Baltic Event Co-Production Market

Dogborn

Country
Sweden
Language
Arabic, English, Lithuanian, Swedish
Genre
drama
Project Status
Pre-production
Synopsis

Brother and Sister. Twins.
He: a man who has never uttered a word since they managed to escape the war. His only way of communicating is through dance.
She: a woman who can’t stop using her fists instead of her words. She takes care of them both. Her only way of communicating is through violence.
Despite being homeless, they aim for another life. Poverty is what stands between them and a chance for a brighter future. Their desperation for something as simple as new shoes and a roof over their heads lead them into the criminal “Import-Export” industry. Things take a radical turn when the merchandise they’re supposed to transport turns up in the form of two young girls. They are now forced to make a decision: do they become the people they used to fear? Or do they return to the streets where they might end up having to sell themselves in order to survive?
We follow the Twins during two intense days where all our notions of self-evident morality are turned upside down.

More info about the project

DOGBORN is a drama thriller that gets right under your skin. My goal here is to create a powerful visual experience that shakes and moves the audience. I also aim to create one hell of a cinematic ride that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

The TWINS officially don’t exist on the legal and social map of society. They lack worth, identities and a safety net. They’re part of a cogwheel consisting of buyers, sellers and merchandise. It is not their fate to act as buyers. The only options are to sell or be sold. Anything to survive.

This setup is obviously brutal. Therefore we need to establish the raw humanity of the TWINS so we always remember why they’re making choices we might instinctively react to with disgust. If our confrontation with their pain and desperation feels authentic, we will understand their actions and what they’re fighting for.

In all honesty, we don’t know how we would act in the same nightmare of a situation.

Original title
Dogborn
Budget
800000 €
Financed
700000 €
Looking for
Co-producers, Sales Agent, Distributors, Foreign broadcasters, Public funds (national, regional, international)
Director
Isabella Carbonell
Screenwriter
Isabella Carbonell
Producer
David Herdies, Farima Karimi, Erik Andersson
Production
Momento Film
Contact name
Erik Andersson
Contact email
erik@momenttofilm.se
Contact web
www.momentofilm.se
Screenwriter, Director
Isabella Carbonell

ISABELLA CARBONELL is a director, screenwriter and casting director born and situated in Stockholm. Visual storytelling is her true passion and over the last eight years she has written, directed and cast seven short films and three music videos. Amongst them is "Boys" which was screened during the Critic's Week in Cannes and won the Grand Jury Award for best Live Action Short at the AFI Film Fest in Los Angeles.

Producer
David Herdies

David Herdies is a Swedish producer and the founder of Momento Film. Herdies has produced over 25 feature documentaries and shorts that have been screened and awarded at festivals all over the world. Among his previous films can be mentioned MADRE by Simón Mesa Soto (Official Short Film Competition, Cannes 2016), FRAGILITY by Ahang Bashi (Guldbagge for Best Newcomer 2017), OUAGA GIRLS by Theresa Traore Dahlberg (60+ festivals), HAMADA by Eloy Domínguez Serén (IDFA 2018) and TRANSNISTRA by Anna Eborn (Big Screen Award IFFR, Dragon Award GIFF, and Guldbagge for Best Documentary 2019). Herdies has several feature films in development, amongst which can be mentioned MADAME LUNA written by Maurizio Braucci (GOMORRAH) and directed by Daniel Espinosa (MORBIUS, SNABBA CASH).

Producer
Farima Karimi

Farima Karimi is a Swedish-Iranian producer and screenwriter based in Stockholm. She holds a master’s degree in film production from Stockholm Academy of Dramatic Arts and has worked with several prized documentaries such as No Burqas Behind Bars (International Emmy award), Those Who Said No (Jury Award One World) and Prison Sisters (Best Film Sole Luna). She has produced several shorts, the latest film Schoolyard Blues has been widely awarded at festivals around the world (Leeds, Cork, Aspen, among others). She recently co-produced the celebrated anthology One off Incident/Force of Habit with Finnish Tuffi Films. Farima is currently producing the feature drama-thriller Dogborn by Isabella Carbonell.

Producer
Erik Andersson

Erik Andersson is a Swedish producer with a background in line-producing and as a production manager. He has produced films for the cinema, TV, and festivals, and holds a bachelor’s degree in film editing. He has participated in international producers workshops such as Rotterdam Lab, ACE, Young Nordic Producers Club in Cannes, Berlinale Talent, and Nordic Talents. His productions include short films Bathing Micky (Prix du Jury, Cannes, 2010), While You Were Gone (London Film Festival, 2011), Circles (Startsladden, HotDocs, 2016), Dear Kid (Stockholm Filmfestival, 1 km, 2016), Wolf (Mention, Montreal World Film Festival, 2017) and feature Knocking (post-production).

Production company
Momento Film

Momento Film is a production company based in Stockholm, Sweden, founded in 2011. Momento strives to be a harbour for both established and new talent who wants to challenge the borders of filmmaking. Among their previous films can be mentioned TRANSNISTRA by Anna Eborn (Big Screen Award IFFR), HAMADA by Eloy Domínguez Serén (IDFA 2018) and MADRE by Simón Mesa Soto (Short Film Competition Cannes 2016). Momento is working on a slate of projects including the drama MADAME LUNA written by Maurizio Braucci (GOMORRA) and directed by Daniel Espinosa (SAFE HOUSE), the thriller KAUTOKEINO by Isabella Eklöf as well as the documentary LEAVING JESUS by Ellen Fiske. The producers are part of the producers’ networks EAVE, ACE and Eurodoc. In 2018, David Herdies was Producer on the Move in Cannes.