02 May 7 Filmmakers selected for Cannes 2019
Seven young filmmakers have been selected from around the world to attend the Cannes Film Festival 2019.
IEFTA once again partners with the renowned Marché du Film offering seven young filmmakers the opportunity to attend the 72nd Annual Cannes Film Festival and participate in career-changing industry workshops, develop their projects, build their networks and raise their ambitions.
Established in 2006 it IEFTA’s initiative the Global Film Expression (GFE). began its efforts by developing national film education curricula and building industry capacity in Ethiopia, contributing strategically and significantly to to the rebirth of teh country’s film industry, before expanding its outreach to developing economies in South Asia, the Middle East and Mongolia. A strategic network of talent labs and film festivals, including and not limited to the Dhaka DocLab in Bangladesh and the El Gouna Film Festival in Egypt, to name a few, support the filmmakers and their work.
Alongside GFE conferences held annually in focus regions around the globe, IEFTA has partnered with renowned film festivals and labs across Europe in order to offer its selected directors and producers opportunities to show their work, meet their peers and expand their networks. One such partner is the fabled Marché du Film at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2019, we are delighted to be hosting seven promising young filmmakers at the 2019 Festival as they participate in workshops, experience the global industry first hand and advance their careers.
Beza Hailu Lemma
ETHIOPIA
Beza Hailu Lemma is an Ethiopian filmmaker, producer and writer based in Addis Ababa. A graduate of the Addis Ababa University School of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering (2016), he has been busy producing an array of projects, including web-shows, short narrative films and TV productions.
In 2016, he was awarded the 2016 Africa Centre Artist-in-Residency Prize, by the Bundanon Trust in Australia. An alumnus of Berlinale Talents 2019, Beza wrote and directed a narrative short entitled Ballad of the Spirits in 2017 and is currently drafting the script for his 1st narrative feature film.
Ruba Atiyeh
LEBANON
Ruba Atiyeh is a Filmmaker & Educator. Trained in the theatre, she examines questions of place and identity for second-generation immigrants in the work she creates. Earning an MA in Documentary Filmmaking from Goldsmith’s College, University of London, she began her career in 2003, making films for Al-Jazeera Documentary channel and other platforms.
Atiyeh’s TV documentaries include Salute Comrade, Let Me Stand Alone, Mizrahis in Israel, The Palestinian Draws His Face, Quitharat and al Ezaatar. She now teaches documentary filmmaking at the Lebanese University. In post-production on her first feature lyrical documentary, A Home of One’s Own, she is also producing and co-writing an Egyptian feature, The Hanging Land with director Nadine Salib, and collaborating on a Syrian documentary, Crack of the Soul, with director Areen Al Asmi.
Ugyen Phuntsho Rabgay
BHUTAN
Ugyen is a director and producer. A native of Bhutan, Ugyen Phuntsho Rabgay is also in his final year of study for a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication.
He directed his first feature film in 2015, and made his acting debut the following year, while working as a choreographer for the biggest production house in Bhutan. Earlier in his career, Ugyen created music videos for young audiences. Today, his latest feature film project is shaping up to be the biggest production ever before mounted in Bhutan.
David Japaridze
REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA
David Japridze is a filmmaker. While completing a four year business program offered jointly by the Central European University in Budapest and the University of New-York in Prague, David began taking classes at the Prague Film School and The Film & TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (FAMU). Inspired by that experience, David has since made two short films that have screened internationally.
Farzana Boby
BANGLADESH
Farzana Boby is a Bangadeshi filmmaker, videographer and TV journalist.
Farzana researched and directed BishKanta (AKA The Poison Thorn, 2015), was assistant director of the feature Meherjaan (2011), and has co-directed two documentaries, Shajshilpi (2004) and Phulbarir shat deen (2008).
As a cameraperson, Farzana shot A Tower of Promise (2008) and served as cinematographer on Our Own Space (2007). The writer of two documentaries, Boby is also a poet. Active in progressives politics since her time at Dhaka University, she is a founding member of Chobir Lorai, a non-profit organisation of activist filmmakers.
Marwa Zein
SUDAN
Marwa Zein is an Award-winning director-producer. Acclaimed for her short narrative films A Game and One Week, Two Days, she is the founder of ORE Productions based in Khartoum, Sudan.
Khartoum Offside, her first feature documentary, was chosen for the Berlinale Forum 2019 and screened in competition by CPH DOX, Visions Du Reel, Hot Docs & Sheffield Festivals.
Sarai Abergel
ISRAEL
Sarai Abergel is a fourth year animation student at Sapir College in Israel. Sarai and her classmates recently won the Watersprite Impact Award for their animated documentary Worth Every Penny, a project that was accepted by more than 10 film festivals worldwide. Sarai is currently working on her graduation film, a dark-humoured 6-8 minute 3-D animation. Sarai plans to continue her film career after graduation.