Four films and a TV series backed by Screen Scotland have been selected for the Berlinale, taking place 12-22 February. These are:
- Sunny Dancer, produced by Edinburgh-based Ken Petrie, directed by George Jaques – opening Generation 14plus.
- Lady, straight from its Sundance world premiere- produced by Glasgow-based producer Alex Polunin and directed by Olive Nwosu.
- Finlay Pretsell’s Douglas Gordon by Douglas Gordon, produced by Edinburgh-based Pretsell and Sonja Henrici.
- Mark Cousins’ The Story of Documentary Film, produced by John Archer, which also premiered at Sundance Film Festival.
- Mint, an 8-part BBC series directed by Charlotte Regan and produced by Glasgow-based producer Angus Lamont.
Two additional films also produced or co-produced by Scotland-based talent included in the programme are: The Education of Jane Cumming and River Dreams both produced by Edinburgh-based producer Nadira Murray.
Isabel Davis, Executive Director at Screen Scotland said: “Recognition for our talent was already at a high point at Sundance last month and Berlin is keeping the spotlight firmly on Scotland. The most encouraging thing is how many of these were originated in Scotland, which remains the focus of Screen Scotland funding.
“The Berlin selection highlights the range of projects being developed in Scotland right now, across both TV and film. Congratulations to all of the Scotland-based filmmakers and their international partners with work selected for Berlin.”
Culture Secretary Angus Robertson said: “I am pleased to see so many Scottish, and Screen Scotland-supported, productions at this Festival, showcasing the very best of our TV and filmmaking talent on the world stage. Scotland’s screen sector has experienced exceptional growth in recent years and this is testament to the talent and skills we have across the country.”
Sunny Dancer
Starring Bella Ramsey, Jessica Gunning, James Norton, Neil Patrick Harris, Earl Cave, Conrad Kahn, Jasmine Elcock and Ruby Stokes, Sunny Dancer is produced by Edinburgh-based producer Ken Petrie (27 Ten Productions) and is directed by George Jaques. Sunny Dancer shot on location in Scotland.
After 17-year-old Ivy beats cancer she can’t think of anything worse than becoming a Make-A-Wish kid. When her parents send her to a summer camp for kids affected by cancer, Ivy has a hard time adjusting to the rules. But as the weeks progress, she manages to find unexpected friends in an unlikely group of misfits and has a summer she’ll never forget at ‘Chemo Camp’.
Sunny Dancer is the opening film of the Generation 14plus strand.
Ken Petrie, Producer of Sunny Dancer said: “It’s such a privilege for Sunny Dancer to be opening the Generation 14plus strand of Berlinale this year. We’ve made a fun & feral film about young people, for young people that they can enjoy together with friends, or with their parents. The Generation programme really respects its audience and so we are thrilled to World Premiere Sunny Dancer here. As one of the key festivals in the calendar every year, we’re grateful to the whole Berlinale team for allowing us to launch here on the global stage.”
Douglas Gordon by Douglas Gordon
Directed by Edinburgh-based director Finlay Pretsell and produced by Pretsell and Sonja Henrici (Parcel of Rogues).
Douglas Gordon grew up in Glasgow, Scotland during the economically and politically grim Thatcher years and is among the most important and influential artists of his generation. He is best known for his large-scale video installations and films such as the 24 Hour Psycho and Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait, which premiered at Cannes. He was the first artist from Scotland to win the prestigious Turner prize and the first to win for a video work.
In this unsparingly honest and intimate portrait, which tests the boundaries between reality and performance, the artist bares his soul and innermost thoughts whilst making new work. In spontaneous acts and conversations, he reflects on his advancing years.
As the filmmaker-subject relationship shifts from collaborative intimacy to a more complex dynamic, the question increasingly arises: Who actually is making this film? This multifaceted portrait bears witness to the fact that Douglas Gordon is ready to sacrifice everything for his art.
Douglas Gordon by Douglas Gordon will screen as part of the Panorama Dokumente strand.
Director Finlay Pretsell said: “It's a huge honour to have the world premiere at Berlinale! It's a fantastic start for our film at one of the biggest film festivals in the world. My film was made for the big screen and there is a lot of value for me in that shared cinematic experience, so to be screening at a festival which still holds cinema in high regard is very important for me too. We had our sights set on screening here from the start!”
Mint
An eight-part BBC drama directed by Charlotte Regan and produced by Glasgow-based produced Angus Lamont. The series stars Emma Laird, Ben Coyle-Larner (better known as musician Loyle Carner), Sam Riley, Laura Fraser and Lindsay Duncan. The series was shot on location in Glasgow.
Twenty-two-year-old Shannon is the daughter of the dominant crime family in the area. Standing in the shadow of her father Dylan, she is desperately searching for romance and falls head over heels for Arran, a member of a rival crime family which has recently arrived in town. They develop a deep bond that changes both their lives for good, but not everyone around them is willing to accept it. While Shannon and Arran are pursuing their forbidden love, elsewhere things are imploding for Shannon’s family. However, rather than focusing on the crime world or the politics of succession, our gaze is directed towards the distinct emotional worlds of Shannon’s family – her parents Dylan and Cat, her older brother Luke and her indomitable grandma Ollie.
Mint will screen as part of the Berlinale Special Series strand.
Mint producer Angus Lamont said: “Really pleased to be in Berlin for the World Premiere screening of Mint by Charlotte Reagan. The BBC show was entirely shot in Scotland and as well as showcasing Charlotte’s great writing and directing, it demonstrates the breadth of local talent we have in front of, and behind, the camera. I first attended the festival in 2001 with a film in the Panorama section and have been delighted to return over the years with films in the official competition. Feels like coming home!”
Lady
In the sprawling African metropolis of Lagos, a fiercely independent young cab driver meets a band of radiantly reckless sex workers whose sisterhood pulls her into danger and joy, setting her on a journey toward her own transformation.
Lady is written and directed by Olive Nwosu and was developed and produced by Ossian International, producer Alex Polunin's company based in Glasgow.
Lady will screen as part of the Panorama strand.
The Story of Documentary Film
An innovative exploration of the documentary form from the dawn of cinema to the present day, encompassing stories from across the globe. Boldly feminist, jargon-free and international in scope, the film offers a vivid portrait of our lives, societies, wars, families, journeys, creativity, relationships and struggles – as well as the things we make and the planet itself – told in a fresh and compelling way.
The film is directed by Mark Cousins and produced by John Archer of Hopscotch Films.
The Education of Jane Cumming
Directed by Sophie Heldman, written by Flora Nicholson and Sophie Heldman, and starring Flora Nicholson, Clare Dunne, Mia Tharia and Fiona Shaw, the film is a Germany/Switzerland/UK co-production produced by Nadira Murray through the Scottish company Sylph Productions.
Edinburgh, 1810. Teachers Jane Pirie and Marianne Woods open a boarding school in pursuit of an independent life together. Their world shifts when Jane Cumming, a wealthy aristocrat’s 15-year-old granddaughter from India, is enrolled in their care, leading to a devastating accusation and a decade-long legal battle that would scandalise the Scottish establishment. Based on true events.
The Education of Jane Cumming will screen in the Panorama strand.
River Dreams
Directed by Kristina Mikhailova, in co-production with Sylph Productions (Nadira Murray), Kazakhstan and Switzerland.
River Dreams invites women and girls across Kazakhstan to imagine themselves as a river. From village girls and young urban women to LGBT and political activists, prisoners and educators, their voices unfold against a backdrop of deep-rooted gender conservatism. Set alongside conversations on toxic masculinity and domestic abuse — including the widely reported trial surrounding the murder of Saltanat Nukenova — the film also makes space for desire, dreams and utopias. Through the quiet presence of the Aksay river, these stories form a poetic and politically charged portrait of female life shaped by sisterhood and solidarity.
River Dreams will screen in the Forum Special strand.
More information
Image credits
Still from Sunny Dancer, credit Colin J Smith, courtesy of SUNNY DANCER Distribution Limited.
Still from Douglas Gordon by Douglas Gordon, courtesy Parcel of Rogues.
Still from Mint, courtesy House Productions / Fearless Minds / BBC / Sanne Gault.
Still from Lady, courtesy Hanway Films.
Still from The Story of Documentary Film, courtesy Hopscotch Films.