Zamarin Wahdat is the winner of this year's Pitch Forum!

June 12, 2020

Hannah Reinikainen received an honorable mention

Zamarin Wahdat and her project ARI is the winner of this year’s Screen Talent Europe Pitching Forum, which is arranged in collaboration with Screen Talent Europe and Mediefabrikken. She receives a production grant of 4000 €, given by Screen Talent Europe. Hannah Reinikainen and her project SPOTT received an honorable mention.

The jury consisted of Kathleen McInnis, Niclas Due Gillberg, Réne Hansen Mlodyszewski.

Jury statement:
«For the playful way the director explored the mythical, almost fairytale, family narrative, grounded in a gender divided culture, the jury awards director Zamarin Wahdat of ARI and hopes the prize supports both the technical and emotional challenges ahead as she incorporates a family story spanning over 80 years into what we feel has great potential to become a deeply moving story.»

Honourable mention:
«To a cohesive film team who spoke with one voice, each supporting the director’s vision and inclusion of her documentary methods. The jury would like to give an honorable mention to SPOTT, for telling a story that speaks directly to a younger audience and showcases both the intimate strengths of young girls’ friendships, as well the meanness they can display, often more harshly than we care to admit.»

The pitch jury:

Kathleen McInnis is a curator, creative producer, and publicist. She has programmed for Toronto International Film Festival and been director of Palm Springs International Film Festival. She is the founder and CEO og See-Through Films LLC.

Niclas Due Gillberg the festival director at Uppsala International Short Film Festival.

Reneé Hansen Mlodyzewski is a producer at Oslo Pictures. Her latest short, “Silence” directed by Brwa Vahabpour, won the pitch last year, and is represented in the Norwegian competition at The Norwegian Short Film Festival this year.

The filmmakers and their projects:

Zamarin Wahdat, writer & director
FILMWERKSTATT KIEL, Germany

Zamarin is an Afghan/German filmmaker, whose work is based on subtle and intimate storytelling with a fascination for youth and magical realism. Her work as a cinematographer has been screened at Sundance, Berlinale, and Tribeca. She recently received an Academy Award for the short documentary «Learning how to Skate in a Warzone» (if you’re a girl), where she worked as an additional cinematographer and interviewer.

“If you pass under a rainbow, a boy turns into a girl, and a girl turns into a boy.” –Afghan Myth

“Ari” is about girls who are dressed as boys in Afghanistan. Being inspired by the story of my grandmother, who as a first born, was dressed as a boy in Afghanistan, the story is grounded in the perspective of 11 year old Ariana, who has to transition back into a girl after she gets her period. Believing her mother’s words and the Afghan Myth, she tries to find a rainbow before the day of her transition.

Hannah Reinikainen, writer & director
Amelie Svenstedt & Maida Krak, producers
FILMBASEN, Sweden

Rita and Hedda are two childhood friends in their early teens. Together they explore life through physical and intimate games. This evening Rita is hanging out with Hedda’s classmates for the first time, the dynamics between them are changing and their friendship is put to the test.

 Hannah has studied journalism at the University of Stockholm and documentary filmmaking at Biskops-Arnö. Since her studies she has been working at the production company Story. She has previously directed two short films Nybohovsbacken (2016) and She only beat the one she loves (2017). In 2020 she premiered with her first feature film Always Amber at the Berlinale in the Panorama section.