First Cut+ was launched in 2020 to enhance the promotion and audience engagement strategies of feature films that have previously participated in a First Cut Lab.
The program serves as a vital stepping stone for emerging filmmakers, providing tailored support to maximize their films’ visibility and impact on the global stage, with a focus on marketing, distribution, audience engagement, and sales strategies. Participants work together with unique, international experts from the fields of marketing, sales, publicity and editing.
Since its launch, First Cut+ has supported 72 feature films, many of which have gained significant critical acclaim and prestigious awards.
Participating projects benefit from lectures and individual mentoring consultations on promotion, marketing, PR & press, festivals, and sales strategy from various film industry consultants. This year, we welcome 8 projects coming all the way from around the world, including 6 debut feature films.
First Cut+ is a program proudly initiated by Tatino Films in collaboration with When East Meets West.
8 SELECTED PROJECTS
For its 2025 session, First Cut+ selected the following eight projects:
Amores
Debut
Directed by Grace Passô and produced by Ricardo Alves Jr.
Company Entre Filmes (Brasil)
Coproduced by Globo Filmes and Desvia (Brasil)
The mysterious silence that surrounds a Brazilian family is disrupted by a series of strange events that happen within the four walls of their house. The youngest son, however, knows a secret that can help everyone to come in terms with this moment.
Borderline
Directed by Ignas Jonynas and produced by Ruta Jekentaite
Company Baltic Productions (Lithuania)
Ornithologist Vilius, trapped by guilt and loss, gets himself into a dangerous smuggling business, unexpectedly, this criminal activity forces him to rethink his life and reconnect with his daughter.
Despite The Scars
Debut
Directed by Felix Rier and produced by Martin Rattini, Petra Forer
Company Helios Sustainable Films (Italy)
In her quest to recover from a brutal gang rape, Thea turns to dance as a means of healing her emotional and physical trauma. As she embraces a new relationship and the joy of motherhood with the birth of her son, Thea is faced with the challenging question of whether true healing is ever attainable.
Girl in the Night
Directed by Luka Marčetić and produced by Andraž Jerič
Company Temporama (Slovenia)
Coproduced by RTV Slovenija, Studio Cepelin and 001 (Slovenia)
To cut through the mundanity of his night shifts, Rok keeps himself busy by stealing chocolate bars at the gas station where he works. One night, he meets a mysterious girl with severe bruises on her face. She only appears at night, is all about saving crime, and claims to possess super powers. If he wants to meet her again, Rok will have to come up with a cunning plan – so he decides to steal her bike.
Summer School, 2001
Debut
Directed by Dužan Duong and produced by Lukáš Kokeš
Company nutprodukce, AZN kru. (Czech Republic)
Coproduced by nuprodukcia (Slovakia)
A Czech-Vietnamese family reunites years after leaving their eldest son in Vietnam, only for old wounds and rivalries to resurface. When the younger brother is found injured, they must confront the fragile ties that have kept them apart.
Those Who Whistle After Dark
Debut
Directed by Pinar Yorgancioglu and produced by Dilde Mahalli, Zeynep Ekmekci, Pinar Yorgancioglu, Bekir Yusuf
Companies İndiBindi Film, Gece Kuşu, İkinci Yeni, Rosa Film (Turkey)
Coproduced by Portokal Films (Bulgaria), Marlene Film, Riva Filmproduktion (Germany)
A supernatural encounter burdens the recently retired Mr. Melih with an existential awakening. Soon he, his wife, and their daughter are all haunted by the ghosts of lost opportunities, abandoned dreams, and alternate possibilities…
Urban Disobedience Toolkit
Debut
Directed by Vladimír Turner and produced by Ondřej Lukeš
Company Beginner’s Mind (Czech Republic)
Coproduced by Prague City Gallery, Utopia Libri and Arnika (Czech Republic)
Urban Disobedience Toolkit explores the evolving dynamics of public space in big cities, showing how art can inspire people to reclaim and reshape their urban environments. Through three artistic interventions and a performative lecture, the film illustrates ways to “take back the city.” These elements are seamlessly interwoven under the direction of artist and filmmaker Vladimír Turner, who has spent nearly two decades dedicated to art in public spaces. The title, Urban Disobedience Toolkit, highlights the avant-garde potential of art—not as mere decoration, but as a radical intervention and a driving force against technocratic perceptions of the world.
White Lies
Debut
Directed by Alba Zari and produced by Manuela Buono
Company Slingshot Films (Italy)
Coproduced by Agent Double (Belgium)
Through confrontation with her mother and grandmother, Alba traces the story of three generations of women, investigating their choices, uncovering their hidden truths and the white lies that defined their identities.
ADVISORS
Advisors for the 2025 session will be:
Boris Pugnet
As a student, I managed a small cinema, which sparked my passion for film distribution. Over the past 25 years, I’ve released more than 250 films, primarily working with French independent distribution companies like Le Pacte (as Head of Marketing) and The Jokers (as Head of Distribution). I’ve also participated in numerous workshops across Europe, including First Cut and EAVE.
More recently, I began collaborating with Heylight, a Chinese company, to distribute and sell Chinese films globally. Additionally, I edit trailers and offer marketing consultancy through my company, Space Odyssey.
Catalin Cristuțiu
The Romanian editor Catalin Cristuțiu, who worked on some of the most appreciated films in Romanian Cinema (directed by, among others, Radu Jude, Florin Serban, Silviu Purcarete, Anca Damian) will be advising about what excerpts to choose for the best launching of the film.
Wendy Mitchell
Wendy Mitchell is a journalist, moderator and film festival consultant. She is a contributing editor at Screen International (where she previously served as editor in chief) and is the editor of the European Film Academy’s Close-up magazine. She is a delegate for the San Sebastian International Film Festival, a consultant for the International Film Festival Rotterdam, Zurich Film Festival and Zurich Summit, Connext by Flanders Image, Goteborg’s Nordic Film Market and TV Drama Vision. She also serves as a speaker/mentor at the ICO’s Developing Your Film Festival course and EAVE’s Marketing Workshop. In the US, she previously worked on staff at Entertainment Weekly, indieWIRE, Time Inc and Rolling Stone.
Michael Arnon
As Strategy consultant to International Marketing, PR & Press.
Michael Aron, partner at Berlin based PR & Marketing agency WOLF Consultants, provides full service strategic consulting focused on positioning projects at any and all stages of development and production.
Christina Pelekani
As a marketing and positioning strategy colsultant, Christina is an experienced film industry professional, who has started working in the film business as a creative director in films’ campaigns, marketing manager & acquisitions’ consultant. In 2020, Christina co-founded Endorphin Film Sales, a boutique world sales & consulting company, where she is responsible for the marketing consulting and acquisitions.
Katarzyna Siniarska
As Sales specialist.
Katarzyna Siniarska has been a part of Warsaw-based boutique world sales agency New Europe Film Sales since 2013; first as a Sales Executive then Head of Sales and a partner at the company. She is also active as a board member of Europa International (2019-2021). New Europe works with international content and sells it to all rights, theatrical, TV and VOD buyers across the world and is proud of its small, carefully-selected catalogue of feature films and shorts. The company has a great track record for supporting auteur cinema and unique voices – recent titles include 92nd Academy Awards nominated CORPUS CHRISTI and Venezia 77 Best Screenplay winner THE DISCIPLE.
Joanna Solecka
As Digital marketing specialist.
Film marketing and audience design strategist, Joanna Solecka is the Head of film marketing agency Alphapanda’s Polish branch, covering the CEE, US and Scandinavian market. Among the latest international projects, Joanna handled campaigns for are: GIRL PICTURE (Sundance Audience Award Winner ‘22), HOW TO SAVE A DEAD FRIEND (Visions du Reel ’22), FLEE (European Film Awards Winner ’21), NINJABABY (SXSW Audience Award Winner ’21).
CO-ORGANIZERS
Partner:
