25/06/2024 - Eight films will take part in the session that forms part of the KVIFF Eastern Promises programme, with a number of acclaimed advisors having been confirmed to participate

Now celebrating its tenth edition, First Cut+ is a programme dedicated to promoting films that have previously participated in the First Cut Lab. It collaborates with two dynamic film-industry platforms: Trieste’s When East Meets West and the Karlovy Vary IFF’s Eastern Promises. Each year, a portfolio of 16 features is showcased: eight films during the winter session at When East Meets West and eight during the summer session at Eastern Promises Industry Days. The First Cut+ 2024 summer edition will take place in Karlovy Vary shortly, featuring a works-in-progress session, lectures and individual mentoring consultations on promotion, marketing, PR and press, festivals, and sales strategy, led by various film-industry consultants.

The programme is managed by Ukrainian producer Natalia Libet, who welcomes returning advisors Catalin Cristutiu (editor), Katarzyna Siniarska (New Europe Film Sales), Joanna Solecka (Alphapanda), Ninon Benezet and Alexandre Bourg (Nice Guys Agency), Christina Pelekani (Endorphin Agency) and Michael Arnon (Wolf Consultants).

This July, the programme is enriched by a session titled “From Filming to Festivals: Creating Marketing Materials During Production to Stand Out in the Crowd”, accessible to KVIFF’s industry-accredited guests on 1 July. This session will explore how to take advantage of filming to create effective marketing assets and develop innovative communication elements during production. The co-founders of the French cinema-focused publicity agency Nice Guys, Alexandre Bourg and Ninon Benezet, will discuss strategies to promote a film in an exciting way, engage audiences with its storytelling and capture attention at festivals.

On 2 July, from 10:00-11:30, there will be a showcase of eight projects at the work-in-progress stage, featuring the First Cut+ Karlovy Vary 2024 line-up. While maintaining a commitment to Central and Eastern European films, First Cut+ is expanding to include projects from Belgium, Brazil, Japan and the Netherlands. In cooperation with Projeto Paradiso, the scheme continues to highlight emerging Brazilian talent, this time with a debut feature by Rafaela Camelo titled Blood of My Blood. Additionally, in collaboration with the IDM Film Commission of South Tyrol, they will present a documentary feature by Matthias Lintner titled My Boyfriend the Fascist. Of the eight selected projects, four are debut features.

The First Cut+ Award, sponsored by KVIFF and Tatino Films, comes with a €5,000 cash prize, which aims to further support and highlight one of the projects selected. The recipient will be determined by a jury composed of John Nein, senior programmer at the Sundance Film Festival; Lenka Tyrpakova, artistic director of the Czech national Finále Plzeň Festival in Pilsen; and Barbara Wurm, head of the Berlinale Forum.

Here is the selection for the tenth edition of First Cut+:

Blood of My Blood - Rafaela Camelo (Brazil/Chile/France)
Producers: Daniela Marinho (Moveo Filmes), Pinda Producciones

Idyllic - Aaron Rookus (Netherlands/Belgium/Estonia)
Producers: Maarten van der Ven, Layla Meijman (Studio Ruba)

Mayflies - Emília Goldberg (Hungary/Slovakia)
Producers: Ferenc Pusztai, Linda Pfeiffer (KMH Film)

My Boyfriend the Fascist - Matthias Lintner (Italy)
Producers: Martin Rattini, Daria Akimenko, Matthias Lintner (Helios Sustainable Films)

Numakage Public Swimming Pool - Shingo Ota (Japan)
Producer: Kyoko Takenaka (Hydroblast)

The Origin of the World - Borbála Nagy (Hungary/Germany/France)
Producers: Petra Iványi, Margarita Amineva-Jester, Julie Paratian, Daria Wichmann (Lupa Pictures, Voices Films, Sister Productions, DFFB)

The Silent Treatment - Caroline Strubbe (Belgium/Hungary/Netherlands)
Producers: Tomas Leyers (Minds Meet), Volya Films

Wheels of Forgotten Dreams - Miloš Ljubomirović, Danilo Lazović (Serbia/Bulgaria/Croatia)
Producers: Miloš Ljubomirović, Danilo Lazović (Servia Film)