19th Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival (27 October – 1 November 2015) in cooperation with Film New Europe (FNE) introduces some of the exciting new talents that are participating in the Emerging Producers this year. Among them – Antra Gaile from Latvia. Film New Europe (FNE) has taken time to interview Antra Gaile.
What Antra Gaile expects the most from Emerging Producers is to meet producers who could become her friends and future partners. She holds a degree in Sociology and is currently studying for her MBA at Riga Business School. In 2012, she joined Mistrus Media after being in charge of marketing communications at the biggest daily newspaper in Latvia. At Mistrus Media, she has gained experience in producing creative and historical documentaries, including six short documentaries about Riga directed by well know European directors. Antra likes Taxi by Jafar Panahi, penguins, All Men Are Mortal by Simone de Beauvoir, woollen socks and Richard Avedon.
FNE: What are your hopes and expectations from Emerging Producers?
Antra: I think my expectations go hand in hand with the main idea of Emerging Producers: I look for inspiration, ideas and networking. I hope to meet young professionals who are ready to share their experience, knowledge and ideas. I hope we will have great discussions and exchange opinions regarding producing in different European countries. But what I expect the most is to meet producers who could become my friends and future partners. Of course I also hope to enjoy the Jihlava IFF programme.
FNE: What are you bringing to Emerging Producers?
Antra: First of all, I am “bringing” me, with all my knowledge about production perspectives and opportunities in Latvia and ideas as a partner. Secondly, I’m coming with a slate of projects I’m working on now at Mistrus Media. The documentary People from Nowhere directed by the Estonian director Jaak Kilmi in collaboration with Gints Grūbe is a personal story about the daughter of a Cold War double agent.
The documentary in development With the Eyes of a Child directed by the acclaimed Latvian director Ivars Seleckis follows children from different places of Latvia, returning every seven years to take snapshots of their lives. The Boy with the Dog directed by the talented Latvian director Davis Simanis and currently in development is a coming-of-age feature film about a boy who saved 50 Jews from death. This is my first fiction project and I am producing it together with Gints Grūbe.
FNE: What are the coproduction possibilities for documentary producers in your country?
Antra: There are two main funding bodies in Latvia, the National Film Centre of Latvia and the State Culture Capital Foundation. This year the National Film Centre of Latvia re-established the minority coproduction scheme which I am sure will strengthen coproductions with Latvia. The intention for 2016 is to strengthen the coproduction between the Baltic States, but all projects are welcomed at the open call once a year. Creative input on the Latvian side as well as technical involvement in the production is preferable and at least 65% of the funding has to be spent in Latvia. Also I have to mention that the national public broadcaster Latvian Television coproduced for the first time a documentary in cooperation with the Estonian and Lithuanian national broadcasters. And then there are two tax incentive schemes for international production companies willing to produce in Latvia: Riga Film Fund was initiated in 2010 and the National Co-Financing Fund started in 2013. Both offer up to 25% combined cash-rebate for international film projects. Among other opportunities, I want to mention the co-financing forum for international documentary projects Baltic Sea Docs which has a 15 year tradition in Riga, and also Riga International Film Festival and Riga International Film Festival 2 Annas as they both promote content from this region.
FNE: Which producer is your inspiration and ideal?
My main source of inspiration is the documentaries themselves, but of course behind every film is a team of professionals which gives us the opportunity to enjoy a great cinema experience. So, if I would start to name each film that has inspired me in some way, the list would be endless. However, there are different people from whom I have learned important lessons regarding producing. Of course, the first person I have to mention is Gints Grūbe, the co-owner of Mistrus Media, who talked me into producing and who believed in me (I guess) from the first moment even thought I didn’t have previous experience. I would mention also the Bulgarian producer Martichka Bozhilova, a fascinating professional from whom a lot can be learned about the art of producing. Martichka can be most likely called an “inspiring producer” for me. Each time I met her has enriched me in mysterious ways. Of course, I can’t not mention the professionals I have worked with: directors, cinematographers, editors, other professionals and also my colleagues at Mistrus Media. Their ideas, passion, and devotion to documentaries are an endless inspiration and an encouragement for me to keep going.
Filmography
Cats in Riga directed by Jon Bang Carlsen, 17 min, Latvia, 2014; producer
The Old Jewish Cemetery directed by Sergei Loznitsa, 20 min, Latvia/Netherlands, 2014; coproducer
Over the Roads, Over the River directed by Audrius Stonys, Rainer Komers, Bettina Henkel, Sergei Loznitsa, Jon Bang Carlsen, Jaak Kilmi and Ivars Seleckis, 140 min, Latvia, 2014; producer
Ghetto Stories. Riga directed by Linda Olte, 60 min, Latvia, 2013; producer
Contact
Mistrus Media
Blaumana Street 11/13-12, LV 1011, Riga, Latvia
Phone: +371 67313314; +371 29195876
birojs@mistrusmedia.lv
www.mistrusmedia.lv
Full FNE article: here