Film production

VFS FILMS is a film production company which houses a large group of filmmakers around a tight nucleus – best at telling human stories through award-winning documentaries or creative TV productions. With a skin rough enough to spend much time outdoors.

Uldis Cekulis (Co-Producer) created the independent production company VFS FILMS in Latvia almost 18 years ago and later won the International Trailblazer prize at MIPDOC in Cannes, which recognises the best documentary makers. He has worked on almost fifty creative documentaries and author-driven prime time TV projects both as a producer and sometimes as a cameraman. As producer, most of his films such as ROOF ON THE MOONWAY, THEODORE, THE DECONSTRUCTION OF AN ARTIST, DOUBLE ALIENS and others have travelled and received awards around the world, including nomination for the European Film Academy Documentary Award 2005 for DREAMLAND by Laila Pakalnina; and the Lithuanian official Academy Award entry RAMIN by Audrius Stonys in 2012 for Best Foreign Language Film. He has co-produced documentaries with Ukrainian, Estonian, Lithuanian, Russian, German, Italian, French, Greek, Icelandic, Finnish, and Georgian production companies. Currently he is working on five documentary co-productions.

Transmedia distribution

The Institute for Transmedia Design is the first such institution in the EU, covering all aspects of transmedia design (education, research, development). The Institute is a multifaceted creative community involved in international projects, and promotes local and international discussion, cultural exchange and education in transmedia design. The aim of the Institute is to create an awareness of the importance of transmedia design as a series of innovations responsible for greater communal prosperity. A pioneer in transmedia design methodology and practice. It has been actively involved in co-creating international projects. Its work has been selected for major events in the region: Cross Video Days, Biennale of Design, East Doc Platform to name a few. In 2014 the Institute received an International Electoral Awards, Kuala Lumpur, in 2015 it has been awarded special recognition for collaborative transmedia design project (BIO50, Biennale of Design, Ljubljana).

Sara Božanić (Producer) is a CEO of the Institute for Transmedia Design, based in Slovenia. In 2011, she received a Young Creative Entrepreneur Media Award by the British Council for her achievements in the development of the interactive media design sector in Slovenia.

As a consultant and tutor she has been actively involved in the work with Creative Europe Desks (Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Lithuania), coaching film producers on the transmedia design storytelling and tactics. In 2015 she has been chosen among 40 EU consultants who work on audience development via digital means to take part in policy debates under the project The Voice of Culture ‒ a Structured Dialogue between the European Commission and the cultural sector.

Sara believes that the digital opens new doors to public and fosters an endless series of design possibilities.

Petra Bertalanič (Social Media Editor) is a linguist. She has been working for many years in the field of content marketing as a copywriter, translator and content consultant. Since 2014, she plays the role of transmedia producer at the Institute for Transmedia Design, communicating across mediums and cultures and thus building bridges between them. As transmedia producer she was involved in various projects including managing, planning and development at home and abroad, as well as production and maintenance of story continuity across multiple platforms.

Petra likes prototyping and creating stories that weave traditional ways of delivering narrative experiences with the latest in technology.

Film distribution

TASKOVSKI FILM is a Berlin based production company of independent documentary and fiction films. We welcome innovative, playful and risky forms of filmmaking capable of engaging and surprising audiences around the globe. Our passion is discovering new talent and authorial stories.

Tanja Georgieva (Co-producer) holds a Masters Degree in Journalism from the University of Leipzig, Germany, and has produced numerous multi-awarded films. In 2013 Tanja received the European Mediaprize for THE GRAVEYARD OF THE ILLEGALS (wdr the story) as Best European feature length documentary. One of her latest works, ISTANBUL UNITED, was nominated for the German Human Rights Film Award 2014 and invited to more than 40 International Film Festivals. With ONCE UPON A DREAM – A JOURNEY TO THE LAST SPAGHETTI WESTERN by Tonislav Hristov Tanja was invited in 2015 for the second year in a row to the Documentary Films Competition at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. Since January 2015, Tanja leads as Producer and CEO the new Leipzig based international film production company ELEMAG PICTURES.

Irena Taskovski (Co-producer) founder of Taskovski Films Ltd. London & Berlin leading world sales and production company of creative documentary films. Since 2013 working as external consultant / expert on marketing, sales and festivals for many film institutions eg. HBO Europe, Asian Cinema Fund, Taiwan Film Institut, DokuIncubator,etc. Taskovski producers / coproducers titles: A multiple award winners VILLAGE B, dir. Filip Remunda (Best Doc at Karlovy Vary in 2002) and CZECH DREAM by Vit Klusak and Filip Remunda ( Best Doc San Francisco Film Fest 2005 USA), CZECH PEACE by Vit Klusak and Filip Remunda, ALL GOOD FOR THE WORLD and NOSOVICE by Vit Klusak, WHO WILL BE GURKHA (2013) by Kesang Tseten, Surire (2015) by Bettina Perrut and Ivan Osnovikoff, UKRAINIAN SHERIFFS (2015) by Roman Bodnarchuk, etc. Taskovski films SALES – full portfolio on www.taskovskifilms.com some titles: OLMO AND THE SEAGULL by Petra Costa and Lea Glob, BLOOD SISTERS by Malin Andersson, WORK HARD PLAY HARD by Carmen Losmann, PEOPLE I COULD HAVE BEEN AND MAYBE I AM by Boris Gerrets, European Academy Awarded directors Audrius Stonys, with his RAMIN and Helena Trestikova RENE, winner of the European Academy Award – Prix Arte 2008.