European Short Pitch reveals the projects in development selected for its 19th edition
The 12 projects in development, selected for the 19th edition of European Short Pitch reflect a rich panorama of emerging European voices, engaging with themes from sexuality and power to family, grief, ecology, and historical violence. They explore contemporary realities through humour, metaphor, poetic realism, and bold visual approaches, reaffirming the short film as a space for artistic, social, and political experimentation. Female directors lead 7 of the 12 selected projects, underscoring the programme’s ongoing commitment to gender balance and inclusive representation. Meanwhile, live action fiction forms the core of the programme, complemented by a documentary and an animation-infused hybrid. Featuring stories and directors from Europe and beyond, across 17 countries, this year’s slate confirms ESP’s commitment to championing new talent and expanding the field of contemporary short filmmaking:
Affamé by Philippe Audi-Dor (Switzerland/Lebanon), produced by Langfilm / Julia Schubiger – Switzerland
Children of Suad by Moatasem Taha (Palestine), produced by Other Stories / Natália Pavlove, Gala Kebakoska – Czech Republic
Driving Lessons by Vlad Popa, produced by 4 Proof Film / Alex Sîrbu – Romania
Last Curonian Cow by Dovydas Draksas, produced by Magic Film / Greta Akcijonaite – Lithuania
Lessons From Techno by Melisa Liebenthal (Argentina/Germany), produced by Nabis Film Berlin / Iris Janssen – Germany
Monster Fxxk by Seunghui Choi (South Korea), produced by Les Steppes Productions / Nicolaï Iarochenko – France
Mount A by Gohar Martirosyan (Armenia), produced by Futur Antérieur Production / Aymeric Isnard – France
Once in a Lifetime by Bálint Erkel (Hungary), produced by Remora Films / Ana Maria Vijdea – Romania
San Juan by Carmen Ros Lloret, produced by SUICAfilms / Rafa Molés – Spain and Set Sail Films / Andrijana Sofranic – Serbia
Take Care by Paula Maľárová, produced by CinePunkt s.r.o. / Tereza Tokárová – Slovakia
Tap Dancing Ghost by Catarina Oliveira, produced by Primeira Idade / Pedro Fernandes Duarte – Portugal
Time Comes Like The Sea by Naomi Pacifique, produced by Idle Eye / Adela Bottcher – Netherlands and Lido Pictures / Rhea Plangg – Switzerland
Led by Julie Marnay (Head of Programme) and Olga Lamontanara (Head of Coproduction Forum), European Short Pitch supports emerging European filmmakers through an intensive mentorship programme that has accompanied more than 150 films to completion and release. Notable recent releases from our alum projects include Dian Weys’ Vultures (Cannes Official Selection 2025) and Lili Kloss’ Eraserhead in a Knitted Shopping Bag (La Semaine de la Critique of Festival de Cannes, 2025).
The ESP 2026 programme opens with a Development Workshop from 12 to 16 January 2026, centred on strengthening scripts and developing projects at an early stage. Later in the year, four more advanced projects will join the edition through the Work-in-Progress (WIP) selection, benefiting from tailored support on production, distribution, and pitch preparation.
This year’s script consultants are marked by major international achievements: Erica Barbiani founded Videomante in 2004 and recently co-produced Wishing on a Star, which premiered in Venice Orizzonti, and Fiume o Morte!, winner of the Tiger Award at IFFR and an EFA nominee. Andreea Borțun is a director and educator at the National Film School in Bucharest, curator of the Pustnik International Screenwriters Residency, whose hybrid films have screened at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight, TIFF, and Karlovy Vary. Antoine Waked is a development executive at Abbout Productions, co-founder and artistic director of the Maskoon Fantastic Film Festival, and co-director of the award winning documentary A Certain Nasser.
The programme will culminate in the Coproduction Forum, hosted at Leiden Shorts in the Netherlands for its second time, taking place on site the 1-2 June, followed by online sessions on 4-5 June, where participants will present their projects to industry professionals through pitches and one to one meetings.
European Short Pitch 2026 is co-funded by the European Union, Creative Europe MEDIA programme and is organised in partnership with: Leiden Shorts, NL Filmsfonds, Screen Talent NL, Gemeente Leiden, Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur, Music & Cinema Marseille, Radiator IP Sales, Short Film Corner – Rendez-vous Industry, Pustnik and Festival Scope Pro.