Sarah Jessica Parker is set to executive produce “Front Row,” a gripping documentary feature following a group of talented Ukrainian ballet dancers.
Directed by Miriam Guttmann, the award-winning filmmaker of “Seeds of Deceit,” the documentary is produced by Scenery (“Human Playground”), a joint venture with Banijay Benelux. Parker and Alison Benson are exec producing via Pretty Matches Productions, alongside The Ruderman Family Foundation.
“Front Row” is represented globally by Banijay Rights and will be introduced to buyers at Mipcom, the international TV conference kicking off Oct. 16. The documentary is expected to be completed in 2024.
In “Front Row,” Guttmann charts the journey of a group of Ukrainian dancers in exile as they form a new ballet company, ‘United Ukrainian Ballet’. While performing Alexei Ratmanskiy’s version of ‘Giselle’ in Washington D.C., Alexis, one of the leading ballet dancers, befriends Oleksandr, a front-line soldier, who lost both his legs in a...
Directed by Miriam Guttmann, the award-winning filmmaker of “Seeds of Deceit,” the documentary is produced by Scenery (“Human Playground”), a joint venture with Banijay Benelux. Parker and Alison Benson are exec producing via Pretty Matches Productions, alongside The Ruderman Family Foundation.
“Front Row” is represented globally by Banijay Rights and will be introduced to buyers at Mipcom, the international TV conference kicking off Oct. 16. The documentary is expected to be completed in 2024.
In “Front Row,” Guttmann charts the journey of a group of Ukrainian dancers in exile as they form a new ballet company, ‘United Ukrainian Ballet’. While performing Alexei Ratmanskiy’s version of ‘Giselle’ in Washington D.C., Alexis, one of the leading ballet dancers, befriends Oleksandr, a front-line soldier, who lost both his legs in a...
- 10/15/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Dutch docs indie Scenery is lining up a feature about a Ukrainian refugee ballet company.
The doc, Front Row, is currently shooting across Europe as the company performs its special dance performance ‘Giselle’ in cities such as London and Paris.
Dutch filmmaker Miriam Guttman, whose three-parter Seeds of Deceit was part of the Official Selection at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, is directing. No partners are involved at this stage, and the plan is to shoot more footage and release the doc at festivals in 2024.
Should Ukraine capital Kiev become safer, the company will perform there but Ukraine remains locked in battle with Russian soldiers, who has been attacking the country since February.
The doc follows three performers, as they both perform and come to terms with the horrors of war back home, communicating with their friends and families via FaceTime. During the filming of rehearsals, one learned their former dance teacher had been executed.
The doc, Front Row, is currently shooting across Europe as the company performs its special dance performance ‘Giselle’ in cities such as London and Paris.
Dutch filmmaker Miriam Guttman, whose three-parter Seeds of Deceit was part of the Official Selection at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, is directing. No partners are involved at this stage, and the plan is to shoot more footage and release the doc at festivals in 2024.
Should Ukraine capital Kiev become safer, the company will perform there but Ukraine remains locked in battle with Russian soldiers, who has been attacking the country since February.
The doc follows three performers, as they both perform and come to terms with the horrors of war back home, communicating with their friends and families via FaceTime. During the filming of rehearsals, one learned their former dance teacher had been executed.
- 12/16/2022
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Dutch docu-series “Seeds of Deceit” tells the disturbing story of Dr. Jan Karbaat, a pioneer in the field of artificial insemination who secretly used his own sperm to impregnate his patients.
Across three episodes, director Miriam Guttmann weaves a complex narrative which balances the perspectives of the women abused by Karbaat, the dozens of children he fathered, and the “superdonors” who returned to his clinic over and over again to illegally “spread their seed” far and wide.
“Seeds of Deceit” was the first Dutch series ever to debut at Sundance and is now positioned for a global sales foray as one of the Series Market Selects at Berlinale.
Variety caught up with Guttmann and Monique Busman, who co-produced alongside Michiel van Erp, to discuss the show’s jaw-dropping revelations and their thoughts on how to ensure that Karbaat and his friends’ twisted actions will never be repeated.
What compelled you...
Across three episodes, director Miriam Guttmann weaves a complex narrative which balances the perspectives of the women abused by Karbaat, the dozens of children he fathered, and the “superdonors” who returned to his clinic over and over again to illegally “spread their seed” far and wide.
“Seeds of Deceit” was the first Dutch series ever to debut at Sundance and is now positioned for a global sales foray as one of the Series Market Selects at Berlinale.
Variety caught up with Guttmann and Monique Busman, who co-produced alongside Michiel van Erp, to discuss the show’s jaw-dropping revelations and their thoughts on how to ensure that Karbaat and his friends’ twisted actions will never be repeated.
What compelled you...
- 3/4/2021
- by Will Thorne
- Variety Film + TV
Each year Filmmaker asks all the incoming feature directors at Sundance one question. This year’s question: “How did events of 2020 — any of them — change your film, either in the way you approached it, produced it, post-produced it, or are now thinking about it? “The Scope of the Story Also Expanded”: Director Nanfu Wang | In the Same Breath “I Feel Like in 2020 I Was Lucky”: Director Miriam Guttmann | Seeds of Deceit “Whether It’s a Refugee Crisis or a Pandemic, We Are All in This Together”: Director […]
The post The Sundance Question: "How Did Events of 2020 Change Your Film?" first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post The Sundance Question: "How Did Events of 2020 Change Your Film?" first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 1/28/2021
- by Filmmaker Staff
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
Each year Filmmaker asks all the incoming feature directors at Sundance one question. This year’s question: “How did events of 2020 — any of them — change your film, either in the way you approached it, produced it, post-produced it, or are now thinking about it? “The Scope of the Story Also Expanded”: Director Nanfu Wang | In the Same Breath “I Feel Like in 2020 I Was Lucky”: Director Miriam Guttmann | Seeds of Deceit “Whether It’s a Refugee Crisis or a Pandemic, We Are All in This Together”: Director […]
The post The Sundance Question: "How Did Events of 2020 Change Your Film?" first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post The Sundance Question: "How Did Events of 2020 Change Your Film?" first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 1/28/2021
- by Filmmaker Staff
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
“Jaw-dropping” doesn't even begin to describe the revelations in Miriam Guttmann's three-episode series, screening at Sundance. Now here comes the next proper binge-worthy experience: over the course of three episodes, Miriam Guttmann dissects the Jan Karbaat case, and good luck trying not to finish it all in one sitting. In Seeds of Deceit, shown at Sundance as part of the Indie Series programme, we come back to what, just a few years ago, made the tabloids choke, when a respected fertility doctor was discovered to have inseminated patients with his own sperm. Karbaat, who passed away before his trial had even started, has spawned scores of children – who, as shown here, really do look eerily alike. But there is yet more to the story. Also to his own story, as he certainly emerges as quite a complex figure, with some of his patients pointing out that, unlike most of.
How did events of 2020—any of them—change your film, either in the way you approached it, produced it, post-produced it, or are now thinking about it? My middle name is Mazal, which means “luck” in Hebrew. My grandmother used to say “one needs a bit of Mazal.” I feel like in 2020 I was lucky. I was able to finish the project I had been dreaming about for 2.5 years. We worked around the challenges, we feared we might fail, but we flied! (Check back daily during the festival — new answers are uploaded on the day of each film’s […]
The post "I Feel Like in 2020 I Was Lucky": Director Miriam Guttmann | Seeds of Deceit first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post "I Feel Like in 2020 I Was Lucky": Director Miriam Guttmann | Seeds of Deceit first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 1/28/2021
- by Filmmaker Staff
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
How did events of 2020—any of them—change your film, either in the way you approached it, produced it, post-produced it, or are now thinking about it? My middle name is Mazal, which means “luck” in Hebrew. My grandmother used to say “one needs a bit of Mazal.” I feel like in 2020 I was lucky. I was able to finish the project I had been dreaming about for 2.5 years. We worked around the challenges, we feared we might fail, but we flied! (Check back daily during the festival — new answers are uploaded on the day of each film’s […]
The post "I Feel Like in 2020 I Was Lucky": Director Miriam Guttmann | Seeds of Deceit first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post "I Feel Like in 2020 I Was Lucky": Director Miriam Guttmann | Seeds of Deceit first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 1/28/2021
- by Filmmaker Staff
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
If you’re one of the filmmakers who supplied some 5,600 submissions to the 2019 Palm Springs International Shortfest, the stakes were high. Not only because Shortfest offers the only short-film market in North America; or, because 369 of those films were selected for juried screenings to an audience of more than 700 over June 18-23.
Those functions matter, but as the world’s biggest short-film festival, Shortfest also draws talent agents, production executives, and producers who are keenly aware that, beyond identifying early talent, short-form content holds tremendous value in the current market. Yes, the Sundance Film Festival is still the best way to get films seen by Hollywood — but in a world that’s (re)discovering the virtues of short-form content, there’s something sexy about an event entirely devoted to its celebration.
While short films have always provided fodder for features, today they’re more likely to fuel web or TV series.
Those functions matter, but as the world’s biggest short-film festival, Shortfest also draws talent agents, production executives, and producers who are keenly aware that, beyond identifying early talent, short-form content holds tremendous value in the current market. Yes, the Sundance Film Festival is still the best way to get films seen by Hollywood — but in a world that’s (re)discovering the virtues of short-form content, there’s something sexy about an event entirely devoted to its celebration.
While short films have always provided fodder for features, today they’re more likely to fuel web or TV series.
- 6/24/2019
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
If you’re one of the filmmakers who supplied some 5,600 submissions to the 2019 Palm Springs International Shortfest, the stakes were high. Not only because Shortfest offers the only short-film market in North America; or, because 369 of those films were selected for juried screenings to an audience of more than 700 over June 18-23.
Those functions matter, but as the world’s biggest short-film festival, Shortfest also draws talent agents, production executives, and producers who are keenly aware that, beyond identifying early talent, short-form content holds tremendous value in the current market. Yes, the Sundance Film Festival is still the best way to get films seen by Hollywood — but in a world that’s (re)discovering the virtues of short-form content, there’s something sexy about an event entirely devoted to its celebration.
While short films have always provided fodder for features, today they’re more likely to fuel web or TV series.
Those functions matter, but as the world’s biggest short-film festival, Shortfest also draws talent agents, production executives, and producers who are keenly aware that, beyond identifying early talent, short-form content holds tremendous value in the current market. Yes, the Sundance Film Festival is still the best way to get films seen by Hollywood — but in a world that’s (re)discovering the virtues of short-form content, there’s something sexy about an event entirely devoted to its celebration.
While short films have always provided fodder for features, today they’re more likely to fuel web or TV series.
- 6/24/2019
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
The Palm Springs International ShortFest wrapped Sunday with top prizes going to “The Christmas Gift,” directed by Bogdan Muresanu, for best of the festival, Nara Normande’s “Guaxuma” for best international short and Horatio Baltz’s “King Wah (I Think I Love You)” for best North American short.
The festival is the largest shorts-focused event in North America, screening 369 films during the festival as well as 5,600 in the film market. Juried award winners of some categories are qualified to enter the shorts categories for the Oscars.
Best U.S. short went to “Manila is Full of Men Named Boy,” by Andrew Stephen Lee, while Best animated short went to “Dani” directed by Lizzy Hogenson.
Full list of winners below:
Jury Awards
Best Of Festival Award – The Christmas Gift (Romania/Spain), Directed by Bogdan Muresanu
Best International Short – Guaxuma (Brazil/France), Director Nara Normande
Best North American Short – King Wah (I...
The festival is the largest shorts-focused event in North America, screening 369 films during the festival as well as 5,600 in the film market. Juried award winners of some categories are qualified to enter the shorts categories for the Oscars.
Best U.S. short went to “Manila is Full of Men Named Boy,” by Andrew Stephen Lee, while Best animated short went to “Dani” directed by Lizzy Hogenson.
Full list of winners below:
Jury Awards
Best Of Festival Award – The Christmas Gift (Romania/Spain), Directed by Bogdan Muresanu
Best International Short – Guaxuma (Brazil/France), Director Nara Normande
Best North American Short – King Wah (I...
- 6/23/2019
- by Variety Staff
- Variety Film + TV
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