GENERAL INFORMATION
ALMATY FILM LAB is organized as part of the Bastau International film festival in Almaty, Kazakhstan. It provides young filmmakers with a fantastic opportunity to learn from the world’s and national key film industry experts during the festival. The Lab takes place in the offline format in the form of the 3 days training program, series of workshops and final Pitching.
The Lab invites young directors, producers and screenwriters from Kazakhstan to apply for this unique chance to discuss their projects and ideas with a selection of invited industry professionals including producers, script doctors, story editors and financiers, develop their projects and get the financing for the production of one short fiction and one short doc film with its further presentation at the next Bastau IFF.
SELECTION PROCESS
- 14 film directors from Kazakhstan will be selected to take part in ALMATY FILM LAB:
7 short fiction projects
7 short doc projects
• The final lists of projects selected to the Lab will be published on the festival website. Unsuccessful applicants will not be informed separately. Almaty Film Lab regrets to inform that we will not be able to discuss the reasons why an applicant is not selected.
Who can apply?
• This program is open to all filmmakers from Kazakhstan who haven’t made their first full length feature/doc film.
• Complete the online application form.
During the application process, you will need to provide:
• CV (max. 3000 characters) outlining your professional experience and achievements, including filmography.
• Synopsis (max. 3000 characters) of your current project.
• Reasons why you want to take part in ALMATY Film Lab and how a lab would support your professional development.
No information submitted will be returned.
Deadline: The application deadline is 11:00 pm Friday November 1st, 2024.
Preliminary selection of projects for Pitching is carried out by the Selection Committee of the festival.
Participation in Pitching is full-time in Kazakh/Russian/English languages.
Members of the Pitching Jury and mentors from Kazakhstan and abroad during the festival will hold a series of workshops, panel discussions and lectures on topical issues related to the projects.
All applicants will be divided into two groups (fiction and doc) having its own mentor.
The pitching session is free for all registered guests.
Pitching participants guarantee that they have all rights (possession of exclusive rights or the appropriate permission of the copyright holder) to provide materials for the participation in Pitching. Responsibility for possible claims and lawsuits of third parties related to copyright and related rights lies with the Pitching participant who sent his/her application. In the event of claims from third parties regarding ownership of the rights to projects submitted for Pitching the Festival Organizing Committee reserves the right to withdraw the participant’s project from consideration until all circumstances are clarified.
The LAB will last for three days:
DAY 1 – training with mentors, meetings with film professionals;
DAY 2 – rehearsal of the pitching;
DAY 3 – open pitching.
The total duration of the presentation of each project is no more than 5 minutes.
Discussion of the project and questions after the presentation is no more than 10 minutes.
The Pitching Jury determines the best presentation of the projects.
The main cash prize in the amount of 4 000 000 (four million) tenge is awarded to the winning short fiction project;
The main cash prize in the amount of 3 000 000 (three million) tenge is awarded to the winning short doc project;
Pitching results are published on the Festival website and in the media.
All films should be produced within 2025.