First Cut Lab has been collaborating with the RE-ACT initiative since 2019, by welcoming 17 films in its workshops. Established in 2015, Re-act fosters closer ties between Croatia, Friuli Venezia Giulia (Italy), Slovenia and Serbia. First Cut Lab is one of the few training opportunities supported by Re-act and accompanies feature films from the aforementioned countries in their editing phase.

In order to better support upcoming works from the region, our two organizations have established a partnership for the next three years 2023/2025 that will not only increase the opportunities for films to participate, but also ensure a closer identification of the films that will benefit from the lab.

Since its inception, First Cut Lab has been committed to nurturing talent from Central and Eastern Europe. A goal reinforced by this renewed trust, from countries such as Croatia, Friuli Venezia Giulia (Italy), Slovenia and Serbia.

The films accompanied within the framework of First Cut Lab RE-ACT reflect the vitality of the region’s cinematographic landscape, in terms of variety of genres and types and success on international screens, to name but a few: Ivan Ikic’s Oasis (Serbia – Venice Days 2020), Laura Samani’s debut feature Small Body (Italy, Friuli Venezia Giulia – Semaine de la Critique, Cannes, 2021 and European Discovery Award 2022), Radivoje Andric’s children’s film How I learned to Fly (Serbia – 2022), Sonja Tarokić debut feature The Staffroom (Croatia – Karlovy Vary IFF 2021), or Sarah Kern’s debut Moja Vesna (Slovenia – Berlinale 2022, Generation section).

First Cut Lab RE-ACT will have two deadlines per year (April 15 and October 15) and already invites films from eligible countries to register here!