This year, connecting cottbus goes into its 25th edition. We are happy to report that since coco’s inception in 1999, well over half of the projects presented have been completed, and almost 70 percent of those had an A-list festival premiere. We look forward to some special anniversary events during which we will look back on the market’s history, talk about some alumni films, share memories and simply celebrate with you!
Regarding this year’s line-up: The feature film projects that will be pitched at coco 2023 come from 15 countries from wider Eastern Europe. The selection of projects in development (cocoPITCH) features debuts by upcoming directors as well as new work by established filmmakers. Magical realism, political allegory, drama and dramedy, the stylistic spectrum is rich and varied. Protagonists struggle with their family history and personal identity, others have to navigate a profoundly changed status quo around them. Main characters range from control freaks, Uber drivers, a deaf-blind couple and a supposedly gay altar boy.
This year’s cocoWIP selection of works in progress comprises intimate stories about female coming-of-age and trauma. Dystopian sci-fi can be found next to a deadpan slacker comedy and a tense smuggling thriller.
We look forward to meeting the filmmakers behind these exciting projects and to continue to facilitate connections between all of you. The East-West co-production market was designed to provide a platform for dialogue and exchange, all with the goal to bring all these multifaceted stories from the region to life and to see them on the big screen.
Join us! Producers, sales agents, commissioning editors and other industry representatives active in East-West European co-production can apply to attend without a project until 6 October.
cocoPITCH Projects 2023:
A LEG | Kazakhstan | dir: Shokir Kholikov
prod: Aigerim Satybaldy | A Films
AT YOUR SERVICE | Estonia | dir: German Golub
prod: Evelin Penttilä, Johanna Maria Paulson | Stellar Film
BALLAD OF THE SKELETON | Turkey | dir: Murat Uğurlu
prod: Ilgım Coşar | Rubikon Film / Monday Film
Midpoint - coco Award (Midpoint Feature Launch)
EXCAVATORS | Cyprus, USA | dir: Argyro Nicolaou
prod: Constantinos Nikiforou, Minos Papas | Caretta Films / Cyprian Films, New York
HONEYMOON | Ukraine | dir: Zhanna Ozirna
prod: Dmytro Sukhanov | Toy Cinema
Special Pitch Award FilmFestival Cottbus
LA MANCHE | Poland | dir: Damian Kocur
prod: Anna Gawlita, Marta Szymanowska | Kijora Film
MATHER | Bulgaria | dir: Anguelina Rangelova & Vesela Kazakova
prod: Mina Mileva, Vesela Kazakova, Ivelina Pavlova | Activist 38 / Doni Mont
MY WORLD UPSIDE DOWN | Slovakia, Germany | dir: Daniel Rihák
prod: Martina Saková, Daniel Rihák | WHAT IF Films / Projector23
NIGHT WAVES | Croatia | dir: Filip Heraković
prod: Tamara Babun, Matija Drniković | Wolfgang & Dolly
Transilvania Pitch Stop - coco Award
PYRRHIC | Romania | dir: Cosmin Nicolae
prod: Velvet Moraru, Ioana Moraru | Icon Production
RESONANCE | Bulgaria, Greece | dir: Yordan Petkov
prod: Vanya Rainova, Victoria Mitreva, Rossitsa Valkanova, Mina Dreki |
Portokal / Garti Films / Klas Film / Marni Films
TACTILE UNIVERSE | Hungary | dir: Szilárd Bernáth
prod: András Muhi | Focus Fox
THE FOURTH WAY | Germany, Uzbekistan, France | dir: Sasha Kulak
prod: Julia Shaginurova, Louis Beaudemont |
Einbahnstraße Productions / SESTRA Films / Les Steppes Productions
cocoWIP Projects 2023:
BORDERLINE | Lithuania | dir: Ignas Jonynas
prod: Ruta Adelė Jekentaitė | Baltic Productions
CHRYSANTHEMUM DAY | Ukraine, The Netherlands | dir: Simon Mozgovyi
prod: Daryna Zakharova, Artem Koliubaiev, Alex Chepiga, Annemiek van der Hell |
Mainstream Pictures / Windmill Film
INK WASH | Romania, Greece | dir: Sarra Tsorakidis
prod: Anca Puiu, Nikos Moustakas | Mandragora / Bad Crowd
NO MORE | Georgia | dir: Keko Chelidze & Kote Kalandadze
prod: Elene Margvelashvili | Parachute Films
ON THE WATER SURFACE | Turkey, Germany | dir: Zeynep Köprülü
prod: Utku Zeka, Okan Üzey, Paulina Toenne | Periferi Film / Kalavara Film / Tamtam Film
WET MONDAY | Poland, Czech Republic, Estonia | dir: Justyna Mytnik
prod: Marta Gmosińska, Jakub Kostal, Marianne Ostrat |
Lava Films / Bionaut / Aleksandra Film
