The competitive showcase offered filmmakers a unique opportunity to screen three-minute excerpts from their works-in-progress and discuss their projects with an international jury and a panel of mentors. The selected films reflected a wide range of themes, cinematic approaches and cultural perspectives, demonstrating the vitality and diversity of contemporary European short filmmaking.
The six projects presented at the forum were:
- How I Went to the Dogs, Along with Europe – directed by Elizaveta Snagovskaia (Germany)
- Privado – directed by Richard Feliz (Germany/Norway)
- Praxis – directed by Katica Kozma (Hungary)
- The Changing Room – directed by Giacomo Esposito (United Kingdom)
- Things I Don't Understand – directed by Andrej Zelenec (Slovakia)
- Fog – directed by Katalin Blanka Bohl (Hungary/United Kingdom)
The presentations were followed by in-depth discussions covering artistic vision, production challenges, festival strategies and audience engagement. Topics ranged from family relationships and social identity to questions of belonging, masculinity, migration, sacrifice and magical realism.
The forum concluded with the announcement of two prestigious industry awards aimed at supporting the projects through the final stages of post-production and international distribution.
The Gorilla Film Distribution Award, which includes a professional sales and distribution agreement from the Italian agency Gorilla Film Distribution, was awarded to How I Went to the Dogs, Along with Europe by Elizaveta Snagovskaia. The jury praised the project's distinctive voice and its potential to connect with international audiences through a deeply personal yet universally resonant story.
The Gaston Studio Award, providing high-value post-production support, went to Privado, directed by Richard Feliz. The project stood out for its humanistic approach and emotionally nuanced portrayal of life at the margins of society.
Together, the awards form part of a prize package worth €8,000 in post-production services, helping the selected filmmakers bring their projects to completion and prepare them for their international festival premieres.
With its growing international profile, Fresh Meet continues to establish itself as an important platform for emerging filmmakers, offering not only visibility but also meaningful industry support at a crucial stage in the life of a film. Several projects presented at previous editions have gone on to premiere at major international festivals, making the Work in Progress Pitch Forum an increasingly important stop on the European short film circuit.