Latest news with #co-production
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Karlovy Vary Eastern Promises Winners Include ‘Battalion Records,' ‘In Vacuo'
The Eastern Promises industry section and film market of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF) handed out its awards Tuesday evening. KVIFF Eastern Promises describes its mission as 'bridging the gap between talented filmmakers and their potential co-production partners, festivals and audiences.' This year, 40 film and series projects competed for awards. More from The Hollywood Reporter 'A Second Life' Review: Agathe Rousselle, Star of Palme d'Or Winner 'Titane,' Carries a Compellingly Off-the-Cuff Paris Movie TikTok Suspends Toronto Film Fest, Junos Sponsorships Ahead of Canadian Operations Closure 'Jimmy Jaguar' Review: An Atypical Hungarian Horror Flick That's More Provocative Than Frightening 'Every country in Central Europe has something unique to showcase, but even experienced filmmakers often struggle to close financing,' said Hugo Rosák, the head of the KVIFF Film Industry Office. 'The support structures here are still relatively fragile. Our hope is that by curating projects in close collaboration with national film institutes, we can offer producers and investors a selection they can trust, and ultimately help unlock co-financing with greater confidence. At the same time, we want to spark more awareness and collaboration between producers in the region. There's a lot of potential for working together, and this format helps make those connections visible.' The 59th edition of KVIFF runs through Saturday, July 12. Check out the Eastern Promises winners 2025 below. Eurimages Co-Production Development Awards The winner gets a 20,000 euros ($23,445) cash prize for further development, sponsored by the Eurimages fund. Battalion Records (Romania), directed and written by Ștefan Bîtu-Tudoran and produced by Diana Caravia. Jury statement: 'We are pleased to award the Co-Production Development Award to a bold debut that confronts the decay of culture. Because sometimes, to make people listen, you must turn things upside down – and this absurdist heist comedy does so with rebellious energy.' Eurimages Special Co-Production Development Award An additional 20,000 euros ($23,445) prize was donated by Eurimages to support a 'particularly promising' Ukrainian project. In Vacuo (Ukraine), directed and written by Yelizaveta Smith and produced by Eugene Rachkovsky. Jury statement: 'We are proud to award this Ukrainian feature debut set in Odessa. The film explores the universal impact of loss and how absence shapes both identities and communities, highlighting the importance of remembering before it's too late.' Midpoint & KVIFF Development Award The winner gets a 10,000 euros ($11,722) cash prize for further development, jointly sponsored by Midpoint, Barrandov Studio and of Illness (Croatia), directed and written by David Gašo and produced by Marta Eva Mećava. Jury statement: 'A film narrative is typically driven by characters, yet it can also take the form of a spatial and temporal fluid — shaped by its own color, form, and tone. We have chosen to highlight a charming film project in which human unease plunges into an absurd labyrinth where anxiety peers out from the corners of humor.' 'History of Illness' Connecting Cottbus Award The winner is granted the opportunity to pitch at Connecting Cottbus, the East-West co-production market, during the Film Festival Cottbus. RadioAmateur (Poland), directed and written by Tomasz Habowski and produced by Marta Szarzyńska . Statement: 'We were really taken with this haunting and unsentimental story of a dinosaur and his broken tools of communication, and we were happy to find out there may still be someone at the other end of the line for him.' 'RadioAmateur' Rotterdam Lab Award The winner gets to participate in the Rotterdam Lab professional training programme for producers, which takes place during the International Film Festival Rotterdam. Ondřej Lukeš, producer of the film Restless (Czech Republic). Statement: 'Considering the right and accurate timing, their career and the potential of their projects in development, as well as the potential for internationalisation of their work, but also the conception of production, ambitions and growth, we invite Ondřej Lukeš to attend Rotterdam Lab 2026.' Marché du Film Producers Network Award The winners get to participate in the Marché du Film and Producers Network during the next Cannes Film Festival. Michelle Brøndum Hauerbach, producer of Soyboy (United Kingdom) and Genovéva Petrovits, producer of Democracy: Work In Progress (Hungary, Czech Republic, Germany) Best of The Hollywood Reporter The 40 Best Films About the Immigrant Experience Wes Anderson's Movies Ranked From Worst to Best 13 of Tom Cruise's Most Jaw-Dropping Stunts
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Karlovy Vary Film Fest Rejigs Industry Days With Launch of KVIFF Central Stage, Series Incubator
The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF) is expanding its Industry Days program by a day, refocusing and adding some new offerings this year, including a series incubator. Running Sunday, July 6-Wednesday, July 9, the Eastern Promises industry section and market will have 'a sharpened focus on Central European co-production opportunities in an updated showcase format.' The extended program also broadens its scope with new presentations and events dedicated to the small screen and series development. More from The Hollywood Reporter Canadian Industry Rebuffs Trump's DEI Rollback Sony Music Publishing Acquires Hipgnosis Songs Group Trump's Trade War Will Loom Large Over the Banff World Media Fest In one significant change, the fest is launching a new format dedicated to showcasing film projects in the making. As a result, the previous Works in Progress pitches will be replaced by a KVIFF Central Stage showcase, thanks to a cooperation with the national film institutes of eight Central European countries, namely Austria, Czechia, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Ukraine. The showcase, taking place on July 8, will feature 13 fiction films, to be unveiled later, by established filmmakers from these countries that are in late stages of development, in production or post-production. 'Instead of traditional pitches, the projects will be introduced through interactive talks, focusing on the filmmakers and co-production landscape in each of the participating countries,' KVIFF. 'We chose this new format because it addresses a real gap in the Central European film landscape,' explained Hugo Rosák, the head of the KVIFF Industry Office. 'There is significant support for emerging filmmakers across Eastern Europe, but mid-career filmmakers often lack the necessary spotlight and resources to secure financing, even though their projects are equally compelling.' Participating projects will be eligible for post-production benefits, thanks to a generous partnership with studios UPP and Soundsquare, which will also offer discounts to productions qualifying for the Czech Audiovisual Fund's 35 percent incentive for digital production. 'The most promising films in development, selected by an international jury, will also be eligible' for the Eurimages Co-Production Development Award. Also, via a partnership with broadcaster and entertainment giant Central European Media Enterprises Ltd. (CME), the festival will introduce a Pop-Up Series Incubator featuring five original European series. 'The aim is to establish Karlovy Vary as a hub for co-productions and creative collaborations across diverse narrative forms,' organizers said. 'This collaboration aims at transforming Karlovy Vary into a comprehensive hub for television and streaming series development.' In line with this new 'Small Screen, Big Ambitions' push, KVIFF will feature showcases, panels, workshops, and talks by small-screen players and experts on July 8 and July 9. 'Television and streaming production in our region is undergoing a massive transformation – not only in content quality but also in creative ambitions. Partnering with KVIFF is a natural step for us,' said Daniel Grunt, CEO of CME's Czech unit Nova Group. 'We believe that the connection between the film and television worlds can bring crucial momentum to the entire Central and Eastern European region.' The Pop Up Series Incubator, presented and organized by Tatino Films, co-financed by the European Union and supported and hosted by La Région Grand Est, the city of Reims, and KVIFF, the eight-month-long program will in Karlovy Vary get a pitching session where the creative teams will present their series concepts to industry professionals and decision makers, followed by curated match-making sessions with professionals that look to finance or produce series. 'Most of the upcoming shows of streamers are adaptations of existing IPs – literary, audiovisual works or even true stories. The reason for that is simple: building an audience or generating attention from scratch is seen as way too risky and unlikely considering the financial implications of drama series production,' said Matthieu Darras, CEO of Tatino Films. 'This 'IP Adaptation Game' is mostly reserved to big players, but Pop Up Series wants to create opportunities for audiovisual talents that are not necessarily in the orbit of international behemoths, such as Banijay, Fremantle, or Mediawan, to adapt their own IPs into compelling series projects.' The five selected series projects that will be showcased in Karlovy Vary are Angelmaker (Romania), based on a true story of The Angel Makers of Nagyrév, a group of people in Hungary who were suspected of poisoning, Erotic Lives of the Superheroes (France), based on Italian novel La Vita Erotica Dei Superuomini by Marco Mancassola, The Night of the Beguines (France), based on French novel La Nuit des Béguines by Aline Kiner, The Three Burials of Irma (Greece), based on Greek novel Alfatride (O iatrodikastis) by Vassilis Vassilikos, and Therapies (Lithuania) vased on a play by Birutė Kapustinskaitė. Returning this year is a KVIFF Eastern Promises staple, the Midpoint Institute's Works in Development international script development program, which will showcase nine feature-length projects that are currently in development, as featured in more detail here, plus five projects, details for which are here, developed within Midpoint's Focus Queer, a program supporting filmmakers exploring queer narratives. Also returning, for its third edition, will be KVIFF Talents, a year-long program supporting talented Czech and Slovak filmmakers and their innovative projects. Its Creative Pool, focusing on identifying innovative ideas for audiovisual works of any genre or format — from short films and series to podcasts or game concepts, this year features as selected projects Mould, an animated series for children and adults, anime series Lost Boys, and live-action musical series Remake. The Feature Pool, dedicated to supporting the development of original auteur-driven feature-length fiction films, this year features Nameless, a feature debut combining live-action and stop-motion animation, thriller feature Spirit Moose, and Burnout, a feature debut based on a novel by Petr Šesták. 'We believe that we have a unique opportunity to strengthen our position as the leading industry event dedicated to Central Europe, a region that also includes creative powerhouses like Poland, Germany or Austria, and deserves focused international attention,' said Kryštof Mucha, the executive director of KVIFF. 'Our aim is to serve as a central hub for producers, filmmakers, broadcasters, and platforms from Central Europe, alongside global industry professionals who wish to engage closely with this vibrant region. Recognizing the growing crossover of storytelling across various mediums, our expanded Industry Days now have the capacity and vision to fully embrace this evolution.' 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Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jafar Panahi, Nader Saeivar Collaboration Among Film Projects in KVIFF Central Stage Showcase
The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival recently unveiled a sharpened Central-European co-production focus for its rebranded KVIFF Central Stage showcase. On Monday, the fest unveiled the 14 projects from eight different countries of Central Europe that will be featured at its 59th edition next month. The movie projects seeking co-production and financing opportunities, sales, distribution or festival premieres come from 'established filmmakers with extensive festival pedigrees,' including Iran's Nader Saeivar (The Witness), who will be presenting a project that he co-wrote with Cannes Palme d'Or 2025 winner Jafar Panahi (It Was Just an Accident) who is also editing it, an adaptation of Austrian author and playwright Thomas Bernhard's novel The Lime Works by Austria's Andreas Horvath (Lillian), and Hungary's László Csuja (Gentle). 'The selected projects, which are currently in various stages of development, production or post-production, will be showcased through interactive conversations about the filmmakers' career paths and co-production possibilities across the participating countries,' KVIFF organizers said. 'The participating projects will also gain access to exclusive post-production advantages through a generous partnership with industry-leading studios UPP and Soundsquare, while also being eligible for the €20,000 ($23,000) Eurimages Co-Production Development Award.'Meanwhile, the recently established showcase KVIFF Talents, focused on seeking out and supporting talented Czech and Slovak filmmakers and innovative audiovisual genres, will be joined by a guest project from Hungarian filmmaker István Kovács. He will pitch the feature-length version of his Student Academy Award-winning short film A Siege (Ostrom) in Karlovy Vary. The new KVIFF Central Stage event, taking place on Tuesday, July 8, was created by the KVIFF Film Industry Office in cooperation with the national film institutes of eight Central European countries, namely Austria, Czechia, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Ukraine. 'We introduced this new format to address a notable gap in the Central European film landscape,' said Hugo Rosák, the head of the KVIFF Industry Office. 'While emerging filmmakers often receive substantial support, mid-career filmmakers typically have fewer opportunities for visibility and financing, despite their equally compelling projects.'Here is a look at the 14 fiction film projects that will be presented at KVIFF Central. More from The Hollywood Reporter Shane Meadows Teams Up With 'Adolescence' Writer Jack Thorne for Feature Film Return UTA Appoints Darnell Strom to Lead London Office With Eye on Growth Into "Major International Hub" Global Media Warns of Escalation as U.S. Bombs Iran Nuclear Sites (Austria) Attending – Director, Scriptwriter, Producer: Andreas Horvath'An adaptation of the eponymous novel by controversial Austrian 'Nestbeschmutzer' (denigrator of his own country) Thomas Bernhard' that is both surrealist and nightmarish. (Czech Republic, Poland, Slovak Republic)Director: Julius Ševčík Scriptwriter: Julius Ševčík, Petr Kolečko Producer: Vanessa Biermannová, Rudolf Biermann 'A standalone sequel to the immensely successful A Prominent Patient by Julius Ševčík, which premiered at Berlinale and won 12 Czech Lion Awards.' (Czech Republic, Netherlands, Slovak Republic) Director, Scriptwriter: Michal Hogenauer Producer: Marek Novák Hogenauer, 'familiar to KVIFF audiences from the East Meets West or Proxima competitions, will present his new project in development.' (Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Poland) Director, Scriptwriter: Šimon Holý Producer: Marek Novák Holý, 'familiar to KVIFF audiences from the East Meets West or Proxima competitions, will present his new project in development.' (Germany, Turkey) Director, Scriptwriter: Nader Saeivar Producer: Said Nur Akkus, Tatiana Tsyganova, Emre Oskay 'The German-funded (with Turkish co-production) Hijamat is a new film by renowned Iranian director Nader Saeivar, who won the audience award at Venice for The Witness (2024) and best screenplay at Cannes for 3 Faces, written together with his long-term collaborator Jafar Panahi (winner of this year's Palme d'Or at Cannes), who is also editing this project. The film is now in production and seeking production and distribution partners.' (Hungary, Romania) Director: László Csuja Scriptwriter: Éva Zabezsinszkij, László Csuja Producer: Anna Szijártó 'Csuja, whose feature debut Blossom Valley won the jury prize at KVIFF and whose sophomore feature Gentle premiered in Sundance's World Cinema Competition, will present his new project in development.' (Hungary, Czech Republic, Germany) Director, Scriptwriter: Mihály Schwechtje Producer: Genovéva Petrovits 'Schwechtje continues his successful legacy of exploring societal issues through personal dramas with his new project.' (Poland) Director, Scriptwriter: Piotr Adamski Producer: Anna Gawlita, Marta Szymanowska 'Visual artist and filmmaker Piotr Adamski will present his new project, inspired by his late mother and the highs and lows of her bipolar disorder.' (Poland) Director, Scriptwriter: Jagoda Szelc (based on novel by Malgorzata Lebda) Producer: Joanna Szymańska 'Szelc, whose first two films premiered at Berlinale and Rotterdam respectively, will showcase her new drama, based on the eponymous novel by successful Polish writer Malgorzata Lebda.' (Slovak Republic, Czech Republic, Croatia) Director: Marko Škop Scriptwriter: Zuzana Liová, Marko Škop Producer: Marko Škop, Ján Meliš, Alice Zárubová Tabery, Marina Andree Škop 'Slovak director Marko Škop, whose previous films have been awarded at KVIFF and Toronto, will present his new feature currently in post-production.' (Slovenia, Austria) Director: Žiga Virc Scriptwriter: Iza Strehar Producer: Žiga Virc, Iza Strehar 'Virc (Houston! We Have a Problem!) brings his latest project.' (Slovenia, Norway, Italy) Director, Scriptwriter: Sonja Prosenc Producer: Rok Sečen 'Prosenc (Family Therapy) presents The Happiest Day, now in pre-production.' (Ukraine) Director, Scriptwriter: Yelizaveta Smith Producer: Eugene Rachkovsky 'Last but not least, Ukraine will be represented by Vacuum by Berlinale alumna Yelizaveta Smith, whose Militantropos (co-directed with Alina Gorlova and Simon Mozgovyi) just premiered in Cannes Directors' Fortnight.'Making-of (Ukraine, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic) Director, Scriptwriter: Ivan Tymchenko Producer: Svitlana Soloviova, Alžběta Janáčková'Ukraine's Tymchenko presents his new project.' Best of The Hollywood Reporter Wes Anderson's Movies Ranked From Worst to Best 13 of Tom Cruise's Most Jaw-Dropping Stunts Hollywood Stars Who Are One Award Away From an EGOT
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Costa Rica Strengthens Its Position as a Regional Hub for the Audiovisual Industry with New Regional Market
Costa Rica Media Market will take place June 24–25 in San José, with over 500 business meetings and participation from buyers, producers, and experts from 19 countries Organized by the Costa Rica Film Commission, PROCOMER and the Ministry of Culture and Youth, the event includes tours across six Film Friendly Zones in the country to highlight Costa Rica's advantages for audiovisual production. The platform offers project showcases, co-production opportunities, masterclasses, and funding access for the region. SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica, June 19, 2025 /CNW/ -- More than 50 buyers and 130 content creators from the Americas, Europe, and Asia will gather this June 24 and 25 at the Costa Rica Media Market (CRMM)—a space designed to boost the audiovisual industry in Central America and the Caribbean, energize regional content, and attract international co-productions and services. Hosted in San José, Costa Rica, the event will welcome leaders from the film, television, animation, video game, advertising, and technical service industries. Organized by the Costa Rica Film Commission, the Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (PROCOMER), and the Ministry of Culture and Youth (MCJ), CRMM is consolidating itself as a key platform to connect regional projects with the global market. This year, Costa Rica Media Market will feature more than 500 business meetings and 51 international buyers from 19 countries: Argentina, Germany, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Curaçao, Spain, France, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, the Netherlands, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom, the United States, Uruguay, and Venezuela. "Costa Rica Media Market is born as a bridge between creativity and opportunity. It is a space where Costa Rican talent in film, music, and literature finds strategic allies to grow, export, and transform our economy through culture. Together with PROCOMER, we are promoting not just a market, but an ecosystem of collaboration, innovation, and pride in what we have to share with the world. Because we believe in our stories, in our voices, and in the power of our narratives, this is a firm step toward a vibrant, strong, and future-facing cultural economy," said Jorge Rodríguez Vives, Minister of Culture and Youth. During the CRMM, there will be business roundtables, matchmaking sessions, expert panels, and masterclasses. The agenda also includes project showcases from the Costa Rica International Film Festival's Industry Section and from Tres Puertos Cine, a prominent residency for Latin American film projects that guides selected proposals from development to market. "Costa Rica Media Market is becoming a strategic platform to connect regional audiovisual talent with international opportunities. It's a tool to diversify our audiovisual content offering and generate co-productions, increasing exports and productive linkages for the sector. Costa Rica, with its strong value proposition, natural richness, and competitive tax incentives, positions itself as a key meeting point for the global industry," explained Laura López, CEO of PROCOMER. A highlight of the event will be the Fam Tours, scheduled for June 26–28. These are designed to showcase Costa Rica's potential as a filming destination. Producers and directors will tour the six Film Friendly Zones, mostly located outside the country's major cities. These areas offer a diversity of natural and urban settings, including jungles, coasts, rural towns, volcanoes, and historic centers—supported by solid logistical infrastructure, legal stability, and an incentive framework for international productions. CRMM builds upon the legacy of the Central America and Caribbean Audiovisual Market (MAUCC), which hosted over 1,000 business meetings across seven editions. This platform led to milestones such as the distribution of the film Una Navidad sin Nieve in the Arab region and the creation of the first digital channel exclusively dedicated to Costa Rican cinema on the well-known streaming platform FILMIN. Why Film in Costa Rica? Costa Rica offers key advantages for international audiovisual production: diverse locations within short distances, skilled technical professionals, legal stability, and reliable logistics. These are complemented by attractive fiscal incentives, such as income tax exemptions for foreign film productions, and streamlined administrative procedures to facilitate production processes. This set of benefits has positioned the country as a competitive destination for studios and production companies seeking efficiency, quality, and sustainable practices in their filming projects. World-Class Talent The CRMM will feature a diverse selection of international figures with broad experience in film, television, and content production. Among the guests are Costa Rican directors Antonella Sudasassi and Hernán Jiménez, as well as Pablo Guisa Koestinger, Andy van Veen, Lynette Coll, Adrian Gueyer, Emerson Machtus, Rom Donahue, Arnon Manor, and Arturo Cardelús, among others. As part of the official agenda, CRMM will also host project presentations selected by the Costa Rica International Film Festival and Tres Puertos Cine, a Latin American film project residency. The latter has formed a strategic alliance with Costa Rica Media Market to offer a program that merges creative development with direct market access—allowing top regional projects to move from incubation to co-production, financing, and international circulation. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Promotora de Comercio Exterior de Costa Rica (PROCOMER) View original content to download multimedia: Sign in to access your portfolio
CNA
05-06-2025
- Business
- CNA
Mediacorp partners with South Korean production house behind K-dramas Light Shop and Moving
Mediacorp has forged a partnership with renowned South Korean production company the creative force behind critically acclaimed K-dramas Light Shop and Moving, as well as the Korean unit for Marvel's Black Panther. The two companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the 18th Busan Content Market on May 28, according to a press release. As part of the MOU, Mediacorp and have agreed to work together on joint projects involving the production, distribution and promotion of international content, which includes embarking on potential Korean drama co-productions; bringing together their respective creative and production teams; as well as facilitating exchanges of on-screen talent between Singapore and South Korea for future projects. 'Collaborating with esteemed industry partners like marks a bold step forward in redefining creative storytelling for a global audience,' said Virginia Lim, chief content officer of Mediacorp. 'By combining Singapore's vibrant multicultural perspectives with South Korea's unparalleled expertise in entertainment innovation, this MOU establishes a powerful platform for co-production, cross-cultural exchange, talent development and showcasing the very best of Asian creativity to the world.' Sean Saeyoon Shim, chief executive officer and founder of said: 'Mediacorp has long been a leader in creating stories that travel beyond borders. At we're thrilled to be partnering with such a visionary team to bring forth international co-productions as well as various collaborations.' 'With Mediacorp's global reach and creative excellence, we believe our collaborative projects will reach audiences across the world.' The MOU with is the latest in Mediacorp's continued efforts to collaborate with some of the biggest players in Asia's content production industry, including Shanghai-based Linmon Media and Taiwan's Three Giant Production and Mission International.
