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She was drawn to film through an endless fascination for magic on screen, a restless curiosity and the ability to respond to challenges as and when they occur. Ivy started her career as a production assistant trainee on the short Message from Out of Space starring the young Matthias Schoenaerts, handling the animals (ducks) on set. In 2006 she joined Caviar and learned the business by line producing a microbudget first feature as well as making shorts with directors including Joost Wynant, Tim Mielants and Hans Van Nuffel. Ivy was also involved in projects including as My Queen Karo (Dorothee vanden Berghe) and Dirty Mind & Left Bank (Pieter Van Hees).

For Caviar, Ivy has produced several features and TV series. Her feature Black won the Discovery Award at TIFF 2015.

Driven by magical settings, compelling characters, unexpected emotions and intriguing atmospheres, the bottom line is Ivy’s work is always storytelling.

 

We asked Ivy some questions abut her work and her Inside Pictures experience…

Ivy Vanhaecke

Producer

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What attracted you to the Inside Pictures programme?
I’d heard a great deal about Inside Pictures as a place where you meet the top industry players and where you can share your experience with other people from different sides of the film business. As a Belgian producer, it’s important not only focus on national/local content that hopefully will travel worldwide, but also to develop international films and TV series and work with international partners. Financing in continental Europe is very focussed on funding, unlike the Anglo- Saxon model. I believe that with a strong story and great talent attached we can bring the best of both worlds together. Because Inside Pictures is an amazing group of people coming from financial, legal, sales and distribution backgrounds, it’s a great opportunity to build inspiring professional relationships that can last for the rest of your career. So far, it has been an excellent experience, and it gives me an incredible energy.
My Inside Pictures mentor is Fabian Westerhoff, and to me it is very important to hear a voice from his point of view, that of sales and distribution. Fabian is very honest and enthusiastic. As a producer you need access to this kind of viewpoint to be sure of the kind of project you have in your hands and what’s realistic and possible to do with it in the market.
 
Since joining Caviar you have worked your way up in the company across features and TV series. Are there any particularly memorable projects?
I always feel happy thinking back on my short films I produced in the beginning of my career with filmmakers from my own generation. It’s a good way to learn day-to-day production. Special memories go to our successful TV series Clan, a project with an incredibly talented female creative team and cast. I also feel very proud of my last production Black, which has won the Discovery Prize in Toronto. It is a rough diamond, made with great young people and a lot of passion. Also, it’s always an honour to co-produce with inspiring established directors, as I experienced with Jaco Van Dormael’s The Brand New Testament.
 
What are you currently working on?
We are fully focussed towards the Belgian release of Black. Next to that I’m co-producing a feature called Into The Blue with Dutch partner Ijswater Films and director Jaap Van Heusden which will be shot in January in Romania. And I’m trying to get involved in a UK production as well… fingers crossed! In Belgium, we’re developing – amongst other projects – a wonderful adaptation from a novel called Many Heavens (above the 7th) and Adil and Bilall’s next feature, Kawasaki.