24/11/2025 - The winning projects include Siiri Halko's The Well, Federico Borgia's Prince, Kristijonas Vildžiūnas' Dice-ching-o-mat and Faye Jackson's Little Bird, among others

Director Siiri Halko accepting the Eurimages award for The Well (© Erlend Štaub/PÖFF)

The 24th edition of Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event concluded on 21 November. This year saw a total of 15 awards handed out across the various strands devoted to scriptwriting, development and post-production. While the Discovery Campus also honoured emerging talents.

At the Baltic Event Co-Production Market, which showcased 15 film projects in development (see the news), The Well directed by Siiri Halko and written by Petra Koivula, received the Eurimages Co-Production Development Award, worth of €20,000. The jury comprising Els Hendrix (Eurimages), Katrin Pors (Snowglobe) and Jörg Schneider (ZDF), commented: “The Well offers a nuanced and emotionally perceptive portrait of a sisterly relationship destabilized by changing roles in a family. The film’s blend of social and quiet magical realism promises a distinctive, atmospheric aesthetic. The story’s thematic resonance around identity, foster care, and emotional dependency gives it substantial artistic weight while at the same time allowing it to relate to relational shifts occurring in many families.” The film is being produced by Jenni Jauri, of Silmu Films.

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Another major recognition went to the Ukrainian project Alice Wants to Live, which was awarded the Eurimages Special Co-Production Development Award, also worth €20,000. The film, directed by Vitaliy Dokalenko and written by Denys Sabolev. The jury marked it out as a “a deeply atmospheric and emotionally truthful depiction of post-traumatic intimacy. Sadly enough, we all know that the trauma still continues. Kyiv is portrayed not as a battlefield but as a lived-in, wounded landscape.” The project is being produced by Dokalenko for Ganzafilm and Andrejs Ekis for Cinevilla Films LLC.

Five producers presenting their projects were honoured with the Producers Network Prize for Promising Young Producers, entitling them to participate in the 2026 Cannes Marché du Film. The recipients were Jan Čadek for No Salvation Coming, and Stasys Baltakis, Vitalii Sheremetiev, Helena Pokorny, and Oleksii Zgonik for Vesna. The Baltic Event Co-Production Market Public Favourite Award went to The Queen of England Stole My Parents by Ernestas Jankauskas, the prize consists of a day of virtual production studio access provided by Gorodenkoff Productions.

Eighteen Wok in Progress projects were presented across three categories – International, Baltic Event and Just Film – during the event (see the news). The Best International Project Award, worth €7,000 including services from Studio Beep, went to Prince written and directed by Federico Borgia. The jury, comprising Zadig Paloyan (Le Pacte), Arnon Manor (Sony Pictures), Amaia Serrulla (San Sebastián), commented: “For its evocative, visually rich imagery and the sense that this is a story we genuinely want to see unfold”.

The Best Baltic Project, which will also receive a €7,000 prize from Studio Beep, was Dice-ching-o-mat by Lithuanian filmmaker Kristijonas Vildžiūnas, for “the compelling blend of a fantasy-leaning proposal with the emotional challenge faced by the protagonist”. The project also received the newly introduced Special Award by TRT and its €5,000 cash prize. As for the Just Film Award, which includes a €1,000 cash prize, it went to Suiza by Maria Fernanda Gonzales, with the jury underlining that it “impresses with a strong and striking visual style that grabs you right away”.

For the second time, the European Genre Forum presented its €25,000 award, sponsored by ATM Virtual, to Little Bird, directed and written by Faye Jackson. The prize includes one day of LED-stage rental, preceded by a day of pre-lighting for the film’s production and according to the jury “it is an ideal candidate for an ATM Virtual award because it perfectly demonstrates the creative potential and technical necessity of Virtual Production”

Here is the full list of winners:

Baltic Event Co-production Market

Eurimages Co-Production Development Award
The Well – Siiri Halko (Finland/Estonia)
Producer: Jenni Jauri (Silmu Films Oy)

Eurimages Special Co-Production Development Award
Alice Wants to Live – Denys Sobolev (Ukraine/Latvia)
Producers: Vitaliy Dokalenko (Ganzafilm), Andrejs Ekis (Cinevilla Films LLC)

Cannes Marché du Film Producers Network Award
Jan Čadek (Beginner's Mind, Czech Republic; project: No Salvation Coming)
Stasys Baltakis, Vitalii Sheremetiev, Helena Pokorny, Oleksii Zgonik (Film Jam, Matka Films, Ukraine/France/Lithuania; project: Vesna)

Public Favourite Award
The Queen of England Stole My Parents – Ernestas Jankauskas (Lithuania/Poland)
Producers: Gabija Siurbytė, Viktorija Rimkutė, Aleksandra Chmielewska (Dansu Films)

Works in Progress

Best International Project Award
Prince – Federico Borgia (Uruguay/Argentina)
Producers: Francisco Magnou, Isabel Garcia, Pancho Magnou (Montelona)

Public Favourite Award
The Convulsions – David Gutiérrez Camps (France/Spain)
Producers: Joan Carles Martorell, Iréna Lopez, Luis Ortas, Alice Baldo, Miguel Ángel Abuja, Pablo Gregorio Venegas (Auca Films, Bapla Films, Timber Films, Cinetica Produccions, IMY Productions)

Best Baltic Project Award
Dice-ching-o-mat – Kristijonas Vildžiūnas (Lithuania/Estonia/Latvia)
Producer: Uljana Kim (Studio Uljana Kim)

Special Award – TRT
Dice-ching-o-mat – Kristijonas Vildžiūnas

Public Favourite Award
Lex Julia – Laura Hyppönen (Finland/Poland/Estonia/Sweden)
Producers: Merja Ritola, Essi Haukkamaa-Judge (Greenlit Productions Oy), Magdalena Zimecka, Marta Krzeptowska (Orka Film) Marianne Ostrat (Alexandra Film), Daniel Lägersten (GötaFilm)

Best Just Film Project Award
Suiza – Maria Fernanda Gonzales (Peru/Argentina)
Producer: Norma Velásquez (Lucuma Salvaje, Suena Peru)

Public Favourite Award
Suiza – Maria Fernanda Gonzales

European Genre Forum Award
Little Bird – Faye Jackson (UK)
Producer: Carley Armstrong (True Moon Pictures)

Script Pool

Script Pool Award
White Ship – Teresa Väli (Estonia)
Producer: Inger Põder (Homeless Bob Production)

Public Favourite Award
Apoteos – Christofer Nilsson (Sweden)
Producer: Annegret Kunath (Råttunge Produktion)

Discovery Campus

Music Meets Film Award
Nicolò Braghiroli

Best Upcoming Cinematographer - Frame Within a Frame
Gemma De Miguel Morell – Cura Sana (Spain)
Tanel Topaasia – In Between (Estonia)

Best Cinematographer - Frame Within a Frame Lens Award by ARRI
Jolinna Ang – I Will Leave You Words (Singapore)

Black Nights Stars Award
Freddie Mosten Jacob
Karolina Bruchnicka
Kasparas Varanavičius
Kristiin Räägel
Saku Taittonen
Samirah Breuer
Tessa Hoder
Ursel Tilk