Sex-Selective Abortions in Armenia, Moldova's Healthcare System, Infertility in Georgia, and More Explored at CPH:DOX
Eight high impact film projects from Eastern Europe took center stage at CPH:Forum, the industry platform of Copenhagen's CPH:DOX international documentary film festival, this week.
Emerging filmmakers from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine pitched their films to industry representatives, including Arte, IDFA and the Whickers Fund.
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It marked the culmination of a six-month training program under Change, founded by IMS (International Media Support) in partnership with CPH:DOX, EAVE (the European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs), and the Danish Film School, to support underrepresented filmmakers from the region in accessing the global market.
This year's selection explores themes of war, national identity, patriarchy and activism, with budgets ranging from €92,000 ($99,000) to €329,000 ($356,000).
The pitches are followed by one-to-one meetings with industry decision-makers over the next couple of days.
Variety spoke to the teams in Copenhagen – some projects are not highlighted here due their sensitive nature.
'Leave Easy Come Back Safe' (Belarus) by Sasha Kulak and Masha Maroz examines Belarusian identity through two young artists – one in exile, the other still in the country – while documenting the cultural heritage of the remote Polesia region.
The film follows three characters – a traditional beekeeper, a healer and a priest attempting to save a dilapidated church – and features archival material dating back to the 1930s.
'Through our film, we aim not only to document and preserve the unique traditions and culture of the region but also to reflect on our own cultural and national identity. We want to showcase this unknown cultural archipelago to the world and to people within our own country,' producer Julia Shaginurova told Variety.
'My Name Is Enough' (Armenia) by Ani Grigoryan and Marina Arzumanova explores sex-selective abortions in a remote Armenian village. Ashkhen, the protagonist, awaits the results of an ultrasound that will determine the fate of her unborn child while neighbors and relatives turn to ancient folk traditions to predict the baby's sex.
'Hearing how many girls never had the chance to live, and how women were forced to undergo illegal and unsafe abortions – makes us ask: 'What if that were me?'' said producer Ani Ordyan. The documentary interweaves the stories of other women across different generations, shedding light on the societal pressures that force illegal abortions.
'Missing in Action' (Ukraine) by Marharyta Melnychuk and Kateryna Holovko follows Natalia, a former border guard searching for her missing brother, a combat medic who disappeared in Donetsk in 2023. Supporting her brother's daughters and her elderly mother, Natalia takes a job far from home that provides financial stability.
Determined to find purpose, she pursues a master's degree in psychology, and uses her experience to help others searching for missing loved ones.
'More than 60,000 people, both civilians and soldiers, are missing in Ukraine. This is the population of a town. Natalia's story is just one of thousands,' producer Aliona Kachkan said.
'Import/Export MD' (Moldova) by Max T. Ciorbă and produced by Sergiu Scobioala of Realitatea Film exposes Moldova's struggling healthcare system, where doctors faced with low wages are forced to seek opportunities abroad. Featuring intertwining narratives of doctors and patients, the film also includes a group of doctors-turned-comedians who use humor to highlight the absurdities of the system.
'We want to make a film that lets doctors tell their story, and sheds light on the challenges both doctors and patients face in our country,' said Ciorbă.
'Whispers of Womanhood' (Georgia) by Rati Tsiteladze and produced by Olga Slusareva follows Tsiteladze's sister Dea, who has spent more than a decade navigating infertility in Georgia, a society where motherhood defines a woman's worth.
The film captures her personal and poetic journey through medical interventions, ancient rituals, and the loss of her newborn child due to medical negligence. When Dea considers adoption, her husband's traditional beliefs create a rift, and she seeks solace with other women facing similar struggles. As she secretly explores IVF despite the Church's opposition, her journey shifts from the pursuit of motherhood to a search for self-discovery.
'Through Dea's raw honesty, we aim to break this silence and offer a voice to countless women who suffer quietly,' producer Olga Slusareva said. 'This film is not just about infertility, it's an exploration of human nature, identity, grief and societal roles.'
Tsiteladze and Slusareva's previous documentary, 'A Song Without Home,' about a transgender woman seeking a new life in Austria after being locked away by her parents for years in Georgia, was presented at CPH:Forum in 2023 and is set for release later this year.
'Entr'actes' (Ukraine/Belgium) by Yuriy Shylov follows charismatic 73-year-old Olena, who leads an amateur theater troupe for the elderly amid war.
Despite air raids and her declining health, she writes a play based on her experiences and her son's frontline service. Guided by young director Serhii, the troupe prepares for an amateur theater festival, which could be their final performance.
'This is a film that carries a sense of irony,' Shylov said. 'For these characters, humor is a way to endure and resist violence.'
Attending the Change pitches for the first time, Alice Burgin, who took on the role of head of industry at leading Swiss doc festival Visions du Réel last year, was impressed: 'This program brings home the urgency that so many filmmakers are facing – working to tell powerful and important stories in environments that are not always conducive to hearing their truths,' she said.
'Perhaps this pitch can offer these projects another pathway to financing that resonates with European values while reminding us of the importance of ensuring local stories continue to be heard.'
CPH:Forum runs in Copenhagen until March 27.
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