The German project Fatma Said – Reviving a Forgotten Treasure (Ralf Pleger) picked up the Best Pitch Award Arts & Culture category June 21 at Sunny Side of the Doc. On June 20, pitch awards were given in the Science and Global Issues categories to the French project Science’s Forgotten People (Laurence Thiriat) and the Irish project This is a Quiet Love (Garry Keane). Magali Serre’s Right-wing Extremism: The New Terrorist Threat won the Impact Social Club Award.
ARTS & CULTURE PITCH AWARD
Fatma Said – Reviving a Forgotten Treasure by Ralf Pleger. Produced by: 3B-Produktion GmbH (Germany)
Logline: “Fatma Said – Reviving a Forgotten Treasure” is a colorful, touching, and entertaining documentary and film musical that bridges the cultures of the Middle East and Europe. The film follows acclaimed soprano Fatma Said on her mission to save a treasure of Arab culture that is in danger of disappearing: the astonishing work of Mohamed Abdelwahab.
Jury citation: “This is a project we want to see on screens because it tells a story that bridges the gap between the past and present, classical and contemporary cultures, and the Arabic and Western worlds. The main character is compelling as she serves as a true ambassador for her generation. The pitch was well-prepared and successfully involved the character in the presentation, showcasing her deep involvement in the entire project.”
Co-produced with the Dutch Witfilm, broadcasters already signed up are ZDF/Arte (Germany) and Al Jazeera (Qatar). Sales on the €680,000 budget doc (€410,000 in place) are handled by C-Major Entertainment (Germany). Shooting on the project is set to commence February 2024 ahead of March 2025 completion.
Producer Maria Willer was in La Rochelle to entice potential co-producers and regional/cultural funds as well as drive international broadcast interest.
