Tatino Films, the Paris-based hub for international film development, is expanding its acclaimed First Cut Lab programme with a brand-new onsite edition in Paris, scheduled for January 2026. The initiative is designed for feature-length films in their editing stage, offering selected teams tailored guidance to refine their artistic vision, increase international appeal, and strengthen circulation potential.

For the first time, the Paris edition will be open to filmmakers from across the globe. Each selected team – composed of director, producer, and editor – will have the opportunity to work closely with renowned editors and industry professionals, many of whom have collaborated on award-winning films showcased at Cannes, Berlinale, Locarno, and beyond.

Matthieu Darras, Tatino CEO, stated: “Tatino’s activities span the globe, yet its heart lies in Paris. Our collaborators, who mingle at our Paris office, form a truly international crew, originally coming from Bosnia, Chile, Lebanon, Italy, or Lithuania. Their shared passion for cinema is what led them to live in the French capital. The whole world comes to Paris to make films. Building on this spirit, Tatino Films has been welcoming filmmakers to its Pop Up Film Residency in Paris since 2021. Now, we are thrilled to bring another of our flagship programs, First Cut Lab, to Paris. Selected participants will also get the chance to connect with key players from the French film industry, including many of the driving forces behind today’s global arthouse cinema.”

The Paris programme will engage a network of established producers, sales agents, distributors, and festival programmers, creating opportunities for direct exchanges with key players in one of the most vibrant film industry ecosystems in the world. The timing of the lab – with main sessions in January – has been carefully selected to align with the post-production schedules of films aiming for spring and summer 2026 festival premieres.

Regular First Cut Lab editing consultants who will participate include Catalin Cristutiu (Romania), long-term collaborator with Radu Jude; Agnieszka Glinska (Poland), editor of the Oscar-nominated The Girl with the Needle [+lire aussi :
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fiche film]; and Benjamin Mirguet (France), long-term editor advisor of Ruben Östlund.

Recent First Cut Lab projects have gone on to significant international recognition, including Chie Hayakawa’s Renoir [+lire aussi :
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interview : Chie Hayakawa
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fiche film], which received the Méliès d’Or from the European Fantastic Film Festivals Federation; and Stefan Djordjević’s Wind, Talk To Me [+lire aussi :
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fiche film], which won the Heart of Sarajevo Award for Best Feature Film.

Since its inception in 2015, First Cut Lab has supported over 300 feature films through more than 90 labs across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. The launch of its Paris edition marks a further step in the programme’s mission to empower filmmakers worldwide while strengthening international creative collaborations.

The call for submissions opens on 27 October and more information can be found here.