Bilan Doku 5/2 septembre 2011

Bilan Doku5

deuxième session

 

Localisation: IFI Erbil

 

Calendrier: du 6 au 15 septembre 2011-09-17

 

Experts:

Réalisation : Baudouin Koenig (chef de projet alterdoc)

Réalisation et montage: Pascal Cesaro (responsble du Master Pro “les métiers du film documentaire” université de Provence)

Montage: Serge Turquier (chef-monteur)

 

Interprètes:

Bakhtiar Mirza (français-kurde)

Peyman Sipan (français-kurde)

Azad Mustafa (français-arabe)

 

Participants:

San Saravan

Mariwan Raouf

Horen Gharib

Nabaz Ahmed

Ali Saeed

Ahmed Ibrahim

Tavga Mohammed

Krmanj Faraj Abdalla

 

Les 5 équipes ont été entièrement prises en charge (repas, hébergement, transport)

 

Partenaires:

Alterdoc

CFI

IFI (Erbil et Bagdad)

Espace Culturel de la Prison Rouge (Sulaimaniyah)

ARTE (direction des relations internationales)

Université de Provence (secteur cinéma)

 

Objectifs:

Après une première session (juin-juillet 2011 à Sulaimaniyah) dédié à la préparation du tournage (voir http://doku5.wordpress.com) , cette deuxième session visait à mettre en route le montage des films, de faire une mise à jour technique, d’établir une structure de récit pour chaque projet, ainsi qu’un protocole de communication pour que les tuteurs puissent assurer un suivi à distance. Les participants sont réalisateurs et monteurs.

Une troisième session aura lieu à Paris fin novembre. Les réalisateurs irakiens finaliseront leurs films avec une équipe française et présenteront les œuvres à des décideurs de l’audiovisuels : chargés de programmes (ARTE, CFI et France Télévision, producteurs, directeurs artistiques de festivals, journalistes…

 

Outils:

Stations de montage (2 mises à disposition par Alterdoc, 1 par CFI)

Logiciels (FinalCut Pro version 5,1 et version 7, Avid version 5, Adobe Première version 4)

Disques durs (Lacie Rugged 1T)

L’Institut Français d’Erbil a mis à notre disposition 3 salles de cours, une salle doté d’un vidéoprojecteur ainsi que l’accès à internet.

 

Méthodologie:

Compte rendu des tournages

Définition des objectifs pour la session et pour après

Mise en place de protocole (partage de fichiers, mise en réseau, calendrier)

Mise à niveau technique

Et surtout

Entretiens et visionnages individuels.

 

Bilan:

Conformément à l’objectif de cet atelier un peu particulier par sa durée, nous pouvons espérer pour la fin de l’année 5, (peut-être 6) films de niveau professionnel d’une durée moyenne de 52′.

Sur les films sélectionnés en juin un seul n’a pas abouti, mais il a été remplacé par un autre film très prometteur.

Shenah Abdallah n’a pas réussi à tourner “Rebellious by Nature?” sur les femmes combattantes du PKK (guérilla kurde de Turquie). La cause: les combats font rage sur la montagne de Kandill où est replié la guérilla. L’aviation turque bombarde les camps, et les gardiens de la révolution iraniens font des incursions pour pourchasser les rebelles du PJAK retranchés eux aussi en Irak.

 

Par contre nous avons accueilli “Tombe une neige noire” le projet de Nabaz Ahmed et de Horen Gharib. Une troupe de théâtre répète une pièce de Sarah Kane à Sulaimaniyah; derrière l’adaptation une réflexion sur la guerre civile qui a opposé les partis kurdes dans les années 1990. Horen, le metteur en scène a donné à la troupe des petites caméra FLIP pour faire la chronique des répétitions, de la vie personnelle de chacun et des difficultés pour monter un projet artistique très politique. Des scènes et des personnages très forts, mais un très gros travail de construction à faire. Un projet très ambitieux.

 

“Killing pleasure” le film sur l’excision et le plaisir féminin de Tavga est très avancé. Nous avons visionné une maquette (ours) de 54 minutes. Un gros travail de montage reste à faire pour chasser les répétitions dans le discours, et travailler le rythme. Nous avons aussi demandé à Tavga d’écrire et d’enregistrer une narration à la première personne.

 

“Uncharted way” le film de Ali sur le mouvement de protestation à Tikrit nous permettra de découvrir une facette inédite de l’opposition politique en Irak. Cette ville où est né Saddam Hussein, où il est enterré aujourd’hui, paye pour son histoire. La majorité des hommes de Tikrit étaient soldats; en démantelant l’armée irakienne, Paul Bremmer à réduit la ville au chômage. Quand dans la foulée des révolutions arabes les Irakiens descendent dans la rue, ici le leader du mouvement est un ancien officier supérieur…

Ali est travailleur, mais très désorganisé. L’essentiel de notre travail a été d’aider Ali et Ahmed à structurer le récit, à établir un plan de montage, à écrire un commentaire indispensable pour faire comprendre une situation complexe.

Après visionnage d’un ours de 35′, nous avons suggéré le retournage de plusieurs interviews pour clarifier le propos.

 

Mariwan Raouf (Refugees, un film sur l’émigration kurde) n’a pas encore terminé son tournage; l’enquête a été longue et Mariwan a été pris par l’organisation de DoKu6 dont il est le responsable côté kurde.

Le film se présente comme une investigation qui nous mènera sur les traces des migrants en Irak et en Europe (archives), qui questionnera les raisons qui poussent à l’exil des centaines de jeunes kurdes.

Pendant ces 10 jours nous avons aussi rencontré à deux reprises les responsables de l’OIM (organisation internationale des migrations). Nous avons abouti à un accord avec l’organisation internationale: droits d’exploitation du film contre un soutien de 10000US$.

 

 

Dans “Let me do my last dance before to kill me” San Saravan revient sur les manifestations sanglantes de février 2011 à Sulaimaniyah. C’est lui qui a fait la couverture la plus complète des évènements et qui a tourné les images les plus dramatiques au cœur de l’action. Avec le recul il décode, interroge, s’interroge, propose une réflexion sur sa société.

Si le film est très ambitieux et s’adresse résolument à une audience internationale, il est d’une grande complexité. Notre premier travail a été d’aider San à prendre du recul avec cette histoire dont il est un des acteurs, à lever des blocages. A la fin du stage, une structure avait vu le jour! Pas sans mal… Nous avons également fait un miroir des rushs de San pour pouvoir intervenir à distance en reliant le projet FCP.

 

 

Rendez vous a été pris en octobre pour une session consacré au visionnage des ours (maquettes) à un stage d’aboutissement avancé. Y participeront Baudouin Koenig, Fulvia Alberti et Pascal Cesaro.

 

Pour conclure:

Des films à des stades différents mais ils seront prêts! Des histoires fortes et des stagiaires conscients des enjeux et de l’opportunité exceptionnelle de rencontrer des décideurs français, un niveau technique élevé.

On ne peut pas préjuger du résultat final, mais l’objectif de pousser un groupe de réalisateurs un cran plus loin semble porter ses fruits.

La difficulté est de maintenir une pression entre nos rendez-vous (phénomène auquel nous sommes confrontés depuis 4ans, depuis le début du projet). Il y a le syndrome de l’enfant gâté pour les plus privilégiés socialement, et les contraintes du travail quotidien pour les autres, mais ce n’est pas tellement différent de ce qui se passe chez nous en France. En tous cas cela nous oblige à un suivi à distance important par internet et téléphone.

Notre objectif avec le format particulier de DoKu5 est d’aider à produire des films et de faire émerger un groupe de cinéastes susceptible de faire fonction de locomotive pour une nouvelle génération de cinéastes.

Rendez vous à la fin de l’année pour en juger! Mais nous sommes sur la bonne voie.

 

Fait à Paris le 16 septembre 2011

 

Before second session

Dear  friends, dear partners,

 

In a couple of day a team of Alterdoc will be back in Kurdistan, one week later a second one will join us. This year 2011 is turning point for the DoKu project. 

Four years ago, Ako Ghareeb, Aram Saeed, and Sami, after a diner at home in Paris asked us to set up a team and to come to Sulaimaniyah for a documentary film workshop. We said Ok and there it is! We faced problems, political events, lack of money, but here we are.

We want to tell you that it’s not easy to drive such a project, to interest people, here in France, in what happens in Kurdistan and in Iraq. You cannot imagine how many time it take to make the project going on, time but also money and engagement.

Time to time, we loose faith! Sometimes we have the impression that, as soon we leave, the projects don’t go on… Sometimes we want to stop everything because it takes to much energy for few benefits and thanks. You must understand that most of the work we made all the year is not paid; only the trainers are paid half their usual salary!

 

Turning point, I said… This year, after many meetings and discussions, the KRG Ministry of Culture get involved in the project in a very concrete way: support of Doku6, creation of a film commission with grants for Kurdish filmmakers, project of a festival…

Our position in these discussions was: Doku project has to be a starter, but step by step it must become a Kurdish  (or an Iraqi) project with local trainers to built a Documentary cinema school in a next future. We will escort this process, during 2 or 3 years.

So the team of Doku 6 will be mixed, French and Kurdish.

I have also to say that Mariwan Raof, who participated to Doku1 as trainee, and Doku4 as trainer had a major part in this process.

 

To make this turning point a success, we need a strong involvement of everybody: it’s not an Alterdoc project, it’s YOUR project.

It means also that YOU have the responsibility of it’s success. 

In November, we will have the chance to show the best of Kurdish and Iraqi documentary film to the people who are the deciders in commissioning documentary in France and Germany! It’s a big chance, most of the French filmmakers have not this opportunity!

 

So my message is : Get involved and make this DoKu project Yours!

 

Doku 5: Meeting Wednesday 7th morning at French Cultural Center of Erbil (till 15th). Organizing and beginning edit.

Bring your computer and try to digitize your material before.

Alterdoc will look after accommodation and transport fees of the participant filmmakers and their editors, but being in Paris and not speaking kurdish, I have not the possibility to book, so make it yourself and coordinate with our team: Mariwan, Peywan and Bakhtiar.

Have in mind that our budget has limits! 

 

Doku 6: We begin to meet the candidates and select the projects from Sept 7th. After selection process, the workshop open to filmmakers from all Kurdistan will begin 13th to October 2nd. The alterdoc team (director, camera, sound, editing) will tutor 6 projects. The finished films, subtitled in French will be showed to the public at the end of the workshop.

 

See you soon!

Baudouin

 

 

 

 

“Rebellious by Nature? Narratives by Kurdish Women” a project by Shenah Abdullah

Proposal Form DoKu5

Working Title: Rebellious by Nature? Narratives by Kurdish Women
Id of Candidate Last name: Abdullah
First name: Shenah Age: 29 Gender: Female Formation: Trained as a cultural researcher and visual anthropologist Technical skills: Editing, photography, and screen writing
Experience: Have conducted two large research projects (undergraduate and graduate school) through making two documentaries on youth in Kurdish culture. Directed, edited both short films for completion of Maters degree in visual anthropology
Motivation Letter:
As a cultural/visual anthropologist and researcher, it is my aim to observe and participate in everyday life experiences that happen around us and try to document and critically analyze it. One of best tools to do research and document life as it happens is though film and visual media. By combining text, photographs and video, I aim to compile data for documentaries and research projects. Northern Iraq, Southern Kurdistan is a place that is full of potential and active youth who are thirty and eager to become part of the global world and voice their opinion. Previously I have worked with youth for both my undergraduate and graduate dissertation and would like to expand on the previous projects. Youth in this region are active agents who are searching for ways to express their energy and show the world that they too can be useful. I believe that media can be that window from which youth here in Kurdistan can show themselves and speak.
As a Kurdish women—I more specifically want to focus on females in Kurdish society. What it is like to be a woman in Kurdish society? What are the difficulties and obstacles they face? The feminine in Kurdish society is often compared to nature: strong, rebellious and giving. What about Western stereotypes of the submissive Eastern woman?
Through both textual and visual work, I plan on documenting female narratives as they happen on the ground and transform their voices into visual work that can be observed and understood on a wider scale, both locally and internationally. We can build a bridge between Kurdish society and the outside world, especially in France and communicate local voices via film to an international audience. What do women want? How do they define their Kurdishness, being feminine and being active agents
Synopsis:
Everyone must have heard one story from “The other Iraq” where the economy is flourishing and security and democracy have been successfully implemented. In a rapidly changing society both individuals and the material world have become intertwined in a rush toward Western dream of prosperity and happiness. Here, like other places around the world, males and females are active agents who are capable of controlling their own future but under many limitations.
Women here work and live within a male dominant society in which their every move are judged harshly. Is she a good woman? Or a bad woman?
If we look back in Kurdish history, we realize that Kurdish women have always been very active and „rebellious‟. They, like their male counterparts have been active agents working to change and fight for a different world; a world which must provide them with their fair share. Here in the mountains a group of women exist shoulder to shoulder with their male comrades and have achieved something that is almost surreal. As a good example of active Kurdish women the focus is on the case of the female guerrilla fighters within the PKK organization, now known as the (PJAK). Why do women from all four parts of Kurdistan as well as the West join this organization and make the „hard‟ decision of fighting and working in the Qandil mountains? What becomes of their reputation? Why choose rebellion over ordinary life? What brings women from all different backgrounds, different areas of the world together to fight? What is the relationship of the feminine with nature? How do these women define themselves? What do they think about the negative stereotypes circulation about them?
The women breathe under limitless starry nights and tell their life histories of how and why they all came to gather in the Qandil mountains. They sit around a freshly lit campfire which highlights the lines on their faces. After many hours of discussion they start singing melancholic songs about their home from far away. They mix politics with culture and gender issues and speak of the barriers that have always kept them from expressing their existence. Such barriers which were choking them in their previous places of residence are now but memories of the past. Now, they have become part of a larger group that works and fights under one banner. Here they are equal with men and are taught to express their femininity to its full potential. These women are stripped of their previous masks and labels and are instead treated as humans. The women walk around in the vast nature of Kurdistan, climbing mountains, crossing rivers and jumping over harsh terrain. The wider view shows these women with their male comrades in a long zigzag that reaches the bottom of the mountain wearing a tan fighting outfit and carrying heavy weapons. They are always on the lookout for planes and Turkish military force that can end their lives. They are gathered in their educating halls reading books about the East and West which focus on subjects ranging from feminism, philosophy, religion, politics, art, oppression and globalization. They sit with men and discus the future of Kurdistan their own fate. What about home and greater Kurdistan? The women have to teach their male comrades about the important of understanding women and how they should be treated. Issues of equality, justice, freedom and resistance are on the agenda. There, they also speak nostalgically about who they used to be back in society and of the people they have left behind. We ask of the past, now and the future
and reflect on life and its meaning.
The Four Women:
There inside the vastness of the natural world we meet four women who will narrate their life histories. Through these four characters we shall enter a world in which women have exceptional roles and are agents for a changing world. In these mountains we shall hear the women speak of freedom, nationalism, feminism, and existence as a woman.
A German Doctor-
She is not originally Kurdish but after many years of life in the mountains with Kurdish men and women she has transformed into a PKK women who speaks, acts and fights like a Kurdish woman. As one of the active women having the leadership role of training a new line of male and female guerrillas—she will highlight what it means to be a woman in the PKK(PJAK) organization. What roles do they perform? Why has she left a „safe‟ life in Germany and come to face danger in the mountains? What is being a women and woman solider mean to her? What is her view on life in the mountains away from society? Through this first character we intend to bring the Eastern/ Western dichotomy together and speak of the universality of rebellion and the human aspect of the story.
A Kurdish woman from Northern Kurdistan(Turkish Kurdistan)-
What has brought this woman to the mountains? She will be the next character we will follow and listen to her life history. What was here childhood like in Turkey? What did being a Kurd meant to here? Through a serious of photographs and personal narrative we shall bring into focus issues of identity, being a woman and political dreams. This second character will allow the audience a peek into her own view of the world and of being a Kurd. How does her view differ from
that of her comrades? What is her dream for the future? What does she think of the other women in the mountains and those who still live back home?
A Kurdish woman from Southern Kurdistan(Northern Iraq)-
Isn‟t there freedom and democracy in the „Other Iraq‟, why has she come to the mountains to fight a guerrilla war? With our third female character we will shed light on the story of Kurdishness in Iraq. What does she think about life where her family and friends live and of what of life here in the mountains? How and why has she made the decision to come here? What of her reputation as a female? If she decides to return back into civilization what would they say/do about her? What is her view about the recent protests in Sulaymani and surrounding areas? What does she think of the two ruling Kurdish parties in Southern Kurdistan. We will weave her story into a personal narrative that focuses on the here and now, on her role as a „free‟ woman and a fighter, on her past life and her future.
A Kurdish woman from Western Kurdistan(Syria)-
Through our last female character we shall bring all the stories together into a final narrative of another female character. Where in Syria and why come to the Qandil mountains to fight? How does she define herself and other women around her? What does she think of recent revolution in Syria and would she ever go back to participate? What does being a female member of the PKK(PJAK) mean to her? What does being a women mean to her. Are Kurdish women submissive? What do others back home judge her now? What is her vision of the future?
Intention-
This documentary intends to focus on the role of Kurdish women within an active organization but more specifically what it means to be a woman. By intertwining text, photographs, sound and moving images, I intend to give four women a platform to speak of their existence in life, what it means to be women „freedom fighters‟, mentors, and agents. Through their narratives I intend to break the duality of the feminine and the masculine, the Eastern and the Western, the nurturer and the natural(human). This documentary intends to bring a humanistic side of the story into the forefront rather than the political aspect which tends to be the focus of most of these documentaries. How would a Kurdish/Western/universal audience see in common in this story? We aim to tell a more personal narrative though the help of these four female characters.
The Treatment:
This documentary will be the work of a team of Kurdish youth and myself who will visit the Qandil mountains to meet with our female characters and shoot our documentary on location. The film will be shot on DV and shall later be edited upon our return to Sulaymani. I shall work as the director, along with a camera man a sound person and photographer. We will collect the narratives on paper, in photographs, video footage and sound. These different mediums will later be weaved together with footage of raw nature to make a vivid documentary of the reality we see. We aim to make a poetic narrative of each female, which are each unique like the women themselves. Thus, each female will have their own window to view their reality and speak of their existence as females, but more importantly as human beings.
The length of the documentary is not clear yet but we intend to make a wholesome film. The four narratives will be brought together in the end in their
own unique ways. Closure for each of these females will mean something different and we shall treat the ending in accordance to their desires.
Access:
With the help of my camera man I have been able to build rapport with two of our female characters and have chosen the other two who will be meet with in a near future. Building rapport is very crucial for this documentary as our protagonists work and live under a protective system for fear of their lives. We intend to work carefully under guidelines set for us by our characters and their group leaders. We shall be very careful with the data our characters wishes. Location of the film and areas where we will do our interviews shall be chosen on our arrival to the place of their gathering. In addition to the new footage, photographs and text we are going to gather, we have a fast collection of archival footage and data from previous visits to the mountains and shall make use of it for our documentary.
Guideline:
As mentioned before I am working with cameraman who has been in the mountains often, who knows the terrain and the women and men residing there. We shall follow strict guidelines for our work and ethics with the human characters. Our documentary shall follow the cinema of French visual- anthropologist Jean Rouch. Like Rouch we intend to give our characters the space and opportunity to define their own reality and allow us share their outlook with others. With the combination of images and narratives, we aim to make a film that is both informative and poetically entertaining.

“Let me do my last dance before you kill me” a project by San Saravan

Proposal form DoKu 5

 

 

Working Title:

Let me do my last dance before you kill me

ID of candidate

Last name: Saravan

First name: San

Age: 33

Gender: Male

Formation: studied Filmmaking, Theatre and Multimedia

Technical skills: directing, editing, filming

Experience: I have been making films since 1996, including short films, documentaries, video art and PSAs.

Motivation letter

In general, I am eager to become increasingly involved in filmmaking in this region, building contacts with those people working in the field of filmmaking. I am also keen to build bridges between French filmmakers and Kurdistan / Iraq, which I believe would be fruitful for all parties involved. I think it is a particularly important opportunity to become involved with the French medium of filmmaking.

More specifically, I have recently been witness to the events that have unfolded here over the past few months and I feel a strong responsibility to raise awareness of the events that have taken place through the medium of film. It is important that memory and image are shaped for the young people here, especially in relation to their own sense of freedom, and I want to be part of the shaping of this memory through visual image.

I believe that documentary film making is a way of democratization of societies and an expansion of human rights.

Synopsis:

In 2003, we underwent the process of democratization by the allies, in particular America. Since then, Kurdistan had a better-defined government and gained increased independence. Through a democratic process, the Kurdistan Regional Government was elected. A parliament was established including the opposition groups as can be seen in modern-day democracies. Election, government, parties, budgets, administration, development and international recognition were all present. The cities were attracting more people, nationally and internationally, with better economical situations. The media became more fundamental to people’s lives. Throughout the whole of the Middle East, this area is still held up as an example of democratic living in terms of civil life, politics, law and legislations.

We have an awareness of the law, the government has been established, the media has been expanded, democracy has been analyzed, the economy has expanded. However, demonstrating has been banned and bullets and bloodshed have replaced the dialogue. Different voices have vanished, young people are oppressed, the education systems are militarized, social injustices are justified. The laws are created and breached by the political parties, corruption has spread like a disease, public spaces are controlled, freedom of expression is counted as interference. The sound of freedom is called agitation. In this troubled democratic system of fear, prisons, torture and killing are used as tools. The independent TV stations are burnt down, journalists are jailed and executed.

In the west, the KRG leader has been awarded a peace medal while legitimizing the suppression of freedom with bullets. The opposition is considered to be the enemy.

On 17 February 2011 in Sulaimaniya, thousands of people, particularly young people, expressed their anger on the street and demanded a better life. Two hours later bullets rained down and a 16 year old boy was killed. More than fifty were wounded including a few journalists. One of the two leading political parties was responsible. People were incensed and the following day the demonstrations commenced, which lasted for more than two months. A few days later, two young people were killed and many of them were wounded by the other leading political party.

Is the bullet part of the democratization of the system in this area? Is this the way to respond to ordinary young people on the street? Where are the killers of the demonstrators? Those were the questions asked during the first week of the demonstrations.

In the capital of the KRG, Erbil, the student union of Salahadin University is run by one of the political parties. Without the minister of the education’s knowledge, the student union decided to close the university for a month. The capital city was controlled by gunmen and secret services. The students were forced back to their own cities.

Meanwhile in Sulaimaniya the government went silent and the demonstrators’ demands increased. Every day more and more people gathered at Sara’s Gate which was renamed ‘Sarai Azadi’ (Freedom Square). Eventually, some of the young people stayed overnight in tents. A few days later, at 2am, unknown masked men burnt down every single tent. On 21 March, more than 12 thousand demonstrators dressed in colourful Kurdish clothes, celebrating the Kurdish New Year, Newroz. The Universities in the city joined the demonstrations every day. Sarai Azadi became the gathering place for demonstrators; a platform with sound system and an extra platform for photographers and filmmakers were built.

After 62 days the government had still not responded to the demonstrators’ most basic demand – bringing the killers of 10 young people to justice. The platform of Sarai Azadi was burnt down after a hysteric dance. Hundreds of people were tortured and jailed including a teenage journalist. More than 30 thousand gunmen were brought in to end the 63 days of freedom.

FOUR VERITÉ PORTRAITS

In this climate of antagonism and contradiction, the film will encounter 4 exceptional people. They will uncover a legacy of struggle, demands and torture. Through these people, we can portray the core events that happened in the 63 days of demonstrations.

A 17 year old person’s dream is becoming a Rap singer. He is in the classroom when the demonstrations happen and his cousin is the first victim. He decides to not go back to his school. Instead he joins the demonstration and asks for freedom just like what his father did during Saddam’s regime. Every Day he cleans Sarai Azadi. His dream is to vote in the next election for a candidate who can represent young people like him.

A 20 year old girl originally from Kirkuk faced tyranny and Arabization in 2003 from the previous regime. She fled and came to Sulaimaniya with her family to live freely. She faces the same fear in Erbil university as she faced under Saddam’s era in Kirkuk. After being interrogated by the student union for trying to organize a demonstration in Erbil, she has to leave the university and come back to Sulaimaniya. She joins the demonstrators and organizes a campaign against the Kurdistan president after he announces in Italy “If 50 thousand people do not want me I will quit”. She than manages to collect in excess of 50 thousand signatures. She encourages the female participants to join the demonstrations i n Sarai Azadi.

A 28 year old journalist bought a camera with the support of his friend just 2 days before the demonstrations started. He takes photos of dead and wounded young people and after that he becomes known as excellent photographer. He is threatened, assaulted and tear gassed. His photos are published on news papers and sites. He has to hide in different places to get away from the authorities.

An old freedom fighter fought more than 20 years in mountains against Saddam’s regime. He lost his 4 children and wife in the Anfal process in 1988. After living abroad he returned home to carry on his struggle. Nowadays he struggles against corruption and injustice in Kurdistan.

Intention Note:

Images are an integral part of the formation of memory. Through my documentary film I want to create a connection between image and memory so that the young people can recognize for what they have asked and peacefully fought during 63 days. The troubled democracy in this area was in reality an alienated process of democracy. Individuals in this civil and democratic structure do not have the basic rights of democracy which are freedom of expression and the ability to create public spaces. The political parties have got more power than the democratic government. I want to raise awareness worldwide about the political and social systems that exist here.

THE TREATMENT

The film will be shot in stunning, true DV on a Sony. We will shoot each individual portrait in the intimate cinema verité style and weave in and out of the stories of the demonstrations with colourful, impressionistic transitions. We will eschew any external narration in favour of our subject’s voices, to hear their stories in their own words.

I expect a long length documentary film of more than 52 minutes. I will use sounds from the demonstrations with music and excerpts of the young person’s rap music.

At the conclusion of the film, our subjects will participate in one last dance – the dance which took place during the last days of the demonstrations in Freedom Square (Sarai Azadi). With this powerful visual metaphor as a backdrop, we will conclude each individual subject’s story.

ACCESS

I have already met and interviewed three of the people who participated in the demonstrations. I have sufficient footage of them and their activity over the past 63 days of the demonstrations; I will try to organize the interview of the fourth person as soon as possible.

I interviewed many people during the demonstrations to cover the colouring parts of my film. I have access to many journalists, young people, women and activists who were leading the events of the demonstrations.

I have already talked to the TV stations in this area to get any extra footage that I need to add to my film.

Guideline:

You can check my Vimeo account under my name San Saravan as I have got over one hundred hours of video footage.

 

 

ARTE documentary editorial policy

in English

L’Unité de programmes documentaires d’ARTE France
La diversité des regards sur la diversité du monde

Documentaires de création, documentaires d’investigation, essais, collections, séries…, l’Unité de Programmes Documentaires d’ARTE France décline toutes les écritures du genre dans des registres aussi variées que l’histoire, la société, l’environnement, l’économie, la politique, l’art et la culture, associant toujours et résolument, pour le choix des programmes qu’elle coproduit, préachète et achète, une exigence de fond et de forme.

Rigoureuse dans l’exploration des contenus qui font la richesse de ses programmes documentaires, respectueuse des téléspectateurs dans leur désir de comprendre et de découvrir, l’Unité privilégie la diversité créative des regards et des approches des auteurs, réalisateurs, producteurs, qui confère aux programmes à la fois identité et pérennité.

Curieuse des autres et des questions qui agitent les sociétés d’aujourd’hui, ou interpelleront celles de « demain » aux quatre coins de la planète, dans ses zones laissées dans l’ombre comme dans celles surexposées par l’effervescence médiatique, l’Unité favorise la production de programmes ouverts sur la diversité du monde et qui s’imposent sur la scène internationale.

Tout en poursuivant une politique de programmes ambitieuse qui permet l’émergence de nouveaux talents autant qu’elle conforte des signatures déjà connues, l’Unité innove dans des écritures documentaires multimédias qui se jouent de toutes les frontières : réel/virtuel, télévision/internet, fiction/documentaire, et s’adressent aux nouvelles générations de téléspectateurs.

Rigueur, respect, curiosité, diversité, innovation, les choix éditoriaux de l’Unité de programmes documentaires d’ARTE France répondent aujourd’hui comme hier aux exigences d’une télévision publique culturelle internationale.

Parmi les derniers programmes qu’elle a coproduits on peut citer pour mémoire : “Le monde selon Monsanto” de Marie-Monique Robin, “Valse avec Bachir” de Ari Folman, “Tout l’or du Monde” de Robert Nugent, les collections “Architectures” de Richard Copans et Stan Neuman, “Grand’Art” de Hector Obalk, et bien d’autres.
Les cases de programmes et les lignes éditoriales

L’Unité de programmes documentaires fournit en moyenne 40% des programmes de 6 des cases documentaires de la grille 2010-2011 d’ARTE. En termes budgétaires, l’Unité engage un peu plus de 60 coproductions par an et achète 110 programmes par an.

En journée

Du lundi au vendredi à 9h15 et à 16h50 dans la case “Terres d’ailleurs” (52 mn) :
“Terres d’ailleurs” emmène le téléspectateur dans des régions reculées du globe. Des films comme autant de rencontres et de témoignages de la diversité culturelle dans le monde.

Le samedi et le dimanche de 8h à 10h dans la case “ARTE Junior” (13 à 26 mn) :
Un rendez-vous destiné à transmettre aux jeunes de 8 à 12 ans des connaissances, mais aussi les valeurs de liberté et de tolérance chères à la Chaîne.

En avant-soirée

Le dimanche à 20h15, dans la case “Art et Culture” (26 mn) :
Cette case invite à découvrir le monde des arts et de la culture. Elle traite des arts plastiques, d’architecture, de design, de photographie et dans une moindre mesure, de tous les autres domaines artistiques. Les oeuvres présentées sont justifiées et mises en relation avec des événements de société qui leur sont contemporains et replacées au sein des courants artistiques de l’histoire de l’art. Les films peuvent s’attacher plus particulièrement au processus même de la création ou à la signification d’une oeuvre dans l’évolution personnelle de son créateur. Art et Culture permet également de présenter de nouvelles formes d’expression artistique ou de nouveaux courants culturels – mais toujours à partir d’une oeuvre ou d’un artiste particuliers, l’intérêt étant de limiter le champ d’observation et d’entrer en profondeur plutôt que de prétendre à donner un aperçu général qui ne pourrait que rester superficiel, en raison notamment de la durée de la case. Sur la forme, la case se distingue par une écriture très soignée dont l’esthétique est adaptée au sujet traité et par une narration claire et succincte.

En première partie de soirée

- le mardi à 20h40, des documentaires d’investigation :
Limités à quelques objectifs de production par an, ce sont des enquêtes au long cours, patientes et minutieuses, portant sur des sujets majeurs et sensibles : questions d’environnement, pouvoirs économiques, géopolitiques, grandes affaires… Ainsi, après « Le monde selon Monsanto » de MM Robin, l’Unité a engagé des documentaires d’investigation sur des sujets aussi variés que les déchets nucléaires, la présence chinoise en Afrique, le pouvoir des entreprises pharmaceutiques, la crise alimentaire…

- le mercredi à 20h40, dans la case « les Mercredis de l’Histoire » :
Les Mercredis de l’Histoire analysent l’histoire des 19e et 20e siècles. Sur la base d’une analyse historique sérieuse et fondée, ce rendez-vous retrace les événements marquants de cette période, les replace dans leur contexte et donne ainsi aux téléspectateurs des éléments indispensables à la compréhension du monde d’aujourd’hui. Les Mercredis de l’Histoire sont des documentaires dont le traitement est accessible et le mode de narration enlevé ; ils s’appuient sur des archives filmées et des témoignages mais aussi sur des reconstitutions fictionnées ou assistées par ordinateur (CGI) et des extraits de fiction. Les Mercredi de l’Histoire visent le grand public. Ils sont constitués d’un 90′ ou de deux 52′, dans la mesure du possible complémentaires.

En 2ème et 3ème partie de soirée

- Le vendredi à 23h, dans la case “Grand Format” :
La case propose des films Grand Format, hors standard par leur forme et leur contenu. Ce sont des films de réalisateurs confirmés, des histoires fortes, portant sur tous les thèmes, des films intenses dont la dramaturgie doit être originale, structurée et claire, adaptés pour le petit écran. Filmés sur les cinq continents, par des réalisateurs talentueux et engagés, ces documentaires suscitent à la fois émotion et réflexion et invitent à une plus large compréhension de l’homme et de sa condition.

- Un mardi par mois vers minuit, la revue documentaire CUT UP :
CUT UP est une revue documentaire de société, impertinente et caustique qui rassemble en 50 minutes environ, une dizaine de modules documentaires, produits ou achetés, rassemblés par une thématique commune et commentés par un narrateur, Jacky Berroyer, sur un ton léger et décalé. Une déambulation décomplexée et ludique comme autant de variations sur des thèmes de société : le plaisir, le travail, l’argent, la méchanceté…

- le mercredi vers 23h30, dans la case “La Lucarne”, 40 fois par an :
Hors des sentiers battus, ce rendez-vous nocturne propose prioritairement de découvrir les perles de la production indépendante mondiale. Films à fort accent d’auteur, ce sont des oeuvres originales marquées par des écritures singulières et poétiques. La Lucarne témoigne de la capacité des cinéastes à raconter le monde de façon innovante.

Our editorial policy here (PDF)

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De nouvelles pistes éditoriales

Attentive à l’évolution rapide des modes et des vecteurs de diffusion, l’Unité a entrepris d’explorer des écritures spécifiques qui favorisent le partage documentaire et répondent à la convergence des médias. Ainsi du programme « Twenty Show ».
« Twenty Show » est une radiographie originale des 20 ans d’aujourd’hui par des 20 ans d’aujourd’hui, avec leur mode d’expression d’aujourd’hui : les vidéo-blogs. Le programme propose d’une part les portraits de 5 jeunes gens sous forme de feuilletons fictionnels déclinés en « webisodes » de 3 minutes mis en ligne sur Internet et, d’autre part, un film de 80 minutes environ réalisé à partir d’une sélection de ces webisodes et de contributions documentaires d’internautes. Le film a fait l’objet d’une diffusion parallèle sur l’antenne d’ARTE et sur Internet en mai 2009.

Le web-documentaire > Les projets en cours pour 2010 et la plate-forme ARTEWebDocs

Le budget, la production, les achats

L’Unité de Programmes Documentaires d’ARTE France accueille et instruit environ 800 projets par an proposés en coproduction. Elle visionne et fait visionner environ 900 programmes par an proposés en achat, auxquels s’ajoutent les films vus dans les différents festivals et marchés (Cinéma du Réel, FIPA, IDFA, Visions du Réel, MIPTV, MIPDOC, Sunny Side of the Doc, Pessac, Hot Docs…).

En exécution de son plan de charge annuel d’approvisionnement de la grille d’ARTE, l’Unité a apporté à l’antenne en 2009, 151 programmes dont 82 inédits.

A l’exception des collections, et notamment des collections Art et Culture qui s’enrichissent de 3 nouveaux numéros par an, les coproductions consistent essentiellement en programmes unitaires.

Le Cinéma documentaire

Forte de son expérience dans le genre documentaire et de la richesse des projets reçus, ARTE France a initié la coproduction de 3 documentaires cinéma par an, en associant ARTE France Cinéma et l’Unité de Programmes Documentaires.

Ces 3 films sont prioritairement destinés à une sortie en salles, puis, après les délais règlementaires correspondant aux oeuvres cinématographiques, à une diffusion sur ARTE dans la case documentaire Grand Format.

Parmi les derniers documentaires cinéma engagés on compte :
- “No comment” de Pierre-Henry Salfati. Une autobiographie réinventée du petit Lucien Ginzburg au grand Serge Gainsbourg provocateur et cynique, “aquaboniste” et poète.
- “Les plages d’Agnés” d’Agnès Varda. Un autoportrait en miroirs d’hier, d’aujourd’hui et de demain, de la cinéaste.
- “Fix Me” de Raed Andoni. Le cinéaste palestinien Raed Andoni entreprend une psychothérapie filmée en 20 séances pour comprendre son mal de tête et son mal être dans son pays.
- “Cleveland contre Wall Street” de Jean-Stéphane Bron. A Cleveland-USA, ville dévastée par la crise financière, l’armée des huissiers expulse les habitants. Le combat des citoyens contre les banquiers.
- “Entente cordiale” d’Hubert Sauper. A propos des rapports nord-sud.
- Women are heroes” de J. R. . Rencontre aux quatre coins de la planète d’un jeune artiste photographe avec des femmes ordinaires, à la combativité extraordinaire.

Suivi des projets documentaires pour une sortie en salle
Les projets doivent être adressés en 3 exemplaires à ARTE France Cinéma par un producteur délégué français ayant pris en charge la production. Ils sont ensuite instruits par l’Unité Documentaires, le choix final étant effectué conjointement -hors comité de sélection- par l’Unité Documentaires d’ARTE France dirigée par Pierrette Ominetti, qui assure le suivi éditorial, et la filiale ARTE France Cinéma, dirigée par Michel Reilhac, qui assure le suivi juridique et financier.

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Inédits et productions en cours

Les programmes inédits et les productions en cours de l’Unité de Programmes documentaires d’ARTE France en cliquant ici !

L’équipe

Directrice de l’Unité : Pierrette Ominetti
Assistante de la Directrice : Christine Sabrou

Chargés de programmes :
Anne Charbonnel
Christilla Huillard Kann
Elisabeth Hulten
Daniel Khamdamov
Marianne Levy-Leblond
Luciano Rigolini

Assistante de chargés de programmes : Malika Laroui

Assistante de Production à l’accueil des projets : Karine Sauzedde

Assistant Festivals et suivi des programmes hors antenne : Pascal Richard

Administratrice de l’Unité : Françoise Tsitsichvili

Chargée d’administration : Atika Lahouel

Chargée d’administration : Sylvie Smets

Chargée des achats : Marthe Vertueux

Chargées de post-production :Isabelle Zaborowski et Jocelyne You

Attachées de presse : Rima Matta assistée d’Anne-Gaëlle Mc-Nab

DoKu 4: Storytelling, documentary filmmaking, technical training, training of trainers

 

DOKU-documentary in Iraq

Story telling, documentary filmmaking, technical training, training of trainers

This training, a collaboration between Alterdoc, a group of filmmakers, and the Master of Documentary Cinéma of University of Provence (Aix-Marseille), supported by the Conseil Régional d’Ile de France, the Embassy of France in Iraq, the French representations in Erbil, the Directorate of International Affairs, ARTE, and local partners (TV from Kurdistan and Iraq, associations…)

Based on 6 years of experience in the Master Pro “Practice of documentary film,” this training based on practice and coaching, is dedicated to:

-the discovery of documentary cinema

-the writing of a documentary film project

-presentation of film projects for international market

-the development of selected projects (preparation, production)

-shooting

-evaluation of film material and its organization for editing.

-editing

final editing and post-production

-translation and subtitles in English and French

-traineeship

These different steps taking place on a period of 6 months will be accompanied by French tutors, experienced professionals. They will be assisted by Iraqi tutors, motivated to take over and thus sustain the training. It is they who will monitor the project between each module. It is in this sense that these workshops are also training of trainers.

The training consists of 5 modules that can be tracked separately or together. The masterclass is open to auditors and the presence of these (film students, teachers, professionals of all stripes) is highly desired.

3 to 4 medium-length documentary (40 to 60 minutes) will be supported through all stages of completion.

This training is open to young Iraqis of all backgrounds and gender, selected for their motivation and willingness to enroll in a professional project. Knowledge of French and / or English is desirable.

Such training could be carried on in France, (master) if the conditions (both written and spoken French, equivalency diploma) are met.

The selection of candidates will be on file:

-letter

-curriculum vitae

-DVD of movies already made

synopsis of the project that the candidate wishes to achieve through training with a note of intention for Module 1.

Important parts of this issue must be translated into French or English.

DESCRIPTION OF MODULES

Module 1:

Knowledge of documentary filmmaking – Writing a film project

Number of participants:

12 maximum (in two groups formed on the basis of languages) application form.

Profile of participants:

Participants in this workshop will be filmmakers. They are independent (students, artists, journalists, filmmakers) or employees by an Iraqi TV.

Tutors:

-a teacher of film department at the University of Provence

-a documentary filmmaker to Alterdoc

-Iraqi filmmaker who attended Doku

Location:

French Cultural Center in Erbil

Cultural Center in Sulaymania (TBD)

Duration:

8 days

Teaching Tools:

-a video projector and DVD player

-a selection of documentary films

Translation:

The teaching team will be assisted by two interpreters, but knowledge and learning of French and English are encouraged.

Methodology:

The time the module is separated into two parts which are spent half a day everyday.

-Analysis of films. Screening of film clips that cover various practices of documentary film and discussion.

-Writing a project. Masterclasses and tutoring.

-Presentation of projects after the course, written and presented to a professionnal jury.

Selection:

The jury will select 3 to 4 projects which will receive mentoring throughout their production. Alterdoc will provide a complete filming (camera, sound) and editing for the selected projects.

Projects will be selected on criteria of quality, consistency and feasibility. It is essential to demonstrate access to characters and places.

Projects not selected by the jury can be developed and represented at the next session.

Development:

The location scouting, a shooting plan detailing the sequence, tests should be done by starting the next module.

Module 2:

Development – Technical Training – Shooting (top)

Number of participants:

16 constituting 4 teams

Formation of teams

The writer-director will be a crew composed by:

-cameraman

-a sound engineer

-production assistant

These teams are technicians working for television or independent with a minimum of practice and expertise in the audiovisual field. They have a strong motivation for learning new techniques and practices.

It is essential that a team member at least be able to communicate in French or English. If this is not the case the writer-director adds a bilingual assistant to the team.

Tutors:

4 French high level professional in the following areas:

-Directing

-Executive Production

-Photography

-Sound

Motivated Iraqi professionals involved in the project Doku. They will gradually take over from the French team to sustain the project.

Location:

Sulaymaniyah

Duration:

8 days

Teaching Tools:

-1 complete Video unit (Alterdoc)

-Sound equipment to complete the local equipment (Alterdoc)

-Shooting supplementary material (Iraqi partners)

-Screening equipment (Alterdoc)

Translation

Each team is responsible for its needs in translation. (assistant)

A production-assistant speaking Kurdish and Arabic is member of the training team.

Methodology:

Masterclass by profile:

-preparation of the shooting, story telling

-image and sound: theory and practice

Production: Producer role, organizing a film, market knowledge (knowledge of a foreign language required)

Implementation: Shooting and critical screening

After the first shooting in the actual conditions of the project, viewing sessions critical individual and collective will address the students, if needed.

Module 3:

Preparation of editing

Number of participants:

8 constituting 4 teams

The teams

The writer-director sets up a team of post-production made by:

A tape editor -

-assistant (for translation if necessary)

These teams are technicians working for television or independent with a minimum of practice and expertise in the audiovisual field. They have a strong motivation for learning new techniques and practices.

It is essential that a team member at least be able to communicate in French or English. The writer-director adds a bilingual assistant to the team if necessary.

Tutors:

3 French high level professionals in the following areas:

Filmmaking

Tape Editing

Iraqi professionals involved in the project Doku motivated. They will gradually take over from the French team to sustain the project.

Location:

Sulaimaniya. Four separate rooms.

Duration:

6 days

Teaching Tools:

-1 complete FinalCutPro editing unit  (Alterdoc)

screening equipment (Alterdoc)

Translation

Each team is responsible for its needs in translation. (assistant)

A production-assistant speaking Kurdish and Arabic is member of the training team.

Methodology:

Directors and editors have previously watched their footage. They have noted in writing plans, scripted interviews and sound elements identified and begun to develop a timeline consistent and structured.

A tutoring will assess the condition of each movie by viewing a selection of key sequences, and specify the timeline.

A possible structure consistent and must be defined before the initiation of mounts.

Masterclass editing: theory and practice

Module 4:

Editing

Number of participants:

8 constituting 4 teams

Formation of teams

The writer-director set up a team of post-production made by:

an editor -

-assistant (translation if necessary)

It is essential that a team member at least be able to communicate in French or English. The writer-director append a bilingual assistant to the team.

Tutors:

3 French high professional level in the following areas:

-completion (2)

montage

Iraqi professionals involved in the project Doku motivated. They will gradually take over from the French team to sustain the project.

Location:

Sulaimaniya. Four separate rooms.

Duration:

+ 5 days followed

Teaching Tools:

-1 Unit of complete assembly (Alterdoc)

-3 Units full installation (local partners)

tools for viewing (Alterdoc)

Translation

Each team is responsible for its needs in translation. (assistant)

A production-assistant speaking Kurdish and Arabic is member of the training team.

Methodology:

The training team will take place after the pre-editing the film. The vision with all teams a rough cut (rough-cut or bear).

It is whether the film’s structure is coherent.

It is a key moment in the process of making a movie and often the time of doubt and challenge.

Tutors accompany students in finding solutions in narrative writing and story telling. (if necessary possibility a complement of shooting)

Once the structure validated, we enter the final phase of editing that will refine the rhythm of the film and the fluidity and understanding of the story.

Successive and regular screenings are required in this step. We will develop internet tools to follow up the projects.

Module 5:

Validation – Finalization – Subtitles – Distribution- Broadcasting

Number of participants:

16 constituting 4 teams

Formation of teams

The writer-director set up a team of post-production made by:

-a tape editor -

-a sound mixer

-production assistant

It is essential that a team member at least be able to communicate in French or English. The writer-director append a bilingual assistant to the team.

Tutors:

4 French high level professionals in the following areas:

-filmmaking, direction (2)

-editing

-sound mixing

Iraqi professionals involved in the project Doku motivated. They will gradually take over from the French team to sustain the project.

Location:

Sulaimaniya. Four separate rooms.

Mixing can be done in France

Duration:

8 days

Teaching Tools:

-1 Unit of complete assembly (Alterdoc)

-3 Units full installation (local partners)

-screening equipment (Alterdoc)

-mixing studio

Translation:

Each team is responsible for its needs in translation. (assistant)

A production-assistant speaking Kurdish and Arabic is member of the training team.

Methodology:

A final viewing will validate the films. The jury will be asked to intervene.

The assembly will be refined if necessary with the expertise of the team trainers., Titling and effects will be prepared.

The sound editing will prepare the mix.

Alongside these technical operations, translations for the subtitles will be revised, corrected, the integrated subtitles.

Master-class production: it will focus on the international market, festivals, co-productions.

A public screening of 4 documentary will close the workshop.

An internship in a television, a festival can complete this training.

The French speaking students, having the necessary qualifications and degrees, have the possibility to apply for the Master Pro, “the practice of documentary filmmaking” from the University of Provence.

Preliminary schedule

Module 1: Beginning May 2011

Knowledge of documentary filmmaking – Writing a film project

Module 2: June 2011

Story telling -Development – Technical Training – Beginning the shooting

Module 3: September 2011 In Paris (France)

Preparation of editing

Module 4: september-november 2011

Editing

Module 5: November 2011 in Paris

- Validation – Finalization – Subtitles – Distribution- Broadcasting

Taha (KNN) selected for festival

Taha directed by Atta Faraj will be presented in the solidarity festival of Meylan,

November 2009, 17th