Now in its fifth year, MunichFilmUp! has revealed the six promising filmmakers selected for its 2025 edition. Founded by HFF München in conjunction with Tatino Films’ Pop Up Film Residency as its content partner, the seven-month programme supports film-school graduates developing their first feature-length projects. Rooted in Bavaria and realised in partnership with the Festival of Future Storytellers and the Cannes Film Festival’s Short Film Corner, the initiative is made possible through the exclusive financial support of the Kirch Foundation, which also awards a €5,000 prize to the winning project.

The programme is led by co-directors Elena Diesbach and Matthieu Darras, alongside co-managers Ivana Hucíková and Antonia Lindner, and offers tailored development plans and one-on-one mentorship by renowned international professionals.

Selected from a record number of applicants representing more than 40 countries, this year’s cohort brings together a diverse mix of cultural backgrounds, with participants hailing from Mexico, India, Northern Ireland, France, Brazil and Syria. Two of them are alumni of HFF München, underlining the school’s ongoing role as a creative hub for the next generation of filmmakers.

Among the selected participants, Natalia García Agraz from Mexico (Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica) presents Tibu and the Animals, following her shorts The Last Romantic, A Revolution and Passarinho, which screened at Tribeca and Palm Springs. From India, Subarna Dash (Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute) brings her animated project In Heat, On Loop, expanding on her exploration of identity and solitude through an inventive visual language.

Oliver McGoldrick, a filmmaker and doctor from Northern Ireland (New York University), is developing Barnyard after the success of his Venice-premiered short Three Keenings. French filmmaker Camille Tricaud (HFF München) contributes The Song of the Baba, a project steeped in poetic realism, following her Berlinale-screened Eleven Tomorrows.

From Brazil, Boni Zanatta (Fundação Armando Alvares Penteado) participates with The Three Maries Parable, furthering her commitment to socially engaged storytelling after her award-winning short Non Spontaneous Combustion. Rounding off the line-up, Muschirf Shekh Zeyn, a Syrian filmmaker based in Germany (HFF München), brings along Patrick, his debut feature, following Killing Bagheera and Future Is Panorama, both noted for their sharp humanism and focus on resilience.

The 2025 edition unfolds across three stages. The Kick-off Workshop will take place from 14-17 November at HFF München during the Festival of Future Storytellers. In February and March 2026, participants will attend three-week Pop Up Film Residencies in India, Egypt and Brazil, guided by established producers offering hands-on mentorship. The programme concludes at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, where the projects will be presented to international industry professionals, and one will receive the Kirch Foundation Award.

Here is the complete list of participants and projects involved in MunichFilmUp! 2025:

In Heat, On Loop – Subarna Dash (India, Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute)
Tibu and the Animals – Natalia García Agraz (Mexico, Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica)
Barnyard – Oliver McGoldrick (Northern Ireland, New York University)
Patrick – Muschirf Shekh Zeyn (Syria/Germany, HFF München)
The Song of the Baba – Camille Tricaud (France/Germany, HFF München)
The Three Maries Parable – Boni Zanatta (Brazil, Fundação Armando Alvares Penteado)