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TRIESTE 2022 WEMW

First Cut+ announces the participants in its winter 2022 session

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- Eight films are taking part in this first session of the programme, set to run from 24-28 January, during Trieste’s When East Meets West

First Cut+ announces the participants in its winter 2022 session
Mammalia by Sebastian Mihăilescu

For the third year in a row, First Cut+ is aiming to boost the promotion and audience engagement strategies of European feature films. Launched in close co-operation with two renowned film industry platforms, Trieste’s When East Meets West (WEMW) and the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival’s Eastern Promises Industry Days, the first session of the programme will run during the imminent WEMW (24-28 January – see the news).

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As at the previous editions, the complete First Cut+ portfolio consists of 16 feature-length fiction films that are currently in post-production, most of which hail from countries with a low production capacity. There will be a special focus on Central and Eastern European projects. Half of the titles are featured at the Trieste workshop, while the rest will be included in the session held during the upcoming Eastern Promises Industry Days.

Half of the projects participating in First Cut+ at Trieste’s WEMW are by debuting filmmakers. Italian-Belgian documentarian Mathieu Volpe (Une jeunesse italienne [+see also:
film review
interview: Mathieu Volpe
film profile
]
) will participate with his debut drama, A Love Story; Polish cinematographers Łukasz Suchocki and Maciej Dydynski delve into their debut feature with the road movie Camper, which they are also producing; Anna Kazejak (The Word [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
) is making her third feature film, Fucking Bornholm [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Anna Kazejak
film profile
]
, which is the other Polish work in the selection; and Ukrainian writer-director Marysia Nikitiuk, well-known for her debut feature, When the Trees Fall [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Marysia Nikitiuk
film profile
]
, will be presenting her upcoming drama Lucky Girl [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Marysia Nikitiuk
film profile
]
.

Romania is also well represented, with two films in the selection: documentarian Sebastian Mihăilescu (You Are Ceauşescu to Me [+see also:
film review
film profile
]
) is bringing along his debut fiction film, Mammalia [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
, which centres on "a man who goes searching for manhood"; while successful writer-director Paul Negoescu (The Story of a Summer Lover [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
) explores toxic masculinity in his upcoming feature Men of Deeds [+see also:
film review
interview: Paul Negoescu
film profile
]
.

Hungary is featured with two films as well: the second feature by György Mór Kárpáti (Guerilla [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
), Summer to Come, focuses on teenage suicide; and White Plastic Sky [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Tibor Bánóczki, Sarolta Szabó
film profile
]
, the first feature by directorial duo Tibor Bánóczki and Sarolta Szabó, is a dystopian story that blends science fiction with animation.

The participants will partake in four days of consultations with established professionals on topics such as promotion, marketing, press, trailer making, festival launch and sales strategy. The advisors for this session will be marketing specialist Boris Pugnet (of Tiramisù), digital marketing specialist Joanna Solecka (Alphapanda), press specialist Wendy Mitchell, senior executive at Heretic Ioanna Stais, and head of First Cut+ and former Pyramide International festival manager Ilaria Gomarasca, who will handle international sales and festival strategies. Furthermore, Romanian editor Catalin Cristuțiu will be an advisor on what excerpts to choose in order to give a film the best launch possible.

The projects will also be screened in a work-in-progress session as part of the WEMW activities, which will be open to a select group of decision makers, including festival programmers, international sales agents and buyers, among others.

Here is the complete list of the projects selected for the First Cut+ winter 2022 session:

Une jeunesse italienne [+see also:
film review
interview: Mathieu Volpe
film profile
]
- Mathieu Volpe (Belgium)
Producer: Arnaud Dufeys (Replica Films)

Camper - Łukasz Suchocki, Maciej Dydyński (Poland)
Producers: Łukasz Suchocki, Maciej Dydyński (Splotfilm)

Fucking Bornholm [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Anna Kazejak
film profile
]
- Anna Kazejak (Poland)
Producer: Marta Lewandowska (Friends With Benefits Studio)

Lucky Girl [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Marysia Nikitiuk
film profile
]
- Marysia Nikitiuk (Ukraine)
Producers: Yanina Sokolova, Julia Sinkevych (Yanina Sokolova Production)

Mammalia [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
- Sebastian Mihăilescu (Romania/Poland/Germany)
Producers: Diana Păroiu, Ada Solomon (microFILM)
Co-producers: Ewa Puszczyńska (Extreme Emotions, Poland), Nina Frese (Pandora Film, Germany)

Men of Deeds [+see also:
film review
interview: Paul Negoescu
film profile
]
Paul Negoescu (Romania/Bulgaria)
Producer: Anamaria Antoci (Tangaj Production, Papillon Film, Romania)
Co-producers: Poli Angelova (Screening Emotions, Bulgaria), Avanpost Production (Romania)

Summer to Come - György Mór Kárpáti (Hungary)
Producer: Viktória Petrányi (Proton Cinema)
Co-production company: Café Film

White Plastic Sky [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Tibor Bánóczki, Sarolta Szabó
film profile
]
Tibor Bánóczki, Sarolta Szabó (Hungary/Slovakia)
Producers: József Fülöp, Orsolya Sipos (SALTO Films), Juraj Krasnohorsky (Artichoke)
Co-producer: Viktória Petrányi (Proton Cinema)

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