Photo credit: Aboozar Amini

The project received funding because of:

For 12 years, the applicant has established collaboration between several countries in Europe and the MENA region. The Nordic Culture Fund finds the project to be interesting and relevant. It has potential to create good and sustainable relations between Nordic, Middle Eastern and North African filmmakers and producers.

The applicant wrote about the project:

The overall goal of Close-Up is to encourage and support a community of documentary filmmakers from across the Nordic Countries & Middle East and North Africa. The contributors behind the project are committed to opening a dialogue and sharpening the necessary skills and commitment to produce extraordinary films that advance justice, democracy and peace. Utilizing the extensive experience, network, and reputation for excellence harvested over the past 12 years, Close-Up brings together passionate, talented and courageous filmmakers who possess a profound understanding of the complexities in their communities. The program supports them in developing and creating compelling original documentaries that illuminate their social and political realities.

The participants will receive individual and continuing support from the project’s inspirational and dedicated mentors who possess leading figures in the documentary film world. Over 8 months, the program will provide several 5-7 days residential seminars for creative development of written ideas and co-production in Morocco and Turkey. The participating filmmakers get chance to develop their skills and showcase the results for illustrious and international film audience such as Sundance Film Institute, Tribeca Film Institute, ARTE France, MDR Germany, IKON TV the Netherlands, DR Denmark, SVT Sweden and NRK Norwegian TV.

The project emphasises the need for more advanced cinema training programs which guide and strengthen creative and professional collaboration between filmmakers from different regions and cultural backgrounds. Therefore, Close-Up wants to support multicultural dialog in several global dimensions. Themes such as gender equality, women’s rights, racism, immigration, refugees, economy, religion, environment and youth will be elaborated through the Close-Up program.