19/05/2025 - CANNES 2025: The third edition of the initiative spotlighted ten high-end auteur projects, with the Austrian helmer taking home the €20,000 ArteKino International Prize

Producer Alexander Glehr and director Marie Kreutzer at the Investors Circle

The Marché du Film’s third annual Investors Circle concluded yesterday in Cannes with a strong showing of industry support, high-profile attendees and ten new projects from a distinguished slate of auteur filmmakers. Austria’s Marie Kreutzer (Corsage [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Marie Kreutzer
interview: Marie Kreutzer
film profile]) emerged as the winner of the 2025 ArteKino International Prize, awarded to her project Gentle Monster, produced by Alexander Glehr and Johanna Scherz for Film AG Produktion GmbH.

Held at the Plage des Palmes, the official beachside venue of the Cannes Film Festival and the Marché du Film, this year’s edition drew a curated group of international investors and financiers to an exclusive one-day programme. The initiative featured a trio of industry panels and culminated in a closed-door pitching session of ten previously unrevealed auteur-driven features, all seeking private-equity support.

Notable directors presenting included Cannes Competition regulars Jessica Hausner (Club Zero [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jessica Hausner
film profile], Little Joe [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jessica Hausner
film profile]) and Sebastián Lelio (The Wave, A Fantastic Woman [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]) alongside Oscar nominee and Golden Bear winner Jasmila Žbanić (Quo Vadis, Aida? [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jasmila Žbanić
film profile]), Grand Prix recipient Lukas Dhont (Close [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Eden Dambrine
interview: Lukas Dhont
interview: Lukas Dhont
film profile], Girl [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Lukas Dhont
film profile]), and acclaimed voices such as Eliza Hittman (Never Rarely Sometimes Always [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]), Giacomo Abbruzzese (Disco Boy [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Giacomo Abbruzzese
film profile]) and Hlynur Pálmason (The Love That Remains [+see also:
trailer
film profile]). The budgets ranged between €3 million and €9 million, and the projects represented a mix of narrative scope, cultural specificity and bold creative intent.

“Filmmaking is a really big mountain,” Kreutzer noted after receiving the prize. “And what happens before the premiere – to get a film made – is a very long climb. So, we really need people who want to support cinema and have love for cinema – that’s why meeting investors is extremely important. I’ve had great conversations with these investors so far. The script has sparked their interest, and they’re eager to learn more about the project.”

The selection was curated by Aleksandra Zakharchenko, head of Industry Programmes at the Marché du Film, with a committee including ARTE France Cinéma’s Remi Burah, the Hubert Bals Fund’s Tamara Tatishvili (who also moderated the pitching session), media financier Serge Hayat and New Europe Film Sales’ Marcin Łuczaj. Legal firm 111 Avocats provided dedicated advisory support to all pitching teams, streamlining investor engagement and structuring. 

“The Investors Circle is a rare and valuable event,” said Celine Dornier, VP Financing and Acquisitions at Logical Pictures Group, and one of the selected investors invited to attend the event. “It’s truly designed with investors in mind, which makes all the difference. The selection of projects is at a consistently high level, with prestigious and diverse filmmakers who match what I’m looking for.”

Since 2023, the Investors Circle has established itself as a focused platform for bridging auteur cinema and private capital.

Here are the ten projects presented at the 2025 Investors Circle:

Coward (working title) - Lukas Dhont (Belgium)
Producer: Michiel Dhont (The Reunion)

Disorder - Giacomo Abbruzzese (Italy)
Producers: Marco Alessi, Giulia Achilli (Dugong Films)

Gentle Monster - Marie Kreutzer (Austria)
Producers: Alexander Glehr, Johanna Scherz (Film AG Produktion GmbH)

Kamo - Kornél Mundruczó (Hungary)
Producers: Mike Goodridge (Good Chaos), Ilya Stewart (Hype Studios), Balthazar de Ganay

Motherlove - Eliza Hittman (USA)
Producers: Paul Mezey, Andrew Goldman (Present Company)

On Land and Sea - Hlynur Pálmason (Iceland)
Producers: Katrin Pors (Snowglobe), Anton Máni Svansson (Still Vivid)

Poeta Chileno - Sebastián Lelio (Chile)
Producers: Rocío Jadue, Juan de Dios Larraín, Pablo Larraín (Fabula)

Quo Vadis, Aida? - The Missing Part - Jasmila Žbanić (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Producer: Damir Ibrahimović (Deblokada)

The Puma - Marcela Said (France/Chile)
Producers: Carole Scotta, Barbara Letellier, Eliott Khayat (Haut et Court)

Toxic - Jessica Hausner (Austria)
Producers: Johannes Schubert (Schubert), Philippe Bober (Coproduction Office)