Two Twyford-based documentary producers are set to receive funding and professional support as part of the Netflix Documentary Talent Fund.
Anna Snowball and Abofazi Talooni were one of 12 teams who were invited by Netflix to pitch their idea – having been selected from thousands of applications.
They will make a short documentary of the theme of ‘connection’.
Their idea, titled ‘Iranian Yellow Pages’ will focus on Iranians in London, trapped between two cultures and searching for connections by placing weird and wonderful adverts in the Iranian Yellow Pages.
These can be found dotted across London, in Iranian-owned shops, laundrettes, and restaurants.
They all have newspaper stands stacked with colourful Farsi-language publications. Tucked within their pages are intriguing free ads called the ‘Iranian Yellow Pages’.
The documentary will see Anna and Abofazi pick up the phone to discover the people and stories behind these adverts.
The duo say their discoveries including partying OAPs, former spies haunted by guilt, puppeteers looking for love, and refugee food delivery drivers dreaming of launching the next big restaurant.
They all want the same thing; to find connections in the lonely city they now call home and reconnection to the complicated country they’ve left behind.
To make the documentary, Anna and Abofazi will receive £30,000.
The end result will be released on the Netflix YouTube channel next year, and they will receive advice and support covering all aspects of production including legal, creative, HR, production and finance.
The Netflix Documentary Talent Fund was created to break down barriers of access for emerging filmmakers, and provides a foundation to boost their career.
Kate Townsend, spokesperson for the talent fund, said, “Last year’s fund was a huge success with filmmakers really making the most of the opportunity and springboarding to other projects and even BAFTA nominations.
”The films we have selected to support offer a unique take on the theme of connection. From an amazing story about two mothers with a unique bond in Ireland, to uniting communities as part of the deaf rave scene in Hackney, we are very much looking forward to kicking off production on these documentaries and seeing what these filmmakers can achieve.”
For more details, log on to: www.netflixdocfund.co.uk
