Eight international works in progress were chosen for this year's Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event. The three-member jury – consisting of Zadig Paloyan, international sales executive at Le Pacte; Arnon Manor, vice-president of Visual Effects at Sony Pictures; and Amaia Serrulla, head of the Films and Documentation Department at the San Sebastián International Film Festival – subsequently selected the recipient of the €7,000 Best Project Award, which ended up being Prince by Federico Borgia (see the news). This prize includes €6,000 worth of services by Studio Beep and a €1,000 travel allowance. The audience also voted for their favourite project, which turned out to be The Convulsions by David Gutiérrez Camps.

Here, we provide a detailed break-down of five of these projects, including the award winners.

Prince – Federico Borgia (Uruguay/Argentina – Best Project Award)
Producers: Francisco Magnou Arnabal, Isabel Garcia, Pancho Magnou (Montelona)
Prince is a dramedy centred on an unusual inheritance: after Isabel’s death, her Afghan Hound, Prince, becomes the heir to her house. Jaime, Isabel’s former lover, is left to care for the dog, as the will precludes selling the property until Prince dies. The situation creates tension with Isabel’s son and granddaughter, who resist the unusual terms, leading to a comedic yet touching exploration of family dynamics and social expectations. Director and screenwriter Federico Borgia (The Champion of the World) makes his solo feature debut, combining humour, warmth and social observation. The film is mostly financed, and is currently seeking sales agents, festival selection and distributors.

The Convulsions by David Gutiérrez Camps

The Convulsions – David Gutiérrez Camps (France/Spain – Public Favourite Award)
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)
The Convulsions is a psychological drama set in the remote Pyrenees, following a couple who strive to live self-sufficiently in terms of food and energy. Their careful balance is disrupted when one of their daughters begins experiencing unexplained bouts of fainting. As the family confronts this unsettling development, strange and tense events unfold, testing their bonds and resilience amid isolation and nature. Directed and co-written by David Gutiérrez Camps, the film continues his exploration of intimate, psychologically charged narratives, following his debut feature, Undergrowth [+lire aussi :
bande-annonce
fiche film]. Produced collaboratively by Auca Films, The Convulsions is seeking foreign broadcasters, festivals, distributors and gap-financing.

Superbuhei – Josef Brandl (Germany)
Producers: Janina Sara Hennemann, Jan Philip Lange (junifilm)
Superbuhei is a dark comedy and psychological thriller that explores self-perception and the pursuit of individuality. Based on Sven Amtsberg’s novel, the film follows Jesse Bronske, an unsuccessful bar owner, who fears that his malevolent twin brother – from whom he fled years earlier – is attempting to take over his life. As Jesse spirals into paranoia and attempts to soothe himself with alcohol, his grip on reality slips further, blurring the lines between fear, obsession and absurdity. German director and screenwriter Josef Brandl, making his feature debut, brings a darkly comic, surrealist vision to the story, drawing on years of experience in art direction and production design for major international films. The project is mostly financed and is seeking a festival selection, foreign broadcasters and sales agents.

Salen las lobas by Claudia Estrada Tarascó

Salen las lobas – Claudia Estrada Tarascó (Spain/Belgium)
Producers: Alba Sotorra Clua (Alba Sotorra Productions), Oliver Dubois, Alex Julià, Ivó Vinuesa
Salen las lobas is a social drama and coming-of-age story centred on Luna, a misunderstood teenager locked in a juvenile detention centre after accusations from her father. There, she forms bonds with Yanira, Roco and Melissa, and together, they plan to escape in order to perform in a trap-music contest. When their escape fails and the group drifts apart, Luna is granted temporary leave, only to realise that freedom is hollow without her friends. Claudia Estrada Tarascó, a young Valencian filmmaker, brings a vivid and contemporary vision to the film, drawing on her training in the Meisner technique and her MA studies in Documentary at ESCAC. The project is mostly financed and is seeking gap-financing, broadcasters, foreign broadcasters, distributors and a festival selection.

Happiness Is Just a Blue Couch Away – Andrija Mugoša (Montenegro)
Producers: Iva Kasalica, Andrija Mugoša (KA Productions, Ablest)
Happiness Is Just a Blue Couch Away is a drama that follows Nataša and her nine-year-old son as they flee an abusive husband on the wintery streets of Podgorica. With no home, their red Golf becomes both shelter and trap. Amid odd jobs, borrowed rooms and the looming threat of her husband, Nataša must navigate fragility and fear, questioning whether love alone can sustain them when all other refuges are denied. Directed and co-written by first-timer Andrija Mugoša, the film explores the complexities of parental bonds under duress, child-parent relationships and the lingering trauma of abuse. The film is seeking co-producers, gap-financing and distributors.