ACE Producers’ Films at Locarno 2018

International Competition

“A Land Imagined” by YEO Siew Hua
Co-produced by Denis Vaslin (ACE NL)

“Genèse” by Philippe Lesage
Produced by Galilé Marion-Gauvin (ACE CA)

“Wintermärchen” by Jan Bonny
Produced by Bettina Brokemper (ACE DE)

Out of Competition

“Amur senza fin” by Christoph Schaub
Produced by Reto Schaerli (ACE CH)

“Sembra mio figlio” by Costanza Quatriglio
Produced by Andrea Paris (ACE IT)
Developed during the ACE 24 Workshops

Cineasti del Presente Competition

“Ceux qui travaillent” by Antoine Russbach
Produced by Elena Tatti (ACE CH)
Co-produced by Oliver Dubois (ACE BE)

“Sophia Antipolis” by Virgil Vernier
Produced by Jean-Christophe Reymond (ACE FR)

“Tegnap” by Bálint Kenyeres
Co-produced by Jamila Wenske (ACE DE)

Open Doors Screening

“Demons in Paradise” by Jude Ratnam
Produced by Julie Paratian (ACE FR)

Piazza Grande

“L’Ospite” by Duccio Chiarini
Produced by Tomasso Arrighi (ACE IT)
Co-produced by Fred Bellaïche (ACE FR)

“Párajos de Verano” by Cristina Gallego and Ciro Guerra
Produced by Cristina Gallego (ACE CO)
Co-produced by Eva Jakobson (ACE DK) and Nicolás Celis (ACE MX)

“Was uns nicht umbringt” by Sandra Nettelbeck
Produced by Fabian Maubach (ACE DE)

Announcing the new ACE President

ACE Producers is excited to announce the election of its new president, Marleen Slot (ACE The Netherlands).

Having been elected by the ACE Executive Board, Marleen will serve as president of ACE Producers starting from 19 April 2024, taking over from current president, Antoine Simkine, who held the role since 2018.

Marleen has been a member of ACE Producers since her participation in the ACE 19 Annual Programme in 2009. Over the past years, she has regularly returned to ACE workshops as a speaker, consultant, and expert. Since 2020, Marleen is a board member for ACE Producers and currently is serving as vice-president.

Marleen founded Amsterdam-based film production company Viking Film in 2011. International in scope, Viking Film creates high-quality films for both Dutch and international audiences with a special focus on arthouse and animation films. Marleen started her career at Lemming Film, where she worked for 8 years as a producer.

Marleen will collaborate closely with Director, Jacobine van der Vloed, in developing ACE’s vision and strategy. Both will work together as they take ACE forward and build on the substantial achievements that have occurred over the past few years.

Commenting on her election, Marleen said: “I feel very honoured to be elected the new president of an organisation that is so dear to me and such an important part of my career and life since 2009. I strongly believe in the power of ACE as a training organisation but even more as a place for producers to share and network, where you can be vulnerable and open and share successes and mistakes. Collectively we can make the difference and bring our films to a higher level.”

Departing president Antoine Simkine comments: “I am delighted to announce that my esteemed friend and colleague, Marleen Slot, has been chosen and duly elected by the board to undertake the important mission of President. Marleen played a pivotal role in the relocation of ACE from France to the Netherlands, and now, it is her time to contribute further to our organization’s growth and solidify position of ACE as Europe’s premier producers’ association. I extend my heartfelt wishes for Marleen’s utmost success in this new responsibility, eagerly anticipating the official transition that will take place in April 2024 during our annual reunion in Bordeaux.”

New President & Board Announcement

ACE Producers is delighted to announce the election of its new president, Antoine Simkine.

Having been elected by the ACE Executive Board, an election which was approved by the members of the ACE Network, Antoine Simkine will serve as president of ACE Producers for the next two years.

Lead producer and managing director of Paris based production company Les Films d’Antoine, Antoine Simkine became a member of ACE in 2008 and joined the ACE Board in 2016. He has over 30 years of experience in the industry, having worked as a first AD and line producer before co-founding the VFX Production company DUBOI. In 2004 he founded Les Films d’Antoine, where he has produced and co-produced feature films which have been presented in Berlin, Sundance, Karlovy Vary and Toronto.

Simkine takes over the role from ACE co-founder Simon Perry, who held the position for over 20 years. Perry will continue to work with ACE as a consultant.

Speaking of his election Antoine Simkine said: “It is not without some apprehension that I have accepted the responsibility and the honour to be president of the ACE Producers’ association for the next two years. I wish to thank my predecessor Simon Perry for the extraordinary work he did to bring ACE to the current level of excellency. I’m eager to start working with our director Jacobine van der Vloed, the ACE team, my fellow colleagues and board members to continue to improve our workshops and extend our network. I hope that together we will carry ACE forward into the new environment of EU film production that is coming towards us at such a fast pace.”

Members of the ACE Network also recently voted to elect the ACE Executive Board. A number of people were re-elected while four new members were welcomed onto the board : Ido Abram, deputy director of the EYE Film Institute, Amsterdam; Sébastien Beffa, partner at Playtime, the Paris-based international sales agency and long-time friend of ACE Producers; Signe Byrge Sørensen, the multi-Oscar nominated producer and owner of Danish production company Final Cut for Real; and winner of the Eurimages co-production award and 2013 Golden Bear Winner, Ada Solomon, of the Romanian production company Hi Film.

ACE PRODUCERS EXECUTIVE BOARD

Ido Abram – EYE Film Institute – The Netherlands
Aleksi Bardy – Helsinki Filmi – Finland
Sébastien Beffa – Playtime – France
Signe Byrge Sørensen – Final Cut for Real – Denmark
David Collins – Samson Films – Ireland
Tom Dercourt – Cinéma Defacto – France
Eve Gabereau – Modern Films – United Kingdom
Raimond Goebel – Pandora Film – Germany
Cedomir Kolar – A.S.A.P. Films – France
Jelena Mitrovic – Bas Celik – Serbia
Christof Neracher – Hugo Film – Switzerland
Roman Paul – Razor Film – Germany
Viktória Petrányi – Proton Cinema – Hungary
Dries Phlypo – A Private View – Belgium
Martin Pope – Magiclight Pictures – United Kingdom
Jean-Luc Ormières – Freelance – France
Antoine Simkine – Les Films d’Antoine – France
Ada Solomon – Hi Film – Romania
Karla Stojakova – Axman Productions – Czech Republic
Cecilia Valmarana – Rai Movie – Italy

ACE Producers’ Films at Galway 2018

“Black 47” by Lance Daly
Produced by Macdara Kelleher (ACE IE)

“Disobedience” by Sebastián Leilo
Produced by Ed Guiney (ACE IE)

“Good Favour” by Rebecca Daly
Produced by Conor Barry (ACE IE)
Co-produced Marleen Slot (ACE NL)

“Gutland” by Govinda Van Maele
Produced by Gilles Chanial (ACE LU)
Co-produced by Felix Blum (ACE DE) and Olivier Dubois (ACE BE)
Project developed during the ACE 23 workshops

“Holiday” by Isabella Eklöf
Co-produced by Trent (ACE NL)

“In the Aisles” by Thomas Stuber
Produced by Fabian Maubach (ACE DE)

“Killing Jesus” by Laura Mora
Produced by DIego Ramírez (ACE CO)

“Nico 1988” by Susanna Nicchiarelli
Produced by Valérie Bournonville (ACE BE)

“Old Boys” by Toby Macdonald
Co-produced by Erik Hemmendorff (ACE SE)

“Styx” by Wolfgang Fischer
Produced by Marcos Kantis (ACE DE)
Devleloped during the ACE 23 Workshops

“Under the Tree” by Hasteinn Gunnar Sigurðsson
Co-produced by Jamila Wenske (ACE DE)

ACE Producers’ Films at Karlovy Vary 2018

Official Selection – Competition

“I Do Not Care If We Go Down in History as Barbarians”
Produced by Ada Solomon (ACE RO)
Co-produced by Jonas Dornbach (ACE DE) and Janine Jackowski  (ACE DE)

“To the Night” by Peter Brunner
Produced by Oliver Neumann (ACE AT)

East of the West – Competition

“Moments” by Beata Parkanová
Produced by Viktor Tauš (ACE CZ)

Another View

“And Breathe Normally” by Ísold Uggadóttir
Produced by Skúli Malmquist (ACE IS)
Co-produced by Diana Elbaum (ACE BE)

“Chris the Swiss” by Anja Kofmel
Produced by Sinisa Juricic (ACE HR)

“Cobain” by Nanouk Leopold
Co-produced by Dries Phlypo (ACE BE) and Herbert Schwering (ACE DE)

“Fuga” by Agnieszka Smoczyńska
Produced by Karla Stojáková (ACE CZ)

“Oblivion Verses” by Alireza Khatami
Produced by Fred Bellaïche (ACE FR)
Co-produced by Leontine Petit (ACE NL), Joost de Vries (ACE NL)
and Fabian Massah (ACE DE)

“Our Struggles” by Guillaume Snez
Produced by David Thion (ACE FR)
Co-produced by Bart Van Langendonck (ACE BE)

“Rafiki” by Wanuri Kahiu
Co-produced by Claire Gadéa (ACE FR)
and Roman Paul (ACE DE)

“Styx” by Wolfgang Fischer
Produced by Marcos Kantis (ACE DE)
Developed during the ACE 23 Workshops

“Virgins” by Keren Ben Rafael
Produced by Caroline Bonmarchand (ACE FR)
Co-produced by Jean-Yves Roubin (ACE BE)

Horizons

“Birds of Passage” by Ciro Guerra and Cristina Gallego
Produced by Cristina Gallego (ACE CO)
Co-produced by Eva Jakobsen (ACE DK)

“Girl” by Lukas Dhont
Co-produced by Jean-Yves Roubin (ACE BE)
and Laurette Schillings (ACE NL)

“Happy as Lazzaro” by Alice Rohrwacher
Produced by Carlo Cresto-Dina (ACE IT)
and Tiziana Soudani (ACE CH)

“In My Room” by Ulrich Köhler
Produced by Claudia Steffen (ACE DE)
Co-produced by Jonas Dornbach (ACE DE)
and Janine Jackowski (ACE DE)

“U – July 22” by Erik Poppe
Produced by Finn Gjerdrum (ACE NO)

“Wajib” by Annemarie Jacir
Co-produced by Cristina Gallego (ACE CO), Eva Jakobsen (ACE DK)
and Titus Kreyenberg (ACE DE)

“The Wild Pear Tree” by Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Co-produced by Fabian Gasmia (ACE DE)

“Zama” by Lucrecia Martel
co-produced by Claire Gadea (ACE FR) and Leontine Petit (ACE NL)

CENTRAL EUROPE FOCUS TRAINING DAYS 2018

Taking place from the 29th of June to the 1st of July 2018 at FAMU – Film and TV School of Academy of Performing Arts in Prague – ACE Producers has selected 14 upcoming producers at relatively early stages in their careers from the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland to take part in the first ACE Training Days.

Scheduled over two-and-a-half days, the workshop is provided with the help of ACE producers and consultants who have notably strong track-records in international project financing and distribution, and who will share their knowledge and international expertise with the participants.

The Prague Training Days are supported by the Czech Film Fund and the Audiovisual Producers Association (APA).

 

Training Days in Prague 2018 Participants

 

Wanda Adamik – Wandal Production – Slovakia

Jan Bondar – Gnomon – Czech Republic

Vaclav Kadrnka – Sirius Films – Czech Republic

Bára Kamarytova – Heaven’s Gate – Czech Republic

Krystyna Kantor – Shipsboy – Poland

Pavla Klimešová – Telegram Lab Films – Czech Republic

Katarína Krnácová – Silver Art Film – Slovakia

Denis Kucera – love.FRAME – Czech Republic

Vera Lackova – Media Voice – Slovakia

Jordi Niubó – i/o post s.r.o. – Czech Republic

Martin Raiman – The Lab – Czech Republic

Marta Szarzyńska – Freelance – Poland

Tomas Vach – Slothmachine – Czech Republic

Julie Zackova – The Sofa – Czech Republic

Tereza Zemanová – Bionaut – Czech Republic

ACE Producers’ Films in Cannes 2018 / Marché du Film Partnership

Competition

“Girls of the Sun” by Eva Husson
Co-produced by Jean-Yves Roubin (ACE BE)

“Happy as Lazzaro” by Alice Rohrwacher
Produced by Carlo Cresto-Dina (ACE IT)
and Tiziana Soudani (ACE CH)

“Sorry Angel” by Christophe Honoré
Produced by Philippe Martin (ACE FR) and David Thion (ACE FR)

“The Wild Pear Tree” by Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Co-produced by Fabian Gasmia (ACE DE)

Un Certain Regard

“Girl” by Lukas Dhont
Co-produced by Jean-Yves Roubin (ACE BE)
and Laurette Schillings (ACE NL)

“The Harvesters” by Etienne Kallos
Produced by Tom Dercourt (ACE FR)
Co-produced by Giorgos Karnavas (ACE EL)
and Mariusz Wlodarski (ACE PL)

“In My Room” by Ulrich Köhler
Produced by Claudia Steffen (ACE DE)
Co-produced by Jonas Dornbach (ACE DE)
and Janine Jackowski (ACE DE)

“My Favourite Fabric” by Gay Jiji
Produced by Laurent Lavolé (ACE FR)
Co-produced by Nadir Operli (ACE TR)

“Rafiki” by Wanuri Kahiu
Co-produced by Claire Gadéa (ACE FR)
and Roman Paul (ACE DE)

Director’s Fortnight

“Birds of Passage” by Ciro Guerra and Cristina Gallego
Produced by Cristina Gallego (ACE CO)
Co-produced by Eva Jakobsen (ACE DK)

“The Snatch Thief” by Augustin Toscano
Produced by Hernán Musaluppi (ACE AR)

“The Trouble with You” by Pierre Salvadori
Produced by Philippe Martin (ACE FR) and David Thion (ACE FR)

“The Pluto Moment” by Ming Zhang
Produced by Shen Yang (ACE CN)

“Petra” by Jaime Rosales
Produced by Jérôme Dopffer (ACE FR)
Co-produced by Eva Jakobsen (ACE DK)

“The Load” by Ognjen Glavonic
Co-produced by Tom Dercourt (ACE FR) and Ankica Juric Tilic (ACE HR)

“La Lotta” di Marco Bellocchio (Short)
Produced by Simone Gattoni (ACE IT)

Critic’s Week – Competition

“Chris the Swiss” by Anja Kofmel
Produced by Sinisa Juricic (ACE HR)

“Fuga” by Agnieszka Smoczyńska
Produced by Karla Stojáková (ACE CZ)

Critic’s Week – Special Screenings – Features

“Our Struggles” by Guillaume Snez
Produced by David Thion (ACE FR)
Co-produced by Bart Van Langendonck (ACE BE)

Critic’s Week – Short Films in Competition

“The Tiger” by Mikko Myllyahti
Produced by Jussi Rantamäki (ACE FI)

Critic’s Week – Short Films – Special Screenings

“Third Kind” by Yorgos Zois
Co-produced by Sinisa Juricic (ACE HR)

ACID

“Seule à mon mariage” by Marta Bergman
Produced by Jean-Yves Roubin (ACE BE)
Co-produced by Caroline Bonmarchand (ACE FR) and Ada Solomon (ACE RO)

Marché du Film

ACE Producers is once again pleased to have partnered with the Marché du Film, offering ACE members special benefits in terms of accreditation to the market and on Cinando.

Held from the 8th of May to the 17th of May 2018, the constant aim of the Marché du Film is to stimulate the vitality of the film industry worldwide. With this in mind, it offers professionals a wide range of initiatives and exclusive information tools to encourage exchange and to allow participants to develop their activity before, during and after the Marché du Film.

ACE 28 CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

The call for applications for the ACE 28 Session is now open.

Deadline: 12th June 2018.

Every year ACE selects 18 experienced film producers, each with a project in development that is suitable for co-production and aimed at the international
market, to take part in ACE’s annual programme of advanced training and then
join the ACE Network.

Four events make up the core of the training programme:

OCTOBER – CONTENT DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP

Individual meetings analysing the concepts, dramaturgy, target audiences and financing of producers’ projects; Plenary sessions on managing talents and maintaining creative dialogues with writer-directors; Discussions on marketing during the early stages
ofdevelopment and examining new forms and formats for audiovisual storytelling. This workshop includes an intensive three day course in the use of story development tools.
7th – 13th October 2018, Helsinki, Finland

NOVEMBER – FINANCING STRATEGIES WORKSHOP

Interactive sessions exploring international financing opportunities and strategies through detailed analysis of producers’ finance plans, with input provided by high-grade professionals from across the industry. A uniquely open exchange of experience and ideas which sheds light on the evolution of co-production practices, of public and private funding schemes, and of the global marketplace in the digital age.
19th – 24th November 2018, Prague, Czech Republic

APRIL – BUSINESS PROSPECTS WORKSHOP

Panel discussions, case-studies and interviews designed to provide film producers with models of sustainable company management and ways to build businesses that have real value: keener application of marketing techniques, direct online distribution, diversified commercial activities – all options are assessed.
1st – 4th April 2019, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

APRIL – ACE PRODUCERS ANNUAL REUNION

Held in a different country every year over a long springtime weekend, and open to all members of the ACE Network, this event is an occasion for experienced producers to share news, knowledge, opinion and practical advice in an informal but confidential environment. Warts-and-all case-studies, production company showcases and insider information sessions allow producers to keep up to date with the developments in the international film industry.
4th – 7th April 2019, Copenhagen, Denmark

ELIGIBILITY CONDITIONS

• Be an owner, partner or associate of an independent production company;
• Have been the delegate producer (i.e. the principal responsible producer) of at least one theatrically-released feature film;
• Have a fiction feature film project in development which is designed to attract international finance and distribution – ideally in the form of a first draft screenplay or long treatment;
• Be available and make a commitment to attend a selection interview in Amsterdam during the first week of September, the Content Development Workshop (October), the Financing Strategies Workshop (November), the Business Prospects Workshop
and the Annual Reunion (both in April).

APPLY

If you are considering applying, please contact ACE to organise either a meeting during Cannes or a conference call.
Contact: alwilliams@ace-producers.com

Producers will be informed if they have been shortlisted on the basis of their written application before the end of July 2018.

Visit the Workshops section of the ACE website for more information on the programme and application process.

ACE Producers’ Films at the Berlinale 2018

Competition

“3 Days in Quiberon” by Emily Atef
Produced by Karsten Stöter (ACE DE)

“Dovlatov” by Alexey German Jr.
Produced by Dariusz Jablonski (ACE PL)
and Miroslav Mogorovic (ACE RS)

“The Heiresses” by Marcelo Marinessi
Co-produced by Claudia Steffen

“In the Aisles” by Thomas Stuber
Produced by Fabian Maubach

“U – July 22” by Erik Poppe
Produced by Finn Gjerdrum

Berlinale Special

“The Bookshop” by Isabel Coixet
Co-produced by Jamila Wenske (ACE DE)

Panorama

“Land” by Babak Jalali
Co-produced by Laurette Schillings (ACE NL)

“Lemonade” by Ioana Uricaru
Produced by Yanick Letourneau (ACE CA)

“The Omission” by Sebastián Schjaer
Co-produced by Denis Vaslin (ACE DE)

“Styx” by Wolfgang Fischer
Produced by Marcos Kantis (ACE DE)
Devleloped during the ACE 23 Workshops

“That Summer” by Göran Hugo Olsson
Produced by Signe Byrge Sørensen

“When the Trees Fall” by Marysia Nikitiuk
Produced by Igor Savychenko (ACE UA)
Co-produced by Darius Jablonski (ACE PL)

Forum

“Facing the Wind” by Meritxell Colell Aparicio
Produced by Nathalie Trafford (ACE FR)

“The Bed” by Mónica Lairana
Co-produced by Laurette Schillings (ACE NL)

Generation 14+

“Cobain” by Nanouk Leopold
Co-produced by Dries Phlypo (ACE BE),
Herbert Schwering (ACE DE) and Christine Kiauk (ACE

“Neputovanja” by Ana Nedelijkovic and Nikola Majdak Jr.
Produced by Jelena Mitrovic (ACE RS)

Generation K+

“My Giraffe” by Barbara Bredero
Produced by Leontine Petit (ACE NL)
Co-produced by Dries Phlypo (ACE BE) and Dorothe Beinemeier (ACE DE)

Perpektive Deutsches Kino

“Outside” by Johanna Sunder-Plassmann and Tama Tobnias-Macht
Produced by Titus Kreyenberg (ACE DE)

Oscar Nominations 2018

Best Foreign Film

“A Fantastic Woman” by Sebastián Leilo
Co-produced by Fernanda del Nido (ACE ES),
Janine Jackowski (ACE DE) and Jonas Dornbach (ACE DE)

“The Square” by Ruben Östlund
Produced by Erik Hemmendorff (ACE SE)
Co-produced by Katja Adomeit (ACE DK)

Best Documentary

“Strong Island” by Yance Ford
Co-produced by Signe Byrge Sørensen (ACE DK)

Best Animated Short

“Revolting Rhymes”
Produced by Martin Pope (ACE UK)