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New WCF Head Boosts Global South Cinema
20 Feb
Summary
- New head Sata Cissokho champions filmmakers from underserved regions.
- Fund mandates 90% spending within the country of production.
- WCF supported 16 films featured in major festivals last year.
Sata Cissokho has assumed leadership of the Berlinale's World Cinema Fund (WCF), succeeding Vincenzo Bugno. Launched in 2004, the WCF supports filmmakers in regions with fragile film infrastructures, including Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Its unique funding model mandates that 90% of financial support must be spent within the country of production, promoting local industry growth.
Cissokho's tenure begins following a highly successful period for the WCF, which saw 16 supported films achieve recognition at major international festivals. Two WCF-backed films were showcased at the recent Berlinale. Cissokho, with a background in film acquisition and distribution, emphasizes a shift in ownership and power dynamics within funding schemes.
She aims to increase collaboration with the African continent, noting its historical underrepresentation in funding rounds. Cissokho also plans to refine the application process to better serve both emerging and established filmmakers, potentially adjusting budget limits for more ambitious projects. These changes are intended to align the fund more closely with the evolving needs of global filmmakers.
