European Short Pitch announces project in development selection and mentors for its 18th edition, ESP 2025
Next week, the European Short Pitch 2025 development workshop will kick off, and we are proud to unveil the twelve chosen projects for this year’s edition.
Faithful to its tradition of showcasing European richness and diversity, this year’s line-up features 12 bold new cinematic voices, weaving together a remarkable range of formats, genres, and themes. From narrative fiction and folklore horror to Kafkaesque socio-political stories, experimental hybrids, and intimate documentaries, these projects delve into love, grief, and parenthood while addressing issues of identity, social injustice, and the complexities of belonging. With female protagonists confronting tragic circumstances, explorations of masculinity and societal conventions, and comedic takes on motherhood, this year’s ESP slate promises to resonate with audiences of all kinds.
The projects coming from 12 countries represent a broad geographic range, drawing talent from the Nordic regions, the Mediterranean, the Balkans, and Central and Eastern Europe. Among the twelve selected projects, over 50% are led by female directors or co-writers, underlining ESP’s continued commitment to promoting gender equity in cinema.
Under the guidance of Julie Marnay (Head of Programme) and Olga Lamontanara (Head of Coproduction Forum), ESP proudly enters its 18th edition, continuing its mission to nurture emerging European talent through its mentorship program. To date, the initiative has supported the completion and release of over 150 films. Notable recent highlights include Viv Li’s Across the Waters (Cannes Official Selection 2024), Dorothy Sing Zhang’s Masterpiece Mommy (TIFF 2024), and Abdelrahman Dnewar’s My Brother, My Brother to be showcased soon at IFFR 2025.
For the first time, the Coproduction Forum will take place in collaboration with Leiden Shorts, one of the most important short film events in the Netherlands. Leiden Shorts uses cinema to amplify underrepresented voices and showcase bold stories and innovative forms. This new partnership highlights ESP’s dedication to fostering fresh connections across Europe, making this collaboration an exciting opportunity for spotlighting diverse talent from across the continent.
The 2025 selection features a dynamic mix of 9 live-action fiction projects, 1 documentary, 1 hybrid/experimental, and 1 docu-fiction, led by filmmakers from 12 European countries.
Albania, Mon Amour by Filip Jembrih, co-writer: Ela Božič, produced by Monoo / Sonja Prosenc – Slovenia
Agitations by Gunnur Martinsdóttir Schlüter, produced by Gjola / Ásdís Thoroddsen, Nordur / Rúnar Ingi – Iceland
Buck Moon by Frank van den Bogaart (The Netherlands), produced by Krater Films / Maarten D'Hollander – Belgium
Capital Punishment by Macha Ovtchinnikova, produced by Vents Contraires / Quentin Just – France
Closing Time by Sara Jurinčić, produced by Restart / Vanja Jambrović – Croatia
In the Name of Ukraine by Vyacheslav Turyanytsya, produced by Contemporary Ukrainian Cinema / Inna Lastochkina – Ukraine
Inside by Dorota Vlnová, produced by Hitchhiker Cinema / Roman Pivovarník – Slovakia
Memories of Beyond by Alicia Mendy, produced by Lido Pictures / Rhea Plangg – Switzerland (Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur Selection)
Mother Nature by Barbara Anastacio, produced by Foi Bonita A Festa / Catarina de Sousa – Portugal
Nobody Said Anything by Tamara Todorović, produced by Naked / Čarna Vučinić – Serbia
Things That Can Ruin a Picnic by Hanna Hovitie – Finland
Vaterland by Berthold Wahjudi, produced by Mad Films / Jonas Egert, Sylvain Cruiziat, Allergikerfilm / Melissa Byrne – Germany
This year’s ESP 2025 mentors bring a wealth of expertise and international perspectives to guide the selected filmmakers throughout the program: Laure Desmazières, a French screenwriter, filmmaker, and consultant, is a graduate of the esteemed La Fémis and has written a range of acclaimed works, including Christopher at Sea by Tom CJ Brown (multiple international awards) and Blanco en Blanco by Théo Court (Venice International Film Festival winner); she also consults for programs such as Produire au Sud, Poitiers Film Festival, and La Scénaristerie. Nayeem Mahbub, based between Stockholm and Tallinn, is an ESP alum and international script consultant with experience in renowned programs such as EAVE Producers Workshop, LIM Boosting Ideas, and Pop Up Film Residency; a DOCNomads graduate, he began his career directing 2D animation in Bangladesh before working as a producer for the BBC World Service and as a film editor on projects like Streams (SVT). Patricia Drati, a Ugandan-origin producer, director, and consultant, is an award-winning industry expert who, as Head of CPH:LAB at CPH:DOX (2009–2015), curated over 40 cross-cultural films, many of which premiered at festivals such as Venice, Rotterdam, and Visions du Réel; now a creative producer at Good Company Pictures, she develops her own films while consulting for prestigious programs like TorinoFilmLab, IFFR, and BFI Doc Society Fund.
The Development Workshop will take place from 13-17 January 2025, focusing on script development to refine and strengthen the selected projects. Later in the year, the Work-in-Progress (WIP) selection will add four projects to the edition and will benefit from additional consultations on production, distribution, and pitch preparation, ensuring they are ready for the next stages of their journey.
The program will culminate with the Coproduction Forum at Leiden Shorts, held on 2-3 June, 2025, as well as online 5-6 June 2025, where participants will present their projects to industry professionals through pitches and 1:1 meetings.
European Short Pitch 2025 is co-funded by the European Union, Creative Europe MEDIA programme and is organised in partnership with: Leiden Shorts, Gemeente Leiden, Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur, Music & Cinema Marseille, Radiator IP Sales, Pustnik and Festival Scope Pro.
