Šimdb
& photocomposition DK
"This award is meaningful because it
comes from my fellow dealers in celluloid".
-Alfred
Hitchcock
We often
forget that so many different people are involved in the making and distribution
of a film as a final product. The actors, director, and crew are obviously the
most essential people to be noted first but you also have to include the
producer and distributors without whom no film can be made or screened in the
theaters. Being a film producer does not just require business talents, it also
requires a genuine interest and good knowledge of films and all Art forms in
general. A film venture is an exciting yet fragile process where interaction and
trust between the director and producer can lead to great far reaching
collaborations or unhappy disasters. Film history is filled with stories of
difficult yet fruitful relationships between the producer and the director such
as in the case of David O Selznick and Alfred Hitchcock or Darryl F. Zanuck or
Albert R. Broccoli and the successive directors of the James Bond Franchise.
However the old cliché of the tormented film director and the Capitalistic
Producer with a " Big Cigar " has fortunately given way to a more
wider range of people and personalities since the old Studio Day's.
Hengameh
Panahi has built a reputation as one of the shrewdest women in independent
international film sales with her company, Celluloid Dreams. The Paris-based
company has enjoyed a great success over the years, selling major festival hits
to
Born
in
An independent Eye : Henameh Panahi founder of Celluloid
Dreams
Šimdb.com
Panahi
moved to
With
a catalogue of more than 200 films she has developed a solid relationship over
the years with the directors mentioned above. Her first motto " We only
distribute films we like and believe in, otherwise its very difficult to
convince anyone to buy them ". Her goal is always the same :
" Sell the films in as many countries as possible so that it could be seen
by a large range of people from
Animated film productions co-produced and distributed
by
Celluloid Dreams Šimdb.com
She
is also very passionate about the Art form, and believes that producers should
understand that it takes time for some films to be noticed and find their
audience. She regrets to lack of interest of French Producers in the
international market. She feels that one of the reason's French films are not
exported as much is more due to the lack of promotion and advertising. A film's
budget should include the promoting and advertising costs. Each film should at
least have an on set photographer, and a graphic artist who could suggest poster
concepts before the film actually starts shooting and work towards the final
touches during and after shooting is wrapped. She also believes in the internet
as an efficient way of advertising a film through newsletters from director and
film blogs and discussion forums.
Distribution work takes a great deal
of her activity but Hengameh Panahi has also been producing films through Lumen
Films with such productions as Faust, Tokyo Eyes, Fast Food and more operated as
producer of the Oscar Nominated film on the Palestinian Israeli conflict Paradise Now and as executive
producer of the upcoming Michael Haneke's Funny Games.
She loves
the idea of selling a Taiwanese film in
Ironically but not surprisingly she is now also promoting and
distributing the latest French Production, the Cannes Jury Prize Awardee
Persepolis directed by fellow compatriot Marjane Satrapi and Vincent
Paronnaud. Hengameh Panahi has come a long way from her care free and yet
formative years dreaming of films and
VIVE
LE CINEMA !
Author's
notes:
Official Website of
Celluloid Dreams
Recommended
MAGIC IN THE MAKING: Marjane
Satrapi's Cinephilic Choice for Persepolis by Darius KADIVAR
Sultan
of my Heart: Monika Jalili and Noorsaaz's remembrance of things Past...
by Darius KADIVAR
Tony Nourmand's Golden
Eye by Darius KADIVAR
Persian Golden Boys in
Hollywood by Darius KADIVAR
ASGAR FOR AN OSCAR: Iranian
Sound Editor nominated for an Oscar by Darius
KADIVAR
On
Iranian
Pioneers in French New Wave Cinema by Darius KADIVAR
Anicée (ALVINA) Shahmanesh:
France's Sex Icon of the 1970's by Darius KADIVAR
On
Excellent interview and Great Photos
of Iranian filmmaker Parvin Ansary with Italian Stars of 50's and
60's.
The Last
Colony : An interview with Film director Parvin Ansary by Brian Appleton
(Iranian.com)
About
the Author: Darius
KADIVAR is a Freelance Journalist, Film Historian, and Media
Consultant.