At Interforum, the 8 finalists were taking masterclasses, had special discussions, attended at case studies, met with the industry they were competing on an open Script Pitch, where they had the chance to present their short film projects in front of a 3 member jury. We asked a round of questions from all the finalists of Interforum, so let’s meet the winner of the Best Pitch, Neritan Zinxhiria from Albania, and his film project called To Not See Flowers Without Colours.


Neritan Zinxhiria


You’ve directed two very successful short films before. How did it feel to get into the finalists of Interforum?
I felt pretty warm and it was a nice reward for a short film that I truly believe in.

How would you describe ‘To Not See Flowers Without Colors’ in a few sentences? What’s the story about?
It’s the journey of a lifeless body floating on a river in a big European city. During its trip it witnesses scenes of modern day to day life.

Why is this film important to you?
I want to share the feeling of being isolated, lacking a sense of community, and not being able to coexist with our problems, as life and death coexist within us.

What do you think makes a good pitch? Have you created a visual moodboard or added some music, maybe shot a pitch trailer?
I believe that the most important thing is to make the audience feel your cinematic universe in a few sentences. I don’t have moodboards. I just go with the words.

What do you expect from the forum?
To improve my ideas, to learn how to communicate them better, and to meet interesting filmmakers from all around the world.

You are preparing for your first feature film. Is there a film fund or an organisation that supports the first-feature directors in Greece?
Unfortunately today, as the public funds are going down, there aren’t many sources you can access. However, I did apply to the Greek Film Center for a development grant.

Congratulations on the winning the Best Pitch award! What is the next step for your short film? How was the experience of the pitching? What feedbacks did you get?
Hopefully we will enter pre-production next year and around Spring we will be ready to shoot. The whole experience at Interfilm was really interesting, as for me it was something new. It was the first time that I had to present my work in front of so many people. The project was well received and the work behind Interforum was special. Every filmmaker had a unique universe and the group as a whole worked beautifully. Nele and her team did a fantastic job! I feel lucky to have been part of such a select group of filmmakers.