Blanchett emphasized how the fund will approach projects with an open mind and let the filmmakers voices shine through.
That has always surprised and moved me and has really altered the cause of my life, added Blanchett.
I think the first challenge for me was that no one wants to hear this.
Displacement Film Fund panellists (left to right) include Waad Al-Kateab (credit: Sharbel Kanoun), Cate Blanchett (credit: Renato Campora), Koji Yanai (credit: Chiyoe Sugita), Tamara Tatishvili (credit: Elene Mikaberidze) and Jonas RasmussenIFFR/Andreas Omvik
People are fed a lot of news about displacement and refugees.
For me, it was almost a survival for me.
I wanted people to understand.
I wanted to live.
It made the story of so many people like me feel more visible, added Al-Kateab.
To be honest, when you step into this industry, its very challenging, said Al-Kateab.
I dont even think its necessary that the displacement experience is front and center.
To get this whole human story told is crucial.
It breaks apart common conceptions of what displacement is.
In the case of the Displacement Film Funds pilot version, filmmakers will be making short films.
Oftentimes, a feature film can get quite conservative and formulaic, said Blanchett.
We all have one clear mission that this is a long game, said Tatishvili.
