25/04/2024 - Spanning continents and delving deep into the human condition, the selection of documentary projects brings to light a range of topics, such as family, war and societal changes

The dok.incubator international film development workshop has picked eight documentary projects for its international selection, alongside eight other projects in the Czech and Slovak strand. Spanning various themes from family dynamics to socio-political issues, these films are set to captivate audiences with their deep narratives and rich visual storytelling. The selection highlights projects from a mix of continents, lending proceedings a global perspective. For the coming eight months, the teams’ goal is to sharpen their film’s cut, shape its mise-en-scène and create a marketing strategy, thus preparing each movie for a festival premiere in 2025. The filmmakers are currently convening for the first time, working on their rough cuts from 22-27 April. This initial session will be followed by a second gathering from 23-29 June, focusing on the final cuts. The concluding session, scheduled for 30 September-5 October, will be dedicated to the picture lock.

“This year, we have a really strong mix of film projects that are all about what is happening in the world right now. The struggle to provide for one’s family and to survive in a system that offers limited opportunities for a dignified life emerges as a prominent theme, reflecting the spirit of our times,” says Andrea Prenghyová, CEO of dok.incubator.

The international project selection includes the Polish project Hasan's Joy, co-directed by Natalia Pietsch and Grzegorz Piekarski, which explores the transformation of Hasankeyf, Turkey, from a historic town into a modern tourist hub, highlighting the local community's forced adaptation to new living conditions and societal norms. Weronika Mliczewska’s Child of Dust follows Sang, a Vietnamese war child, on his poignant journey to reconnect with his estranged father, reflecting on the enduring scars of war and familial separation. Switzerland’s On the Trail of Madness by Edgar Hagen follows veteran journalist Ulrich Tilgner as he revisits key locations in the Middle East and West Africa, examining the long-term impacts of Western political interventions. Roy Cohen delves into the personal tale of an Israeli man revisiting the tragic death of his Palestinian childhood friend, weaving a narrative of lost innocence and the harsh realities of geopolitical conflicts in Far from Maine. In Love Exposed, Czech director Filip Remunda captures the efforts of Blanka Kulová (who also serves as an editor on the film), the daughter of a once-famous, ageing photographer of nudes, as she seeks to heal and redefine her relationship with her father through forgiveness and understanding, breaking the cycle of familial trauma. Meanwhile, in Supernatural, Ventura Durall explores the intriguing story of Anna Alarcon, who looks into the legacy of André Malby, a shaman believed to possess healing powers, juxtaposing his mystical practices with the rational world of his son, a conventional doctor.

On the other hand, the selection of Czech and Slovak documentaries includes unique explorations offering a deep dive into personal, social and historical narratives, such as Tomáš Elšík’s Ent, highlighting the environmental stewardship of a K9 officer and a conservationist in the Czech Republic, drawing inspiration from the film Last and First Men [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]. Doctor on a Trip by David Čálek looks at medical research into psychedelics in the Amazon rainforest, with the aim of revolutionising treatments for depression, while Becoming Ema, a personal story set in Slovakia and on Mallorca, and directed by Patricia Drati, contemplates the clash between personal fulfilment and financial security. Woman Named Pauliina by Pauliina Punkki documents a former bodybuilder's fight for autonomy, Jan Strejcovský’s Is It Worth It?! critiques the speculative nature of the art market, while Ondřej Vavrečka’s 1+1+1 playfully examines the philosophical implications of progress. Zuzana Piussi’s Scent Trail scrutinises the contentious forensic use of scent detection in the Czech Republic, and finally, The Consequences of Truth, directed by Denis Dobrovoda, revisits the impactful story of Auschwitz escapee Alfred Wetzler, highlighting his post-war struggles and the quest for historical recognition.

The full list of the films selected for the 2024 dok.incubator international workshop is as follows:

dok.incubator international project selection

Always - Demin Chen (China)
Editor: I-Chu Lin
Producer: Hansen Lin
Production company: Guangxi Chunri Film and Television Culture Co, Ltd

Hasan’s Joy - Natalia Pietsch, Grzegorz Piekarski (Poland)
Editor: Alan Zejer
Producer: Katarzyna Kostecka
Production company: LARMO sp z oo

On the Trail of Madness - Edgar Hagen (Switzerland)
Editor: Christian Büttiker
Producer: Mathias Hefel
Production company: Vollbild Film GmbH

Supernatural - Ventura Durall (Spain/Belgium/France)
Editor: Júlia Rabadan Aymar
Producer: Maria Colomer Canyelles
Production companies: Nanouk Films, Harald House, Massala Production

Love Exposed - Filip Remunda (Czech Republic/Slovakia)
Editor: Blanka Kulová
Producer: Tereza Horská
Production company: Hypermarket Film

Child of Dust - Weronika Mliczewska (Poland/Serbia/Vietnam/Czech Republic)
Editor: Marcin Sucharski
Producer: Hanna Drewek
Production company: Ya Man Studio Sp z oo

Far from Maine - Roy Cohen (France/Israel/Denmark/Switzerland)
Editors: Alex Bakri, Sagi Bornstein
Producer: Serge Gordey
Production company: Temps Noir

9-Month Contract - Ketevan Vashagashvili (Georgia/Bulgaria/Germany)
Editor: Bernadett Tuza-Ritter
Producers: Nino Chichua, Anna Khazaradze
Production company: 1991 Productions

dok.incubator CZ/SK 2024 selection

Ent - Tomáš Elšík (Czech Republic)
Editor: Mariana Kozáková
Producer: Jitka Kotrlová
Production company: Frame Films

Doctor on a Trip - David Čálek (Czech Republic)
Editor: Ema Adamove
Producer: Jan Macola
Production company: Mimesis Film sro

Becoming Ema - Patricia Drati (Denmark/Estonia/Slovakia)
Editor: Aurora Sulli
Producers: Sidsel Siersted, Maria Helga Stürup
Production company: Good Company Pictures

Woman Named Pauliina - Pauliina Punkki (Czech Republic/Finland/USA)
Editor: Pauliina Punkki
Producers: Veronika Janatková, Essi Haukkamaa
Production company: Pandistan sro

Is It Worth It?! - Jan Strejcovský (Czech Republic)
Editor: Michal Böhm
Producer: Jakub Wagner
Production company: GPO Platform sro

1+1+1 - Ondřej Vavrečka (Czech Republic/Slovakia)
Editor: Sebastián Kučkovský
Producer: Vít Janeček
Production company: D1film Ltd

Scent Trail - Zuzana Piussi (Czech Republic/Slovakia)
Editor: Sebastián Kučkovský
Producer: Vít Janeček
Production company: D1film Ltd

The Consequences of Truth - Denis Dobrovoda (Slovakia/Czech Republic/USA)
Editor: Tereza Kozáková
Producer: Silvia Panáková
Production company: Arinafilm sro