Sundance/NHK jerk a 'Close' call

Sundance Institute and NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corp.) have selected Swedish filmmaker Jens Assur, director from the approaching "Close Far," as champion from the 2012 Sundance/NHK Intl. Filmmaker Award. Award is offered to identify and support a "visionary" filmmaker with their next film, with Sundance Institute staff working carefully using the champion throughout every season, supplying creative and proper support with the development, financing and manufacture of their films. Two films based on the award are screening at Sundance: "Monsters from the Southern Wild" by Benh Zeitlin and "Elena" by Russian filmmaker Andrei Zvyagintsev. Assur's short "Killing the Chickens in order to save the Apes" is playing at Sundance and the writing and pointing debut, "The Final Dog in Rwanda," won honours at festivals in Clermont-Ferrand, Tribeca, Sydney, Rome and Palm Springs. "Close Far" is really a drama thriller including five interlocking tales occur Africa and Europe about folks vulnerable situations whose actions carry personal and global effects. Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com