FNE spoke to Georgian director Levan Koguashvili whose film Guria screened in official selection in the new Venice Spotlight section. The film is a comedy set in Georgia in the early 1990s in a west Georgian village. The film was supported by the Georgian National Film Centre and produced by Kino Iberica (Georgia). It was coproduced by ArtFest (Bulgaria) and Cineworx (Switzerland), Tarantula (Luxembourg), Tato Film/Maya Films (Türkiye), Staer (Norway) and the Red Sea Fund, The Red Sea Film Festival Initiative (Saudi Arabia).

FNE spoke to Michal Bregant Director of Czech National Film Archive about the selection of Valerie a Týden Divů / Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (Czechoslovakia 1970) directed by Jaromil Jireš for Venice Classics section of this year’s festival and why there is an increasing interest in restored classics at international film festivals.

Venice Production Bridge has become one of the most important events on the European film agenda. FNE asked Pascal Diot what’s new this year and why filmmakers from around the globe continue to flock to the event.

BUCHAREST: Berlin-based Pluto Film has acquired I Matter / Eu contez, the debut feature by Roma director Alina Șerban, ahead of its world premiere in the Venice Spotlight competition at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival (2 – 12 September 2026). The Romanian/German/Belgian coproduction has Ada Solomon among its producers. This is the first A class festival for a Roma female director.

BUCHAREST: I Matter / Eu contez, the debut feature by Roma director Alina Șerban, will have its world premiere in the VeniceSpotlight competition at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival (2 – 12 September 2026). The Romanian/German/Belgian coproduction has Ada Solomon among its producers.

BELGRADE: Young Serbian editor Jelena Maksimović’s debut feature as a director Until the Day Ends / Do kraja dana has been acquired by Heretic ahead of its world premiere in the Horizons competition at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival (2 – 12 September 2026). The film is a coproduction between Serbia, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Germany, Montenegro, and Croatia.

VENICE: The 83rd edition of the Venice Film Festival will showcase an important  selection of films produced or coproduced by FNE partner countries, from 2 to 12 September 2026.

KARLOVY VARY: The Grand Prix – Crystal Globe in the Crystal Globe Competition of the 60th Karlovy Vary IFF was given to Fruit Gathering (Myanmar, Czech Republic, France) directed by Aung Phyoe. The main award in the Proxima Competition went to the Slovak/Czech Lover, Not a Fighter by Martina Buchelová.

VALLETTA: An eight-part television drama titled The Order, based on Peter Portelli’s 2023 historical fiction novel about the 1565 Great Siege of Malta, is officially in development. The project was announced by Malta Film Commissioner Johann Grech at the closing ceremony of the Mediterrane Film Festival and will be produced by UK’s Little Island Productions and Hopefield in association with the Malta Film Commission.

VENICE: Seven projects (co)produced by FNE partner countries have been selected for the 13th edition of the Venice Gap-Financing Market, set to take place 4 – 6 September 2026 within the Venice Production Bridge.