The 9th European Work in Progress (EWIP) and the 5th International Film Distribution Summit (IFDS) are two trailblazing industry events. This year’s EWIP will take place from 28 to 30 September 2026, followed by the IFDS from 29 September to 1 October 2026. Both will take place in Hamburg in the framework of the FilmFest Hamburg Industry Days.
Supported by Creative Europe - MEDIA, EWIP will this year again present 25 promising European feature-length projects. Participating films need to be close to completion or in post production and have at least one producer or coproducer from Europe. Projects are selected for exclusive presentations to international sales agents, distributors, festival curators, and other film professionals.
Projects presented at EWIP have gone on to premiere at Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Sundance, San Sebastián, Rotterdam, Toronto, and more often securing key international sales and distribution deals. Two of last year’s winners of EWIP are now part of the official selection in Cannes this year: Elephants in the Fog by Abinash Bikram Shah, which won The Post Republic Award, a postproduction support worth 30,000 EUR, and I'll Be Gone In June by Katharina Rivilis, winner of the Way Film Translation Award at EWIP 2025. Both have premiered at Cannes’ Un Certain Regard, where Elephants in the Fog won the Jury Prize.
Further successful EWIP participants include I Spy With My Little Eye, directed by Alisa Kolosova, as well as Zejtune by Alex Camilleri (produced by Noruz Films, Pellikola, and Solari Productions,
coproduced by One Two Films, and Rebecca Anastasi , EWIP 2024), both of which celebrated their World Premiere at the Tribeca Festival this June. Most recently, two films from the EWIP 2025 selection have also received awards at the Locarno Film Festival: Down by the River by Enock Carvalho and Matheus Farias, which won the Special Jury Prize in the International Competition, and Paradeisa by Marleen Valien, winner of the Locarno Kids Award la Mobiliare.
The 5th International Film Distribution Summit (IFDS) focuses on film distribution, and features a unique platform for international colleagues of the film industry. It offers dialogue and networking opportunities to analyse and keep in touch with the ever-changing global culture industry. Keynotes, panels, masterclasses and informal talks ensure the development of new visions about meaningful contribution to a vivid culture industry. The highlight of the IFDS 2026 will again be the Best International Innovation Distribution Award.
This year’s 5th Best International Innovation Distribution Award will be supported by the Marché du Film as an official partner of the celebration of excellence in film distribution during the unique international gathering.
The winners in recent years were Elissa Federoff from US distributor Neon in 2022 and Enrique Costa, founder and CEO of Spanish production company and distributor Elastica Films in 2023, Andrea Occhipinti, CEO of Italian distributor Lucky Red in 2024 and Yohann Comte, co-founder and chairman of French World Sales Charades in 2025.
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