Dear colleagues, This years 7th edition of the well established industry event European Work in Progress Cologne (EWIP) came to a successful end with the award ceremony on the evening of October 16th 2024. During the two EWIP days, over 250 top-class colleagues from the European film industry (world sales, distribution, festivals, production, financing and marketing) met to look out for the most promising film projects of the coming months and to exchange ideas. The independent jury of renowned and highly experienced experts – Heino Deckert (Ma.ja.de. Filmproduktions GmbH), Priscila Miranda (film producer / independent film distributor Fenix), Sophie Stejskal (Filmladen Filmverleih), Urte Fink (ZDF/ARTE), Paul Ridd (Festival Director Edinburgh International Film) – decided among the 29 international film projects presented and awarded prizes worth almost a total of € 60,000.

Works in Progress, which presents films in production or post-production looking for sales agents or festivals for international premieres, presents 17 projects in three categories: Baltic Event Works in Progress, International Works in Progress and Just Film Works in Progress. The selected projects include first features by Student Academy Award winners and a European Film Award winner and new titles by established directors. 

Kafka. In Love, the latest animated short film by Latvian director Zane Oborenko, will have its national premiere at the Riga International Film Festival on October 23rd, followed by the international premiere at the POFF in Estonia. Inspired by the famed Letters to Milena by Franz Kafka, the film explores the complex emotional landscape of falling in love,  as revealed through Kafka’s intimate correspondence with Milena Jesenská. Oborenko’s use of sand animation brings a uniquely delicate texture to this portrayal of love, loneliness, and self-discovery.

Edmunds Jansons, the acclaimed Latvian director, has just premiered his latest animated short film, Freeride in C, at the Ottawa International Animation Festival, signalling  a promising start to its festival circuit. This experimental animation explores the world of winter sports, showcasing skiers as they navigate snow-covered mountains. Jansons emphasises the strong interplay between sound and movement, using Terry Riley’s In C as a foundational element to create an engaging and rhythmic experience.

This year, the 12th edition of the Baltic Pitching Forum (BPF) welcomed filmmaking talents from the Baltic countries and Croatia to the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius. Pitching twelve projects to key industry figures, alongside participating in a series of talks, lectures, and training sessions, the attendees benefited from an event that continues to be regarded as one of the most important industry showcases in the Baltic region.