Elina Kewitz of Cologne-based New Docs arrives at Sunny Side with a brace of new titles, one of which, Ithaka – A Fight to Free Julian Assange by Ben Lawrence, has taken on even greater significance for buyers following the UK Home Secretary’s decision on June 17 to approve the US government’s request to extradite the Australian founder of Wikileaks.
“This film is highly topical,” says NEW DOCS boss Elina Kewitz, adding how, “it’s a very personal film as it’s following Julian Assange’s father as well as his wife Stella Morris. At Sunny Side we are have the 2 x 52’ version which was produced for ABC in Australia. We hope to find a German and French broadcaster to license the film.”
Filmed over two years across the UK, Europe and the US, Ithaka – A Fight to Free Julian Assange follows 76-year-old retired builder John Shipton’s tireless campaign to save his son Julian who is facing a 175-year sentence. The family faces by the prospect of losing him forever. WikiLeaks founder Assange is the world’s most famous political prisoner. He has become an emblem of an international arm wrestle over freedom of journalism, government corruption and unpunished war crimes. This David-and-Goliath struggle is personal. With Julian’s health declining in a British maximum-security prison and American government prosecutors doing everything in their power to extradite him to face trial in the US, the clock is ticking.
The feature-length version of the film will have its international premiere at Sheffield Doc Fest next week.
Another new pick-up is Florian Heinzen-Ziob’s Dancing Pina, which looks at the legacy of the late and much revered dancer and innovator. “It is a very different film, indeed. The German Pina Bausch was one of the most important dance choreographers in the world. Her work is still admired by many, as we can see (and feel) this in the film,” says Kewitz. The film is also selected for Sheffield 2022.
NEW DOCS represents approximately 300 titles and looks to pick up about 15-20 new films per year. “We are looking for new projects in production at Sunny Side. In particular current affairs, investigative stories, science documentaries and history documentaries,” adds Kewitz of her presence in La Rochelle. ‘These could be series or one-offs. Our focus is definitely on selling and acquiring.”
She further points out that her science docs have sold well over the past two years, stressing how “the pandemic underlined the importance of scientific research.” She references two science docs that she is selling. Dorothee Kaden’s 2021 doc The Power of Touch examines how, in times of social distancing, human touch affects our physical and psychological health, and what happens when there is a lack of physical contact? Multitasking – How much Can we do Simultaneously? looks to “expose the myth about effective multitasking and takes a scientific look at its feasibility in the real world.”
“We are happy to be at the markets again. It’s ok to work online for a time, but not all the time,” Kewitz underlines. “Sunny Side is one the most important markets, with a lot of European programme buyers and a lot of interesting producers. And there is more time for meetings than at the MIPs and also has a more intimate atmosphere. The pitches are well curated. It is one of the pitch events that supports strong TV docs.”
Also on the NEW DOCS Sunny Side slate is Beyond Revolution – Ukraine After Maidan by Kristof Gerega. Through the stories of three prominent Ukrainian politicians, from 2013 to the present, we witness the country’s struggle for democracy, self-determination and geopolitical stability.
Additionally Searching for Traces – Latest Developments in Forensics by Anna Pflüger introduces the unsung heroes of crime investigation – forensic scientists. In the film we meet Europe’s leading experts in forensics. We learn about the newest methods in their profession, what made them choose their path, how they became involved with law enforcement, and we take a closer look at their most exciting cases.
