Ncuti Gatwa, Asif Kapadia, Terri White to Judge BMW, BFI U.K. Filmmaking Competition – Global Bulletin

COMPETITION

Actor Ncuti Gatwa (“Sex Education,” the upcoming “Doctor Who”), filmmaker Asif Kapadia (“Amy”) and journalist-turned-screenwriter Terri White, who’s memoir “Coming Undone” is being adapted for Netflix, will serve as judges on the BMW Filmmaking Challenge. The competition is the result of a partnership between BMW and the BFI that aims to support aspiring U.K. filmmakers and uncover fresh perspectives in the film industry.

The initiative was launched earlier this year by BAFTA winner Michaela Coel (“I May Destroy You”). The BFI has shortlisted five teams from some 400 applications, awarding each a £10,000 ($12,430) production budget, access to 8K camera equipment and mentoring from Coel. Inspired by the all-electric BMW i7 and its ultra-wide 31.3-inch rear-passenger theatre screen, the challenge is designed to stretch filmmakers artistically and bring their stories to life in 90 seconds under the theme Evolving Perspectives.

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The films are now in production, judging will take place in September, with the winning short premiering at the closing night of the 67th BFI London Film Festival in October as part of the closing night gala.

Gatwa said: “I was drawn to this project because short film is the trajectory for emerging voices to flourish, it’s an exciting time for the genre.” Kapadia said: “Continuing to build a body of work that demonstrates your capabilities as a filmmaker and building industry connections is key to success, that’s why I wanted to be involved in this project.”

DOCUMENTARIES

Documentary industry veteran Andy Whittaker will reveal two documentaries at the Tribeca Festival (June 7-18). Documentary series “Millions out of Madness: Mental Health and Apartheid” aims to offer a fresh perspective on the era of apartheid in South Africa. It will tackle the intersection of mental health and oppression, examining the historical context, impact on individuals and communities and the fight for equality during this period in history. “Echoes of My Lai” focuses on the events of the My Lai Massacre during the Vietnam War, where on March 16, 1968, U.S. soldiers killed hundreds of unarmed Vietnamese civilians in the village of My Lai. By delving into the causes, impact, and aftermath of the massacre, “Echoes of My Lai” presents untold stories and aims to raise moral and ethical questions that continue to be relevant today.

Whittaker founded documentary distribution and production company Dogwoof in 2003. In 2022 he was terminated as a company employee for unknown reasons. He is currently taking legal action against the company for unfair dismissal.

COMMISSION

Following the success of gay dating show “I Kissed a Boy,” BBC Three has commissioned “I Kissed A Girl,” to be produced by ITV Studios‘ Twofour and hosted by pop star and LGBTQ+ ally Dannii Minogue. In the 10-part series, 10 single girls are matched up, and meet for the first time with a kiss. Before they arrive, the girls are matched based on what they’re looking for in a partner.

Casting is now open for the series. It is commissioned by Fiona Campbell, controller for youth audiences, BBC Three and BBC iPlayer, head of factual entertainment and events, Catherine Catton and the commissioning editor is Max Gogarty. Executive producers are Louise Hutchinson, David Brindley and Dan Gray.

SECOND SERVING OF LUST

Netflix has announced a second iteration of Emmy-nominated Indian anthology “Lust Stories.” Produced by Ronnie Screwvala’s RSVP and Ashi Dua’s Flying Unicorn Entertainment, “Lust Stories 2” is a collection of films that shed light on relationships from a female perspective, stringing them together thematically. The new season involves four talented directors Amit Ravindernath Sharma, R. Balki, Konkona Sen Sharma and Sujoy Ghosh. The nine cast members are: Amruta Shubhash, Angad Bedi, Kajol, Kumud Mishra, Mrunal Thakur, Neena Gupta, Tamannaah Bhatia, Tillotama Shome and Vijay Varma.

“The first franchise ignited meaningful conversations and the second anthology has even more bold, diverse and progressive stories from different parts of India,” said Ruchikaa Kapoor Sheikh, director, original films, Netflix India.

AWARDS

The Monte-Carlo Television Festival (June 16–20), has revealed the recipients of their special prizes, awarded each year in collaboration with the AMADE and the Monaco Red Cross.

The AMADE Prize will be awarded to “Russia, the stolen children of Ukraine,” a documentary by Philomène Remy, Quentin Baulier, Simon Terrassier with Sofia Kochmar Tymoshenko and Alexandra Dalsbaek, produced and broadcast by BFMTV, which follows Ukrainian children being deported to Siberia and adopted by Russian families.

Produced by StoryCircus and Premières Lignes, the documentary “Oasis of Peace,” written and directed by Henry Poulain, will receive the special prize of the Monaco Red Cross. The film documents Neve Shalom – Wahat as Salam, a village located just 18 miles away from Tel Aviv and Jerusalem and is home to Christians, Jews, and Muslims who are determined to live together in peace and mutual understanding.

PRIDE

During the ongoing Pride Month, Bollywood star Ayushmann Khurrana, who is the Indian national ambassador of UNICEF, has invested in building food trucks for the LGBTQIA+ community in Chandigarh, northern India, so that they can become self-reliant via the food business. The food trucks are called Sweekar, which means acceptance. Khurrana starred in hit transgender Bollywood romance “Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui.”

Khurrana said: “I’m thrilled that on the occasion of the Pride Month, this is a step to empower members of the transgender community in Chandigarh to become self-reliant by turning them into entrepreneurs.
I will always support the LGBTQIA+ community in my own way.”

The move has been welcomed by Dhananjay Chauhan, the first transgender student of Panjab University and an active voice for the community in the state.

PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT

Cloud-based production management platform eTribez has added Fremantle to its growing list of international clients, joining All3Media, Studio Lambert, and Hearst Media Production Group, among other outfits.

Fremantle’s unscripted teams, comprising over 35 separate operating companies, will now deploy the service which comprises finance, talent management, planning, scheduling, document management, resource management and post-production modules, according to an eTribez statement. The platform allows entertainment production companies to reduce operating costs by managing all of their resources thus eliminating third-party software fees.

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