The ESP Coproduction Forum celebrates another strong edition!
The European Short Pitch Coproduction Forum enjoyed both an impressive turnout and a stimulating array of promising pitches at the 16th edition, held in February, 2023. With over one hundred industry professionals in attendance, this year also marked the second edition to be coordinated as a hybrid event, taking place both on site, as part of the Festival Travelling and online via the digital ESP platform. The event kicked off with the pitching and live Q&A session on 9th February, which was followed by four days of networking and one to one meetings between the ESP participants and invited industry professionals.
For the second section of the Coproduction Forum, a full transition was made over to the ESP digital platform, where, amongst other activities, panel discussions were available for all attendees, covering important topics such as green production, and exploring the European landscape for initiatives which assist feature film projects, a potential next step on the horizon for ESP participants.
From the Development Workshop, held in November 2022, through to the end of the Coproduction Forum period, the ESP initiative was supported by an extensive team of industry professionals who step in to share their expertise and invaluable guidance with the selected participants at different points throughout the programme. A select group however, accompanies the projects directly, as tutors and consultants. This year, ESP was honoured to be able to include the following professionals to make up this group: Andreea Borțun (Romania), Britta Krause (Germany), Nayeem Mahbub (Bangladesh / Sweden) as script tutors, Emilie Dubois (France), production consultant, Licia Eminenti (Italy / France), pitching consultant, Cǎtalin Cristuțiu (Romania), editing consultant and Christina Demetriou (United Kingdom / Germany), distribution consultant.
The ESP line-up comprised of 12 projects in development and 4 works in progress for its 16th edition:
Short film projects in development:
Bloom by Tamara Broćić, produced by Lucha / Jovana Jovicic - Serbia
Boyfriend by Leesa Ulanova-Wilson and Braden Wilson, produced by Alexandra Film / Marianne Ostrat - Estonia
Eraserhead in a Knitted Shopping Bag by Lili Koss, produced by Portokal / Vanya Rainova, Little Big Story - Bulgaria / France
Gusto Gusto by Marja Bål Nango and Smávut Ingir Bål Nango, produced by Máigon Film / Marja Bål Nango - Norway
Husky by Lana Bregar, produced by Staragara / Nina Robnik - Slovenia
Last Night of the Year by Ivana Hucíková, produced by NO CAP Collective / Monika Kraft, Michala Cellerová - Slovakia
Ox Blood by Clàudia Munuera, produced by Fractal 7 / Marc Guanyabens - Spain
Robert (the Robot) by Aaron Lucas, produced by Black Boat Pictures / Valentin Le Blanc, White Boat Pictures / Delphine Duez - Germany / France / Belgium
Sajbija by Carmen Baltzar, produced by Kenno Filmi Osk / Danai Anagnostou - Finland
Siblings by Jessica Laurent, produced by Sun Creature France / Charlotte de la Gournerie, Vivement Lundi! / Jean-François Le Corre - France (Focus Brittany)
The Unrelieved Weight of an Inert Mass by Eirini Vianelli, produced by Heretic / Danae Spathara - Greece
Vultures by Dian Weys, produced by Electronic Roof Films / Le Roux Fourie - Netherlands / South Africa
Works in progress:
Honeymoon by Alkis Papastathopoulos, produced by Merricat Film / Maria Hatzakou, AbFab Productions, Tornos Productions LTD - Greece / Cyprus
One Day Something (Terrible) is Going To Happen by Dalija Dozet, produced by Wolfgang & Dolly / Tamara Babun & Matija Drniković - Croatia
Place the Sun Sets; The West by Amin Zouiten, produced by Plattform Produktion / Claes Hedlund, Film i Väst, Lampray, Kasbah Film - Sweden / Morocco
Scales Fell From Their Eyes by Coline Confort, produced by Climage / Pascaline Sordet - Switzerland (Focus Switzerland)
You can read more about each project and the respective creative team via our Book of Projects, which can be downloaded here.
The European Short Pitch congratulates all of the participants on their outstanding pitches and looks forward to seeing which potential collaborations will be born off the back of this year’s edition!
A special mention also goes out to the award-winners of ESP 2022|23:
The European Short Pitch award, granted by Région Bretagne, which includes a €3000 development grant, was awarded to Bloom by Tamara Broćić.
A brief statement from the jury on this selection:
“...our choice went to an up-and-coming and emerging duo, a writer / filmmaker and producer, whose energy, synergy and togetherness moved and left an imprint on us…But most importantly, because they made us travel in their oneiric world, where transmissions of myths reminded us of the power of the imagination and the need to uncover our most intimate secrets and wonders. And because we hope that this award will encourage them to keep on developing this tale and bring out the power and the emotion we have seen in it.”
Three additional prizes were also awarded at the Coproduction Forum:
Boyfriend by Leesa Ulanova-Wilson & Braden Wilson, was presented with the Music & Cinema Award, granted by Music & Cinema - Festival International du Film à Marseille
Place the Sun Sets; the West by Amin Zouiten, was presented with the Distribution Award, granted by Radiator IP Sales
Honeymoon by Alkis Papastathopoulos, was presented with the Mastering-in-kind Award, granted by The Pack
The European Short Pitch Jury featured Aleksandra Kostina, (Ukraine, Bosonfilm), Camille Ferrero (France, Le Groupe Ouest) and Delphine Jeanneret (Switzerland, HEAD Genève / Internationale Kurzfilmage Winterthur).
With thanks once again to the partners of ESP 2022|23: Creative Europe MEDIA, Région Bretagne, Institut Français, Rennes Villes et Métropole, Festival Travelling, Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur, Procirep, Wyth, Films en Bretagne, Festival International Music & Cinema - Marseille, Radiator IP Sales, The Pack, Pustnik Screenwriting Residency, Festival Scope Pro.
Photo by Benoît Le Guillou
