In 2021, the Academy of Moving People and Images (AMPI) and the European Film Market: Fiction Toolbox Programme started their partnership supported by the Goethe-Institut Finnland.
The European Film Market is one of the top three meeting places of the international film and media industries. Its close links with the Berlinale as a public film festival, and defining characteristics of the Berlinale’s film market.
Under the guidance of consultants and coordinators, the Fiction Toolbox Programme is intended to endow fiction creatives with market intelligence, connections, and a kit of transferable business know-how.
The recipient of the Fiction Tool Box program in 2021 was AMPI alumna Jelica Jerinić. The selection committee consisted of AMPI advisory board members Ahmed Al Nawas and Christopher Wassel with Founder & Artistic Director of AMPI Erol Mintaş.
The participant receives accreditation to the European Film Market (EFM) and access to the Fiction ToolBox program, which consists of consultant meetings with feedback on projects and strategic planning for networking at the EFM, as well as organizational and logistical advice on the EFM from the coordinators. Fiction Toolbox is an immersive program of focused workshops with experienced tutors on the following topics: Development strategy: packaging your project, A to Z of Pitches, Funding initiatives for underrepresented film creatives, Sales & Distribution, Marketing & PR, Impact Producing, etc.
The filmmaker who is selected among AMPI alumni for the programme, after their attendance, shares their experience with the entire AMPI community by writing a reflection article and giving a presentation about the programme and their experience during the programme.
The first AMPI Alumna at EFM: Jelica Jerinić with her first feature film ‘Hundredth Bride’.
Jelica Jerinić is a filmmaker from Serbia, based in Helsinki, graduated with an MA in Film and Theatre Writing from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade. In 2019 she was a participant of the Academy of Moving People and Images. Her first film, a short documentary, GIRLS WHO CUT THEIR HAIR SHORT, was screened at several international film festivals. More recently, she has written and directed her first short fiction film DOG DAY, which was broadcasted on Yle. Currently, she is developing two new short films, SORSAPAISTI and IMAGINARY NUMBERS, as well as her first feature HUNDREDTH BRIDE.
Read about Jelica’s experience at EFM Fiction Toolbox below.
Reflection Article by Jelica Jerinić
In 2022 Academy of Moving People and Images (AMPI) established a partnership with the
Fiction Toolbox Programme organized by the European Film Market – EFM at Berlinale. As part
of this partnership one filmmaker from AMPI alumni was selected to participate in the
programme. I was lucky enough to be selected for the EFM Fiction Toolbox Programme with my
first feature film in development “Hundredth Bride”. My participation was supported by the
Goethe-Institut Finland.
The Fiction Toolbox Programme was organized for the first time this year, as a pilot initiative
from the EFM Diversity & Inclusion. It was planned to take place entirely online, two weeks
before the EFM, after which participants would apply newly acquired skills and knowledge to
pitch their projects and meet potential collaborators at the EFM. The Fiction Toolbox Programme
welcomed 13 participants, and during the programme we got to know each other and learn about
each other’s projects. Unfortunately, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the EFM event was
also moved online, which meant that attending the Industry Sessions, Roundtables and
one-on-one meetings all happened virtually. For me personally this was a big disadvantage, and I
felt it was harder to reach out and make connections with potential collaborators for my project.
The Fiction Toolbox Programme itself consisted of: consulting sessions with assigned
consultants, participation in the core workshops, participation in the optional workshops,
community-building sessions for the participants, and “How to EFM” sessions with focus on
assisting participants with navigating the online EFM. Additionally, Fiction Toolbox participants
received 4 matchmaking one-on-one meetings at the Meet the Festivals and 2 Roundtable group
sessions with industry peers and experts. As someone who has scriptwriting and directing
background, these workshops helped me learn more about the business side of filmmaking,
especially pitching and co-producing. Workshops were focused mostly on teaching us what to
expect when raising funding for our film, where to look for co-producers and distributors and
how to approach them. Knowledge and experience that our mentors shared with us made these
workshops not just a great EFM preparation, but also a great learning opportunity overall. Other
participants in the programme had more experience than I, which allowed me to learn from them
too, and get valuable feedback on my project.
I have been working on this project for a very long time, and sometimes I would just feel that it
is almost impossible to make it happen. The Fiction Toolbox Programme and EFM helped me
understand that every film has a journey of its own, and encouraged me to keep fighting for
mine. I am very grateful to the Academy of Moving People and Images (AMPI) for establishing this collaboration with EFM and giving me a chance to be a part of this programme and I want to
thank Goethe-Institut Finland for sponsoring this collaboration as AMPI collaborator.
Presentation about Jelica’s experience took place at Caisa Cultural Center on 17.08. Photos by Roxana Sadvokassova.
