28/07/2026 - The three-year initiative launched by the EU Delegation to the United States aims to building bridges across the Atlantic

l-r: Participants Leonardo van Dijl, Sofia Exarchou, Mara Tamkovich, Guillermo Galoe and Moonika Siimets

For two weeks, from 25 May to 7 June, five of Europe's most promising directors travelled across Boston, the Berkshires, Los Angeles and Washington DC as part of the first edition of the Transatlantic Rising Stars Project – Film Strand, a three-year initiative launched by the EU Delegation to the United States (read our news).

Ruth Bajada, EU Deputy Ambassador, framed the initiative's purpose: "Cultural exchange remains among the most enduring foundations of the transatlantic relationship. Through the Transatlantic Rising Stars Project, the European Union is committed to advancing the international visibility of European filmmakers and establishing substantive and long-lasting partnerships between the creative sectors in Europe and the United States. This first edition has demonstrated all the good that comes from engagement between partners, and the importance of sustaining this dialogue in the arts."

The programme was designed with a clear objective: not simply to introduce European filmmakers to the American industry, but to create lasting artistic and professional relationships between two filmmaking ecosystems that often operate according to different rules, cultures and expectations. Through screenings, masterclasses, meetings with leading US companies and institutions, and exchanges with students and audiences, the initiative sought to establish a two-way conversation between Europe and the United States.

That two-way approach is precisely what distinguishes the Transatlantic Rising Stars Project from more traditional international industry programmes. While many initiatives focus on helping European films enter the US market, this programme was conceived as a true exchange. European filmmakers were introduced to American audiences, executives and students, but American filmmakers, future professionals and audiences were equally invited into a dialogue with some of Europe's most exciting contemporary directors. The result was not a one-off market visit, but the beginning of relationships designed to continue well beyond the two-week delegation.

The programme opened at Emerson College, where the directors exchanged ideas with film students before presenting their work at the Berkshire International Film Festival (BIFF). After screenings and public discussions in Massachusetts, the delegation moved to Los Angeles for an intensive industry immersion that combined tailored workshops with meetings at organisations including A24, Netflix, Cinetic Media and Film Independent. The Los Angeles programme was designed and led by programme director Seanne Winslow, an award-winning writer, director and producer in her own right (The Lego Movie, Nowhere, The Falconer), together with Betsy Tsai, an award-winning director and producer with a long track record in artist development. The journey concluded in Washington DC, where the filmmakers joined the wider Transatlantic Rising Stars artistic community for the programme's closing events.

For Estonian filmmaker Moonika Siimets, the experience became something far more personal than an industry visit. "I expected to go to the US to get to know the American film industry better, but I ended up learning just as much about myself as a filmmaker. The week in Los Angeles also reminded me of a simple truth: the more personal and specific a story is, the greater its chances of connecting with audiences across cultures." The experience also reshaped her understanding of how European films build a future in the American market. "It also changed the way I think about a European film's journey in the US. More than distribution or market strategy, it begins with the art of communication: genuine relationships, trust, meaningful conversations and the ability to sustain them over time."

That emphasis on relationships rather than transactions echoed throughout the delegation. Greek director Sofia Exarchou described the programme as "an intense, condensed, and deeply creative experience," highlighting not only the opportunity to present both completed and upcoming projects to American audiences and industry professionals, but also the rare chance to immerse herself in the workings of the US film industry while opening conversations that could lead to future collaborations.

Belarusian-Polish filmmaker Mara Tamkovich pointed to the programme's carefully structured approach, noting that it offered "an introduction to the US industry that would take years to build on your own." The combination of practical workshops, peer exchange and meetings with decision-makers gave participants not only access but also the confidence and preparation needed to begin building meaningful professional networks.

Spanish director Guillermo Galoe similarly emphasised that the programme helped dismantle what he described as the "invisible barriers" that continue to separate the North American and European industries. Conversations initiated during the trip have already continued around his upcoming projects, reinforcing his belief that the programme fills "a real gap in building bridges between European and North American cinema."

The delegation also forged strong bonds among the filmmakers themselves. Belgian director Leonardo Van Dijl recalled the immediate chemistry within the group, explaining that travelling together, discussing each other's work and presenting films across the United States demonstrated "cinema's unique ability to create connections across borders," leaving him inspired to return to his next project.

The programme's impact extended beyond the filmmakers. Throughout the journey, American students engaged directly with established European directors at Emerson College, while festival audiences and US industry professionals discovered voices that might otherwise never have reached American screens. According to the programme's organisers, several industry conversations initiated during the delegation are continuing, while executives expressed interest in reading the directors' future projects and exploring possible collaborations.

Those relationships are also being sustained institutionally. Meanwhile, the project's partnership with the European Film Academy is deepening in both directions. Together with the Academy and its members, the Transatlantic Rising Stars Project is developing an alumni programme within the Academy's Knowledge Sharing activities, so the relationships formed during the exchange continue across Europe long after the delegation returns home. This August, the partnership reaches American audiences: the five selected films will screen in cooperation with the Academy's European Award Season, beginning with co-branded public screenings at the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington DC on 2 and 3 August.

The call for applications for the 2027 cohort of European directors will be published mid-September on the EU Delegation to the United States website.

Ultimately, the Transatlantic Rising Stars Project demonstrates a broader ambition. The European Union is not simply investing in the international visibility of its own filmmakers; it is creating opportunities for American filmmakers, students and audiences to engage directly with European cinema. Rather than asking five European directors to break into Hollywood, the programme creates space for two industries that build trust differently to learn from one another. In doing so, it lays the foundations for collaborations that may shape the future of transatlantic filmmaking for years to come.