different countries are represented, reflecting the inclusive emphasis of IDFA and its continuous word-wild support of documentary filmmakers.

This year's IDFA Forum selection casts a wide net, ranging from projects that examine pressing social issues to ones exploring the artistic boundaries of documentary filmmaking. Returning IDFA guests include Nanfu Wang (Untitled Cuba Project, United States), Camilla Nielsson (Democrats 2, Denmark), and Renzo Martens (A Gentrification Program, the Netherlands). Several selected projects demonstrate a clear interest in experimenting with documentary syntax, such as Lash by Yoonsuk Jung (South Korea) and The Way We Were by Marten Persiel (Germany).

The 2018 selection also features new projects by established filmmakers as well as emerging talents. Guy Davidi, co-director of the Academy Award-nominated 5 Broken Cameras, presents Senseless (Denmark/Israel). The renowned Mohamed Al-Daradji (Iraq’s Invisible Beauty, Belgium), and Hemal Trivedi (The Half Truths, India, United States), as well as up-and-coming talents Sun Hee Engelstoft (Forget Me Not, Denmark) and Ayse Toprak (The Other Half, Turkey) will also present their latest projects at IDFA Forum 2018.

In addition to the 3 pitch categories, IDFA Forum aims to expand the genre of documentary filmmaking via the Crossmedia Forum. A pillar of IDFA Forum since 2008, the Crossmedia section will include seven selected projects year, including Ali Eslami and Mamala Shafahi’s nerd_funk (the Netherlands, Iran).

IDFA Forum reflects support of IDFA Bertha Fund and IDFAcademy
This year, the IDFA Forum selection demonstrates the continued support of the IDFA Bertha Fund (IBF) and IDFAcademy, part in parcel of IDFA’s larger efforts to advance the field of international documentary film with its professional activities. Of the 2018 IDFA Forum selection, 4 films received support from the IBF, including new work by Marianela Maldonado (Children of Las Brisas, Venezuela), Nino Orjonikidze and Vano Arsenishvili (The Platform, Georgia), Mehrdad Oskouei (The Revisited, Iran) and Hemal Trivedi. Furthermore, 4 projects selected for IDFA Forum were developed at the IDFAcademy Summer School, and 1 at the IDFAcademy & NPO-fonds Workshop.