First Cut Lab, the workshop for fiction feature films in editing phase run by Tatino Films, will enhance its support through a new program addition called First Cut+ with the support of the Access to Market scheme of Creative Europe’s MEDIA program. First Cut+ will promote a portfolio of 16 fiction feature films in post-production from low production capacity countries with a focus on Central & Eastern Europe. First Cut+ is the only brand-new action to receive financial support from the Access to Markets scheme this year.

So far 30 films have been supported through First Cut Lab, mostly from the CEE region. To further assist the films to reach their audiences, First Cut Lab director Matthieu Darras has created First Cut+. The program will provide additional support to First Cut Lab alumni projects as well as from partners MIDPOINT “Feature Launch” and Groupe Ouest’s “LIM” by offering them marketing and promotion consultancy and visibility at the region’s leading industry events KVIFF Eastern Promises and When East Meets West co-production platform.

The feature films in the portfolio will take part in several activities to further increase their competitiveness and marketability; a series of tailor-made individual consultations with industry experts on marketing, promotion, audience design and social media followed by a Work-in-Progress presentation. After this they will be offered one-to-one meetings, to increase opportunities of sales and international circulation. Industry consultants that will be part of the First Cut+ program include for example international publicists Laurin Dietrich and Michael Arnon of WOLF, Alexis Hoffman of BAC Films, and festival strategist Ilaria Gomascara of Pyramide International.

Fitting seamlessly into the already established frame of First Cut Lab’s international hubs Trieste and Karlovy Vary, 8 films - half of the portfolio - will be promoted during the winter session in Trieste in January 2020, and another half during the summer session in Karlovy Vary in July 2020, in addition to the regular First Cut Lab workshops.

Through the whole trajectory of selecting projects in very early editing phase and support them all the way to their release and after, makes the complete First Cut Lab and First Cut+ program unique in the film industry. The combined program now provides fundamental support through the whole postproduction process and is the first complete preparation for a Work-In-Progress screening that currently exists. The First Cut+ portfolio will contain the most exciting new names and projects from the CEE region in 2020!

The First Cut+ initiative will be officially launched and presented at the Karlovy Vary IFF at 5 p.m. on July 2, 2019 at the Press Room.

Warsaw Kids Film Forum is delighted to announce the full selection of projects to be presented during the Forum in September. This year we received 58 applicationsfrom 21 different countries from which our selection committee including Tania Pinto da Cunha, Viola Gabrielli, Anna Bielak, Zofia Horszczaruk, Ronald Krushchakand Maciej Jakubczyk have chosen 25 projects to be pitched.

Filmmakers of the selected projects will have the opportunity to present their work in front of the International and Polish Decision Makers which includes distributors, sales agents, TV broadcasters, producers, investors, film institutes and funds.

This year again we have diverse country representation. The selection includes projects
from 16 different regions including: Austria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey and Ukraine.

Sessions during the Forum are divided into two groups: Projects in Development and Works
in Progress.

Presented projects are competing for awards:

•  CeTA Special Distinction– Audiovisual Technology Center (Centrum Technologii Audiowizualnych CeTA) will distinct 2 projects with production and post production services at CeTA studios for a total amount of EUR 33.000.
• EAVE Award – European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs will be granting an invitation to the EAVE Marketing workshop in autumn 2019 in Luxembourg.
• The Financing Forum For Kids Content Award – The Financing Forum For Kids Content (Malmö, Sweden). The Forum will award the best pitch by giving the producers an invitation to present the project in Malmö in March 2020.
• Pop Up Film Residency – Individual three weeks mentorship program in Bratislava

Below you will find the full selection of projects to be included in Warsaw Kids Film Forum:

Projects in Development:

23 insults, animated film, Studio KAPI, Ukraine
Abudiks & Gubidiks, animated tv series, Independent Forces, Turkey
Bobo and the Wonders, animated tv series, MINYA FILM AND ANIMATION, Croatia Bumblebee’s flight, film live-action film, Interfilm, Croatia
Dr. Donnerwetter, live-action tv series, GotFat Productions, Denmark
Dustzone, live-action tv series, Bionaut, Czech Republic
Goalgetter Girls, live-action film, Minifilm KG, Austria
Grimsby, live-action film, Helmet, Norway
I love this, animated tv series, Animoon sp. z o.o., Poland
Johann, Sebastian & Bach, animated tv series, GS animation, Poland
Napoleon, animated film, GoFat Productions, Denmark
Philosophy first, animated tv series, Un film a’la patte, France
Sol & Liv, animated film, Letko sp. z o.o., Poland
Summer Kingdom, animated TV series, Yarki Studio, Ukraine
The Beanie, live-action film, Senca Studio, Slovenia
The Very Hairy Alphabet, animated tv series, Eliza Plocieniak-Alvarez, Germany
The Voyager – Call of the Vikings, live-action tv series, Gebrueder Beetz Filmproduktion, Germany
Too old for fairy tales, live-action film, Pokromski Studio, Poland
Twice Upon a Time, animated film, To Blink Animation, Serbia
Wojtek the smiling soldier bear, animated film, AMARCORD S.R.L., Italy

Works in Progress:

How it grows, animated tv series , Invida, Slovenia
Joy Eternal, a Divine Consultants story, animated tv series, Fiilin Good Films Oy, Finland
Summer with Bernard, live-action film, Projector23 GmbH & Co KG, Germany
The purple pin, animated tv series, YARKI STUDIO, Ukraine
Triple Trouble, live-action film, Koi Studio, Poland

Warsaw Kids Film Forum is an international co-production forum for films and television series aimed at the children’s market. Our goal is to create a meeting place where European professionals can exchange ideas, experiences and develop new content for children. We want to create a space that will help connecting projects with potential co- producers, distributors, sales agents, broadcasters and film funds.

Warsaw Kids Film Forum will take place from the 25th to 27th of September 2019 in Warsaw.

The winners of KVIFF Eastern Promises

Works in Progress, Eurimages Lab Project, Docs in Progress and Works in Development – Feature Launch + Nespresso Talents

KVIFF Eastern Promises, the festival's Industry section, has the exciting mission of being a bridge between talented filmmakers from the East and their potential Western partners, festivals and audiences. This year, a total of 33 projects were screened on the 4 platforms dedicated to feature films, documentaries and new cinematographic forms in development. The juries announced the winners at the ceremony that closed the festival's industry program in Little Versailles in Karlovy Vary tonight. The winners of the Czech round of Nespresso Talents were announced as well.

Works in Progress Award

Award Jury:

Khalil Benkirane, Producer, Head of Grants Programme, Doha Film Institute, Qatar

Aija Berzina, Producer, Tasse Film, Latvia

Virginie Devesa, CEO and Sales, Alpha Violet, France

In this years' Works in Progress, nine projects from countries of Central and Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the former Soviet Union, the Middle East, and North Africa were presented. The jury chose the film PIGEON’S MILK by director EUGEN MARIAN as the winning project. A prize in the value of 100,000 Euro will be given to the project. The award consists of post-production services in UPP (60,000 Euro), Soundsquare (30,000 Euro), and a cash prize of 10,000 Euro from Barrandov Studio.

Jury statement:

“Our choice went for a film in which we felt the director created a unique realm filled with a prophetic dimension. With strong cinematic language, this first-time filmmaker offers a visual and harmonious world through a story with resonance, announcing a unique voice from a country we do not see much cinema from.”

Docs in Progress Award

Award Jury:

Pierre-Alexis Chevit, Doc Corner & Doc Day industry program, Marché du Film – Festival de Cannes, France

Lejla Dedić, Program Producer, Al Jazeera Balkans, Bosnia and Herzegovina Patricia Drati, Creative producer and Film Development Consultant, Denmark

This year saw a strong selection of 8 documentaries from Central and Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the former Soviet Union, North Africa, and the Middle East. The Docs in Progress prize went to the winning project THE SILHOUETTES by Afsaneh Salari, Jewel Maranan and Giles Gardner, along with a cash prize in the amount of 5,000 Euro.

Jury statement

The selection was extremely tight and it took us two hours to decide, as we went through each project thoroughly. The highly current subject of migration is one that we all are familiar with - we discover new angles and uniqueness, while breaking away from an imposed destiny, facing the past in order to continue to the present and on to the future. The ability to talk about your own nation despite the fact that you are making the film in a different country. The director has a clear vision, style and sensibility. She is capable and willing to invite us to a world that we can all understand and feel.

Works in Development - Feature Launch Award

Award Jury:

Hugo Rosák, Head of Industry Office, KVIFF, Czech Republic

Danijel Hocevar, producer, Head of Studies MIDPOINT Feature Launch, Slovenia

Katriel Schory, producer, MIDPOINT Feature Launch Expert, Israel

On this award, KVIFF has partnered with the Midpoint script and project development program as well as When East Meets West co-production market and Trieste Film Festival. Together they showcased eight projects from Central and Eastern Europe that have gone through development within the Feature Launch 2019 program. The jury decided to award the 10,000 Euro cash prize for further development to Hungarian project SOME BIRDS by director Daniel Hever, writer Zsanett Kertesz and producer Laszlo Dreissiger.

Jury statement

“For a story about two characters that are trying to find a place in the world creating a special bond which transcends generations.”

Eurimages Lab Project Award

Award Jury:

Majlinda Tafa, Albanian National Center of Cinematography, Representative at Eurimages, Albania

Tereza Nvotová, Film Director, Slovakia / Czech Republic

Frank Peijnenburg, Head of Screen NL Netherlands Film Fund, Netherlands

From the 8 projects screened this year at the Eurimages Lab Project, the prize in the value of 50,000 Euro went to the winning project BOTTLED SONGS by directors Kevin B. Lee and Chloé Galibert-Laîné. KVIFF is the first of four international film festivals of the festival season to be awarding the Eurimages prize - a prize dedicated to films that surpass traditional film frameworks and language and are based on international cooperation.

Jury statement

“A courageous desktop documentary raising questions of privacy and identity by exploring online propaganda of the Islamic State.”

Nespresso Talents CZ

Award Jury:

Darina Křivánková, Journalist, Reflex, Czech Republic

Michaela Pavlátová, Animation Department, FAMU, Czech Republic

Karel Kovář alias Kovy, YouTuber, Czech Republic

The topic of this year's Nespresso Talents - a competition for vertically shot movies by young talents – was “We Are What We Eat”. The jury awarded the prize of 3,000 Euro to Nina Ovsová and Adela Križovenská, the creative duo behind the animated story called “Tell Me Your Flavour”. Second place went to another animated film “Hunger” by Jáchym Bouzek, and also to David Bukva for “We Are What We Eat”.

Karel Kovář: “It was pretty tough to choose only 3 finalists from such a diverse group, and the competition managed to attract very original submissions playing with the vertical format.”

Michaela Pavlátová: “The awarded films seduced us not only by their high formal level, but mainly their humor, playfulness and originality used to describe the topic of food. Personally, I was pleased by the proportion and quality of the animated submissions.

More information on the awarded projects:

Pigeon's Milk (Moloko Ptitsy)

Countries: Russia, Moldova

Directed by: Eugen Maryan

Scriptwriter: Eugen Maryan

Producer: Roman Borisevich, Alexander Kushaev, Anna Shalashina

Camera: Nikolay Zheludovich

Release date:01/05/2020

Runtime: 80 min

Film synopsis

Shortly before Easter, in search of a better life, ANDRIAN (16) is planning to escape to Europe with his gypsy friend. He has five days to prepare. The teenage boy has a tough time pondering over the future separation with his MOTHER (36) and his new classmate ANNA (16). Anna makes no secret of the fact that she likes a local thug SERJIU (22), whom Andrian works for. Andrian suspects that his mother is having an affair with Serjiu’s father. He decides to seek revenge against the people who have taken away the two women he loves. He secretly kills their dog, then botches Serjiu’s important deal and becomes closer to Anna. His revenge, however, doesn't quite go as planned and his escape runs the risk of failing.

The Silhouettes (Saayeha)

Countries: Iran, Philippines

Directed by: Afsaneh Salari

Scriptwriter: Afsaneh Salari, Jewel Maranan, Giles Gardner

Producer: Afsaneh Salari, Jewel Maranan

Camera: Afsaneh Salari Music: Shida Shahabi

Release date: 01/12/2019

Runtime: 80 min

Film synopsis

Taghi, an engineering student in Iran is finishing his studies. At first glance, he’s a young man with a promising future ahead of him. However, he carries the burden of a history that is older than him. When the USSR invaded Afghanistan in 1982, Taghi’s parents fled to Iran together with 1.5 million Afghans.

Taghi’s parents feel he is lucky not to have experienced war. For Taghi, however, safety is no trade-off for freedom and a bright future, as Afghans in Iran are only allowed manual-labour jobs. Taghi crafts a plan to go and pursue his dream in Afghanistan — the motherland he never knew — while facing strong opposition from his parents. As wars continue in Afghanistan, what future awaits him and in which land?

Some Birds (Valami Madarak)

Countries: Hungary

Directed by: Dániel Hevér

Producer: László Dreissiger

Release date: 2021

Film synopsis

Aging, lonesome Béla (78) is moved to a nursing home against his will by his estranged son, where he must spend his days with an impulsive teenage girl Zoé (17), who is sentenced to do social work at the home. They both struggle with their families: Béla wants to prove to his son that he is capable of living independently. Zoé’s fear of becoming like her promiscuous and deeply unhappy mother is so strong that she keeps rejecting the boy she likes. When Béla decides to get out of the home, Zoé embarks on a journey with him through the bureaucracy of the Hungarian health care system to prove that he is selfsufficient. The time they share and the experiences they encounter turns them into allies, enabling them to confide in each other. Although Béla fails to achieve his goal, the trust and warmth they gain from this friendship enables them both to accept reality and find the strength to face their fears.

Bottled Songs (Bottled Songs)

Countries: Germany, France, USA, Finland

Directed by: Kevin B. Lee, Chloé Galibert-Laîné

Scriptwriter: Kevin B Lee, Chloé Galibert-Laîné

Producer: Kevin B Lee, Chloé Galibert-Laîné

Camera: Kevin B Lee, Chloé Galibert-Laîné

Release date: 01/06/2020

Runtime: 100 min

Film synopsis Bottled Songs is a desktop documentary exploring the online propaganda of the Islamic State. Through intimate video letters shared directly from their screens, researchers Chloé and Kevin reveal how their initial viewings have left them bewildered about the role of mainstream media in producing everyday states of terror. Further investigation leads them to develop creative methods of coping with extremist media while exploring the complex dynamics of filmmaking, gender and power behind their production and circulation. Through an encounter with a professional research group, they find more methods to withstand the psychic violence of contemporary media and possibilities to produce images to counter the persistent spread of online terrorism.

The third workshop of Feature Launch 2019 has successfully finished today in Karlovy Vary. Eighteen participants with eight exciting projects and two script consultant trainees attended the final workshop, which was held from June 28 till July 3, 2019 in the Czech Republic – starting in Prague and finishing within Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. 

Eight promising projects of feature films were pitched on Monday, July 1 during Works in Development – Feature Launch – a project showcase and networking event. 

Three awards altogether were given out to Feature Launch 2019 participants:

KVIFF & MIDPOINT Development Award 
The main award of 10.000 EUR was received by Hungarian project Some Birds, Daniel Hever's feature debut, written by Zsanett Kertesz and produced by Laszlo Dreissiger.

The jury consisting of Hugo Rosak (Head of Industry at KVIFF), Danijel Hocevar (producer, Feature Launch Head of Studies) and Katriel Schory(producer, Feature Launch Expert) has awarded the project “for a story about two characters that are trying to find a place in the world creating a special bond which transcends generations.” 

This joint financial award of the Karlovy Vary IFF and MIDPOINT is aimed to support emerging talents mainly from Central and Eastern Europe and help to further develop their feature film project.

connecting cottbus Award 
The graduate project Rattlesnakes, presented by producer Maja Ilic and director Nikola Ljuca, was granted the opportunity to attend the connecting cottbus co-production market in November 2019 in Germany. 

Rotterdam Lab Scholarship Award 
Elene Margvelashvili, the producer of the Georgian project Grey Skies, was chosen to participate in the professional training program for producers, Rotterdam Lab, which will take place within International Film Festival Rotterdam in January 2020. 

Huge congratulations to all the winners and all graduated participants of MIDPOINT Feature Launch 2019! 

To follow up on Feature Launch as a year-long program, 
partner co-production market When East Meets West invites all the participating producers to Trieste, Italy in January 2020, offering them one more chance to meet with their potential artistic and financing partners during the Feature Launch Spotlight.

MIDPOINT Feature Launch is realized with the support of Creative Europe – MEDIA Programme of the European Union, the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic and the Czech Film Fund. It is presented in cooperation with Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, When East Meets West, Trieste Film Festival, the Lithuanian Film Centre, connecting cottbus, CineMart, Art Department Masterclass and Audiovisual Producers' Association. MIDPOINT operates under the auspices of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague.

WHEN EAST MEETS WEST summer news

2020 East & West Focus

First Cut + and MIDPOINT Shorts

A breath of fresh air to start your summer! 

WEMW is planning several new events and partnerships for the next 2020 edition to be held in Trieste on January 19/21, 2020. 

After the successful 2019 edition, WEMW 2020 will have a new exciting East & West focus on Hungary, Romania, Moldova & Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Starting from early September producers from all over Europe and North/Latin America will be able to apply to the WEMW Co-production Forum and WEMW will select 20 projects in development with international co-production potential, preferably with one of the 2020 territories on focus.

The WEMW 2020 programme will expand and will host the winter session of First Cut +, a program extension of First Cut Lab, the editing workshop for films from Central & Eastern Europe run by Tatino Films and in partnership with WEMW and Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. First Cut + is a carefully curated portfolio of 16 films which will be thoroughly supported on their way towards the market & audiences and is comprised of First Cut Lab alumni as well as alumni from partner programs Less is More (LIM) and MIDPOINT Feature Launch. The creative teams will benefit from tailor-made modules for enhancing their promotion & audience engagement strategies, together with works-in-progress screenings for selected industry people. 8 projects will participate in First Cut+ in Trieste and another 8 projects in the summer session in Karlovy Vary in July 2020. First Cut+ is the only brand-new action to receive financial support from the Access to Markets’ scheme of the Creative Europe’s MEDIA sub-programme. The initiative will be officially launched and presented at the Karlovy Vary IFF at 5 p.m. on July 2, 2019.

Last but not least, WEMW will start looking for the best shorts in development from the next generation of European filmmakers. After the successful cooperation with Feature Launch, a unique platform for emerging talents from Central and Eastern Europe developing their 1st or 2nd feature, WEMW and MIDPOINT will consolidate their cooperation with a reshaped programme exclusively for short films in development. MIDPOINT Shorts will select 4 teams of writers, directors, and producers and will offer intensive script and project development during two residential workshops. The whole program will conclude in Trieste with a project showcase in front of many decision makers within WEMW. 

The deadline for submissions is July 26, 2019 and more detailed info about the MIDPOINT Shorts 2019-2020 here.

This is just the beginning of a series of new initiatives with which the 10th anniversary of WEMW will be celebrated in 2020! Stay tuned and after the summer break the complete programme will be unveiled!

WEMW 2020 will be organized once again by the FVG Audiovisual Fund in collaboration with the Trieste Film Festival and thanks to the precious and constant support of Creative Europe/MEDIA Programme, Direzione Centrale per il Cinema – MiBAC, CEI – Central European Initiative and Film Center Serbia.

More information will be soon available at www.wemw.it and on our Facebook page.