WORLD PREMIERE AND SELECTION FOR MAIN COMPETITION AT HOTDOCS

The HotDocs film festival is just around the corner, and we are happy to announce that we have two films selected for the main competition this year.

‘The Killing of a Journalist,’ directed by Matt Sarnecki and produced by Signe Byrge Sørensen, will have its world premiere on May 1st 2022. The film explores the brutal murder of a young Slovakian investigative journalist and his fiancée. Their deaths inspire the biggest protests in Slovakia since the fall of communism. The story takes an unexpected turn when a source leaks the secret murder case file to the murdered journalist’s colleagues which includes the computers and encrypted communications of the assassination’s alleged mastermind, a businessman closely connected to the country’s ruling party. Trawling these encrypted messages, journalists discover that their country has been captured by corrupt oligarchs, judges and law enforcement officials. A reckoning awaits.

Also screening in the main competition is ‘Outside’, directed by Olha Zhurba, and produced by Darya Bassell and Viktoria Khomenko for Moon Man. Anne Köhncke and Monica Hellström have co-produced for Final Cut for Real. In ‘Outside’, Roma, a 13-year old street kid neglected by his family and the state, becomes a poster boy for the Ukrainian Revolution in 2014. His story traverses the years he spent on the streets of revolutionary Kyiv and after his release from the orphanage, left to face the outside world with nothing. As Roma sets out to build an adult life, it seems that his future has already been decided. Through a series of phone calls with the film’s director he reflects on one main question: can you ever escape your childhood?

Outside had its world premiere at CPH:DOX in March, where it was selected for the main competition. 

Hot Docs was founded in 1993 by the Documentary Organization of Canada, a national association of independent documentary filmmakers and continues to be one of the most prestigious documentary film festivals, always focusing on promoting excellence in documentary production. Each year, Hot Docs presents over 200 cutting edge films from around the world.

To read more about the HotDocs 2022 programme click here.

'FLEE' WINS BEST DOCUMENTARY CATEGORY AT THE BODIL AWARDS

We are very proud to announce that ‘FLEE’ directed by Jonas Poher Rasmussen won the category for Best Documentary at the Bodil Awards this saturday!

‘Flee’ is produced by Monica Hellström and Signe Byrge Sørensen for Final Cut for Real and Charlotte de la Gournerie for Sun Creature.

‘Flee’ tells the extraordinary true story of Amin who, on the verge of marriage, is compelled to uncover his past for the first time – one that he has kept secret for over twenty years and which has continuously threatened the life he has built for himself since making the journey as a child refugee from Afghanistan to Denmark. Told mostly through animation, ‘Flee’ weaves together a stunning tapestry of images and memories which tell the affecting story of a young man grappling with his traumatic past in order to discover his true self and the meaning of home.

The prestigious Bodil statuettes have been given out yearly by the Association of Danish Film Critics since the first Bodil award ceremony in 1948. This year the award ceremony took place on the 19th of March in Folketeatret, Copenhagen.

To see the full list of winners and nominees for this year's Bodil, visit: www.bodilprisen.dk (in Danish)

'FLEE' WINS BEST FEATURE AWARD AT IDA DOCUMENTARY AWARDS

We are very proud to announce that ‘Flee’ directed by Jonas Poher Rasmussen and produced by Monica Hellström, Signe Byrge Sørensen, and Charlotte De La Gournerie has won the award for Best Feature at IDA (International Documentary Association) Documentary Awards!

‘Flee’ tells the extraordinary true story of Amin who, on the verge of marriage, is compelled to uncover his past for the first time – one that he has kept secret for over twenty years and which has continuously threatened the life he has built for himself since making the journey as a child refugee from Afghanistan to Denmark. Told mostly through animation, ‘Flee’ weaves together a stunning tapestry of images and memories which tell the affecting story of a young man grappling with his traumatic past in order to discover his true self and the meaning of home.

The IDA Documentary Awards is the world's most prestigious event dedicated to the documentary genre, celebrating the best nonfiction films and programs of the year. It seeks to represent excellence in the documentary field from around the world, by emerging and established documentarians. The 2021 Awards was presented at a virtual ceremony on Friday, March 4, 2022.

To see the full list of winners and nominees, click here.

'FLEE' IS NOMINATED FOR THREE OSCARS

For the very first time in Oscar history, a documentary has been nominated in three categories – And we are absolutely thrilled to announce that the well-deserved honour is all ‘Flee’ directed by Jonas Poher Rasmussen and produced by Monica Hellström and Signe Byrge Sørensen. A huge congratulations to the whole team behind the film and everyone who made it possible.

‘Flee’ tells the extraordinary true story of Amin who, on the verge of marriage, is compelled to uncover his past for the first time – one that he has kept secret for over twenty years and which has continuously threatened the life he has built for himself since making the journey as a child refugee from Afghanistan to Denmark. Told mostly through animation, ‘Flee’ weaves together a stunning tapestry of images and memories which tell the affecting story of a young man grappling with his traumatic past in order to discover his true self and the meaning of home.

The award ceremony will be held on the 27th of March 2022.

To see the full list of nominees, go to oscars.org

‘PRESIDENT’ NOMINATED FOR DANISH FILM ACADEMY AWARD

It is with great pleasure that we announce the nomination of President directed by Camilla Nielsson and produced by Signe Byrge Sørensen (Final Cut For Real) and Joslyn Barnes (Louverture Films) for the Robert Award in the category of Best Documentary. 

The documentary follows the presidential campaign trail in Zimbabwe during the decisive 2018 election. As the new leader of the opposition party MDC, Nelson Chamisa, challenges the old guard, ZANU-PF, represented by the acting president Emmerson Mnangagwa, the election will be the ultimate test for the country’s democratic practice in the post-Mugabe era – has Zimbabwe turned a new corner or is history bound to repeat itself?

The annual award ceremony is hosted by the Danish Film Academy in celebration of the best Danish film and television of the year gone by. The Robert Award nominees and winners are selected by the over 2000 members, all of whom are members of the Danish film and TV industry.

The award ceremony will be held on February 5th 2022.

To see the full list of nominations, visit www.filmakademiet.dk

'PRESIDENT' SHORTLISTED FOR FEATURE DOCUMENTARY ACADEMY AWARD

We are so overjoyed and grateful that Camilla Nielsson’s documentary film President has been shortlisted for the Feature Documentary Academy Award.

The shortlist contains 15 films, which will be narrowed down to 5 nominated films on February 8, 2022, and the 94th Academy Awards Ceremony will take place on March 27, 2022.

So we’ll keep our fingers crossed for the next couple of months!

President is produced by Signe Byrge Sørensen for Final Cut for Real, and Joslyn Barnes for Louverture Films (US). The film is co-produced by Anne Köhncke and Anita Rehoff for Sant & Usant (NO) for Sant & Usant (NO).

Executive Producers are Thandiwe Newton, Susan Rockefeller, Danny Glover and Tone Grøttjord-Glenne.

The film is produced with the support of The Danish Film Institute, Danida, International Media Support, EU’s Media Program Creative Europe, The Norwegian Film Institute, Fritt Ord, Nordisk Film og TV Fond, Enterprise Fund, Ford Foundation, Bertha Foundation, Sundance Documentary Program, DR, SVT, NRK, ZDF Arte, BBC, VPRO, ERR, RTV & Ceska TV.

Read more about ‘President’ here.

Click here to see the full shortlist announcement

'FLEE' SHORTLISTED FOR FEATURE DOCUMENTARY AND INTERNATIONAL FEATURE ACADEMY AWARDS

We are so very honoured that Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s animated documentary film Flee has been shortlisted for both the Feature Documentary and International Feature Film Academy Awards.

The shortlist for both awards contains 15 films, which will be narrowed down to 5 nominated films on February 8, 2022, and the 94th Academy Awards Ceremony will take place on March 27, 2022.

So we’ll keep our fingers crossed for the next couple of months!

Flee is produced by Monica Hellström and Signe Byrge Sørensen for Final Cut for Real, and Charlotte de la Gournerie for Sun Creature Studios. The film is co-produced by Charlotte Most for Most Films (SE), Maria Ekerhovd for Mer Film (NO) and Mathieu Courtois and Jean-François Le Corre for Vivement Lundi.

Executive Producers are Philippa Kowarsky (Cinephil), Danny Gabai, Natalie Farrey & Jannat Gargi (VICE Studios) and Hayley Pappas & Matt Ippolito (RYOT Films).

The film is produced with the support of the Danish Film Institute, Swedish Film Institute, Norwegian Film Institute, Nordic Film and TV Fond, West Danish Film Fund, Creative Europe MEDIA Programme of the European Union, Région Bretagne, Région Hauts De France/Pictanovo, CNC, Procirep + Angoa, DR, SVT, YLE, The Animation Workshop, Fritt Ord, Movistar+, I Wonder Pictures, ERR, RTV Slo.

Click here to see the full shortlist announcement

'FLEE' WINS GOTHAM AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY

We are so excited that Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s animated documentary film ‘Flee’, produced by Monica Hellström and Signe Byrge Rasmussen has won the Gotham Award for Best Feature Documentary Monday night at the awards ceremony in New York City.

‘Flee’ wasn’t the only Final Cut for Real production represented at the awards ceremony. Camilla Nielssons's award-winning film ‘President’ was competing in the same category. We wish both of our directors a huge congratulations on their honorable achievements!

The Gotham Awards ceremony was held on November 29 and is one of the leading honors for independent film and television and provides acknowledgment to groundbreaking independent films and television series.

‘FLEE’ AND ‘PRESIDENT’ AT THE CINEMA EYE HONORS 2022

We are super proud that ‘Flee’ directed by Jonas Poher Rasmussen, produced by Monica Hellström & Signe Byrge Sørensen is nominated in nothing less than seven categories at the 15th annual Cinema Eye Honors!

Furthermore, Camilla Nielsson’s ‘President’ produced by Signe Byrge Sørensen is nominated in the category for Outstanding Achievement in Production!

The Cinema Eye Honors are recognizing outstanding artistry and craft in nonfiction or documentary filmmaking and include awards for the disciplines of directing, producing, cinematography and editing. The ceremony will take place at the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, Queens on January 13, 2022.

'FLEE' RECEIVES THE NORDIC COUNCIL FILM PRIZE 2021

We are so proud and happy that Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s animated documentary film ‘Flee’ has won the Nordic Council Film Prize 2021!

The Prize is shared by film director and screenwriter Jonas Poher Rasmussen, screenwriter Amin and producers Monica Hellström and Signe Byrge Sørensen from Final Cut for Real and Charlotte de la Gournerie from Sun Creature. The award was announced Tuesday evening November 2, during the live broadcast of the awards ceremony from Copenhagen.

As part of their motivation, the Nordic jury states:

“It is not often that aesthetic, political and humane dimensions combine in a such sublime and artistic piece of film as in 'Flee'."

"We find that 'Flee' tells a necessary, relevant and touching story about how all people, regardless of their ethnicity, background, age or sexual orientation, have the right to a happy childhood and a safe place to call home. The film was created before many people in Afghanistan recently had to flee from civil war and its relevance has only increased in the wake of these events. But the director manages to not become self-pitying or sentimental in their way of storytelling." 

'FLEE' SELECTED AS DENMARK'S OFFICIAL OSCAR CANDIDATE

We are extremely proud that the Danish Oscar committee has chosen ‘Flee’ directed by Jonas Poher Rasmussen, produced by Monica Hellström & Signe Byrge Sørensen as Denmark's official Oscar entry for the 2022 International Feature Film category.

'Flee' was selected from a shortlist of three Danish films. In the press release from the Danish Film Institute the chairperson of the committee, Claus Ladegaard, among other things states: "'Jonas Poher Rasmussen directs with tremendous empathy and Amin’s story is hard to shake. The film’s finely balanced use of animation, music and live action gives us a real sense of the horror and cynicism of Amin’s journey to Europe – while not ignoring the beauty, humour and hope of his story. This makes 'Flee' an unusually nuanced film with social and existential depth.”

The Academy will be announcing the 15 films that have a chance to become one of the five nominees in the International Feature Film category on December 21. Until then we’ll be crossing our fingers!

Click here to read the entire press release from the Danish Film Institute.

'OUR MEMORY BELONGS TO US' SCREENS AT CENTRE POMPIDOU

Our Memory Belongs to Us by Rami Farah and produced and co-directed by Signe Byrge Sørensen screens at Centre Pompidou this Sunday nigth as part of a series dedicated to the Arte slot "La Lucarne". Commissioning editor Rasha Salti is moderating a Q & A with director Rami Farah.

Read more about the screening here: https://www.centrepompidou.fr/fr/programme/agenda/evenement/JTHK2Fd

OUR MEMORY BELONGS TO US

'PRESIDENT' TO BE RELEASED IN NORTH AMERICA BY GREENWICH ENTERTAINMENT

We are happy to announce that Camilla Nielsson’s Sundance winning documentary film President will be distributed in North America by Greenwich Entertainment, aiming for a US theatrical release in December 2021.

Deadline.com has interviewed director Camilla Nielsson and she says the following about the release: “A film like President is only possible when many, many people in front of and behind the camera agree to collaborate on all levels. […] I think you can see clearly from the film, the intense and dangerous challenges that were presented in a situation where transparency and accountability are suppressed by those seeking to maintain an unjust status quo. The Zimbabwean crew members cannot be named in the credits for security concerns right now, but it is our shared goal to situate the people in the film in an ethical relationship with the people viewing it. We’re really excited that Greenwich will be bringing the film to theatres in the US, bringing people together to share and reflect on the lived experience of others working so hard for the establishment of strong democratic institutions, while some Americans are currently attempting to break their own.”

Click here to read the full article at Deadline.com

'FLEE' AND 'OUR MEMORY BELONGS TO US' SELECTED FOR CAMDEN IFF

We are proud and happy to announce that ‘Flee’ and ‘Our Memory Belongs to Us’ have been selected for the Camden International Film Festival 2021.

The 17th edition of the festival will be held at venues in Maine from September 16-19 and online from September 16-26, 2021. The Camden International Film Festival is recognized as one of the top documentary film festivals in the world and the program features 37 feature and 33 short films from 30 different countries.

‘Flee’ , directed by Jonas Poher Rasmussen and produced by Monica Hellström, is chosen as the Closing Night Film and ‘Our Memory Belongs to Us’ , directed by Rami Farah and produced and co-directed by Signe Byrge Sørensen, is highlighted by Filmmaker Magazine as one of the notable films of the selection!

Click here to read more about the full festival lineup (Filmmaker Magazine)

'OUR MEMORY BELONGS TO US' WINS HUMAN RIGHTS DOX AWARD AT DOKUFEST

We are happy to announce that Our Memory Belongs to Us by Rami Farah and co-directed by Signe Byrge Sørensen has won the Human Rights DOX award at the 20th jubilee edition of DokuFest in Kosovo. 

The jury stated that they “decided to recognize a film that spoke to the documentary relevance of personal and collective remembrance when marked by enactment of defiance to state violence. […] Through both a staged screening and reconstruction of events the retelling and performance of memory we are invited to ask questions about the documentary film as a vehicle of remembrance.”

Click here to read more about the announced winners of the 8 categories

'OUR MEMORY BELONGS TO US' & 'HE'S MY BROTHER' WIN SPECIAL MENTION AT CPH:DOX

We are so proud and happy to announce that ‘Our Memory Belongs to Us’ and ‘He’s My Brother’, both recieved Special Mentions at CPH:DOX 2021.

‘Our Memory Belongs to Us’ is directed by Rami Farah and Signe Byrge Sørensen, and ‘He’s My Brother’ is directed by Cille Hannibal and co-director Christine Hanberg.

The statement of DOX:AWARD jury, when announcing the Special Mention to ‘Our Memory Belongs to Us’, was as follows:

“We have decided to award a special mention to a film that both challenged and haunted us – a work that expands on a painful tradition of documentaries we have all watched over the last decade. In a space created between viewer and images; in a process which is both performative and therapeutic, trauma is deconstructed and transformed, before our eyes, into camaraderie; intimacy; guilt, failure and despair. As the film progresses it exposes the impossible dichotomy faced by its protagonists – they want to remember, and at the same time they yearn to move beyond the past. Yadan, Rani and Odai’s engagement with the videos they filmed years ago, in their hometown of Dar’ah, reminds us that the images from the Syrian revolution, beyond being testimony, and evidence, are first and foremost people’s memories. The CPH:DOX Award Special Mention goes to ‘Our Memory Belongs To Us’ by Rami Farah and Signe Byrge Sørensen.”

The statement of the NORDIC:DOX jury, when announcing the Special Mention to ‘He’s My Brother’, was as follows:

“The best documentary films are always a window into other lives, other realities than our own. Always under-represented, people with disabilities have therefore often been the subject of documentaries. This moving film distinguishes itself by its very personal nature and its capacity to make us aware of the daily struggles a family can face in such a situation. It is both a love letter from a sister to a brother who cannot but live in his own world, and a very honest portrayal of the people who dedicate their lives for him. For its deeply humanistic approach, the jury would like to give a special mention to ‘He’s my Brother’.”

Both films have cinema premieres this upcoming weekend.

‘He’s My Brother’ is screened on Saturday, May 8th, at 19.15. Find tickets here.
’Our Memory Belongs to Us’ is screened on Monday, May 10th, at 18:45. Find tickets here.

Click here to see the full list of award winners at CPH:DOX 2021

'PRESIDENT' WINS BEST INTERNATIONAL DOC AT IT'S ALL TRUE

We are so happy that Camilla Nielsson’s new feature documentary President has won the award for Best International Documentary at the wonderful It’s All True / E Tudo Verdade Film Festival in Brazil!

Click here to see a full list of winners at the 2021 edition of It’s All True.