’The Empty House’ among 10 projects picked for Berlinale co-production market

Film director Rati Tsiteladze and screenwriter Nino Varsimashvili will present their in-development feature The Empty House among 10 projects selected for the Berlinale Talent Project Market next month.

The work-in-progress film was selected for the shortlist of the co-production event which enables filmmakers to pitch their projects to producers and sales agents during the Berlinale festival.

It will be presented at the market event from February 17-21 with its setting of the 1990s civil war-torn Tbilisi, where Nino, a teenager sees her father return home after seven years in prison.

[F]inally [Nino’s] family, representing three generations, is complete. But soon things turn out to be different from what she had expected”, said a preview of the plot from the creators.

Based on a true story, Varsimashvili’s script is directed for the feature by Tsiteladze, within production of by Tbilisi-based ArtWay Film.

The project has already been recognised at co-production and networking events, granting Tsiteladze a Cinefondation Residence for the Festival de Cannes as well as the Open Doors’ Special Mention Award at the Locarno Film Festival.

The Empty House has also been selected for the Berlinale Co-Production Market and shortlisted for the Sundance Screenwriters Lab of the Sundance Film Festival.

Apart from being considered by producers and sales professionals from around the world, the project will also compete for two monetary awards at the Talent Project Market.

The market project is a collaboration between the Berlinale Co-Production Market and Berlinale Talents.