First Cut+ - First Cut Lab

Our concept

First Cut+ is a program launched in 2020 for boosting the promotion & audience engagement strategies of feature films that previously took part in a First Cut Lab workshop.

First Cut+ operates twice a year, working in close cooperation with two dynamic and well-established film industry platforms: Trieste’s When East Meets West and Karlovy Vary IFF’s Eastern Promises. Each year a portfolio of 16 feature films is promoted: 8 films during the winter session at Trieste’s When East Meets West, and 8 films during the summer session at Karlovy Vary IFF’s Eastern Promises Industry Days.

Participating projects benefit from lectures and individual mentoring consultations on promotion, marketing, PR & press, festivals, and sales strategy from various film industry consultants.

This is followed by a works-in-progress organized under the ‘First Cut+’ label, open to selected decision makers (sales agents & distributors, festivals’ programmers, etc). At each session, a jury awards the TRT Prize to one of the films – a cash award of 5 000 Euros sponsored by the Turkish public broadcaster.

Amongst the 48 feature films that have already participated over 3 years, previous First Cut+ projects include: Listen by Ana Rocha de Sousa (Lion of the Future for Best Debut Feature, Venice 2020); Brother’s Keeper by Ferit Karahan (Fipresci Prize, Berlinale 2021); Immaculat by Monica Stan and George Chiper-Lillemark (Lion of the Future for Best Debut Feature, Venice 2021); 107 Mothers by Peter Kerekes (Orizzonti Award for Best Screenplay, Venice 2021); A Piece of Sky by Michael Koch (Silver Bear – Special Mention, Berlinale 2022).

FIRST CUT+ NEWS

WEBINARS ARCHIVE

The Hatcher & A Piece of Sky win Summer 2021 First Cut+ Awards

Aug 18, 2021

We are glad to announce the winners of First Cut+ summer session 2021, in collaboration with Karlovy Vary Eastern Promises. Three companies have joined forces again to offer the First Cut+ Award to one of the 8 selected projects, consisting in various promotional...

8 projects discovered during Karlovy Vary Industry Days

Jul 30, 2021

Discover the 8 new promising films from First Cut+ summer section during the online Karlovy Vary International Film Festival Industry Days. After three days of online Marketing & Promotion consultancies with First Cut+ advisors, the projects were ready to be...

2 First Cut Lab female filmmakers selected in Locarno

Jul 1, 2021

In this beginning of July, we definitely got into the Festivals' announces season!Yesterday, Karlovy Vary International Film Festival announced 5 films from First Cut Lab in its selection for 2021. Today, its the turn of Locarno Film Festival to highlight 2 of our...

Line-up of First Cut+ Karlovy Vary 2021 revealed

Jun 29, 2021

Participating projects will have 3 days of online consultations on promotion, marketing, press, festival launch, sales strategy from various film industry consultants, followed by a Works-in-progress session open to selected decision makers (as major festivals’...