by Alba Sotorra Clua (Spain, UK 2021)
With unprecedented access the film enters the prison camp Roj in Syria, which holds families of ISIS fighters. Among them Shamima Begum (UK) and Hoda Muthana (US) who made it into worldwide headlines when they left their countries as teenagers to join ISIS. Now they want to return but their countries don’t want them back. Premiere at SXSW 2021.
by Hogir Hirori (Sweden 2021)
In this observational film, directed, shot and edited by Hogir Hirori, viewers meet Mahmud, Ziyad and their group, who armed with just a mobile phone and a gun risk their lives trying to save Yazidi women and girls being held by ISIS as Sabaya (sex slaves) in the most dangerous camp in the Middle East, Al-Hol in Syria. Premiere at Sundance Film Festival 2021 – Directing Award: World Cinema Documentary.
“This was the third time and the third documentary where I turned to Rough Cut Service. I will definitely seek help there again for my future projects. I am so grateful for all the feedback, tips and advice we received from the amazing Iikka and Erez from RCS. It helped us make the story in the film clearer, shorter. It helped us think differently and took the documentary to another level.” Hogir Hirori, director.
by Celina Escher (Sweden, El Salvador 2021)
Fly So Far follows Teodora Vásquez, the spokesperson of the women accused of aggravated homicide and imprisoned in El Salvador for having had a miscarriage. Teodora’s case has become a symbol of the extremism in the criminalization of abortion and the cruelty against women within the Salvadoran system. But also, of empowerment, resilience and solidarity. Premiere at Tempo Documentary Festival 2021.
“We are eternaly grateful to Rough Cut Service. From the first to the last step we got the support and advice that we needed. Having Jordana’s and Joelle’s help through a long and difficult editing process was the best that could happen to our film. They saw the potential of the film and understood our vision directly, which created a safe space for us to share and discuss. RCS really helped us to make a film that fulfills our goals cinematographically, politically and emotionally.” Mónica Hernández Rejón, producer.
by Gorki Glaser-Müller (Sweden, Denmark 2021)
In 2014 Patricio Galvez’s daughter Amanda and her husband Michael Skråmo left Sweden to join ISIS in Syria. Five years later they were both killed, leaving behind seven small children. Deep in sorrow over his daughter’s death, Patricio makes a pledge to save his grandchildren. Premiere at CPH:DOX 2021.
“It was of great help having genuinely committed and super talented editors to scrutinize the film. Cherishing the vision but pushing and developing it. Loved it and will for sure do it again!” Gorki Glaser-Müller, director.
by Khalid Shamis (South Africa, Libya, Qatar 2021)
For 40 years, Ashur Shamis lived in exile in a quaint London suburb, organizing against the Libyan government and Muammar Gaddafi. After the 2011 Libyan revolution and fall of Gaddafi, Shamis finally returned home to his beloved country, but upon arriving, he realized the land he desperately worked to liberate was not the same one he left behind many years ago. Now, nearly a decade later, his son Khalid picks up the camera to direct this personal and political story about undying patriotism and what it means to fight for a country that no longer needs you. Premiere at Hot Docs 2021.
by Nahid Persson (Sweden 2020)
In Be My Voice filmmaker Nahid Persson follows journalist and activist Masih Alinejad, who has gained 4.5 million followers on Instagram after urging Iranian women to rebel against the forced hijab on social media. Premiere at Göteborg Film Festival 2021.
“During all my years as a documentary filmmaker, I have always wanted a group like RCS. They were the best thing that ever happened to my documentary, Be My Voice. I got help from three talented people. They did the job not only professionally but also with heart. They were very fast and were always ready to help me, even if it was weekends or late nights. I am eternally grateful for their help. I hope they can help me with my upcoming documentaries.” Nahid Persson, director.
by Antonia Kilian (Germany, Finland 2020)
Hala, a young Arab woman, joins the Kurdish women’s movement to flee the Islamic State. After months, she returns to her hometown to help build a free society. She encounters resistance not only within the patriarchal traditional society, but also within her own family. Premiere at CPH:DOX 2021.
“I’ve just got positive things to say. The RCS team worked really hard and they were also very flexible/collaborative (timeframe) and professional.” Merja Ritola, co-producer.
by Hans Lukas Hansen (Norway, The Netherlands 2020)
In certain alpine forests one might find special trees that are worth their weight in gold. Their value lies in the unique ability of the wood to amplify sound, making it a prerequisite for the best string instruments in the world. This film is the story about the quest for these magical trees. Tonewood they call it, a gift of trees so rare, that grow in places so secret and remote, that finding the perfect one – can be the quest of a lifetime. Premiere at Human IDFF 2021.
“When we got in contact with RCS “The Quest for Tonewood” needed an outside viewpoint, someone who could see the film from a different angle, without relating to other, previous versions or to the source material. Getting the feedback from the two RCS experts was really valuable. It confirmed some of the things we already knew, both good and bad, and it gave us some new ideas of how to solve specific scenes and overall structure. It was interesting to hear two completely different views, that nevertheless shared our enthusiasm for the film. Especially being at the very last stage of the editing, it was very useful to get a new perspective on the project.” Benedikte Danielsen, producer and Hans Lukas Hansen, director.
by Toni Venturi & Val Gomes (Brazil 2020)
A poignant and disturbing blend of characters, music, and black intellectual thinking that unveil the racism rooted in the Brazilian soul. A documentary composed of personal stories and reflections of the white filmmaker about his privileges. International premiere at IDFA 2020.
“We had a very creative relationship with RCS. Our film has several narrative lines and countless possibilities of embroider it. We’re in the middle of its montage and got two independent feedbacks from Iikka Vehkalahti and Maya Hawke. It was great. Both provoked us to think deeply about our choices and helped us to find the best form to address it. Several meetings and innumerable exchanges throughout the process. We even thought we were abusing then but they kept interested in the film till the very end. We can only say: thank you very much for all!” Toni Venturi & Val Gomes, directors.
by Hans Hochstöger (Austria 2020)
On the night of May 2nd, 1945, less than a week before the end of World War II, 228 Hungarian Jews were murdered in the small village of Hofamt Priel in Austria. The murderers are still unknown, and there was never a trial but witnesses recognized local helpers. The massacre is one of the largest endphase crimes and one of the few about which very little is known until today.
