Zora Jaurová is a film producer, cultural and creative industries policy expert, and politician (vice-chairman of the party Progressive Slovakia). She has been involved in EU affairs and cultural policies for several years. The co-author and director of Košice – European Capital of Culture 2013, she is also the President of the Slovak Creative Industry Forum and member of Ateliers du Cinéma Européen. Jaurová works as a film producer and producing partner in Slovak film production company Mphilms.
What are your expectations from participating in the Emerging Producers programme? What “competitive advantage” can a producer gain by participating in such a programme?
Since the relevant European film industry is based on co-productions and collaboration beyond the national borders nowadays, I find this kind of training programmes extremely helpful, and not only for “emerging” producers. Apart from know-how and inspiration, it is mainly the people from different countries and producing backgrounds you meet, become friends with and add them to your professional network, which is the highest added value of producers training programmes. I produce both – features and documentaries, and it is interesting to see how the documentary gang is different from people working in features – it is more relaxed and somehow less crushed down by the heaviness of the film industry…
Which of your ongoing projects is currently the biggest challenge for you, and do you consider it the most appealing to non-Slovak audiences as well?
We are finishing the shooting of political thriller Power, and the pandemic is our worst enemy. Even if we were able to shoot most of it just before the virus hit Europe, now we are struggling with the last few days of shooting. This project was from the very beginning conceived as a truly international co-production, not only financially but also in terms of cast and crew – that is why the existing restrictions make it really complicated. However, this lightly dystopian drama asking questions about the limits and ethical borders of political power and seeming powerlessness of individuals in global society is supposed to be a film for a wide European audience.
Contact: www.mphilms.sk, zora.jaurova@mphilms.sk
Web: www.ep.ji-hlava.com
