Benjamin Mirguet & Giona A. Nazzaro during First Cut Lab Ukraine

Tatino is proud to announce First Cut Lab Paris, a new onsite edition of its acclaimed editing consultancy program, which will take place in Paris in January 2026.

First Cut Lab Paris welcomes feature-length films in their editing stage, and for the first time it is aimed at filmmakers across the globe. Each selected team – composed of a director, producer, and editor – will benefit from tailored feedback aimed at refining the film’s artistic vision, enhancing its international appeal, and strengthening its circulation potential. Selected participants will get the chance to connect with key players from the French film industry – including many of the driving forces behind today’s global arthouse cinema.

“Tatino’s activities span the globe, yet its heart lies in Paris. 

Our collaborators, who mingle at our Paris office, form a truly international crew, originally coming from Bosnia, Chile, Lebanon, Italy, or Lithuania. Their shared passion for cinema is what led them to live in the French capital. The whole world comes to Paris to make films!

Building on this spirit, Tatino Films has been welcoming filmmakers to its Pop Up Film Residency in Paris since 2021. Now, we are thrilled to bring another of our flagship programs, First Cut Lab, to Paris. This new initiative offers filmmakers in the editing phase the opportunity to receive expert feedback from renowned editing consultants, as well as from film executives representing prestigious Paris-based sales, distribution, and production companies, and film festivals.

 With its main sessions scheduled for January, the program is carefully designed to align with the post-production timeline of films targeting spring and summer 2026 festival premieres. We look forward to discovering their cuts!”

Matthieu Darras, Tatino CEO

First Cut Lab Paris will take place from January 21 to 31. Applicants may indicate a preferred lab period when applying (21-23 January; 26-28 January; 29-31 January).

First Cut Lab Paris 2026

Submissions open until December 5, 2025.

Participants will work closely with renowned editors and industry professionals who have collaborated on award-winning films presented at Cannes, Berlinale, Locarno, and beyond. Regular First Cut Lab editing consultants include:

• Catalin Cristutiu (Romania) – Editor of the entire works of Radu Jude, member of the European Film Academy and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
• Agnieszka Glinska (Poland) – Editor of the Oscar nominated The Girl with the Needle (Cannes 2024) and member of the European Film Academy and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
• Benjamin Mirguet (France) – Long term editor advisor of Ruben Östlund

In addition to editing consultants, the program engages a diverse network of producers, sales agents, distributors, and festival programmers – all committed to supporting bold, original voices in cinema. By situating the lab in Paris – one of the most dynamic film industry ecosystems in the world, home to many key players, First Cut Lab Paris aims to create meaningful exchanges between filmmakers and the most prominent players in the global arthouse industry.

Recent First Cut Lab projects include:

• Renoir by Chie Hayakawa (Japan) – Cannes Film Festival 2025
• Blue Heron by Sophy Romvari (Canada) – Swatch First Feature Award, Locarno Film Festival 2025
• Mr. K by Tallulah Hazekamp Schwab (New Zealand, Norway) – Méliès d’Or, European Fantastic Film Festivals Federation 2025
• Wind, Talk To Me by Stefan Djordjevic (Serbia) – Heart of Sarajevo for Best Feature Film Award, Sarajevo Film Festival 2025

Organized by Tatino, a Paris-based hub for global film and talent development, First Cut Lab has supported over 300 feature films through 90+ labs across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. With the launch of its Paris edition, the program continues its mission to empower filmmakers and strengthen creative collaborations internationally.