In addition to its traditional Feature Launch and Series Launch programmes, the MIDPOINT Institute also focuses on short forms, be they fiction films in MIDPOINT Shorts or series via MIDPOINT Smash Cut. Both of these programmes have now announced their selections.

We start off with the Shorts programme, which is already under way, with the first workshop running from 13-18 November in Prague. This is the only complex programme dedicated to script and project development for short films in Europe, and is extremely closely connected to the film industry. A total of five projects have been selected this year, and the participating teams will continue their training in January within the industry platform When East Meets West, in partnership with the Trieste Film Festival.

As for MIDPOINT Smash Cut, this is an initial step for filmmakers who would like to learn the craft of episodic storytelling. The short-form series has established itself as a great modern incubator of fresh, new voices from a generation of creators with something different to say. Three projects have been selected this year, and they are all awaiting their online pre-training session this week, while the workshop will run from 16-22 November in Tallinn within Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event. One of the highlights of the programme is the lecture “SUSTAINAWHAT” by Tim Wagendorp, who has been the sustainability coordinator at the Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF) since March 2017.

Here is the complete selection of projects:

MIDPOINT Shorts

The Big Night (North Macedonia)
Writer: Nikola Kuzelov
Producer: Ilija Tiricovski

Certificate of Life (North Macedonia)
Writer: Jakov Poposki
Producer: Ivana Shekutkoska

Honey of War (France)
Director, writer: Léa Pietrzyk
Producer: Louise Cardenas

Welcome Home (Slovenia)
Director: Filip Jembrih
Writer, producer: Eva Kučera Šmon

We're Having a Boy (Slovenia)
Writer, director: Lun Sevnik
Writer: Atila Urbančič

MIDPOINT Smash Cut

Budget Airline (Latvia)
Writer: Zane MacDonald

Snowflakes (Czech Republic)
Writers: Hana Neničková, Věra Starečková
Producer: Daniel Bleha

Sloppy (Estonia)
Writer: Vivian Sade