FILM BRIDGE – UKRAINE – a directing and scriptwriting program for filmmakers from Ukraine

Film Bridge – Ukraine is a proprietary programme of the Wajda School, run in conjunction with the Gdynia Film School, which aims to develop the film projects of young Ukrainian filmmakers.

The programme is open both to people who are still waiting to make their directorial debut and also creators who have already made their first full-length feature or documentary films. During the selection process, in addition to your current film experience, the most important thing will be the idea you have for the film you would like to develop during the programme. For a few months – from December 2022 – six young creators will work on the development of their own projects -both fiction and documentary films – together with experienced Polish filmmakers.

The programme is based on group activities, practical workshops and individual work on participants’ own projects under the supervision of a tutor. During online sessions and on-site workshops, under the supervision of lecturers from the Wajda School and Gdynia Film School, participants will work on their own treatment, learn to work with an actor and shoot a selected scene from their project. Programme participants will also take part in the shooting of a short documentary project.

During the programme, participants will work with experienced filmmakers associated with the Wajda School and Gdynia Film School: Wojciech Marczewski, Robert Gliński, Denijal Hasanovic, Udayan Prasad, Andrzej Fidyk, Jerzy Rados, and the initiator and coordinator of the programme – Filip Marczewski.

The intended final result of the fiction part of the programme is a detailed treatment or first draft of a feature film script, as well as a scene from the resulting text, so that each participant completes the programme with a package they can use to look for a producer and attempt to get their project off the ground. With the documentary projects, the result will be a short exercise or documentary.

Participation in the programme is free of charge.
The organisers will cover the costs of participants’ accommodation during their stay in Poland, local travel on public transport and half board. Travel costs from their place of residence to Warsaw and then return to their place of residence after the end of the programme from Gdynia will be borne by the participants.


PROGRAMME

Participants of the FILM BRIDGE – UKRAINE programme will develop their own ideas for a feature film, learning to work with an actor and working on the set during the filming of a selected fictional scene from their project, as well as shooting on documentary location.

They will also take part (as co-workers) in the making of joint workshop scenes for the Script/Development Lab courses at the Wajda School and graduation films at the Gdynia Film School (made during their stay in Gdynia).

The programme is divided into online sessions (December/January) and on-site sessions at the Wajda School (February/March/April) and Gdynia Film School (April/May/June). As well as hybrid practical preparations for the promotion of own projects (July / August / September). A detailed session plan will be announced soon. Each participant receives a course completion diploma.

APPLICATIONS

The organisers invite feature and documentary film directors, screenwriters, cinematographers and actors who want to make their own film, as well as students and graduates of film schools, and filmmakers associated with off cinema.

To participate in the programme, you must speak Polish or English and have Ukrainian citizenship. During the programme, an interpreter into Polish will be present at the meetings. There is no age limit.

Applications deadline: 26 October 2022.

Stage 1
Preliminary selection of candidates based on submitted documents:

The application documents must contain:

  • a feature film treatment, which will be developed during the programme (max. 5 typewritten pages);
  • one fully laid-out dialogue scene (the most important scene from your feature film project);
  • a documentary treatment (related to a protagonist and based on your own experiences) and/or a documentary treatment on any topic (max. 1 typewritten page each);
  • previous film works (in the form of a link to the video material);
  • application form;
  • consent to the processing of personal data for the purposes of recruitment

PLEASE NOTE!
The documents can be submitted only by email, sent to the following address: filmbridge@wajdaschool.pl.
Applications should be sent in Polish or English.

More information