The 16^th edition of the Berlinale Co-Production Market (9-13 February) has handed out its three awards after an extensive series of more than 1,500 individual meetings. This year’s selection brought together 37 new feature-film projects (see the news). 

Catalan director Carla Simón received the prestigious Eurimages Co-production Development Award for her project Alcarràs, which centres on a Catalan family that get together to harvest their peaches over one last summer. Presented at the Co-Production Market by Spanish producer Avalon PC, Alcarràs received the award, valued at €20,000, for its further development.

It is worth mentioning that Simón’s Summer 1993 [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Carla Simón
scheda film], which follows the story of a six-year-old after the death of her parents, participated in the 2016 Talent Project Market before premiering in the Generation section of the 67th Berlin International Film Festival, where it won the GWFF Best First Feature Award. 

“This director’s highly accomplished first film established her as one of the most interesting and fresh voices in European cinema. Observing changes in Europe from an intimate perspective, based on a personal experience, her new project carries a message of hope about the need for change,” revealed the jury, which this year brought together film-fund representative Karin Schockweiler (Luxembourg), producer Helena Danielsson (Sweden) and distributor Jakub Duszyński (Poland).

The ArteKino International Prize went to the project A Responsible Adult by Israeli director Shira Geffen, which will tell the story of 13-year-old Maya, who goes on a school trip to the legendary Masada plateau. Trying to escape his deteriorating marriage, her father joins the group as a chaperone. The award bestowed upon the coming-of-age story is valued at €6,000.

As for the Talent Project Market, the VFF (Film and Television Producers’ Rights Association) from Munich presented its VFF Talent Highlight Award, accompanied by €10,000, to the project Bufis by Mahad Ahmed. Described as the first Somali tragicomedy on human trafficking, Bufis was presented at the Berlinale Co-Production Market by its Kenyan-based producer, Vincenzo Cavallo Faras. Finally, producers Jessie Fisk from Ireland and Alona Refua from Israel pitched their projects to the participants in the Berlinale Co-Production Market, and each received a nomination prize of €1,000. 

Here is the full list of winners at the 16^th Berlinale Co-Production Market:

Eurimages Co-production Development Award
Alcarràs – Carla Simón
Producer: Avalon PC (Spain)

ArteKino International Prize
A Responsible Adult – Shira Geffen (Israel)

VFF Talent Highlight Award
Bufis – Mahad Ahmed 
Producer: Vincenzo Cavallo Faras (Kenya)