The 14th edition of New Horizons Studio+, a training programme designed for directors and producers working on their first or second feature films, will be held from 20-23 July as part of the 23rd New Horizons International Film Festival in Wrocław, and is organised by the New Horizons Association and Creative Europe Desk Poland.

This year, New Horizons Studio+ has selected eight director-producer duos with their respective projects, with half of them representing Poland, while the remaining duos come from Germany, Romania, Spain and Ukraine. These pairs will have the opportunity to pitch their projects in a contest scheduled for the final day. Throughout the four-day duration of New Horizons Studio+, participants can expect a comprehensive programme comprising lectures, consultations and opportunities to learn from industry experts in different facets of filmmaking, who will guide them down the path of project development and promotion.

The schedule boasts an impressive line-up of consultants and speakers, including Álvaro Vega, CEO of DobleSentido and member of EAVE, who will provide guidance on project dossiers. Agathe Valentin, director of sales at HanWay Films and also affiliated with EAVE, will share her experiences of working with international sales agents. Gabriele Brunnenmeyer from the MIDPOINT Institute, a script mentor, pitching coach and project consultant, will offer valuable tips on effective story pitching. Additionally, Joanna Solecka, the head of Alphapanda Warsaw, will focus on film marketing and audience design strategy.

The New Horizons Association, in collaboration with Creative Europe Desk Poland, will host an open lecture titled "Game-Changer or Game Over? The Future of Storytelling in the Age of Artificial Intelligence" on the final day of New Horizons Studio+. This lecture will delve into the subject of AI and its impact on the film industry. Nira Bozkurt, the speaker for this session, is the founder of Storymakers Media Berlin and a member of the artificial intelligence working group for the Association of German Screenwriters. Bozkurt's aim is to provide insights into ChatGPT, its applications, and the implications of new AI tools for both creators and audiences. By addressing these intricate issues surrounding technology and art, the lecture endeavours to shed light on the opportunities and challenges that are arising. The lecture is scheduled for Sunday 23 July, from 14:15 to 15:15 CET, in room 6 of the New Horizons Cinema. Interested individuals can register for the event by following this link.

Here are the projects that have been selected for the 14th New Horizons Studio+:

Basement Love - Martyna Majewska (Poland)
Producer: Dorota Schleiss

Battalion Records - Ștefan Bîtu-Tudoran (Romania)
Producer: Diana Caravia

The Crack - Katarzyna Iskra (Poland/Switzerland)
Producer: Giacun Caduff

Curtain - Valeria Sochyvets (Ukraine)
Producer: Inna Lastochkina

Insects - Fon Cortizo (Spain)
Producer: Beli Martínez

Niemcy – Die Fremden - Aart Steinmann (Germany)
Producer: Robin Meisner

The Time Has Come - Balbina Bruszewska (Poland)
Producer: Anna Mroczek

You Don’t Know Me - Michał Edelman (Poland)
Producer: Patryk Sielecki

The partners of New Horizons Studio+ are EAVE (the organiser of the EAVE Producers Workshop and the EAVE Marketing Workshop), the MIDPOINT Institute, London Film Academy, CANAL+ online, FilmCamp, the Romanian Institute of Culture and the Embassy of Switzerland in Poland.