35th International Short Film Festival Berlin 2019
5 - 10 November 2019

Script Pitch 2019 - interfilm's International Competition for Short Scripts

For 7 years now, the interfilm Script Pitch has been inviting the authors of innovative short films to Berlin to work on their screenplays and pitch them in a competition in front of an international jury after an intensive week of workshops and coaching. How does one get to the heart of the content in one’s short film project as concisely and entertainingly as possible? How does one best present one’s project in order to get from an initial idea to a finished film?

The Selected Finalists

We are happy to present this year's selected finalists of interfilm's Script Lab and Script Pitch:

Sameh Alaa / Egypt / SIXTEEN

Saad & Abdelraman Dnewar / Egypt / TRAITORS OF THE EYES

Amir Reza Emamian / Iran / HELMA

Phyllis Grande / Philippines / BEFORE CHRISTMAS

Rania Majed / Lebanon / THE BUSH-MAN

Lydia Matata / Kenya / SUNGURA

James McNally / Canada / INAPPROPRIATE

Thanos Psichogios / Greece / CHLORINE

More about the Script Pitch finalists (pdf)

The Selected Screenplays


Though their stories are told in very different ways, the screenplays featured in our seventh Script Pitch session are characterized by similar themes. In an age full of upheaval and uncertainty, not even the family can offer solid ground to stand on. More than once here individuals must say farewell to people they’ve grown to love, though again and again they manage to accept and appreciate themselves too.
In SIXTEEN, young Adam hides behind a burqa in order to move incognito through the streets of Cairo. But where’s he going anyways? In TRAITORS OF THE EYES, the burqa also plays a central role for two twin brothers and their dying mother. Things unfold in a veritably mystical manner in HELMA, a family drama set in a port city in southern Iran against the backdrop of globalization. In BEFORE CHRISTMAS, a young Philippine woman searches for the past in a Japanese antique shop and stumbles upon all sorts of things. By contrast, the protagonist in THE BUSH-MAN suddenly experiences an odd transformation and no longer recognizes himself. Things get loud and funny in SUNGURA, which takes us along to a Kenyan bachelorette party and lets us in on the secrets shared there (though, alas, Kemunto doesn’t entirely belong to the festive female troupe). INAPPROPRIATE deals with a very specific type of relationship between a grown man and a young girl: what happens when a man gets along too well with his ex’s daughter? Finally, CHLORINE dives into the world of a girl seeking a break in a swimming pool from a life gone awry, even if she can’t stay underwater forever: her father, who doesn’t have any answers to her questions either, awaits outside.

These stories mirror the forlornness and isolation of the individuals portrayed therein. However, through little, wonderful gestures they also show how this isolation can be overcome – and give hope.

Program

In addition to the Script Pitch competition all participants are provided with a four-days Script Lab and a pitch training to accompany the competition from 5th November until 8th November 2019. In the frame of the practical and stimulating workshop program the selected finalists will take part in both a seminar on script development to sharpen the participants’ creative skills with writer/filmmaker Marijana Verhoef (SRB) as well as writer Sandra Stöckmann (DE) and a pitch training to evaluate the live performance of each contestant by script consultant and coach Gabriele Brunnenmeyer (DE). Actress and trainer Andrea Schwemmer (DE) coaches the participants in their public appearance, body awareness and explores breath techniques on stage.

More about the Script Pitch tutors (pdf)

5.11. / Script Consulting (non-public)

6.11. / Script Development (non-public)

7.11. / Script Development and Coaching session Voice & Body Awareness (non-public)

8.11. / Pitch Training (non-public)

9.11. / 11am-1pm / Script Pitch (public)

Script Pitch participants will be given the opportunity to meet international filmmakers, writers and industry experts at exclusive networking events at the International Short Film Festival interfilm Berlin.

On 9th November 2019 the eight finalists will have 5 minutes to present their projects and convince the international jury, consisting of film school director Ben Gibson (DE/UK), producer Sofie Palage (SWE) and writer/producer/director Ira Tondowski (DE) of their idea.

More about the Script Pitch jury members (pdf)

The event will be held in English and is aimed at industry guests. Please register via interforum@interfilm.de.

Awards

Bester Script Pitch 1.000,- €
Ableton & Jan Gonschorek
Script consulting Master School Drehbuch
worth 420,- €

Partner

Contact


General inquiries

interforum@interfilm.de

Rebecca Heiler

Director Script Pitch & Script Lab

rebecca.h@interfilm.de