The workshop is dedicated to directors and scriptwriters with a project in an early stage of development – initial idea, synopsis, short treatment – for a short film of any kind (animation, documentary, experimental and fiction) from the following countries: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Israel, Italy, Kosovo, Lebanon, Malta, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Turkey.
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ShorTS Development Pitching Training
Mecal Lab is a professional short film development program held annually in Barcelona, Spain, as part of the renowned Mecal Pro Festival. The lab selects five short fiction projects (under 30 minutes) and provides filmmakers with intensive training and mentoring through seven specialized workshops. These cover topics such as crowdfunding, script doctoring, marketing and distribution, sustainable filmmaking, public funding, AI in cinema, and pitching strategies. Each selected project receives personalized coaching and a €3,000 grant to support the film’s production.
The 2025 edition will take place from June 26 to July 6. Applicants must submit a biography of the director and producer, a motivation letter, a full project dossier, and the short film’s script. The application fee is €15, and the deadline is May 15, 2025.
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MECAL LAB
Sheffield DocFest is the UK’s leading documentary festival and one of the world’s most influential markets for documentary projects. We champion and present the breadth of documentary form – film, television, immersive and art – in the vibrant city of Sheffield each June. We offer makers and audiences a place for inspiration, debate, development, learning and challenge. Our programming represents our core values – creativity, empathy, freedom, inclusivity and internationalism.
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Mercado de Sheffield DocFest
The FEST - Pitching Forum is part of the FEST New Directors | New Films Festival, taking place from June 21-29, 2025, in Espinho, Portugal. It invites film, short film, and series projects at any stage of development, from concept to post-production. Selected projects receive training and feedback, with pitching opportunities for international funding and co-productions. The forum includes two phases: workshops from June 24-26 to prepare participants for pitching and final pitch sessions on June 27-28. Projects compete for various prizes and have access to industry professionals. The deadline for submission is April 7, 2025.
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FEST — Pitching Forum
The Industry Screenings at the Curtas Vila do Conde IFF are private sessions showcasing new short films that seek a world or international premiere. These sessions are exclusively dedicated to film industry professionals, offering a unique opportunity to view unseen films and generate interest and establish connections with programmers, distributors, and other professionals in the industry.
The event is aimed at a select audience, including programmers and artistic directors of festivals, who are responsible for selecting films for other international festivals, sales agents, who seek new titles to market globally, distributors, who are looking for cinematic content for different markets and platforms, and television channels, which are often looking for new works to broadcast. Other professionals, such as producers and filmmakers, can also participate to explore networking opportunities.
The program for the Industry Screenings is created in collaboration with the Agency for Short Film, an organization specializing in the curation and promotion of short films, ensuring the selection of high-quality and internationally relevant films.
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INDUSTRY SCREENINGS - Curtas Vila do Conde IFF
