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 88 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.
Among this edition’s selection, we have 7 first/second features and out of 8 films, 4 of them are documentaries. We are proud to host the projects from Armenia, Brazil, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Nepal, Netherlands, Norway, Serbia, Slovenia, Sweden, and the United States.
First Cut+ is a program proudly initiated by Tatino Films in collaboration with When East Meets West.
8 SELECTED PROJECTS
For its 2026 session, First Cut+ selected the following eight projects:
The Arctic Circle of Lust
Directed by Markku Heikkinen
Produced by Zone2 Pictures (Finland), Dirk Manthey (Germany) Film ug, Vilda Bomben (Sweden)
Under the northern sky a couple learns the rules of a new relationship. FIfty-year-old Petri has faced his bisexuality and needs to fulfil his passions while Anu in turn questions her own expectations in a relationship.
La Détention
Directed by Guillaume Massart
Produced by TS Productions (France), Triptyque Films (France)
Prison guards in training are learning the rules of detention.
Elephants in the fog
Directed by Abinash Bikram Shah
Produced by Underground Talkies Nepal (Nepal), Les Valseurs Bordeaux (France), Die Gesellschaft DGS (Germany), co-produced by: Bubbles Project (Brazil), Zischlermann Filmproduktion (Germany), Enquadramento (Brazil), Storm Films (Norway), Jayantii Creations (United States)
In a Nepalese village bordering an elephant forest, Pirati leads a family of transgender women. Torn between a forbidden love with the Drum Master and her duties, she is tested when the youngest disappears during an elephant watch.
Everything that’s wrong with you
Directed by Urša Menart
Produced by Vertigo (Slovenia), Chromosom Film (Germany), Living Pictures (Serbia)
After the emotional collapse that follows her mother’s illness, Maruša builds an intense online bond with Alja, who masks her own struggles behind curated posts. When they finally meet, they are forced to confront the truths they’ve been trying so hard to hide.
New Life (working title)
Directed by Bernadette Weber
Produced by Albolina Film (Italy)
When a joyful second pregnancy turns into a devastating diagnosis, Anna must choose between her baby’s suffering or letting him go. Then a hidden family history reveals that her pain is part of a generational story of women making impossible choices.
Patty
Directed by Luise Donschen
Produced by Fünferfilm UG (Germany)
Amid the turmoil of German reunification, 50-year-old Patty decides to retreat into the forest and builds a life of her own. Decades later, her faint traces surface in the people and landscapes of a changed East Germany.
We are not dreaming
Directed by Ulisses Arthur
Produced by Cup Filmes (Brazil), Céu Vermelho Fogo (Brazil)
Ciro, an overworked medical student and pole-dance instructor, loses his stability as Brazil’s university system collapses. Forced out of his home, he finds refuge with António, a reclusive DJ, an encounter that reshapes both their survival and their intimacy.
The winning generation
Directed by Marco De Stefanis
Produced by BIND (Netherlands), EiE (Italy), executive producer Ofelya Zalyan (Armenia)
Filmed over 12 years, a 14-year-old Armenian activist grows into a rising political leader, carrying the weight of his father’s and grandfather’s resistance while fighting to reshape Armenia’s democratic future and counter Russian influence.
ADVISORS
Advisors for the 2026 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:
