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If you are interested to get updates about CLOSE UP films, workshops and events around the world please sign up for our newsletter.
If you are interested to get updates about CLOSE UP films, workshops and events around the world please sign up for our newsletter.
CALL FOR APPLICATIONS ⚡️
The NIPKOW PROGRAMM is a specialized fellowship designed for international film and media professionals seeking opportunities in Berlin. It offers personalized mentoring and targeted training seminars covering aspects such as packaging, promotion, sales, and emerging technologies.
Calling on creatives worldwide—including writers, directors, producers, and animators—the program invites submissions of current feature film projects. The NIPKOW PROGRAM supports project development through individual consultations with script consultants and potential producers/co-producers, along with tailor-made workshops.
Successful participants will receive a monthly grant of 1,500 Euros, allowing them to focus exclusively on their work. Commitment to working solely on their projects during their time in Berlin is expected.
Save the date, as applications will be accepted until midnight Berlin time on January 9, 2024.
Best of luck! 🌟 ... See MoreSee Less
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Francky Tohouegnon
How to apply?
We are happy to announce a new collaboration with the Goethe-Institut in Exile in Berlin! 4 Close Up alumni filmmakers were selected to participate in a 2-day event in Berlin on December 11-12, in which we will screen their work-in-progress to industry professionals. Our selected projects are BITTER SUGAR by @ana_barjadze, LIFE IN THE SHADOWS by @khadimdai & Ilyas Yourish, SEARCHING FOR MARIAM by Jehan Selim Harney and OUR SEEDS by @erhan_arik & @meryem.yavuz
The Close Up work-in-progress selected projects are directed by emerging filmmakers coming from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds. These extraordinary creative projects reflect some of the most urgent issues, including the impact of the ongoing massacre on children from the Hazara community in Quetta, the reality of Georgian children who are living for years without their parents who must work in Europe to provide for their families, a generational conflict in a farming family in Northeastern Turkey, and the underrepresented trans community struggle for freedom in Egypt.
The screening & discussion will be followed by one-on-one meetings with industry experts from Berlin; among them are colleagues from the Berlinale Film Festival, representatives of the European Film Market, the Diversity & Inclusion program at the Berlinale, the Wim Wenders Foundation, representatives of the Documentary Association of Europe, prominent producers, and others. We would like to use the opportunity and deeply thank the wonderful team of the Goethe-Institut in Exile in Berlin for this valuable collaboration that provides significant networking opportunities for the Close Up filmmakers from the SWANA region! ... See MoreSee Less
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What an inspirational week-long First Workshop for the 2023–2024 cohort! Full of amazing lectures, screenings, masterclasses, group and one-on-one meetings, and presentations, we’ve been filled with excitement and honor thanks to the creative projects of our 13 filmmakers. 👏👏
✨✨ Our mentors, @bruniburres, Gitte Hansen, John Appel, and @ninokirtadze1, worked together to get further along with their promising projects. After all the hard work, the filmmakers presented their projects in front of the entire group, moderated by Close Up Founder & Executive Director Sigal Yehuda. The filmmakers recieved assignments in prepation for the Secon Workshop, scheduled in February 2024.
🎊 Now we are getting ready in full force for our wonderful Second Workshop! Looking forward to pursuing our filmmakers work-in-progress journey, and we are extremely excited to reunite after a short while! ... See MoreSee Less
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On Tuesday, we had an amazing online Masterclass session with our mentor, @ninokirtadze1! In preparation for the Masterclass, we watched the two award-winning films by Nino: Durakovo: Village of Fools’ (2008) and ‘Pipeline Next Door’ (2005). Along with the questions from the filmmakers about the films, Nino shared her filmmaking process, from the research through the completed film, the development of the story, shooting and editing, and her perspective on how to overcome challenges while shooting in the film.
In addition, one of our mentors Gitte Hansen, gave an insightful lecture on production and co-production packages, written proposals, and trailers, in which she emphasized how to write strong proposals, including the logline, synopsis, the director's statement, and the treatment, as well as the role of the teasers in the production package.
We are extremely excited for the weekend ahead and our two-day-long presentation sessions by this year's cohort of filmmakers. ... See MoreSee Less
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On the second day of our First Workshop for 2023-2024, we started the day with an insightful lecture by one of our mentors John Appel!
✨ Using his vast experience in development programs around the globe, John presented excerpts from work in progress documentary projects and films. Emphasizing the use of archive and different techniques in storytelling, we discussed the challanges and solutions found in those projects. It was a very productive session to think about creative tools and the ways that each project can be developed in an impactful way. In addition the filmmakers worked with their mentors to explore in depth their project’s development. Looking forward to continue the week with amazing group and one-on-one meetings, lectures and masterclasses! 💫 ... See MoreSee Less
On the second day of our First Workshop for 2023-2024, we started the day with an insightful lecture by one of our mentors John Appel! ✨ Using his vast experience in development programs around the globe, John presented excerpts from work in progress documentary projects and films. Emphasizing the use of archive and different techniques in storytelling, we discussed the challanges and solutions found in those projects. It was a very productive session to think about creative tools and the ways that each project can be developed in an impactful way. In addition the filmmakers worked with their mentors to explore in depth their project’s development. Looking forward to continue the week with amazing group and one-on-one meetings, lectures and masterclasses! 💫
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We are very excited to announce that CLOSE UP’s First Workshop for 2023-2024 have started today! Our wonderful mentors and 13 filmmakers are joining us for this whole week, from today to the 26th! Throughout this intense period of work and dialogue during our online workshop, our thrilling new cohort of filmmakers will receive the mentorship and guidance needed to get further along with their projects!
✨Our experienced mentors @bruniburres, @gittehansch, John Appel and @ninokirtadze1 will work with our filmmakers to develop their projects through a number of group meetings and one-on-one meetings, workshops and lectures!
We can’t wait to experience more in this week-long journey with our amazing new cohort of filmmakers in our fruitful program! 🙏 ... See MoreSee Less
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Congratulations to the director of HAWA, Najiba Noori (Close Up 2020-2021) and Producer Christian Popp for securing the 2023 Enterprise Documentary Fund Production Grant! Out of the 371 applicants, Close Up is proud to be 1 of the 11 projects selected to recieve a portion of the $435,000 going towards production grants.
The @idaorg Enterprise Documentary Fund offers financial support for the production of feature-length documentary films that delve deeply into the exploration of unique and timely narratives, incorporating journalistic principles into the filmmaking journey.
“HAWA”: 40 years after her arranged marriage as a child, Hawa is eager to finally begin an independent life and to be literate. However, with the return of the Taliban to power her dreams, and those of her daughter and grand-daughter are shattered.
Well done @naji.noori and Christian Popp for this wonderful achievement and well deserved selection! ... See MoreSee Less
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Bravo 💐💐
Genial ! 🎉
congrats 🎉
Congrats!
Great !!
Congratulation Christian Popp !
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"This year, there was a great number of Close Up projects and filmmakers participating at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA)! Five Close Up projects were selected for the 2023 edition in different programs of the festival!
🌟OUR SEEDS directed by Erhan Erik and produced by Meryem Yavuz (Close Up 2022-2023) was selected to present their beautiful project at IDFA Forum! The film follows the story of a Turkish farming family, living in a remote village, who annually plants 1500-year-old wheat seeds inherited from their ancestors. Despite the challenging harvest, they consider this legacy a vital source of life.
🌟 HOLLYWOODGATE directed by @ibrahimnsht and produced by @talal.derki (Close Up 2021-2022) was screened at the festival’s prestigious Best of The Fest programme. Egyptian documentary filmmaker Ibrahim Nash’at unveils the initial year in Afghanistan following the departure of US and NATO forces in 2021, marking the Taliban's new rule. Congratulations to the team for their screening at IDFA after the World Premiere of the film at Venice Film Festival and the US premiere at Telluride Film Festival!
In addition, 3 Close Up alumni projects were selected to participate at IDFAcademy:
🌟HEART DON'T BE AFRAID directed by @kvichidze.ann and produced by Avtandil Khorava and @bergmanese (Close Up 2022-2023). Their film is about; Dachi, a queer youth in a conservative Georgian community, faces oppression from the Archbishop, societal norms, and family. Empowered by an ancient witch's magic, he embarks on a journey to reshape his reality.
🌟LIFE IN THE SHADOWS directed by K.D and produced by IIyas Yourish (Close Up 2021-2022). "Life in the Shadows" paints a distinct picture of how an enduring genocide shapes the existence of a small Hazara community.
🌟NOTHING CALLED HOME
Congrats to all our incredible alumni who have participated at IDFA! ... See MoreSee Less
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Thank you dearest Grigor for sharing your experience with us during your time at Close Up!
@grigorpoghosian, part of the 2022-2023 Close Up Alumni, is the director of his film “WE”. His film is based In Vanadzor, a town caught between its Soviet past and the modern world, five creative individuals - Dero, Anahit, Albert, Robert, and Artush - grapple with their dreams and the town's changing fortunes.
Let’s show Grigor our support in the comments below! ... See MoreSee Less
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