EAVE December News 2025
- Eurimages International Co-Production Award for Komplizen Film
Awards December 2025 - 20 nominations for EAVE graduates at the Golden Globes
Nominations December 2025 - FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER in Italian and Spanish cinemas
In Cinemas December 2025 - EAVE Marketing Workshop project ETERNITY PACKAGE selected for Cinedays
Festivals December 2025 - THE POSSIBLE LIVES OF MY MOTHER by Jorge Dorado is in production
Development & Production News December 2025 - MEET EAVE IN JANUARY
Meet our team at workshops and festivals! - Time to celebrate: Introducing the 2026 EAVE Producers Workshop Participants!
press release - “Disrupt the Default” - EAVE Interview with Tamara Dawit on Inclusive Production Practices
"One major idea was to disrupt the default. Just because something has always been done a certain way doesn’t mean it should continue." - 15 Filmmakers Gather at Creative Producer Indaba to explore African Film Content Creation
press release - A new EAVE on Demand in Kurdistan is kicking off tomorrow!
press release - SPECIAL OFFER: CLAUDIA BY UNDER THE MILKY WAY INTERNATIONAL
Special Offer for EAVE producers
Eurimages International Co-Production Award for Komplizen Film
Eurimages Co-Production Award
- The Eurimages Co-Production Award goes to EAVE graduate Jonas Dornbach, Maren Ade and Janine Jackowski. TheTrio of producers Maren Ade, EAVE graduate Jonas Dornbach and Janine Jackowski, of German company Komplizen Film, will be honoured at the 38th European Film Awards with the 2026 Eurimages International Co-Production Award presented by Eurimages and the European Film Academy. The award acknowledges the decisive role of co-productions in fostering international exchange. No fewer than 20 films produced or co-produced by Komplizen Film have been supported by Eurimages, among which The Story of My Wife by Ildikó Enyedi, About Dry Grasses by Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Corsage by Marie Kreutzer, and more recently, Sentimental Value by Joachim Trier and Yes by Nadav Lapid. The Berlin-based firm is also a co-founding member of The Creatives, a federation of ten international independent production companies. Maren Ade co-founded Komplizen Film with Janine Jackowski in 1999, with whom she co-produced her graduation film, The Forest for the Trees, in 2003. Her third feature, Toni Erdmann, also supported by Eurimages, became an audience favourite after competing at Cannes, and went on to win awards worldwide, among them four European Film Awards. Maren Ade not only produces her own films, but also serves as a producer on movies by other directors. Janine Jackowski has produced over 60 films and series, many of which have been selected for and awarded at international festivals. Jonas Dornbach began his career by establishing and running his production company Kinoherz from 2002-2009. Since joining Komplizen Film in 2010, Jonas has produced numerous internationally acclaimed works.
Louis Delluc Prize
- THE LITTLE SISTER by Hafsia Herzi, producer: PUENTES graduate Naomi Denamur won the highly prestigious 2025 Louis Delluc Prize, recognising the best French film of the year.
Industry Village Les Arcs
4 awards for EAVE graduates in the Co-Production Village and Work in Progress competition of Les Arcs Film Festival’s Industry Village:
- ONE HAND JESUS by Bogdan Miric, producers: EAVE graduate and Romanian National Coordinator Radu Stancu and EAVE graduate Ioanna Lascar won the Eurimages Co-Production Development Prize
- MAN VS FLOCK by Tamara Kotevska, producers: EAVE graduates Sinisa Juricic, Vicky Miha won the TitraFilm Prize
- A DAY IN THE LIFE OF JO: CHAPTER PHAEDRA by Jacqueline Lentzou, producer: EAVE graduate Ioanna Bolomyti received a Special Mention
- WEIRD ELLIOT by Johannes Nyholm, producer: EAVE graduate and Dutch National Coordinator Frank Hoeve, PUENTES graduate Nima Yousefi received a Special Mention
Mediterranean Film Festival, Brussels
3 awards for EAVE graduates at the Cinémamed – Brussels’ Mediterranean Film Festival
- DUSE by Pietro Marcello, associate producer: EAVE MW graduate Stefano Mutolo won the Special Jury Prize
- DJ AHMET by Georgi M. Unkovski, producer: EAVE graduate Katarina Prpic won the RêVolution Prize
- PROMISED SKY by Erige Sehiri, producer: EAVE graduate and group leader Didar Domehri won the Critics’ Prize
Marrakech International Film Festival
- PROMISED SKY by Erige Sehiri, producer: EAVE graduate and group leader Didar Domehri won the Étoile d’Or, the festival’s top prize, Marrakech International Film Festival, and Best Performance by an Actress (Debora Lobe Naney)
- MY FATHER'S SHADOW by Akinola Davies, producer: EAVE graduate Ed Guiney won Best Performance by an Actor (Sope Dirisu)
https://marrakech-festival.com/en/home
British Independent Film Awards
6 awards for EAVE graduates at the Best British Independent Film Awards, BIFA 2025:
- PILLION by Harry Lighton, producer: EAVE graduate Ed Guiney scooped Best British Independent Film, Best Debut Screenwriter, Best Costume Design and Best Make-Up & Hair Design
- MY FATHER'S SHADOW by Akinola Davies, producer: EAVE graduate Ed Guiney won Best Director
- SENTIMENTAL VALUE by Joachim Trier, producer: EAVE graduate Andrea Berentsen Ottmar, co-producers: EAVE graduates Jonas Dornbach, Lizette Jonjic won Best International Independent Film
www.bifa.film
Author's Film Festival, Belgrade
- SORELLA DI CLAUSURA by Ivana Mladenovic, producer: EAVE graduate Ada Solomon won the Grand Prix at the Author's Film Festival, Belgrade.
- WIND, TALK TO ME by Stefan Djordjevic, producer: EAVE graduate Dragana Jovovic, co-producer: EAVE graduate Jozko Rutar won Best Director
- A POET by Simon Mesa Soto, co-producer: EAVE graduate David Herdies best screenplay
- MOTHER by Teona Strugar Mitevska, producer: EAVE graduate Sebastien Delloye, co-producers: EAVE graduates Amra Baksic Camo, Adis Djapo, Labina Mitevska best cinematography
- MALDOROR by Fabrice du Welz, producer: EAVE graduate Jean-Yves Roubin Audience Award
Red Sea International Film Festival
- ALL THAT’S LEFT OF YOU by Cherien Dabis, co-producer: EAVE graduate Marios Piperides was awarded the Silver Yusr Feature Film and the Best Director award at the Red Sea International Film Festival
- YUNAN by Ameer Fakher Eldin, producers: EAVE graduates Dorothe Beinemeier, Marco Valerio Fusco, Tony Copti, EAVE participant Jiries Copti won the Yusr Jury Prize and the Best Actor award
20 nominations for EAVE graduates at the Golden Globes
American Academy Awards – the Oscars
Shortlisted for the 98th Oscars are the following films produced by EAVE graduates. Nominations will be announced on Thursday, January 22, 2026.
International Feature Film
- THE SECRET AGENT by Kleber Mendonca Filho, co-producers: PUENTES graduate Fred Burle, EAVE graduate Leontine Petit
- SENTIMENTAL VALUE by Joachim Trier, producer: EAVE graduate Andrea Berentsen Ottmar, co-producers: EAVE graduates Jonas Dornbach, Lizette Jonjic
- PALESTINE 36 by Annemarie Jacir, producer: EAVE graduate Ossama Bawardi, co-producers: EAVE and TTB graduate Katrin Pors, EAVE graduate Elisa Fernanda Pirir
- ALL THAT’S LEFT OF YOU by Cherien Dabis, co-producer: EAVE graduate Marios Piperides
- NO OTHER CHOICE by Park Chan-wook, producer: EAVE graduate Alexandre Gavras
- SIRAT by Oliver Laxe, producer: PUENTES graduate Xavi Font
- LEFT-HANDED GIRL by Shih-Ching Tsou, associate producer: EAVE graduate Alex C. Lo
Documentary Feature Film
- COEXISTENCE, MY ASS! by Amber Fares, producer: EAVE graduate Valérie Montmartin
- MR NOBODY AGAINST PUTIN by David Borenstein, Pavel Ilyich Talankin, Co-director Pavel Talankin, co-producer: EAVE graduate Radovan Sibrt
Animated Short Film
- HURIKAN by Jan Saska, producer: EAVE MW graduate Kamila Dohnalova, co-producer: EAVE graduate Juraj Krasnohorsky
- I DIED IN IRPIN by Anastasiia Falileieva, producer: EAVE graduate Juraj Krasnohorsky
Casting
- THE SECRET AGENT by Kleber Mendonca Filho, co-producers: PUENTES graduate Fred Burle, EAVE graduate Leontine Petit
- SENTIMENTAL VALUE by Joachim Trier, producer: EAVE graduate Andrea Berentsen Ottmar, co-producers: EAVE graduates Jonas Dornbach, Lizette Jonjic
Cinematography
- BUGONIA by Yorgos Lanthimos, producer: EAVE graduate Ed Guiney
- SENTIMENTAL VALUE by Joachim Trier, producer: EAVE graduate Andrea Berentsen Ottmar, co-producers: EAVE graduates Jonas Dornbach, Lizette Jonjic
- SIRAT by Oliver Laxe, producer: PUENTES graduate Xavi Font
Music (Original Score)
- BUGONIA by Yorgos Lanthimos, producer: EAVE graduate Ed Guiney
- SIRAT by Oliver Laxe, producer: PUENTES graduate Xavi Font
Sound
- SIRAT by Oliver Laxe, producer: PUENTES graduate Xavi Font
Live Action Short Film
- BEYOND SILENCE by Marnie Blok, producer: EAVE graduate Ellen Havenith
European Film Academy Board
EAVE graduate and longtime EAVE Romanian Coordinator Ada Solomon is the new chair of the Board of the European Film Academy. Her new deputy chairs are Dutch EAVE graduate Leontine Petit and French Matthieu Darras. Their two-year mandate will start on 1 January 2026.
"Being part of the European Film Academy board for a decade now, I took the responsibility to promote excellence in filmmaking in all the diversity of the European cinematic voices, but also to put the spotlight on the less visible ones: the smaller territories, the underrepresented forms of cinema, the crews behind the camera. It is a time of change, and I am ready to take the challenge knowing that I am backed up by the great executive team of the Academy and the amazing people in the board of the European Film Academy, and especially the newly elected deputy chairs: Leontine Petit and Matthieu Darras," said Ada Solomon in a statement.
In 2026, the board of EFA also includes EAVE+ graduate Danijel Hocevar (Slovenia), who was re-elected for Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Slovenia; EAVE+ graduate Giorgos Karnavas (Greece), who was re-elected for Armenia, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece, and Israel and EAVE and TTB graduate Marija Razgute (Lithuania), who was re-elected for Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, among others. EAVE graduate Vanessa Henneman was elected for Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands.
Golden Globes
20 nominations for EAVE graduates:
Best Picture – Drama
- THE SECRET AGENT by Kleber Mendonça Filho, co-producers: PUENTES graduate Fred Burle, EAVE graduate Leontine Petit
- SENTIMENTAL VALUE by Joachim Trier, producer: EAVE graduate Andrea Berentsen Ottmar, co-producers: EAVE graduates Jonas Dornbach, Lizette Jonjic
Best Picture – Musical or Comedy
- BUGONIA by Yorgos Lanthimos, produced by EAVE graduate Ed Guiney
- NO OTHER CHOICE by Park Chan-wook, producer: EAVE graduate Alexandre Gavras
Best Picture – Non-English Language
- NO OTHER CHOICE by Park Chan-wook, producer: EAVE graduate Alexandre Gavras
- THE SECRET AGENT by Kleber Mendonça Filho, co-producers: PUENTES graduate Fred Burle, EAVE graduate Leontine Petit
- SENTIMENTAL VALUE by Joachim Trier, produced by EAVE graduate Andrea Berentsen Ottmar, co-producers: EAVE graduates Jonas Dornbach, Lizette Jonjic
- SIRAT by Olivier Laxe, produced by PUENTES graduate Xavi Font
Best Director
- SENTIMENTAL VALUE by Joachim Trier, producer: EAVE graduate Andrea Berentsen Ottmar, co-producers: EAVE graduates Jonas Dornbach, Lizette Jonjic
Best Screenplay
- SENTIMENTAL VALUE by Joachim Trier, producer: EAVE graduate Andrea Berentsen Ottmar, co-producers: EAVE graduates Jonas Dornbach, Lizette Jonjic
Best performance by a Female Actor in a motion picture – Drama
- Renate Reinsve for SENTIMENTAL VALUE by Joachim Trier, producer: EAVE graduate Andrea Berentsen Ottmar, co-producers: EAVE graduates Jonas Dornbach, Lizette Jonjic
Best performance by a Male Actor in a motion picture – Drama
- Wagner Moura for THE SECRET AGENT by Kleber Mendonça Filho, co-producers: PUENTES graduate Fred Burle, EAVE graduate Leontine Petit
Best performance by a Female Actor in a motion picture – Musical or Comedy
- Amanda Seyfried for THE TESTAMENT OF ANN LEE by Mona Fastvold, producer: EAVE graduate Viktória Petrányi
- Emma Stone for BUGONIA by Yorgos Lanthimos, producer: EAVE graduate Ed Guiney
Best performance by a Male Actor in a motion picture – Musical or Comedy
- Jesse Plemons for BUGONIA by Yorgos Lanthimos, producer: EAVE graduate Ed Guiney
- Lee Byung-hun for NO OTHER CHOICE by Park Chan-wook, producer: EAVE graduate Alexandre Gavras
Best Supporting Actress
- Elle Fanning for SENTIMENTAL VALUE by Joachim Trier, producer: EAVE graduate Andrea Berentsen Ottmar, co-producers: EAVE graduates Jonas Dornbach, Lizette Jonjic
- Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas for SENTIMENTAL VALUE by Joachim Trier, producer: EAVE graduate Andrea Berentsen Ottmar, co-producers: EAVE graduates Jonas Dornbach, Lizette Jonjic
Best Supporting Actor
- Stellan Skarsgård for SENTIMENTAL VALUE by Joachim Trier, producer: EAVE graduate Andrea Berentsen Ottmar, co-producers: EAVE graduates Jonas Dornbach, Lizette Jonjic
Best original score
- Kangding Ray for SIRAT by Olivier Laxe, producer: PUENTES graduate Xavi Font
European Shooting Stars
The European Shooting Stars have been announced. EFP (European Film Promotion) has selected the up-and-coming acting talent to be introduced during the 76th Berlin International Film Festival. 3 are known from films produced by EAVE graduates:
- Cleo Diára in: I ONLY REST IN THE STORM by Pedro Pinho, producer: EAVE graduate Filipa Reis
- Sofia Tjelta Sydness in: THE ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM IS DOWN by Ruben Ostlund, co-producers: EAVE graduates Jon Nohrstedt, Dan Wechsler, Viktoria Petranyi
- Joes Brauers in: YOURI by Sander Burger, producers: EAVE graduates Fleur Knopperts, Denis Vaslin
FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER in Italian and Spanish cinemas
In French cinemas
- MOTHER by Teona Strugar Mitevska, producers: EAVE graduates Labina Mitevska, Sebastien Delloye, co-producers: EAVE graduates Amra Baksic Camo, Adis Djapo. December 3.
- HER WILL BE DONE by Julia Kowalski, producer: EAVE graduate Estelle Robin You. December 3.
- REEDLAND by Sven Bresser, producer: EAVE graduate Marleen Slot. December 3.
- THE SECRET AGENT by Kleber Mendonca Filho, co-producers: PUENTES graduate Fred Burle, EAVE graduate Leontine Petit. December 17.
In Belgian cinemas
- LEFT-HANDED GIRL by Shih-Ching Tsou, associate producer: EAVE graduate Alex C. Lo. December 3.
- LES BARONNES by Nabil Ben Yadir and Mokhtaria Badaoui, producer: EAVE graduate Benoît Roland. December 3.
- SIX DAYS IN SPRING by Joachim Lafosse, producers: EAVE graduates Anton Iffland Stettner, Eva Kuperman, Hans Everaert, EAVE+ Head of Studies Jani Thiltges. December 10.
- THE SECRET AGENT by Kleber Mendonca Filho, co-producers: PUENTES graduate Fred Burle, EAVE graduate Leontine Petit. December 17.
In Dutch cinemas
- SENTIMENTAL VALUE by Joachim Trier, producer: EAVE graduate Andrea Berentsen Ottmar, co-producers: EAVE graduates Jonas Dornbach, Lizette Jonjic. December 11.
- THE LOVE THAT REMAINS by Hlynur Palmason, producers: EAVE and TTB graduate Katrin Pors, EAVE graduate Anton Mani Svansson, co-producers: EAVE graduate and group leader Didar Domehri, TTB graduate Mikkel Jersin. December 18.
- LEFT-HANDED GIRL by Shih-Ching Tsou, associate producer: EAVE graduate Alex C. Lo. December 18.
In Swiss cinemas
- REEDLAND by Sven Bresser, producer: EAVE graduate Marleen Slot. December 4.
- SENTIMENTAL VALUE by Joachim Trier, producer: EAVE graduate Andrea Berentsen Ottmar, co-producers: EAVE graduates Jonas Dornbach, Lizette Jonjic. December 11.
In Austrian cinemas
- SENTIMENTAL VALUE by Joachim Trier, producer: EAVE graduate Andrea Berentsen Ottmar, co-producers: EAVE graduates Jonas Dornbach, Lizette Jonjic. December 5.
- MELT by Nikolaus Geyrhalter, producer: EAVE graduate and group leader Michael Kitzberger. December 5.
- OUR TIME WILL COME by Ivette Löcker, producers: EAVE graduates Barbara Pichler, Gabriele Kranzelbinder. December 5.
In German cinemas
- SENTIMENTAL VALUE by Joachim Trier, producer: EAVE graduate Andrea Berentsen Ottmar, co-producers: EAVE graduates Jonas Dornbach, Lizette Jonjic. December 3.
- THE MYSTERIOUS GAZE OF THE FLAMINGO by Diego Cespedes, producer: PUENTES and TTB graduate Giancarlo Nasi. December 3.
- MOTHER by Teona Strugar Mitevska, producers: EAVE graduates Labina Mitevska, Sebastien Delloye, co-producers: EAVE graduates Amra Baksic Camo, Adis Djapo. December 3.
- THE LITTLE SISTER (LA PETITE DERNIÈRE) by Hafsia Herzi, producer: PUENTES graduate Naomi Denamur. December 24.
In Irish cinemas
- SENTIMENTAL VALUE by Joachim Trier, producer: EAVE graduate Andrea Berentsen Ottmar, co-producers: EAVE graduates Jonas Dornbach, Lizette Jonjic. December 26.
In Italian cinemas
- MOTHER by Teona Strugar Mitevska, producers: EAVE graduates Labina Mitevska, Sebastien Delloye, co-producers: EAVE graduates Amra Baksic Camo, Adis Djapo. December 11.
- FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER by Jim Jarmusch, co-producer: EAVE graduate Conor Barry, executive producer: EAVE graduate Alex C. Lo. December 18.
In Croatian cinemas
- ISLANDS by Jan-Ole Gerster, producer: EAVE + graduate Jonas Katzenstein. December 11.
In Polish cinemas
- TO A LAND UNKNOWN by Mahdi Fleifel, producer: EAVE graduate Maria Drandaki. December 19.
In Spanish cinemas
- FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER by Jim Jarmusch, co-producer: EAVE graduate Conor Barry, executive producer: EAVE graduate Alex C. Lo. December 24.
EAVE Marketing Workshop project ETERNITY PACKAGE selected for Cinedays
International Film Festival Tarragona (December 3 – 8)
- A USEFUL GHOST by Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke, co-producers: TTB graduate Karim Aitouna, EAVE graduate May Odeh
- FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER by Jim Jarmusch, co-producer: EAVE graduate Conor Barry, executive producer: EAVE graduate Alex C. Lo
- FRONTIER by Judith Colell, producer: EAVE graduate Katleen Goossens
- NO OTHER CHOICE by Park Chan-wook, producer: EAVE graduate Alexandre Gavras
- PILLION by Harry Lighton, producer: EAVE graduate Ed Guiney
- STRANGE RIVER by Jaume Claret Muxart, producers: EAVE graduates Xavi Font, Fabian Altenried, PUENTES graduate Sophie Ahrens
- THE BARONESSES by Nabil Ben Yadir, producer: EAVE graduate Benoit Roland, co-producer: EAVE graduate and Luxembourgish National Coordinator Bernard Michaux
- VERSAILLES by Andrés Clariond, producer: PUENTES graduate Nicolas Celis
Cinedays Festival of European Film (December 3 – 10)
- EAVE Marketing Workshop project ETERNITY PACKAGE by EAVE graduate Magdelena Ilieva, producer: EAVE graduate Magdelena Ilieva
- FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER by Jim Jarmusch, co-producer: EAVE graduate Conor Barry, executive producer: EAVE graduate Alex C. Lo
- LITTLE TROUBLE GIRLS by Urska Djukic, producer: EAVE graduate Jozko Rutar, co-producers: EAVE graduates Marina Gumzi, Miha Cernec, Katarina Prpic
- NO OTHER CHOICE by Park Chan-wook, producer: EAVE graduate Alexandre Gavras
- OUR FATHER by Goran Stankovic, producer: EAVE graduate Snezana van Houwelingen
- SANDBAG DAM by Cejen Cernic Canak, producers: EAVE graduate and group leader Ankica Juric Tilic, EAVE graduate Ieva Norviliene
- THE SECRET AGENT by Kleber Mendonca Filho, co-producers: PUENTES graduate Fred Burle, EAVE graduate Leontine Petit
- U ARE THE UNIVERSE by Pavlo Ostrikov, producer: EAVE graduate Volodymir Yatsenko
- WHITES WASH AT NINETY by Marko Nabersnik, co-producer: EAVE graduate and group leader Ankica Juric Tilic
- YUGO FLORIDA by Roman Bondarchuk, producer: EAVE graduate Marija Stojanovic
Red Sea Film Festival, (December 5 – 14)
- ALL THAT’S LEFT OF YOU by Cherien Dabis, co-producer: EAVE graduate Marios Piperides
- PALESTINE 36 by Annemarie Jacir, producer: EAVE graduate Ossama Bawardi, co-producers: EAVE and TTB graduate Katrin Pors, EAVE graduate Elisa Fernanda Pirir
- SIRAT by Oliver Laxe, producer: PUENTES graduate Xavi Font
- THE SECRET AGENT by Kleber Mendonca Filho, co-producers: PUENTES graduate Fred Burle, EAVE graduate Leontine Petit
- YUNAN by Ameer Fakher Eldin, producers: EAVE graduates Dorothe Beinemeier, Marco Valerio Fusco, Tony Copti, EAVE participant Jiries Copti
Red Sea Souk
- HOLIDAY by Wissam Charaf, producer: EAVE graduate Charlotte Vincent
- A GIRL UNKOWN by Jing Zou, producer: EAVE graduate and group leader Didar Domehri
BIAFF Batumi Film Festival (December 13 – 17)
- EAGLES OF THE REPUBLIC by Tarik Saleh, co-producer: EAVE graduate Monica Hellstrøm
- KÖLN 75 by Ido Fluk, producer: EAVE graduate Fred Burle.
- NANDAURI by Eti Tsicko, producer: EAVE graduate Vladimer Katchavara
- SIRAT by Oliver Laxe, producer: PUENTES graduate Xavi Font
Cinemamed Festival (November 27 – December 5)
- ALL THAT’S LEFT OF YOU by Cherien Dabis, co-producer: EAVE graduate Marios Piperides
- CALLE MALAGA by Maryam Touzani, producer: EAVE graduate Fred Burle
- DJ AHMET by Georgi M. Unkovski, producer: EAVE graduate Katarina Prpic
- DUSE by Pietro Marcello, associate producer: EAVE MW graduate Stefano Mutolo
- PALESTINE 36 by Annemarie Jacir, producer: EAVE graduate Ossama Bawardi, co-producers: EAVE graduate Katrin Pors, EAVE graduate Elisa Fernanda Pirir
- PROMISED SKY by Erige Sehiri, producer: EAVE graduate and group leader Didar Domehri
- ROMERIA by Carla Simon, producer: EAVE graduate Maria Zamora
- THE BARONESSES by Nabil Ben Yadir, producer: EAVE graduate Benoit Roland, co-producer: EAVE graduate and Luxembourgish National Coordinator Bernard Michaux
- YUGO FLORIDA by Roman Bondarchuk, producer: EAVE graduate and Serbian National Coordinator Marija Stojanovic
Around the World in 14 Films Festival (November 28 – December 6)
- AISHA CAN’T FLY AWAY by Morad Mostafa, producer: EAVE graduate Ahmed Amer
- A POET by Simon Mesa Soto, co-producer: EAVE graduate David Herdies
- A USEFUL GHOST by Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke, co-producers: TTB graduate Karim Aitouna, EAVE graduate May Odeh
- CALLE MALAGA by Maryam Touzani, producer: EAVE graduate Fred Burle
- DRACULA by Radu Jude, producer: EAVE graduate Alexandru Teodorescu, co-producers: EAVE graduates Ada Solomon, Luxembourgish National Coordinator Bernard Michaux, Paul Thiltges, EAVE+ Head of Study Jani Thiltges
- I ONLY REST IN THE STORM by Pedro Pinho, producer: EAVE graduate Filipa Reis
- NO OTHER CHOICE by Park Chan-wook, producer: EAVE graduate Alexandre Gavras
- ROMERIA by Carla Simon, producer: EAVE graduate Maria Zamora
- SENTIMENTAL VALUE by Joachim Trier, producer: EAVE graduate Andrea Berentsen Ottmar, co-producers: EAVE graduates Jonas Dornbach, Lizette Jonjic
- THE LITTLE SISTER (LA PETITE DERNIÈRE) by Hafsia Herzi, producer: PUENTES graduate Naomi Denamur
- THE MYSTERIOUS GAZE OF THE FLAMINGO by Diego Cespedes, producer: PUENTES and TTB graduate Giancarlo Nasi
Les Arcs European Film Festival (December 16 – 23)
Competition
- FATHER by Tereza Nvotova, producer: EAVE graduate Mariusz Wlodarski
- LITTLE TROUBLE GIRLS by Urska Djukic, producer: EAVE graduate and Slovenian National Coordinator Jozko Rutar, co-producers: EAVE graduates Marina Gumzi, Miha Cernec, Katarina Prpic
Short Films Competition
- BEYOND SILENCE by Marnie Blok, producer: EAVE graduate Ellen Havenith
- ALISVERIS by Vasile Todinca, producer: EAVE graduate Ada Solomon
Greek Focus
- KYUKA: BEFORE SUMMER’S END by Kostis Charamountanis, producers: EAVE graduates Danae Spathara, Greek National Coordinator Konstantinos Kontovrakis, EAVE+ graduate Giorgos Karnavas
- PITY by Babis Makridis, producer: EAVE graduate Beata Rzezniczek
- SIRÈNES by Lida Vartzioti, Dimitirs Tsakaleas, producer: EAVE graduate Ioanna Bolomyti
- SON OF SOFIA by Elina Psykou, producers: EAVE graduate and Greek National Coordinator Konstantinos Kontovrakis, EAVE graduate Borislav Chouchkov
Playtime
- PARADIJS by Bobbie Koek, producer: EAVE graduate Janneke Doolaard
- CALLE MALAGA by Maryam Touzani, producer: EAVE graduate Fred Burle
Hauteur
- A LIGHT THAT NEVER GOES OUT by Lauri-Matti Parppei, producer: EAVE graduate Ilona Tolmunen
- STRANGE RIVER by Jaume Claret Muxart, producers: EAVE graduates Xavi Font, Fabian Altenried, PUENTES graduate Sophie Ahrens
- THE WHITE SNAIL by Elsa Kremser, Levin Peter, producer: EAVE graduate David Bohun, co-producer: EAVE graduate Heino Deckert
Jeunesse
- A YEAR OF SCHOOL by Laura Samani, producer: EAVE graduate Nadia Trevisan
- DJ AHMET by Georgi M. Unkovski, producer: EAVE graduate Katarina Prpic
Séance speciale
- EAGLES OF THE REPUBLIC by Tarik Saleh, co-producer: EAVE graduate Monica Hellstrøm
- MELT by Nikolaus Geyrhalter, producer: EAVE graduate and group leader Michael Kitzberger
- TO THE VICTORY! by Valentyn Vasyanovych, producer: EAVE graduate Volodymyr Yatsenko
Industry Village
- DISQUALIFIÉ by Dimitris Zouras, producer: EAVE graduate Amanda Livanou
- ELSEWHERE by Adelina Borets, producer: EAVE graduate Dmytr Sukhanov
- FRIENDS, BIRTHDAYS, MURDER, ETC by Lida Vartzioti and Dimitris Tsakaleas, producer: EAVE graduate Ioanna Bolomyti
- LOVE IN THE TIME OF COMMUNISM by Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov, producer: EAVE graduate Konstantina Stavrianou
- ONE HAND JESUS by Bogdan Miric, producer: EAVE, TTB and PUENTES graduate, Romanian National Coordinator Radu Stancu
- PANTANO DE AVES by Karen Vazquez Guadarrama, producer: EAVE graduate Elisa Heene
- RIOT/GIRL by Arman T. Riahi, producers: EAVE graduates Arash T. Riahi, Patrice Nezan
- SINCE YOU’VE BEEN GONE by Maria Herrera Lopez, producer: EAVE graduate Maria Zamora
- THE HERMIT by Nicolas Kolovos, producer: EAVE graduate Maria Drandaki
Work in Progress
- A DAY IN THE LIFE OF JO: CHAPTER PHAEDRA by Jacqueline Lentzou, producer: EAVE graduate Ioanna Bolomyti
- EAVE project THE DIFFICULT BRIDE by Rubaiyat Hossain, producers: EAVE graduate Aadnan Imtiaz Ahmed, EAVE graduate Ingrid Lill Høgtun
- MAN VS FLOCK by Tamara Kotevska, producers: EAVE graduates Sinisa Juricic, Vicky Miha
- UNTIL THE DAY ENDS by Jelena Maksimovic, producer: EAVE graduate Miha Cernec
- WEIRD ELLIOT by Johannes Nyholm, producer: EAVE graduate and Dutch National Coordinator Frank Hoeve
EAVE x Les Arcs
"Inclusive Production Practices" workshop by EAVE expert Jennifer Sabbah
During this workshop, Jennifer guided participants through practical strategies for a more transparent, equitable and culturally collaborative co-production model. Producers had the chance to challenge current practices, explore actionable tools, and reflect on how to bring more balance into their real production workflows.
THE POSSIBLE LIVES OF MY MOTHER by Jorge Dorado is in production
In development
Screen Flanders
Screen Flanders, the Flemish regional audiovisual investment fund, has selected 15 projects, both films and series, for its latest support session. Among them:
- HUNTERS by Mathieu Mortelmans, producer: EAVE graduate Jacques-Henri Bronckart
- LOOK WHO’S VISITING TUMMY TOM! by Joost van den Bosch, producer: EAVE graduate Peter Bouckaert
- RED LIGHT EMPIRE, co-producer: EAVE graduate Léontine Petit
FFA
The German-French Co-production Committee supports 3 films by EAVE graduates.
- DIE STADT by Helena Wittmann, producer: EAVE graduate Julia Cöllen
- HISTOIRE D’AMOUR EN 10 CHANSONS, 3 MARIAGES ET 1 BAISER by Faouzi Bensaïdi, producer: EAVE graduate Nicole Gerhards
- PRAJD, by Elvire Muñoz, producer: EAVE graduate Jamila Wanske
In production
- THE POSSIBLE LIVES OF MY MOTHER by Jorge Dorado, producer: EAVE graduate Alexandra Hoesdorff is in production. The film is the rediscovery of a woman and, through her, the rediscovery of a whole century’s worth of emotions, silence and memories. In 2011, my mother took the wrong lane when taking a detour on a dual carriageway, and she drove the wrong way for several miles. I got scared, so I took her to various doctors, and they all agreed on the diagnosis: Alzheimer’s, an illness that she had gone to great lengths to hide from me and my siblings. As she couldn’t live alone any more, we had to clear out her house. Among the documents that ended up in my possession were photo albums and a floppy disk with a handwritten label that said: ‘Biography’. “At that moment,” the director said, “I found out that she had led an intense life, full of crossroads, brave decisions and contradictions. At the age of 22, she became a single mother in Paris after fleeing her parents’ house while pregnant, as she led a stifling existence there. During the 1960s and 1970s, she lived through impossible love affairs, political struggles, social changes and a constant yearning for freedom. In Paris and Madrid, she met artists, actors, soldiers and intellectuals who strove to change the world… I never imagined that she could have borne witness to the history of Spain by – sometimes unintentionally – forming part of some of the most important events of that era.” THE POSSIBLE LIVES OF MY MOTHER is a production by Adrià Monés for Fasten Films and Borja Pena for Vaca Films, together with Alexandra Hoesdorff and Desirée Nosbusch for Deal Productions (Luxembourg). It boasts funding from the ICAA, ICEC, Creative Europe – MEDIA and Film Fund Luxembourg, as well as the involvement of RTVE, Movistar Plus+ and Netflix.
- GOOD MOTHERS by Amalie Næsby Fick, co-producer: EAVE graduate Lizette Jonjic is in production. Set in a quiet, suburban community, the 90-minute drama follows successful real-estate agent Anne Sofie, whose world is upended after the alleged sexual assault of a teenage boy by two peers. When she discovers that her own son may be more deeply involved than she imagined, Anne Sofie becomes determined to protect him and safeguard the family’s reputation. As accusations spread across the town, she finds herself at odds with the other boys’ mothers, Sarah and Ulrikke. Under mounting pressure, she shifts the blame onto one of the other boys – a decision that fractures her relationships and sends her into a moral spiral, ultimately forcing her to make a life-altering choice. GOOD MOTHERS is being produced by Louise Vesth for Zentropa Entertainments ApS in co-production with Zentropa Sweden, and Film i Väst. The film is backed by the Danish Film Institute Market Scheme and the Netherlands Film Fund, and made in co-operation with DR – Danish Broadcasting Corporation, SVT, September Film and Nordisk Film Distribution A/S. The project is also co-funded by the European Union.
In post-production
- EACH OF US by Neus Ballus, Anne Zohra Berrached, Anna Jadowska, Stina Werenfels, producer: EAVE graduate Maria Blicharska is in post-production. Filming on Each of Us wrapped at the end of October after four weeks of shooting in Navarre, where the interior sequences were captured, following exterior work in Poland and Germany. This European film project – which is currently in post-production – gives a voice to the forgotten women of the Ravensbrück concentration camp, the only one in Nazi Germany designed exclusively for women. Co-directed by Spain’s Neus Ballús, Germany’s Anne Zohra Berrached, Poland’s Anna Jadowska and Switzerland’s Stina Werenfels the film interweaves four stories of women who, in the midst of horror, find empathy and solidarity to be their form of resistance. Each filmmaker has directed one actress, bringing cultural, linguistic and emotional authenticity to the narrative: said thesps are Diane Kruger (Germany), Carla Juri (Switzerland), Aida Folch (Spain) and Ninel Geiger (Germany). The film, penned by Eva Pauné and Mirjam Ziegler, draws on real testimonies and documented facts to recount a story of empathy as a form of heroism, shining a light on humanity in times of barbarity and female solidarity as resistance. Neus Ballus said: “Beyond the horror, this is a story about humanity, about how a gesture of solidarity can change a life.” For her part, Stina Werenfels affirms: “We wanted to show how women, even those surrounded by sheer hell, were able to care for one another.” In Anna Jadowska’s view, “This film springs from the real testimonies from Ravensbrück. They were the true heroines.” And for Anne Zohra Berrached, “Empathy is our form of heroism.” EACH OF US is being produced by Norbert Llaràs for Spanish outfit Alhena Production, in co-production with Planeta Espectáculo 2025 AIE, Maria Blicharska for Poland’s Blick Productions International, Amir Hamz and Christian Springer for Germany’s Bon Voyage Films, and Anita Wasser and Michael Steiger for Switzerland’s Turnus Film. It boasts the participation of RTVE, 3Cat and ARTE, and is backed by the ICAA, ICEC, Creative Europe - MEDIA, Eurimages, Claims Conference, the Polish Film Institute, the Swiss Federal Office of Culture (BAK) and Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg.
- REVIVAL by Jivan Avetisyan, producer: EAVE graduate Kestutis Drazdauskas is in post-production. Murat Arakelian (27), a brilliant engineering student at the Polytechnic Institute of Marseilles, is developing OR.CH.I.D. (ORganizer of CHaotic Input Data), an innovative AI project, under the supervision of Professor Jean Perbost (65). Poised to compete in a prestigious palliative AI care exhibition organised by the university, the project is on the verge of securing a major investment from Rossun Corporation. But Jean’s hopes are derailed when Murat abandons the project to investigate a haunting mystery surrounding his father’s death. His search takes him to Armenia during a war outbreak, against the backdrop of a global pandemic, prompting OR.CH.I.D.’s evolution into a self-aware AI. OR.CH.I.D. forces Jean to confront a dark truth: Rossun’s entanglement in war crimes. Jean stands at a crossroads: safeguard his university’s legacy or expose the devastating truth uncovered by OR.CH.I.D. “As the Cypriot producer of this project, I am proud to support a film that carries deep emotional resonance and highlights the global significance of the Artsakh tragedy. Growing up alongside the Armenian community in Cyprus, one of the island’s oldest minorities, showed me how closely our histories and experiences are connected. The film explores universal themes of resilience, loss, and hope, echoing Cyprus’s own collective memory after 1974. By bringing this story on screen, we help preserve voices that might otherwise be forgotten and foster a deeper sense of empathy and understanding. For Cyprus, this collaboration is both a creative partnership and a moral commitment to shared remembrance. The film stands as a powerful testament to how cinema can unite nations with parallel histories”, Cypriot producer Constantinos Nikiforou told FNE. This project has been in the making for the past seven years, and it is produced by LifeTree Pictures LLC (Armenia), Fish eye Art Cultural Foundation (Armenia), Caretta Films (Cyprus), ARTBOX (Lithuania), and Aikštės filmai (Lithuania) with the support of the Deputy Ministry of Culture – Department of Contemporary Culture – Republic of Cyprus, the Cinema Foundation of Armenia, as well as Armenia’s Ministry of Culture, and in association with ARTsakh Arts and Cultural Foundation (USA), and Background Production (Armenia). The production partner is also Assante & Bimonte Productions (USA). The film was also financed by private investors. A crowdfunding campaign was launched on Kickstarter as well as Indiegogo InDemand. NFTs were also sold as part of the fundraising effort. Additionally, private screenings of the director’s films were held within Diasporan communities worldwide to help raise further funds. The production used the Lithuanian tax incentive.
- THE WOLF WILL TEAR YOUR IMMACULATE HANDS by Nathalie Alvarez Mesen, co-producers: EAVE graduate Anne-Laure Guegan, PUENTES graduate Géraldine Sprimont is in post-production. Set in the 1880s Pacific Northwest, the plot of the gothic-horror feature centres on a British widower (played by Skarsgård) who hires a Native American governess, raised in a Christian mission school, to educate his two daughters. As she prepares the eldest for an arranged marriage, something within the young woman begins to awaken, calling into question everything she has been taught. The director described the core themes of the film as deeply connected to questions of liberation, heritage and embodiment: “The story discusses how to break free from patriarchal structures and whether you can decolonise your own body – if not for yourself, for the sake of future generations.” THE WOLF WILL TEAR YOUR IMMACULATE HANDS is being produced by Hobab, and is co-produced by Resolve Media (USA), Quiddity Films (UK), Need Productions (Belgium) and Still Vivid (Iceland). The film draws on an extensive patchwork of European and international funding sources, including Film i Väst, SVT, VOO, Be TV, Proximus, Shelter Prod, Northern Ireland Screen, the BFI’s UK Global Screen Fund, Eurimages, Creative Europe, the Swedish Film Institute, the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, screen.brussels, the Icelandic Film Centre, the Icelandic Tax Credit and the Nordisk Film & TV Fond.
MEET EAVE IN JANUARY
@ CHANGE Workshop 2, January 14 - 18, Chisinau (MD)
EAVE Deputy CEO Satu Elo
@ When East Meets West, January 17 - 21, Trieste (IT)
EAVE CEO Kristina Trapp, EAVE project managers Tanika Sajatovic, Lilla Kadar
Time to celebrate: Introducing the 2026 EAVE Producers Workshop Participants!
As we bid farewell to an incredible year, it is with great joy that we introduce next year’s cohort for the EAVE Producers Workshop!
We welcome the 56 producers and professionals from 35 countries (see complete list below) that have been selected out of 307 applications from 64 countries to EAVE!
“We are excited to present the 2026 cohort - a diverse group of talented international producers to watch, with a rich range of backgrounds, business models, formats that will surely shape our industry of today and tomorrow” - says EAVE CEO Kristina Trapp.
We are particularly grateful for the generous support of our 2026 scholarship partners:
- The French CNC supports the participation of 4 international producers at the EAVE Producers Workshop, namely Jiries Copti (Palestine), Norah Elkhateeb (Egypt), May Jabareen (Palestine) and Gaby Zarazir (Lebanon).
- Thanks to German regional fund MDM, Ukrainian producers Elena Saulich and Anna Yatsenko will develop their skills at the EAVE 2026 course.
- PACT is offering a scholarship to one UK producer (Hollie Bryan) in the name and memory of EAVE expert Dorothy Viljoen.
- Our long-standing partnerships with Telefilm Canada and SODEC as well as our new collaboration with Indigenous Screen Office (ISO) made it possible for four producers from Canada to attend the programme: Todd Brown and Rebecca Steele are supported by Telefilm Canada, Geneviève Gosselin-Giguère by SODEC and Chaz Beaudette by ISO.
- The support of Projeto Paradiso was granted to Thiago Macêdo Correia from Brazil.
- Thanks to our collaboration with IDM Film & Music Commission Südtirol, Debora Nischler will participate in the programme.
- The Italian regional fund Fondo Audiovisivo Friuli Venezia Giulia supports the participation of Jelena Radenkovic from Serbia.
In addition to those, a number of scholarships have been allocated by EAVE, including an EAVE diversity scholarship for European participants who identify as black, indigenous or people of colour. Additional EAVE scholarships were given in priority to participants from European low production capacity countries.
We would like to thank our partners, consultants, pedagogical team, and all the members of the EAVE family for their precious support and wish you all a peaceful holiday season and a good start into the New Year!
Happy Holidays!
The EAVE office is closed from December 24, 2025 – January 1, 2026.
Your EAVE team will be back on January 2, 2026.
The selected participants for the EAVE Producers Workshop 2026 are:
BELGIUM
Silvia Rexha, Ginger Pictures
Sebastian Schelenz, Velvet Films
BRAZIL
Thiago Macêdo Correia, Filmes de Plástico
BULGARIA
Victoria Mitreva, Garti Films, Portokal
CANADA
Chaz Beaudette, Nikan Productions
Todd Brown
Geneviève Gosselin-Giguère, Le Foyer Films
Rebecca Steele, Kind Stranger Productions
CHILE
Rebeca Gutierrez-Campos, Pinda Producciones
CROATIA
Matija Drniković, Wolfgang&Dolly
CZECH REPUBLIC
Ondřej Lukeš, Beginner’s Mind
DENMARK
Patricia Drati, Good Company Pictures
Maria Møller Kjeldgaard, Manna Film
Giulia Triolo, Snowglobe
EGYPT
Norah Elkhateeb, Cats Films
FAROE ISLANDS
Torfinnur Jákupsson, GRÓ Studios
FINLAND
Melli Maikkula, TACK Films
Pauliina Piipponen, Making Movies
FRANCE
Claire Chassagne, Dolce Vita Films
Leslie Jacob, Adastra Films
Martin Jérôme, Condor Films
GERMANY
Laura Klippel, Bandenfilm
Virginia Martin, Contando Films
Katharina Weser, Reynard Films
GERMANY / UK
Franziska Bioh
GREECE
Antigoni Elissavet Rota, Foss Productions
HUNGARY
Ádám Felszeghy, ULab
INDIA
Dimpy Agrawal, Gubbara Entertainment
Naren Chandavarkar, Moonweave Films
IRELAND
Cúán Mac Conghail, Macalla
ITALY
Gaetano Maiorino, Tramp Limited
Debora Nischler, Albolina Film
ITALY / SWITZERLAND
Olga Lamontanara, 8horses
LATVIA
Uģis Riekstiņš, Picture House
LEBANON
Gaby Zarazir, madame le tapis
LITHUANIA
Rūta Petronytė, Smart Casual
LUXEMBOURG
Hélène Walland, Poulpe Bleu Production
NETHERLANDS
Maaike Neve, BIND
Chris Stenger, Family Affair Films
NORWAY
Sara Beate Eira, Screaming Fox Productions
Bente Maalen, Blaane Film
PALESTINE
Jiries Copti, Fresco Films
May Jabareen, Philistine Films
POLAND
Patryk Sielecki, Lumisenta Film Foundation
PORTUGAL
Margarida Adónis, Ready to Shoot
SERBIA
Jelena Radenkovic, Big time production
SOUTH AFRICA
Antoinette Engel, Far Horizon Films
SPAIN
Estephania Bonnett Alonso, Playlab Films
Marc Guanyabens, Fasten Films
SWEDEN
Melissa Lindgren, Story
Frida Mårtensson, Verket Produktion
UK
Hollie Bryan, Cosmosquare Films
Nadira Murray, Sylph Productions
UKRAINE
Elena Saulich, Pronto Films
Anna Yatsenko, Forefilms
US
Zoe Sua Cho, Avonhead Films
The 3 sessions of the EAVE 2026 Producers Workshop will take place in Luxembourg (March 6-13), Bolzano, Italy (June 14-21) and Newport, Wales, UK (October 26 – November 2).
Best regards, The EAVE team
“Disrupt the Default” - EAVE Interview with Tamara Dawit on Inclusive Production Practices
Tamara Dawit is a producer, EAVE graduate and consultant, and former funding executive with over 20 years of experience designing programmes and developing policies to stabilize and grow the creative sector. Through her company Gobez Media, she produces East African projects that advance narrative sovereignty, ethical collaboration, and diasporic exchange. Her films have screened at Cannes, TIFF, Tribeca, and Hot Docs, and broadcast globally on CBC, MTV, PBS, Al Jazeera, NHK, and ARTE.
EAVE sat down with Tamara to learn about Inclusive Production Practices, a brand-new EAVE training programme to embed equity, inclusion, and ethical practice across the full production lifecycle.
EAVE is launching a new on-demand training programme, Inclusive Production Practices, which you co-developed and co-curated with EAVE CEO Kristina Trapp. The workshop builds on the outcomes of the EAVE Impact Think Tanks on equity and inclusion in the production process. How did you conceive this EAVE on Demand?
Tamara Dawit: I’m really excited about this programme! It’s a great opportunity to step back from the traditional way we teach producing, and to look at the production process through a different lens, one that’s grounded in kindness – something that we talked about a lot in the EAVE Think Tanks. The industry is tough, producers often operate in survival mode, focused on keeping their companies afloat. This workshop encourages a shift: thinking not just about your own stability, growth and monetised success, but also that of your co-producers, your writers, and your directors. Are they going to become more stabilised, are they going to become stronger partners for you to work on your next piece of content?
It’s about pausing to reflect on what kind of journey we want toward the end result, whether that’s a film premiere at a festival or a series launch on a streamer or broadcaster. Can we make that journey more considerate, more collaborative? Ultimately, it’s about creating processes where everyone reaches the finish line stronger and more stable than when they started.
For me, those are the background ideas about why we created this programme: to really think with an eye of making everyone successful!
You mentioned stability across the team. How does that connect to inclusivity and long-term collaboration?
Stability across the team is key, in my opinion. Too often, collaborations between producers from high- and low-capacity countries are seen through a charity lens, as if one partner brings money and access, while the other only brings the story, and it is somehow undervalued. But if they work as genuine, equal and long-term partners, the lower-capacity producer gains experience, visibility, credit, and thus stronger access to money for future projects - and that will benefit the high-capacity producer as well. It’s about long-term thinking that benefits everyone.
As regards production practices, last year’s Think Tank report highlighted two crucial areas: development and financing. How will the training reflect these two areas?
In development, it’s about safeguarding stories, ensuring you’re not producing extractive content and that you collaborate respectfully with the communities involved. In financing, it’s about recognising and monetising the value of story and IP development, even when that work wasn’t financed externally. The training will explore these two areas, and it will guide producers through rethinking their projects from development to financing plans and budgets, using a mix of plenary sessions, group discussions, and case studies, much like other EAVE programmes.
What other key principles from the Think Tank inspired this training?
One major idea was to “disrupt the default.” Just because something has always been done a certain way doesn’t mean it should continue. EAVE has always helped producers build capacities and advocate for themselves and their peers in front of guilds, unions, funders or policy makers. This training extends that: encouraging producers from high-capacity countries to advocate for their lower-capacity partners when needed, if they really want to build content in an inclusive way. I think when we do that extra work, we end up with content where everyone, the whole team is equally valued and equally benefitting, and they leave with a good experience.
Sometimes inclusivity means small but impactful actions. For example, if a director from the Global South is editing in Canada or in Europe, do we budget for a translator or someone from that ethno-cultural community to help bridge differences, to help them communicate effectively with the colourist, the sound editor or the composer? How are we making sure of getting the best content, if we don’t do that? So that’s a very small thing, but it can become a really big thing, if there is a communication breakdown. These details ensure that everyone can contribute fully, leading to better results and healthier collaborations.
What long-term impact do you envision?
I hope it will normalise equitable co-productions, stabilising all partners. When everyone benefits, the global production ecosystem grows more balanced and sustainable. We need to move away from the idea that collaborating with the rest of the world is an act of favour, and having this hierarchy of who is more able to produce or more important on the spectrum. Every partner brings unique value, whether that’s access to a great story, a great location, an authentic community, whatever it is.
Who is the training for, and when should producers apply it in their project timeline?
Important to mention that this isn’t a programme for low-capacity or marginalised producers — it’s for everyone in the industry. It’s about learning how to “play nicer in the sandbox together.” If we want inclusion at the end, we have to plan for it from the very start, and that means valuing access, creativity, and community the same way as valuing money.
It’s primarily for producers, like most EAVE programmes. My recommendation is that this type of workshop works best in development. It’s the ideal time to join because that’s when key decisions about partnerships, financing, and budgeting are still being made. If you are doing this sort of design thinking exercise with your project, then in its initiation and growth phase you will be able to include all of those things, down the road. Participants will apply the learning directly to their projects, using the workshop to address real challenges.
The training can also be valuable for institutions and funders, or it could be part of market offerings. For example, understanding what inclusive production entails, such as why a “cultural authenticity steward” might be a necessary budget line, can help a funder to support projects to be more equitable.
Would European-only producers also benefit from inclusivity training?
Absolutely. These principles apply everywhere. For example, within Europe there can be imbalances between experienced producers and first-time directors, or established and emerging co-producers. Often, we see things that come up with crediting, like someone will bring me on as an emerging producer and they will credit me as associate producer, but that credit will not enable me to access the funding on my own next time. The workshop encourages producers to design collaborations that build everyone’s career stability.
We often worry about the idea of scarcity, such as limited funding, limited sales companies, limited slots at A-list festivals, but I think that as producers grow and companies stabilise, this also develops more distribution companies, and more markets in other parts of the world, as well as new sources of revenues. As public funding declines, we need to have new ways to collaborate, to think differently on how to approach and monetise things, because it may enable us to have a wider reach and better outcome.
Find out more about the EAVE Inclusive Production Practices – available to book from 2026!
https://eave.org/programmes/inclusive-production-practices
Download the information package here.
For more information, please contact EAVE Project Manager Théo Koutsaftis theo@eave.org.
15 Filmmakers Gather at Creative Producer Indaba to explore African Film Content Creation
Fifteen filmmakers from around the globe, who have a focus on African film and television content have gathered for the fifth edition of Creative Producer Indaba, the prestigious audiovisual producers’ professional development programme that strengthens the entrepreneurial and leadership skills of a new cohort of media leaders and builders.
This acclaimed programme is created and designed by Cape Town-based media house, Realness Institute, in partnership with EAVE, the Indian Ocean International Film Festival (FIFOI) and Maison du Cinéma et des Jeux Vidéo, with the financial support of Region Réunion. The programme is also supported by the Brazilian Foundation Projeto Paradiso, Canada Media Fund, Telefilm Canada, the Swiss Foundation for professional training in cinema and audiovisual media (FOCAL), the Austrian Film Institute, the French National Centre of Cinema (CNC), and Institut français Creation Africa.
It kicked off with an online Opening Assembly (12 November) with Guest Speaker Ivana Kirkbride, Media and Tech Executive and current NorthStar Media Group Co-Founder, who led a discussion on "Leadership".
The cohort includes:
African/Indian Ocean Producers with a project:
- Ique Langa (Mozambique)
- Lova Nantenaina (Réunion/Madagascar)
- Wame Merafhe (Botswana)
- Yasmin Hassan (Kenya)
- Shveta Naidoo (South Africa)
African/Indian Ocean Producers interested in professional development:
- Xolani Nhlapho (South Africa)
- David Franciscus (South Africa)
- Mahelet Gezachew (Ethiopia/USA)
- Iman Djionne (Senegal)
- Linda Qibaa (Morocco/France)
International Producers collaborating with African/Indian Ocean Producers:
- Mo Harawe (Austria/Somalia)
- Stefan Eichenberger (Switzerland)
- Soko Negash (Canada)
- Aswathi Naduthodi (India)
- Talita Arruda (Brazil)
The current online sessions for the programme includes a Story Masterclass with Story Expert Tracey-Lee Rainers, award winning entrepreneur and international story practitioner, with Story Oasis (Johannesburg); an International Sales Masterclass with Julien Razafindranaly, film sales executive and Head of Sales at Films Boutique, as well as Alicia Petrusa, Media and Entertainment Senior Relationship Manager at Royal Bank of Canada, to discuss corporate strategy, cash flow, and private equity financing.
This introductory session is followed by an in-person workshop in February next year in Johannesburg, where participants will have sessions on financing, PR and marketing, and project development. The cohort will then move to Saint-Paul, Réunion, during the International Indian Ocean Film Festival (FIFOI), in April 2026, where the workshops will focus on legal, organisational development, network management and leadership.
The programme blends seminars, workshops, and mentorship to support creative projects within a business framework. Participants gain practical insights across project planning, financing, legal, marketing, advocacy, organisational growth, and leadership.
Mehret Mandefro, Interim Managing Director of Realness Institute and Creative Producer Indaba Group Leader, comments: “Global media systems are going through an unprecedented set of disruptions and in year 5 of Creative Producer Indaba, we are focused on equipping producers with future-facing skills that can help them weather the storm and come out stronger.”
Diana Elbaum, award-winning producer and Creative Producer Indaba Group Leader, says, "CPI celebrates producers as bold leaders, changemakers, and vital forces in the vibrant African and Indian Ocean creative landscape. By connecting producers, talents, and ideas, CPI provides the tools and experience to amplify extraordinary voices whose narratives are reshaping global majority storytelling."
For more information, go to: https://www.realness.institute/creative-producer-indaba
A new EAVE on Demand in Kurdistan is kicking off tomorrow!
EAVE is organising in partnership with Kurdistan Film Commission Slemani an EAVE on Demand workshop for producers from Kurdistan.
Date and location: December 5-9, 2025 Sulaymaniyah, Kurdistan
The objective is to provide insights into the existing funding landscape, funding applications, budgeting and finance plans as well as marketing strategies.
The workshop will consist of Group Work with Claire Gadéa (METONYMIE, France) as well as plenary sessions and individual meetings with Claire Gadéa, Vicky Miha (asterisk*, GR) and Mathias Noschis (Alphapanda, DE).
The topics addressed will include project development, budgeting and finance plans, an overview of international financing sources, introduction to international co-productions, how to prepare successful funding applications and pitch decks, as well as international marketing.
Experts
Claire Gadéa began her career as a producer 13 years ago with Philippe Lacôte's first Franco-Ivorian feature film Run (Un Certain Regard Cannes 2014). She then joined MPM Film and, together with Marie-Pierre Macia, produced and coproduced independent arthouse films from around the world, including Zama by Argentine director Lucrecia Martel (Venice 2017), Rafiki by Kenyan director Wanuri Kahiu (Un Certain Regard Cannes 2018), Ghosts by Turkish director Azra Deniz Okyay (Venice 2020 – Critics' Week Best Award), Mariner of Mountains by Brazilian director Karim Aïnouz (Cannes 2021), Alam by Palestinian director Firas Khoury (Toronto 2022 - Cairo 2022 Golden Pyramid and Best Actor Award) and Nuestra Tierra by Lucrecia Martel (Venice 2025).
In 2020, she also ventured into series with the production of season 2 of an 8*22-minute Ivorian fiction series in co-production with Boris Van Gils (Formosa Productions) for the MTV Staying Alive Foundation: Shuga Babi.
Claire Gadéa completed the ACE Producers Network program in 2016.
Claire Gadéa also set up an international sales company in 2018 with Marie-Pierre Macia and Jean-Charles Mille: MPM Premium.
In March 2025, she founded with Naomie Lagadec, Métonymie, a French film production company based in Brittany, where she develops French and international arthouse film projects (fictions and documentaries).
Vicky Miha has been working as a producer in Greece, Cyprus and Sweden, under various labels, for the past fifteen years. In 2017, she launched asterisk*, as a production company and one-stop consulting company for international producers. Since then, asterisk* has collaborated on 500+ projects with over 130 companies from 31 countries. In 2021, she co-founded asterisk*post, a post-production facility in central Athens.
Vicky Miha is a Board Member of the Hellenic Film Academy and the ACE Producers Network and member of EFA, EAVE and Eurodoc. She represented Greece in Cannes Producers on the Move in 2023.
Her filmography, as producer, co-producer and assistant producer, includes (among many others currently in production): BLUE BLOOD by Juris Kursietis (Tallinn Black Nights 2024); A QUIET LIFE by Alexandros Avranas (Venice 2024); ANIMAL by Sofia Exarchou (Locarno 2023); DOGWATCH by Gregoris Rentis (Visions du Reel 2022); THE MAN WITH THE ANSWERS by Stelios Kammitsis (Santa Barbara, Guadalajara, Beijing 2022); OSCURO ANIMAL by Felipe Guerrero (Rotterdam Tiger Competition 2016 | Premio Cooperacion Espanola San Sebastian 2016); MODRIS by Juris Kursietis (Special Mention New Directors San Sebastian | Contemporary World Cinema Toronto 2014) and DOGTOOTH by Yorgos Lanthimos (Oscar Nominated for Best Foreign Film 2011 | Un Certain Regard Award 2009).
Mathias Noschis is a film marketing strategist specialised in social media. He is the founder of Alphapanda, a film marketing agency with team members in Berlin, Warsaw and Milan. Alphapanda’s client list includes The Match Factory, Bankside Pictures, Warner Bros, the European Film Market and several independent producers, distributors and sales agents. Alphapanda’s recent projects span from fiction films “Father Mother Sister Brother” (Venice ’25 Golden Lion), “The Substance” (Cannes ‘24), "The Quiet Girl” (Berlinale ’21), “Touch Me Not” (Berlinale ‘18 Golden Bear), “God’s Own Country” (Sundance ’17) to documentaries “Smoke Sauna Sisterhood” (Sundance ’23), “The New Gospel” (Venice ’20), “If it Were Love” (Berlinale ’20) and Hollywood titles “Tenet”, “Joker” (Venice ‘19) and "Bohemian Rhapsody". Mathias is also an expert for Creative Europe MEDIA and CNC Aide aux Cinémas du Monde as well as a speaker and tutor for organisations such as ACE Producers, EAVE and Locarno Industry Academy.
SPECIAL OFFER: CLAUDIA BY UNDER THE MILKY WAY INTERNATIONAL
Dear EAVE Producers,
EAVE and Under the Milky Way International are proud to extend the special offer for independent producers who are interested in the digital distribution of their feature films and documentaries on major VOD platforms with global reach.
Are you ready to think digital?
Meet CLAUDIA, a new service launched in 2024 to empower producers in handling the digital distribution of their films.
By signing up for CLAUDIA, you will:
- Distribute your feature film or documentary on leading VoD platforms
- Manage metadata and artwork with ease
- Deliver your assets securely
- Receive personalized support and advice from a dedicated Under The Milky Way professional
- Track your revenues through detailed financial reports
- Enjoy reliable and timely payments
- Benefit from one simple digital agreement, one-time payment and full access.
Download the CLAUDIA information package here.
>>> Special Offer: EAVE producers who sign up for the CLAUDIA distribution package until February 22, 2026, will get an exclusive 20% discount on the CLAUDIA fee*: 2,240 EUR/film instead of 2,800 EUR. Mark ‘EAVE2025’ during the signup process.
*The fee covers encoding costs, full Quality Control, delivery in two language versions on three global platforms (Apple TV, Google/Youtube and Amazon), 24 months storage, project management, quarterly revenue reports and full oversight by Under the Milky Way. Additionally, UMW retains a 25% commission fee on royalties paid by the platforms.
Pro tip from UMW: Plan ahead! It typically takes about three months from asset delivery to digital release — so the earlier you sign up, the smoother your launch. Once your film is delivered to the platforms, we’ll make the release happen at the moment you choose!
For more information, please contact UMW International Distribution Manager and CLAUDIA Coordinator Veronica Miani.
WE THE SURFERS released by CLAUDIA on Apple, Google and Amazon © Hand Studio
About Under the Milky Way International
Since 2010, UMW has been providing efficient digital distribution service for rights-holders on the most prominent VoD Platforms in the world. With more than 8,000 features films distributed and more than 700+ right-holders, UMW manages one of the largest digital catalogues worldwide.
UMW’s “Library Intelligence” is a fully integrated in-house set of IT solutions customised to the global digital distribution value chain. Headquartered in Paris, Los Angeles, Montreal, and London, the multicultural UMW team combines industry veterans and digital-native cinephiles with deep expertise in digital distribution.
