The ESP Coproduction Forum 2025 comes to a successful close
Photo by Lyanne Keegstra
The 18th edition of European Short Pitch Coproduction Forum marked a high point in the initiative’s history, with strong industry participation, fruitful exchanges and compelling project presentations. Held from 2 to 3 June 2025 onsite in Leiden, for the first time in our new collaboration with Leiden Shorts, and continuing online from 5 to 6 June 2025 via the ESP digital platform, this fourth hybrid edition brought together almost 150 film professionals. Across four days, the Forum featured 16 project pitches, nearly 400 one-to-one meetings, and five panels focused on distribution, sustainability, and European coproduction, further establishing ESP as a springboard for international partnerships.
This year’s edition also recognised standout projects through five awards presented during the Forum:ESP 2025 Awards
The Jury comprising of Alessia Acone (The Netherlands, IFFR Pro), Juliette Canon (France, Semaine de la Critique – Cannes), and Carla Fotea (Romania, microFILM) awarded:
The European Short Pitch Award, consisting in a €2,000 development grant to Vaterland by Berthold Wahjudi, produced by Jonas Egert.
"Using humor and self-irony, this multi-layered film offers a sharp and moving exploration of mixed-race identity, exclusion, and belonging. A promising talent with a voice that we want to support and follow."
The Jury also announced a Special Mention to Things That Can Ruin a Picnic by Hanna Hovitie, produced by Mete Sasioglu.
"Special mention to a film that speaks about generational dilemma and to a filmmaker that is undertaking new and undiscovered paths."
Three additional prizes were presented at the Coproduction Forum by our partners:
Albania Mon Amour by Filip Jembrih received the Music & Cinema Award, granted by Music & Cinema – Festival International du Film à Marseille, including participation in the Lab on Mars – European Market for Film Music Composition in March 2026.
Mother Nature by Barbara Anastácio was awarded the Distribution Award, granted by Radiator IP Sales, which includes a tailored consultation on distribution and promotion strategy.
Memories of the Beyond by Alicia Mendy was granted the Mastering-in-kind Award, offered by The Pack, including DCP mastering and 4K upscaling services.
From the Development Workshop in January 2025 through to the Coproduction Forum in June 2025, ESP was supported by a committed group of tutors and consultants with targeted support across writing, production, editing, and strategy. This year, ESP was proud to collaborate with: Patricia Drati (script), Laure Desmazières (script), Nayeem Mahbub (script), Jennifer Sabbah-Immagine (production), Cătălin Cristuțiu (editing), Fay Breeman (pitching), Queralt Pons Serra (distribution and marketing), and guest speakers Ewa Bojanowska (audience design) and Simon Jaquemet (AI).
Supported by the Creative Europe MEDIA Programme of the European Union, ESP’s combination of mentorship, development workshops, and a hybrid networking Forum cemented its position as a key platform for talent across Europe. Led by Julie Marnay (Head of Programme) and Olga Lamontanara (Head of Coproduction Forum), the 18th edition of ESP featured a line-up of 12 projects in development and 4 works in progress, highlighting a distinctly curated slate reflecting Europe’s evolving creative landscape.
Discover more about each project and its creative team in the Book of Projects, available for download here. European Short Pitch applauds the filmmakers for their originality, ambition, and clarity of vision.
The Coproduction Forum also included focused industry talks on urgent themes in short-form filmmaking:
ESP 2025 also hosted a series of conversations digging into key questions facing short filmmakers today. Programmers from Berlinale Shorts, Clermont-Ferrand, Kaboom, and Sarajevo offered a behind-the-scenes look at how festivals select films and support new voices. In a panel with Talking Shorts, speakers discussed how shorts are adapting to online spaces like TikTok and YouTube. A session in collaboration with Screen Talent NL looked at the challenges and rewards of telling stories rooted in place, language, and community. The programme also included hands-on discussions around implementing green practices in co-productions and navigating European funding schemes. Please find more information on the individual panels here.
With thanks once again to the partners and collaborators of ESP 2025: Creative Europe MEDIA, NL Film Fonds, Dioraphte, City of Leiden, Leiden Shorts, Screen Talent NL, Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur, Festival International Music & Cinema Marseille, Radiator IP Sales, The Pack, NAPA, Short Film Corner – Rendez-vous Industry, Pustnik Screenwriting Residency, Kaboom Animation Festival, Festival Scope, and b.square.
