Filmmakers Celebrate at ITVS Reception at IDFA

Claire Aguilar, vice president of programming, welcomes all the filmmakers and attendees at the “Guests Meets Guests Reception” held at Escape Club deLux in Amsterdam.

Last week, Claire Aguilar, ITVS vice president of programming and Voleine Amilcar, publicity manager, attended the International Documentary Festival (IDFA) in Amsterdam.

To celebrate all participating filmmakers and to highlight the ITVS International Call (deadline: Feb. 5), ITVS hosted a “Guests Meet Guests Reception,” which was attended by 300 filmmakers and documentary film professionals. Throughout the week Claire Aguilar participated in and attended the FORUM, which has become the first market for the international co-financing of documentaries in the world. Two ITVS-funded projects were pitched at the FORUM––THE IMMIGRATION PROJECT, directed by Marco Williams, and GIVE UP TOMORROW, directed by Marty Syjuco and Michael Collins.

Five ITVS-supported films were official selections: BANANAS! from Swedish director Fredrik Gertten (co-production with WG Films, ITVS International, SVT, ARTE/ZDF and VPRO); COWBOYS IN INDIA from English director Simon Chambers (a co-production with Channel 4); LAST TRAIN HOME, a Chinese/Canadian production directed by Lixin Fan (co-production of EyeSteel Films in association with ITVS International, Sundance Documentary Fund, TV5, Super Channel and Channel 4); THE LAST TIGHTROPE DANCER IN ARMENIA from Armenian directors Arman Yeritsyan and Inna Sahakyan (co-production with ITVS International, Bars Media, NHK, SVT, TVP, Estonian Television and YLE) and lastly, the Oscar-shortlisted doc THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN IN AMERICA from American director/producers Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith (co-production with ITVS and ARTE/ZDF).

Congratulations to all the filmmakers! Continue reading to see exclusive photos from the ITVS reception.

Lixin Fan, director of LAST TRAIN HOME, was awarded the VPRO IDFA Best Feature-length Documentary prize for “a striking, honest film about a topic that is of relevance to the entire world,” according to the jury. The film follows the Zhang family who save all year to travel home for Chinese New Year, along with over 100 million other migrant workers, hoping to salvage the relationship with their teenage daughter.