films

Feature film I 102 min I World Premier at Cannes Film Festival, 2022

WORLD PREMIER AT CANNES 2022 | QUINZAINE

Pamfir

Western Ukraine, on the eve of a traditional carnival. Pamfir returns to his family after months of absence. Their love is so unconditional that when his only child starts a fire in the prayer house, Pamfir has no other choice but to reconnect with his troubled past to repair his son’s fault. He will be taken on a risky path with irreversible consequences.

Director - Dmytro Sukholytkyy-Sobchuk
Production - Boson Film
Co-Production - MADANTS, MODERATOR INVESTYCJE (Poland), LES FILMS D'ICI, STUDIO ORLANDO (France), MAINSTREAM PICTURES (Ukraine), WADY FILMS (Luxembourg), SOILFILMS (Germany), QUIJOTE FILMS (Chili)
Funded by: CNC, Hubert Bals Fund, Visions Suedest, Ukrainian Cultural Agency, Polish film Institute, German Films
Sales - Indie Sales
Nominated:
– Cannes Film Festival 2022 -Caméra D’or Award (In competition) Directors’ Fortnight
– Karlovy Vary Film Festival 2022 - Section Horizons
– Warsaw Int. Film Festival 2022 - Official Competition
– Cairo Int. Film Festival 2022 - Critic weeks
– Ukrainian National Film Critics’ Award Kinokolo - PAMFIR wins: BEST SCRIPT, BEST ACTOR, BEST FILM, BEST DIRECTOR & BEST DEBUT
– Transilvania Film Festival 2022- Official Competition
– European Film Festival Palic 2022- Official Competition
AWARDS- best Director & Fipresci Special Jury
– Santiago Festival Int. de Cine 2022-
Int. Competition
AWARD - Best Actor
– Melbourne Int. Film Festival 2022- Main Competition
– Festival Européen du Film Fantastique de Strasbourg 2022
– Raindance film festival 2022
– Festiwal Polskich Filmów Fabularnych Gdynia 2022
– Molodist Kyiv International Film Festival 2022 - Official Selection
– Hamburg International Film Festival 2022
– Dunav Film Fest 2022
AWARD - Best Script

Feature Film | 95 min | World Premiere - Red Sea Film Festival, 2021

NEW RELEASE

SHARAF

Based on Sonallah Ibrahim’s famous novel, SHARAF is the story of a modern Candide in a dystopian Arab World. He is one of the millions of people living at the poverty line who longs for a better future. When he kills a man in self-defense he has to wake up from his dreams of wealth and consumption. The microcosm of prison mirrors the complex situation of Arab societies living under dictatorship and poverty, dependent on an unjust global economic system.

Director - Samir Nasr
Scriptwriters - Sonallah Ibrahim & Samir Nasr
Producer -Silvana Santamaria
Head of Production - Bilal Athimni
Associate Producer ARTE / ZDF - Simon Ofenloch
Funded by MFG Film Fund, Sanad Film Fund, Le Fonds Image de la Francophonie, Medienboard Berlin
Production - SOILFILMS
Co-Production - ZoneArt Films (Tunisia), Teamwerk.Die Filmproduktion (Germany), Wady Films (Luxembourg), Les Contes Modernes (France)
FESTVALS

– Official selection - Red Sea Film Festival 2021
– Official selection - Hofer Filmtage 2022
– Official selection - JCC Carthage Film Festival 2022
– Official selection - Rotterdam Arab Film Festival 2022
– Official selection - Aruhus Arab Film Festival 2022
– Official selection - Calgary Arab Film Nights Festival 2022
– Official selection - Festival International du Film Panafricain | Cannes 2022
– Official selection - L'Afrique fait son cinéma, Paris 2022
AWADS
– Best film in bronze - JCC Carthage Film Festival 2022
–Best Production Design - JCC Carthage Film Festival 2022
– Two post-production awards at Malmö Arab Film Festival 2020

IN DEVELOPMENT (selection)

RUBY

FEATURE FILM

Director - Silvana Santamaria
Scriptwriters - Chris Rubino, Silvana Santamaria
Producer - Ady El Assal, Bilal Athimni
Production - Wady Films, SOILFILMS, ZoneArt Films
Development funded by Luxembourg Film Fund

THE DAUGTHER OF AL HARA

FEATURE FILM

Director - Bilal Athimni
Scriptwriters - Eylül Kizilirmak, Bilal Athimni
Producer - Silvana Santamaria
Production - SOILFILMS, ZoneArt Films

RACE OF MILLIONS

HIGH END SERIES

COURT OF MUSES

HIGH END SERIES

IN POST-PRODUCTION

LA ZONE

THE ZONE is a Tunisian thriller-like drama film. Lallemani, a young gangster who has just come out of jail, dreams of wealth by selling prohibited alcohol in the lost city Jendouba, while Lenin, a cop, is losing his gun in a bus. Lallemani and his girlfriend Noor are turning Lenin’s life upside down and dragging him deeper and deeper into the dark underworld of modern Tunisia.

Director and Scriptwriter - Lassaad Dkhili
Producers - Bilal Athimni and Silvana Santamaria
Funded by Ministry of culture and CNCI - Tunisia, CNC France
Production - ZoneArt Films (Tunisia)
Co-Production - Soilfilms (Germany), Oriflamme films (France), Wady films (Luxembourg), Dovi Aquisitions (USA)

IN PREPARATION (selection)

HOOPED

FEATURE FILM

Director - Ady El Assal
Scriptwriters - Ady El Assal, Dennis Foon
Producers: Ady El Assal, Adrien Chef
Production: Wady Films, Paul Thiltges Distribution, SOILFILMS (Germany), Solo Films (Canada)
Funded by Luxembourg Film Fund

NOOR

FEATURE FILM

Director: Shekhar Kapur
Scriptwriter: Seirah Royin
Executive producers: Silvana Santamaria, Dexter Davis
Production: SOILFILMS (Germany), D Street Pictures (USA)

RELEASED

PRODUCED BY SOILFILMS

A PART OF ME

PREMIERE - Carthage Film Festival 2018

A PART OF ME is a family story split into episodes. Each episode follows the story of seemingly separate people. From homecoming to loss. From shame to falling in love. From learning to moving on. All of their stories are distinct but intertwine at the disappearance of 22-year old Khalil and seek to answer the question — what drives a young person to radicalize?

Directors, Scriptwriters, Producers -Silvana Santamaria & Bilal Athimni
Producer - Ayla Gottschlich
Production - Zoneart Films (Tunisia), SOILFILMS (Germany)
Co-production - Grand Picture (Germany), D-facto Motion (Germany)
Mena distributor - Mad Solutions
Broadcast by MBC 5
TV release - 25.09.2019
Festival Premiere: Carthage Film Festival
Premiere Carthage Film Festival 2018
Awarded
– Preis - Best Narrative Feature, Best of the Best - International Film Festival, Los Angeles, California, USA, 2018
– Palm Bronze Award, Mexico Film Festival, 2018
Nominated
– "Award of the Tunisian Labor Union 2018" UGTT (Nobel Peace Prize winner 2015)
– Best Feature fiction Diorama Int. Filmfestival, New-Delhi, India
– Best Narrative Feature, Dublin Independent Film Festival, 2019
Honourable Mention
– ISENMA Internationales Filmfestival
Jakarta, 2018

Feature Film I 70 min I World Premier - International Children's Film Festival of Brussels FILEMON, 2016

LAND OF LIGHT

Based on theater workshops with Syrian refugee children, this film tells the story of five children that flee from the ghosts-militias when their village is destroyed. They set out on a journey that soon leaves the realms of reality. Acted completely by Syrian children who themselves had to flee to Turkey, this film is a multi-layered parable for what war does to children.

Director - David Ruf
Cast - Anas Laabadi, Wedia Testouri, Nour el Houda Amiri, Zina Al Halak Hannahi Laarousi, Mohamed Gazouni,
Producers: Silvana Santamaria, Hermann Trick, David Ruf
Production - SOILFILMS, Filmakademie BW, Rozinante Film
Co-production - ARTE / SWR
World premiere - 04.11.2016
Cinema release - 16.3.2017
TV release - 22.04.2017
Awarded
– Best Film in International Competition (Children Jury) International Children Film Festival FILEMON, Brussels
– Best Film in International Competition (Teenager Jury) International Children Film Festival FILEMON, Brussels
– Prize of the, “Especially Valuable” Filmbewertungsstelle Germany
– ARD programme bonus, Cologne, 2018
– Best Film & Best Book, Golden Sparrow, Erfurt, 2016
– First Public TV Station for Outstanding Productions, Programmprämie ARD Leistungsmodell
Honourable Mention:
– Jury Prize, Slemani International Film Festival, Iraq

Feature Documentary I 70 min | World Premier - Shanghai Int. Film Festival

FRANCO’S LEGACY - SPAINS STOLEN CHILDREN

During Franco’s dictatorship and right up until the 1990s, babies were taken away from their unknowing parents after their birth to be sold. How does a life change when someone’s own history and identity is forcibly taken away? Many thousands of Spaniards have found themselves in this scenario during the last recent years. They are called “Niños Robados” – “Stolen Children”.

Director & Scriptwriter - Inga Bremer
Line producer - Ayla Gottschlich
Producer - Silvana Santamaria
Production - SOILFILMS
Cinema release - 07.04.2017
TV release - 13.02.2018
Awarded
– Best Treatment Award at Filmfest Munich
– Certificate of German film rating commission: Especially Valuable
– Best Documentary, Jury Prize India Word Film Festival, 2017
– Award of Excellence, 2017
– Remi Award in Gold, Worldfest Houston, 2017
– 2nd placeDekalog Film Award, 2017
– Founder's Award, Doc LA

Feature Documentary | 83 min | World Premier - Rio Int. Film Festival

CHRONICLE OF A REVOLT

In mid-2013, thousands of young people from all political persuasions demonstrated against the destruction of Gezi Park in Istanbul. What began as a protest against a construction project quickly turned into a wider protest against the policies of the Erdogan government. Our film follows demonstrators through the eyes and lenses of two young GermanTurkish directors.

Directors, Writers, Producers - Ayla Gottschlich & Biene Pilavci
Producer - Silvana Santamaria
Line Producer - Yüksel Yılmaz
Production manager - Aysel Yilmaz
Production - SOILFILMS & Parcours Pictures
Co-Production - ARTE & ZDF
TV Release - 17.06.2015

RANIA’S DREAM

The documentary portrays the Egyptian puppeteer and activist Rania Refaat. With her theater group "Pergola" she is making a courageous contribution to strengthening women's rights and expanding social awareness of oppression and abuse of power. Rania's Dream is the portrait of a strong woman who swims against the tide in politically charged times and risks a lot in the process.

Written & directed by Samir Nasr
Producers - Silvana Santamaria & Ayla Gottschlich
Production - ARTE & SOILFILMS

AB 18! - LOLA'S SONGS

Lola, 27, enters the Berlin club scene with her best friend as Djane duo “Brothers”. She lives unhealthily and against her organic rhythm. She drinks and smokes too much with bass in her ears all the time, but she claims spinning turntables is for her like “yoga for others”. In the heart of Berlin, Lola is happy to have fled her bourgeois family behind to find their own answers and her peace.

Written & directed by Jana Bürgelin
Producers – Silvana Santamaria, Ayla Gottschlich, Jana Bürgelin
Production - 3Sat & SOILFILMS
TV release - 30.10.2018

RELEASED

DIRECTED BY SOILFILMS

2012 I Short fiction I 20 min I World Premier - Max-Ophüls-Preis

HER LETTER OF HIS WEDDING

A woman spends one day and one night writing a letter to her former longterm partner. In forgiving and accusatory words she sends him a last farewell before his marriage with a much younger woman. A film about love, loneliness, hope and despair.

Directed by Silvana Santamaria
Screenwriter – Hanno Lehmann
Producer – Dagmar Kalus, Katrin Haase
Starring - Corinna Harfouch, Sylvester Groth, Jutta Vanaga, Christoph Gaugler, Rolf Zacher
Executive producer - Jochen Laube
Production - TEAMWORX (Formerly UFA FICTION), Film Academy Baden- Württemberg, ARTE, SWR, BR
Funded by MFG Film Fund
Nominated
– Best Short Film, Max-Ophüls-Preis

2009 I Short Film I 9 min I World Premier - San Sebastian Film Festival

STANDSTILL

The factory worker Guido makes a mistake at work. Out of fear of losing his job, he blames his colleague David. When David and Guido meet some time later, by chance, Guido has to face his guilt.

Directed by Silvana Santamaria
Screenplay – Stefanie Ren
Producer – Jacques Colman, Ignazio Giovacchini
Production - ARTE, SWR, Film Academy Baden-Württemberg, La Fémis

2010 I Feature Documentary I 84 min I World Premier - Max-Ophüls-Preis

NOWHERE.KOSOVO

Haki, 28, is a Kosovian who had lived in Germany 17 years when he was deported to Kosovo in 2007. Having left his German wife and two children behind, hopes to return to Germany or see them again are the only thing keeping him alive. As his oldest son becomes ill, and the possibility of his return dismal, his patience wears thin in the face of his circumstances.

Written & Directed by Silvana Santamaria
Executive Producer – Aysel Yilmaz, Yüksel Yilmaz, Christian Drewing
Production - Eikon Suedwest, Film Academy Baden-Württemberg, SWR
TV-release - 18.10.2010
Awarded:
– Best Feature Documentary at Max-Ophüls-Preis Film Festival
– Certificate of German film rating commission: Especially Valuable

2008 I Feature Documentary I 58 min I World Premier - DOK Leipzig

ON SUFFERANCE

On Sufferance tells the story of a Roma family living in Germany with the residence permit status of being tolerated. They could be deported to Kosovo any moment, but efforts to gain full residency seem hopeless after 15 years of trying. A single parent caring for 5 children, Hajrije does everything she can to stay in the safety of Germany and give the children in her care a future.

Written & Directed by Silvana Santamaria
Producers – Laura Müller & Silvana Santamaria
TV Release - 22.09.2008
EinsFestival Showings - 19.11.2008 & 28.12.2008
Awarded:
– European CIVIS Media prize (New Talent), 2008
– Documentary film of the month February, 2008
Nominated:
– “Goldene Taube” at the DOK Leipzig, International Festival for Documentary and Animation 2018
– Best Foreign Film, IFF Tranzyt/ Poland, 2009
– One World Berlin Film Festival, 2009
– Potsdam, Sehsüchte International Student Film Festival, 2008
– Move It! International Film Festival, Dresden, 2008

ALICE IN THE LAND OF HOPE

Alice has to decide between pursuing a career as a philosophy professor in Germany or fighting for the rights of refugees in Sicily, where she was born. One of those refuges is Pacience. She is awaiting a decision on her asylum application. Both women are nearing a turning point in their lives, but only one has the true freedom to choose.

Written & Directed by Silvana Santamaria
Production: Zum Goldenen Lamm & SWR
Funded by MFG Film fund

Feature Documentary I 88 min I World Premier - World Cinema Film Festival London

MYANMAR GOES DEMOCRAZY

In this documentary, we follow 5 people from different social backgrounds living in Myanmar, otherwise known as Burma, after a 60 year military dictatorship. In 90 minutes, MGD confronts us with subtle and strikingly different stories about the lives of the Mynamar people between past and present. Their struggle to fit their repressed biographies into a freedom yet to be gained.

Director - Daniel Grendel
Co-Directors - Ayla Gottschlich, Silvana Santamaria
Production - Grand Pictures UG
Awarded:
– Best Documentary, Oregon Int. Film Awards
– Best Director of a Foreign language Documentary, One World Film Festival, London
– Best Foreign language Documentary, One World Film Festival, London
– Audience Choice Award, Punk Film Festival Berlin

LOVELAB

A drip of love is more than an ocean of mind knowledge stated French philosopher Blaise Pascal. But what remains of love, if it gets dissected by science, when the butterflies in one’s stomach are degenerated to rational bar charts, when the roller coaster of feelings falls prey to clinical numbers and analysis? Will the drip of love go under in the ocean of mind?

Directed by Mirjam Dolderer
Co-Director/Staging – Silvana Santamaria
Screenwriter – Christian Wehling
Production: Filma Academy BW & ZDF