T-Port Blog

From a Lighthouse Selection to an awards run, catch up with Gleb Osatinski

By: T-Port Team
18-11-2024
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animation, Awards, Fiction, Filmmakers, Independent
Filmmaker Gleb Osatinski has been busy since his film OUTSIDERS made the cut for the 2021 T-Port Lighthouse Selections. In this catch up interview, we chat to the Ukrainian-born filmmaker about his current awards run after a lengthy pre production phase, which was held up for 5 years.  There are details below about upcoming screenings […]
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T-Port Lighthouse Selections 2023: The Interviews – Hoda Taheri on confidence, communication, and the future

By: T-Port Team
15-08-2024
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animation, Awards, Fiction, Filmmakers, Independent
Hoda Taheri, born in Tehran, Iran in 1992, is an Iranian Refugee Artist and Filmmaker based in Berlin, Germany. In 2016, she received her bachelor’s degree in visual communication from Limkokwing University in Malaysia. Her short film MOTHER PRAYS ALL DAY LONG was nominated for the German Short Film Award.  The follow up short AS […]
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Chadi Bennani on identity, exploration through film, and a delicate approach to working with his subjects

By: T-Port Team
09-08-2024
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Awards, Documentary, Fiction, Filmmakers, Independent
  Chadi Bennani is a filmmaker from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. In this interview the documentarian talks about his cinematic origins, the close and trusting relationship he builds with his subjects and crew, as well as how he uses film to explore personal questions around identity. His film HERE AND THERE appears on T-Port courtesy of […]
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T-Port Lighthouse Selections 2023: The Interviews – Boris Hadzija on making sense from the ‘cacophony of voices’

By: T-Port Team
06-08-2024
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animation, Awards, Fiction, Filmmakers, Independent
Boris Hadzija’s Lighthouse-selected short YUGOTRANSPORT: WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME BUS draws on the experiences of those around him, having been born in the former Yugoslavia. We talked to the director about what it took to work with non-actors, and how it’s the limitations that make the magic happen.  Yugotransport appears on T-Port courtesy […]
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Giving voice (and rebellion) to the caregivers: EFP’s Future Frames’ Anna Maria Joakimsdottir-Hutri, director of WHO STANDS UP FOR ALVAR?

By: T-Port Team
18-07-2024
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Awards, Documentary, Fiction, Filmmakers, Independent
  Every year, European Film Promotion (EFP) select ten outstanding young directors and screen their films at the Karlovy-Vary Film Festival, following which we are lucky enough to host the films here on T-Port for our Professional Subscribers.  Anna Maria Joakimsdottir-Hutri’s WHO STANDS UP FOR ALVAR is a piece that explores the life of a […]
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Familial love amid medical trauma, an interview with EFP’s Future Frames’ Marthe Peters

By: T-Port Team
18-07-2024
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Awards, Documentary, Fiction, Filmmakers, Independent
Every year, European Film Promotion (EFP) select ten outstanding young directors and screen their films at the Karlovy-Vary Film Festival, following which we are lucky enough to host the films here on T-Port for our Professional Subscribers.  We were lucky to interview two of the directors. First up, Marthe Peters, whose film BALDILOCKS is available […]
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T-Port Lighthouse Selections 2023: The Interviews – Ido Weisman on seizing the moment and going against the grain

By: T-Port Team
12-07-2024
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animation, Awards, Fiction, Filmmakers, Independent
Filmmaker Ido Weisman honed his craft in the world of reality TV, which he credits with helping him discover his role as a documentarian. His documentary short REQUIEM FOR A WHALE is a perfect example of when a filmmaker should trust their instincts.  The film, appearing on T-Port through our partners at Tel Aviv University, […]
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T-Port State of the Industry Interviews: Pride Month Special

By: T-Port Team
20-06-2024
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Film Industry Insight, Filmmakers, Independent, Professional
June’s Pride Month calls us to recognise the voices and stories of the lesbian, gay,bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA) members of our communities alongside the struggle for equality and acceptance within our wider societies. Year-round we are truly honoured to be able to host the work of filmmakers across the spectrums of gender […]
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2023 Claims Conference Contest winner Dara Bratt on fast filming and commemorative tattoos

By: T-Port Team
19-06-2024
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Awards, Drama, Fiction, Filmmakers, Independent
  Dara Bratt is a Canadian filmmaker based in New York City, who was recently announced as the winner of the 2023 Claims Conference Filmmaker Contest. We caught up with her to find out about her upcoming project on Holocaust survivors and tattoos. We are proud to be partnering with the Claims Conference to help […]
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Pride Month: Katie Bignell’s top LGBTQIA Film Festivals

By: T-Port Team
12-06-2024
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Awards, Drama, Fiction, Filmmakers, Independent
The film festival circuit hasn’t always been a welcoming place for diverse voices. And, while we mustn’t forget that the fight for rights and recognition of LGBTQIA+ people is an ongoing battle, nowadays there is a thriving festival circuit which specialises in stories by and about LGBTQIA folks all over the world.  If anyone knows […]
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2022 Claims Conference Grant Winner Robert Moniot on the magic of last-minute inspiration

By: T-Port Team
11-06-2024
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Awards, Drama, Fiction, Filmmakers, Independent
Robert Moniot was in the process of relocating with his family to a new country when he grasped the opportunity to pitch his film, THE ICE CREAM MAN, to the Claims Conference. We caught up with the filmmaker to find out more.  We are proud to be partnering with the Claims Conference to help spread […]
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2021 Claims Conference Grant winner Sabina Vajrača on trusting the universe and stirring deep conversations

By: T-Port Team
04-06-2024
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Awards, Drama, Fiction, Filmmakers, Independent
Sabina Vajrača’s winning pitch for the 2021 Claims Conference Grant became her highly acclaimed short film SEVAP/MITZVAH. We caught up with the filmmaker to find out more about what the process of making such a personal film was like.  We are proud to be partnering with the Claims Conference to help spread the word about […]
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T-Port Lighthouse Selections 2023: The Interviews – Found footage from a distant place in Eugenia Bakurin’s ‘Long Time No Techno’

By: T-Port Team
31-05-2024
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animation, Awards, Fiction, Filmmakers, Independent
Eugenia Bakurin is a filmmaker and media artist, who was born in the Soviet Union and has lived in Germany for over 20-years.  T-Port’s Jess Sweetman caught up with the filmmaker to talk about her Lighthouse Selected found footage film “Long Time No Techno”, and to talk about why Odessa Film Studios are important, how […]
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T-Port Lighthouse Selections 2023: The (VIDEO) Interviews – Yi Xiong and the fortune telling turtles

By: T-Port Team
01-05-2024
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animation, Awards, Fiction, Filmmakers, Independent
Yi Xiong’s A TORTOISE’S YEAR OF FATE is a 20-minute portrait of a young man trying to find belonging, set among the machinery of a Chinese factory. It’s universal theme and gorgeous cinematography caught the eye of guest curator Laurence Boyce, making the cut for the 2023 T-Port Lighthouse Selections. We caught up with Yi, […]
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T-Port Lighthouse Selections 2023: The Interviews – The ‘Strange and Exciting’ Life of Alex Lawther

By: T-Port Team
10-04-2024
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animation, Awards, Fiction, Filmmakers, Independent
Alex Lawther has been making his name as an actor for quite some time, but his directorial debut, the short film FOR PEOPLE IN TROUBLE, which he also wrote, has already been making a splash on the festival circuit in 2023 and 2024.  T-Port’s Jess Sweetman caught up with the Paris-based Brit, whose work appears […]
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T-Port Lighthouse Selections 2023: The Interviews – Janina Lutter on standing up through (and beyond) film

By: T-Port Team
26-03-2024
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animation, Awards, Fiction, Filmmakers, Independent
Filmmaker Janina Lutter is the director of the Lighthouse Selected film THE SCHOOL IS ON FIRE AND WE KNOW WHY, which appears on T-Port courtesy of our partners at Hessische Film und Medienakademie (hFMA). In this interview, the sparky Lutter shares the kindness and fighting spirit she brings to her filmmaking, while enlightening us on some […]
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This International Women’s Day – Emerging Female Filmmakers Share Their Views on the Current State of the Film Industry

By: T-Port Team
07-03-2024
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animation, Awards, Fiction, Filmmakers, Independent
By Jess Sweetman – T-Port Marketing  March 8th is International Women’s Day (IWD), a global holiday celebrated annually to commemorate women’s cultural, political, and social achievements. It is also a focal point in the women’s rights movement, bringing attention to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women. The film […]
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T-Port Lighthouse Selections 2023: The Interviews – Camille Tricaud – Portrait of a film lover creating for a better future

By: T-Port Team
21-02-2024
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animation, Awards, Fiction, Filmmakers, Independent
French director and producer Camille Tricaud is hard at work as a founder of the independent production company Benedetta Films. In this inspiring interview we caught up with her to delve into how she used sound in her Lighthouse Selected-film SLOW DOWN THE FALL (which she co-directed with Franziska Unger), as well as discovering her […]
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T-Port Lighthouse Selections 2023: The Interviews – Poetry of the pragmatic with Maximilian Bungarten

By: T-Port Team
19-01-2024
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animation, Awards, Fiction, Filmmakers, Independent
Maximilian Bungarten is the director of 2023 Lighthouse Selection THE AGE OF INNOCENCE, a short he shot on film in his home-city of Cologne, Germany. The film, which he independently uploaded to T-Port along with another Lighthouse Selection from his production company, Benedetta films, was picked by guest curator Laurence Boyce.  Hi Maximilian, would you […]
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T-Port Lighthouse Selections 2023: The Interviews – Follow and the miracles will come – a chat with Anat Eisenberg

By: T-Port Team
12-01-2024
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animation, Awards, Fiction, Filmmakers, Independent
Anat Eisenberg, director of the Lighthouse-Selected short NOVY GOD, made her film shortly after becoming a mother, especially poignant as the film’s narrative was inspired by the complicated relationship between Eisenberg’s grandmother and the younger woman who cared for her.  We caught up with the director, whose film appears on T-Port courtesy of our partners […]
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T-Port Lighthouse Selections 2023: The Interviews – Dascha Petuchow on immigrant identities, ‘family ties, and their underlying humanity’

By: T-Port Team
04-01-2024
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animation, Awards, Fiction, Filmmakers, Independent
Filmmaker Dascha Petuchow was in lockdown when she wrote the script for her 29-minute drama CHEWING GUM. The short, which was inspired by revisiting her own experiences of growing up as the daughter of an immigrant in Germany, was included in the 2023 T-Port Lighthouse Selections, picked by curator Laurence Boyce. In this interview, the […]
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T-Port Lighthouse Selections 2023: The Interviews – A breath of fresh air with Gunnur Martinsdóttir Schlüter

By: T-Port Team
22-12-2023
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animation, Awards, Fiction, Filmmakers, Independent
This week, we’re focussing on Gunnnur Martinsdóttir Schlüter’s 5-minute short FÁR, which tells the story of a woman’s dilemma when a bird hits the window of the cafe she is in. The film’s icy aesthetic was inspired by the German-Icelandic director’s hometown Reykjavik. FÁR, which appears on T-Port courtesy of our partners at Salaud Morisset, […]
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T-Port Lighthouse Selections 2023: The Interviews – Filmmaker Stanley Xu on a childhood memory laid to rest

By: T-Port Team
14-12-2023
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animation, Awards, Fiction, Filmmakers, Independent
Singaporean filmmaker Stanley Xu was inspired to make his short A DAY, THAT YEAR, while working through the impact of a chilling childhood memory. The film made it into the 2023 T-Port Lighthouse Selections, picked by curator Laurence Boyce. We caught up with the director to find out about his extensive casting process to find […]
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T-Port Lighthouse Selections 2023: The Interviews – Documentarian Zohar Orian Cohen on her ‘need of justice and aspiration for truth’

By: T-Port Team
07-12-2023
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animation, Awards, Fiction, Filmmakers, Independent
Israeli documentarian Zohar Orian Cohen describes herself as someone who seeks truth and justice, and it was in this spirit she turned the camera upon herself for her student film, created through the School of Audio and Visual Arts, Sapir College (Sderot, IL): SHEMEI KLAMI /  / LISTEN TO WHAT I SAY (LISTEN TO MY VOICE), […]
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Filmmaking without regret: An interview with BORDER CONVERSATIONS documentarian Jonathan Brunner

By: T-Port Team
31-05-2023
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Documentary, Filmmakers
26-year-old Jonathan Brunner is no stranger to T-Port, having taken part in our 2023 Clermont Talents Connexion pitching contest.  We caught up with the filmmaker, whose work appears on T-Port through our partners at Filmakademie Baden Württenberg, to find out more about the process he went through in producing his short film BORDER CONVERSATIONS and […]
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A film made with friends, for friends: Lili Zahavi’s ME MYSELF ANDI

By: T-Port Team
12-04-2023
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Awards, Documentary, Drama, Fiction, Filmmakers, Independent
Filmmaker Lili Zahavi made her documentary ME MYSELF ANDI about her best friend Andi, whose struggles in academia, hindered by her own lack of self-confidence, may strike a familiar chord. The film made it into the 2022 Festival Max Ophüls Preis, among other festivals. We caught up with the filmmaker, who is currently making her […]
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The girl can pack a punch: director Lina Drevs on scrappy sisters and filming during COVID

By: T-Port Team
07-04-2023
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Awards, Fiction, Filmmakers, Independent
Filmmaker Lina Drevs based the theme of her Lighthouse Selected film SIS – BEST SISTER on her relationship with her own sisters. In our Spotlight Interview this week she opens up about filming during COVID and how she wants to open up the industry to other women. SIS – BEST SISTER appears on T-Port via […]
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Puppetry that brings happiness : Jonatan Schwenk on the origins of his “delicious looking” creatures – Lighthouse Selections 2022

By: T-Port Team
30-03-2023
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animation, Awards, Fiction, Filmmakers, Independent
Filmmaker Jonatan Schwenk switched from stop-motion animation to puppetry for his short film ZOON, which made the cut of or 2022 Lighthouse Selections, as well as the 2022 Next Generation Short Tiger and the official selection of the Sundance Film Festival. We caught up with the director to talk about his process, bringing happiness through […]
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Exploring ‘Addiction, mental health, and the creative process’ with award-winning animator Joseph Pierce – Lighthouse Selections 2022

By: T-Port Team
24-03-2023
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animation, Awards, Fiction, Filmmakers, Independent
Animator Joseph Pierce’s film SCALE has already made waves on the festival circuit after premiering at La Semaine de la Critique of Festival de Cannes when it was chosen by our guest curator Olha Raiter as part of our Lighthouse Selections 2022. The film appears on T-Port through our partners at Salaud Morissete. We caught […]
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Polish filmmaker Jan Bujnowksi on his film THE DEVIL, recreating the 90s and the challenges of shooting on film

By: T-Port Team
22-03-2023
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Drama, Fiction, Filmmakers, Independent
PhD student at the Polish National Film School in Łódź, Jan Bujnowski set himself the challenge of shooting his last film THE DEVIL on film while recreating the past. We caught up with the 29-year-old to find out more. Tell us about yourself I’m 29 years old and I’m currently a PhD student. In the […]
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