‘No parking, private property’.
Cattoni chose the images because it contrasts great beauty with something very banal. It also has a touch of ludicrousness – as if one could park there. Cattoni believes sudden unexpected death is a little like all those things.
Sophie Mathisen, President of WIFT (Women in Film & Television) and Director of FFS (For Film’s Sake) explained that Jan wins a $50,000 cash prize which will enable her to write and produce the feature film in time to be screened at the April 2018 For Film’s Sake festival. Jan also wins substantial industry support including a post-production package from ZIGZAG valued at over $20,000, a further $20,000 in marketing materials from the Solid State, $5,000 in product sponsorship from RODE Microphones, $2,500 in production account support from Moneypenny and a $5,000 Distribution and Promotion plan from Fan-Force. The total prize value is over $100,000.
“As a filmmaker, I’ve grappled for many years with finding ways to grow stories that resonate more honestly with lived lives. I’ve found mainstream production culture very challenging and there have been few opportunities to explore different ways of working. The Big Pineapple initiative has allowed me to put forward a story that has been reviewed by peers who have judged the value of the story and its need to be told. For this I am extremely grateful. I very much look forward to working collaboratively to see Yuki come to life.” Cattoni commented.
Of her project Cattoni went on to explain that Yuki will tell the story of Laura who travels to Japan after the sudden death of her son Joey in a snowboarding accident. As the main provider, Laura must balance the conflicting needs of work and family and now, in the aftermath of the trauma, Laura bears witness to her estranged husband’s deep bond to their children, stirring feelings of anger, guilt and blame. “The jury was impressed by the complexity and depth of the role of Laura and were excited by the highly personal and visual story of Yuki. Guided by Ms. Anna Serner, the jury responded to the scale of ambition presented in Jan’s work and the potential of the film on the world stage.” Mathisen commented.