The new documentary project by Argentinian filmmaker Lucrecia Martel is the winner of the TFL Co-Production Fund 2020 (€ 50.000), which supports co-productions between European and international companies.
CHOCOBAR is named after Javier Chocobar, an indigenous land rights activist who was shot dead, fighting the removal of his community from their ancestral land in Argentina. His death appeared in a video on YouTube. Martel’s documentary unravels the 500 years of “reason” that led to this shooting, both with a gun and a camera, and contextualises it in the system of land tenure that emerged across Latin America.
A very important number of projects from outstanding filmmakers were submitted for the support of the TFL Co-Production Fund 2020. The selection committee – composed of TFL Strategic Consultant Savina Neirotti, Producers and members of TFL Pedagogical Team Violeta Bava (FeatureLab Head of Studies), Eilon Ratzkovsky (TFL Extended & TFL Next Head of Studies) and Daniele Segre (Production & TFL Audience Design Fund Advisor), as well as the Head of International Relations of FVG Audiovisual Fund Alessandro Gropplero – unanimously decided to support CHOCOBAR, «a project by a filmmaker who is politically committed and with a unique and cinematic vision».
There are multiple motivations to support this film.
«Through her previous films, which represent a big contribution to contemporary cinema, and also with this project, Martel deeply questions the constructions from where we design our narratives, now and historically. This creative documentary – which can also be understood as a noir or a sci-fi movie –, presents subjects that are urgent, not only in a specific country or region: it raises questions about racism, power and image representation, addressed through a specific case, the murder of an indigenous activist by a white landowner. This resonates strongly and is precisely what a part of the world is deeply concerned with and discussing today – on the streets, with demonstrations, or through all different possible channels. Therefore, at TFL we are moved and proud to be able to support such a talented and brilliant filmmaker.»
The support not only comprises of a financial contribution of € 50.000, but it is also articulated with an artistic collaboration: in September 2020, the film team will benefit from a number of tailor-made consultancies with experts carefully selected according to the project’s specific needs. CHOCOBAR will also be presented at the TFL Meeting Event 2020, a major opportunity to find new international partners.
CHOCOBAR is a production of Rei Cine (Argentina) and Louverture Films (United States), in co-production with Snowglobe (Denmark) and Piano (Mexico).
It is one of the twenty projects which have recently been selected for Locarno 2020 - The Films of Tomorrow (International Competition); where it will compete for the 2020 Pardi alongside two other TFL Projects: A PIECE OF SKY by Michael Koch (ScriptLab 2018) and UNREST by Cyril Schäublin (FeatureLab 2019), both selected in the Swiss Competition.