12/05/2022 - The Dutch producer based in Cyprus talks about her upcoming projects and the challenges that her local industry is facing

Dutch-born Janine Teerling joined Nicosia-based AMP Filmworks in 2012 and has produced such films as Marios Piperides’ Tribeca 2018 winner Smuggling Hendrix [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Marios Piperides
film profile] and Petros Charalambous’ Patchwork [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Janine Teerling and Petros …
film profile]. She also co-produced Maha Haj’s Mediterranean Fever [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] which will premiere in this year’s Un Certain Regard at Cannes. Teerling was selected to participate in the EFP’s Producers on the Move for 2022.

Cineuropa: You have been better known for the films you have produced, but you have also written the screenplay for one of them. What drives you to make films, and how do you pick your projects?
Janine Teerling: What I love about making films is the collaborative process of storytelling, of – as a team – transforming a thought, however big or small, into something tangible that has the potential to touch a wider group of people. As to how, as a company, we pick projects, there is no formula really, but we tend to go for character-driven stories that in one way or another reflect on the social fabric of our society. We look for stories that we feel strongly about telling, that have something unique. What this unique element is can range widely, from looking at the mundane and every day from a fresh perspective to a lo-fi existential commentary on society. For this reason, we don’t look for any particular type of genre, just as long as it is telling the story in the best way possible. Of course, we also have to consider the markets and resources it can reach. We do have to be able to feel that the project has international potential, particularly considering the small size of the local market.

Having said that, I believe that it is equally important to recognise when a project is not for you. This can be for different reasons, be it creatively, financially, logistically or simply because you just don’t feel that “spark” that is needed to see a project through successfully. The world of independent filmmaking is a rather small community. Many of us know and support each other. Sometimes a project makes more sense for one producer over another. And it’s great when you see that a colleague is doing well.

How was the experience of producing films that have already travelled in film festivals and have won a handful of awards, and what are the upcoming projects you have in your slate?
Having your film premiere at a nice festival followed be a good festival career is definitely an important vehicle for its potential success. And winning an award is a very welcome cherry on the cake! Furthermore, festivals are very important events for networking, meeting potential partners, as well pitching and discovering new projects. Our past projects have greatly benefitted from attending festivals and industry events.

We are extremely thrilled to have Mediterranean Fever by Palestinian director Maha Haj (a co-production between Germany, France, Cyprus and Palestine) in the Official Selection of Un Certain Regard in Cannes this year. Other titles expected to be released this year are Embryo Larva Butterfly [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Kyros Papavassiliou
film profile] by Cypriot director Kyros Papavassiliou, which is a co-production with Greece, and Tel Aviv-Beirut by French-Israeli director Michale Boganim, a co-production with France and Germany. We have several projects in development, including two second features, namely The Well by Cypriot director Marios Piperides and Aref by French director Camille Vidal-Naquet, as well as a debut feature entitled Sophie by Cyprus-based Greek director Vaggelio Soumeli.

It is considered that the Cypriot film industry has a limited capacity in film production every year. What are the challenges of that and how do you overcome the obstacles that may appear? What are your expectations for the future of the local industry?
While the current situation and the quality of productions coming out of Cyprus is much better than it was some years ago, the annual public funding of €1.5 million (for all productions) remains extremely limited, accommodating only 2-3 feature films per year, which is too few to sustain a healthy industry. The recently introduced rebates programme could help boost production capacity, for international productions as well as for local films. The new minority programme of the Ministry of Culture is also a great opportunity for local producers to be involved in larger productions and expand their networks beyond Cyprus. However, without a substantial increase in funding for local production, it will remain very difficult to produce more films, especially with the current increase in production costs and crew salaries.

What do you expect from Producers on the Move?
As a Dutch national based in Cyprus, I am very honoured to be the first producer to be representing Cyprus at Producers on the Move. I believe that this opportunity is a reflection of the considerable leap forward the Cyprus film industry has made in recent years and I am looking forward to promoting what we have to offer to my fellow producers from across Europe. On a personal level, I hope to create some attention around our upcoming projects and meet great new people to share thoughts and experiences with, not only during this year’s Cannes festival, but for the years to come.