COLLABORATIONS
International Collaborations
CLOSE UP
We established important professional ties with prestigious documentary film funds and cinema institutions around the world such as the Sundance Film Institute in USA, Impact Partners in USA, Chicken & Egg Pictures in USA, Movies that Matter Film Festival in the Netherlands, Middle East Now Film Festival in Italy, MEDIMED: The Euro-Mediterranean Documentary Market in Spain, The Whickers in the UK, Doc’s Up Fund in France, Blue-Ice Docs in Canada as well as the Jacob Burns Film Center which offers our filmmakers a Fellowship Award for a residency in Pleasantville, NY, USA and the Silver Sun Foundation that offers our filmmakers a Residency Award in Woodstock, NY, USA.
These significant collaborations with the most prestigious film institutions in the international documentary industry are significant to the success of our filmmakers and were created in order to provide substantial opportunities and continued support for their projects. These collaborations assist our filmmakers to push their projects further towards completing high standards of co-productions and to network with highly acclaimed professionals within the documentary industry.
A documentary funding award for filmmakers in Southwest Asia and North Africa has been created by the Whickers in partnership with Close Up Initiative. This new fund worth £3,000 is available to participants taking part in Close Up’s annual year-long training and development program and granted to a project after the Close Up Pitching Forum in June each year.
Jane Ray, Artistic Director for The Whickers, contributed a development grant for a selected 2023-2024 Close Up project – How to Talk to Lydia? directed by Rusudan Gaprindashvil, which tells a story about a rural life for young Moldovan immigrant Damian and of AI technology named “Lydia” within a sterile German warehouse, the project was selected by the Whicker’s criteria. Additionally, the Whickers have supported the 2023 Close Up project with title: One of Those Creatures by Ali Ozkul. In 2022 the first Close Up & Whickers Bursary was granted to Hollywood Gate by Ibrahim Nashat and Talal Derki from the Close Up 2021-2022 cohort, the film premiered at Venice in 2023 and won countless prestigious Awards worldwide.
The Whickers were established in 2015 to fund and recognize original and innovative documentaries. They seek to use the generous legacy of pioneering broadcaster Alan Whicker, to support emerging film and audio documentary-makers in the funding production of director-led programmes.
Doc’s Up Fund supports Close Up projects that shine light on human rights issues in Southwest Asia and North Africa and provides a development grant of €1,500 EUR and consultancy services to a selected Close Up project announced at Close Up Pitching Forum.
Alex Szalat, the Head of Docs Up Fund, contributed a development grant and consultancy services for two selected projects during 2023-2024 Close Up programe, which ones highlighted human rights issues it is A Rhino’s Tale be Meital Zvieli and Our Feminine Wars directed by Zaina Erhaim. Both projects tell very powerful stories, the first one about the rhino named Shalom living in the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo, which serves as a metaphor for the larger socio-political landscape, and the second project focuses on women around the world fighting unrecognized battles for their basic rights – even during war.
Docs Up Fund is an association based in France that provides mentoring and financial support to documentary films committed to defend human rights around the world, films that raise awareness and can create a positive impact. As part of our ongoing partnership, already three Close Up projects received the Docs Up Fund Award including Rotten Strawberry (2019-2020), No Other Land (2020-2021), Let’s Play Soldiers (2021-2022) Yalla Parkour (2022-2023), In addition, multiple Close Up alumni projects received additional support and funding from Docs Up Fund including Kamay (2019-2020), Hawa (2020-2021), Dream’s Gate (2020-2021), Concrete Land (2021-2022) and Life in the Shadows (2021-2022).
https://docsupfunds.com/
Partnership with the Silver Sun Foundation that provides an incredible residency fellowship opportunity in the USA to Close-Up filmmakers. Karen Sloe Goodman, the Founder & Director of the Silver Sun Foundation awarded one Close Up film project a residency fellowship for two weeks at the Silver Sun Foundation residence in Woodstock, NY, USA in the fall of 2024.
Our Seeds directed by Erhan Arik (Close Up 2022-2023). The Silver Sun Residency Award consists of a three-week-long residency experience where the filmmakers receive private housing, a $1000 stipend, and access to editing facilities to continue their work in the tranquil and supportive environment in the heart of the Catskill Mountains in Woodstock!
Last year, the Close Up project from the 2022-2023 cohort titled Trash Cemetery spent 2 wonderful weeks at Silver Sun Foundation and had the opportunity to work on their project and continue its development.
The Silver Sun Foundation is a family philanthropy dedicated to providing support for professional creative artists, cultural organizations and social change makers. Established in 2017 as a 501(c)(3), the foundation offers assistance through grants, fellowships and community connections, and operates the Silver Sun Residence for Artists and Changemakers, located in Woodstock, N.Y.
he partnership between MEDIMED and Close Up provides up to 2 Close Up filmmakers each year with access to more than 60 decision-makers, buyers, commissioning editors, sales agents, and distributors participating at the MEDIMED Market. The filmmakers are given the opportunity to present their projects at the pitching sessions, have one-on-one meetings and participate at inspirational panel discussions.
Sergi Dolade, the Director of MEDIMED, selected one Close Up project to participate at the MEDIMED: The Euro-Mediterranean Documentary Market held on 17—20 October 2024 in Sitges, Barcelona, Spain. He selected 2023-2024 Close Up project – How to Talk to Lydia? directed by Rusudan Gaprindashvil.As part of our ongoing partnership, many Close Up projects received support from MEDIMED such as Dream’s Gate (World Premiere at Berlinale 2023) and The Therapy (Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2022).Also, MEDIMED Awarded Trash Cemetery with the Close Up – MEDIMED Award!
MEDIMED is a special-interest international documentary market focused on the promotion and distribution of ready-made films and new projects from the European Union and the Southern Mediterranean countries. The aim is to foster professional and intercultural dialogue between European professionals and to enhance documentary distribution and co-productions between North and South EU member states but also the funding and circulation of EU and South Mediterranean films within the MEDA countries and worldwide.
Exclusive opportunity presented by the JBFC, curated by Chris Holliday and Ian LoCascio. Elevating the filmmaking journey with a coveted four week residency fellowship, a highlight of the renowned Artist-in-Residency program, tailor-made for a Close Up film project. Delight in housing and a dedicated private editing suite, complemented by a weekly stipend of $500 per person throughout the residency.
The JBFC also provides travel costs and unfettered access to the unparalleled resources at the Media Arts Lab and JBFC Theatre, situated just north of vibrant New York City. In the Close Up 2023-2024 cohort two projects were supported: I Fell In Love With A Dead Woman directed by Anahit Ghazaryan and Strange Sea by Lala Aliyeva. Joining the ranks of the esteemed recipients—last year the JBFC Awarded two Close Up projects supporting four Close Up Filmmakers with this wonderful opportunity: “Yung Yiddish” directed by Noa Ben-Shalom, joined the residency was her cinematographer Geert Van Kesteren, as well as “Heart Don’t Be Afraid” directed by Ana Kvichidze, joined the residency was one of the film producers Avtandil Khorava.
Jacob Burns Film Center is a nonprofit film and education hub located on a three-building campus in the New York Metropolitan area. The JBFC brings the transformative power of film to the surrounding community through unique programming and discussions, educational initiatives, filmmaking fellowships, and residencies.
The International Emerging Film Talent Association (IEFTA) for the second year, represented by Head of Development Lianne Llewellyn and on behalf of the IEFTA Foundation contributed a €2,000 development grant for the 2023-2024 Close Up project
More Than A Father directed by Ali Haider who is a survivor of genocidal attack, joins his mother Sughra on a quest to find the soul of his father, who lost his life in the same attack. As the journey unfolds, love and grief, resilience and hope intertwine with each other.
Last Year Lianne Llewellyn, IEFTA’s Head of Development and Partnerships attended the Close Up Pitching Forum in Tbilisi for the first time and awarded the project Depot-Vent by Cherine Karam from Lebanon with a €1,000 development grant.
IEFTA is a Monaco based non-governmental organisation founded with the purpose of discovering and developing film talent from emerging regions, globally. They connect filmmakers to established industry professionals, engage cultural diversity and foster relationships that are mentoring, inspiring and educational.
Sean Flynn, the Co-Founder & Program Director of Points North Institute and Lucila Moctezuma, Senior Consultant of Artist Programs at Points North Institute in Camden, USA offered an award for one 2023-2024 Close Up project Our Feminine Wars directed by Zaina Erhaim was awarded to participate in Points North Virtual Industry Meetings on September 25-26.
The Close Up 2023 Points North Award winners Erhan Arik and Meryem Yavuz, the filmmakers of the extraordinary documentary project Our Seeds had their curated one-on-one industry meetings as part of the Points North Institute Virtual Industry Meetings programme in 2023.
The Points North Institute is the launching pad for the next generation of nonfiction storytellers. Programs include a suite of artist development initiatives, year-round community screenings, and the Camden International Film Festival (CIFF), founded in 2005 and recognized as one of the top documentary film festivals in the world.
International Documentary Association (IDA) provided two IDA Supported Artist Awards totaling $5000 (USD) to two Close Up filmmakers in the 2023-2024 Close Up Pitching Forum in Tbilisi, Georgia which was.
2024 was a very first time, IDA brought the IDA Supported Artist Award to the Close-Up community; in addition to a cash prize, two artists received a free IDA membership, dedicated artist support from the IDA Funds Team, and long-term professional development as part of the IDA Grantee Community My Mothers’ Tale by Mizgin Mujde Arslan and Your Honour by Bircan Birol were granted these amazing opportunities.
IDA is renowned for its unwavering support of documentary storytellers, fostering a vibrant and inclusive documentary community. Through their production and development grants, as well as their Fiscal Sponsorship Program, IDA empowers documentary creators and helps them raise funds for their projects.
There are several competitions, with Awards including the Grand Award (10’000 CHF), the Sergio Vieira de Mello Award (5’000 CHF), the World Organisation Against Torture Award (5’000 CHF) and the Youth Award (1’000 CHF). In the past, the festival was pleased to welcome well know filmmakers as: Mohamed Jabaly, Alisa Kovalenko, Raoul Peck, Milo Rau, Rithy Panh, Talal Derki, Pamela Yates among others.
The Festival is organized in collaboration with many NGOs (including Amnesty International, the World Organization against Torture, Human Rights Watch, Doctors without Borders), the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and various international media : the Swiss Television RTS, Arte, Euronews, Courrier international, TV5 Monde.
The Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program supports non-fiction filmmakers worldwide in the production of cinematic documentaries on contemporary themes.
Established in 2002 with founding support from Open Society Foundations, the Program is a vibrant global resource for independent non-fiction storytelling.
Recent projects include The Look of Silence by Joshua Oppenheimer, CITIZENFOUR by Laura Poitras, Last Men In Aleppo by Feras Fayyad, Hale County This Morning, This Evening by RaMell Ross, Cameraperson by Kirsten Johnson, Strong Island by Yance Ford, and I Am Not Your Negro by Raoul Peck.
Impact Partners is dedicated to funding independent documentary storytelling that entertains audiences, engages with pressing social issues, and propels the art of cinema forward.
Close Up and Impact Partners collaborate together to continue creating significant opportunities for emerging filmmakers from the Middle East & North Africa. Access to impactful international industry entities is a crucial part of Close Up’s program, teaming up with Impact Partners helps us to further advance this aspect of our work.
Chicken & Egg Pictures supports women nonfiction filmmakers whose artful and innovative storytelling catalyzes social change.
They envision an inclusive media industry in which women and gender non-conforming filmmakers, representing a range of experiences and backgrounds, are fully supported to realize their artistic goals, and build sustainable and fulfilling careers.
The Chicken & Egg partnership with Close-Up is a fantastic opportunity for women filmmakers from the Middle East and North Africa to have access to an abundance of advantages, including, grants and programs. It will include the presence of Chicken & Egg at the Close-Up Final Pitching Forum event. The alliance is based on the mutual objective of both entities to support women filmmakers from diverse background, culture, religion and ethnicities.
Movies That Matter has for mission to open eyes to human rights. They use film to stir the debate on human rights, sustainability and the fight against injustice. They believe that film has the unprecedented capacity to raise awareness and provide new insight.
Close-Up initiated a new wonderful collaboration with Ma
During the 2021 Movies that Matter festival, filmmakers from CLOSE UP will be invited to screen their rough cuts, work on their impact campaigns and get inspired by meeting filmmakers from all over the world. Movies that Matter will offer a tailor-made program for them with experts to make their films stronger and design impact for their film. They will meet with other filmmakers, follow masterclasses and debates, all in order to empower their incredible work as filmmakers.
Middle East Now Film Festival (MENFF) in Florence, Italy, is a festival of cinema, documentaries and visual arts on the contemporary Middle East.
The festival is a vibrant boutique festival, with great appeal to the general public and to the press, and has established itself as a platform to showcase what is new in Middle Eastern contemporary cinema and culture.
MENF & Close-up partnership will offer a great opportunity to MENA filmmakers to screen their films at this special film festival, including screening of work in progress, Q&A sessions and discussions with a diverse audience as well as Italian filmmakers. Close-Up directors and producers will have the opportunity to network with the community of filmmakers from around the Middle East & North Africa as well as international experts and filmmakers.