©EAVE, photo: Frank Schoepgens
FILMER FORGE 2026
presents
EAVE ON DEMAND
in cooperation with IN THE PALACE International Short Film Festival
June 22-25, 2026
ABOUT
FILMER FORGE is the industry program of IN THE PALACE International Short Film Festival which includes: educational modules, industry meetings, short film co-production market, pitching training and pitching sessions, an interdisciplinary conference, and a range of opportunities for formal and informal networking.
In 2026 FILMER FORGE presents EAVE on Demand training program in cooperation with EAVE (European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs).
The program selects 6 teams (producer + director/writer) and their projects to take part in the EAVE on Demand training from 22nd to 25th June in Pernik, Bulgaria in the framework of 23rd IN THE PALACE International Short Film Festival.
TRAINING PROGRAM
6 teams (producer + director/writer) and their projects take part in 4-days EAVE workshop, including group and individual training approaches in topics as marketing, script development, successful film producing, international co-production, etc.
INVITED EXPERTS in 2026
GROUP LEADER
Radu Stancu, deFilm (RO)
Radu Stancu graduated film production, editing and sound design at UNATC ‘I.L. Caragiale’ in Bucharest. He’s member of ACE Producers Network, alumnus of EAVE Producers Workshop, EAVE Ties That Bind, EAVE Marketing Workshop and selected for Producer on the Move Cannes 2023. He has been involved in an array of cinematic productions, short and feature-length, ranging from fiction or animation to documentary, that were presented and awarded in major international festivals and markets while connecting collaborators and partners from Europe, Asia, or Latin America.
He participated in various policy-making groups affiliated with the Romanian Ministry of Culture, representing the audio-visual sector, and played a key role in initiating and leading a group of film professionals dedicated to revising the National Cinematography Law.
SCRIPT CONSULTANT
Geoffroy Grison
Geoffroy Grison is an international screenwriter and script consultant. He grew up and studied in Strasbourg, graduating with a Master's degree in Classical Literature. He then worked at ARTE as a script advisor, before moving on to filmmaking.
Geoffroy Grison has written or produced a dozen international arthouse feature films, including Israeli bittersweet comedy directed by Raphael Nadjari A strange course of events (Cannes 2013 Quinzaine), Bulgarian director Konstantin Bojanov's debut film Ave (Cannes' Critics Week 2011), or Tehilim directed by Raphael Nadjari that premiered in competition at Cannes 2007. He recently wrote the award-winning debut film of Lebanese artist Ali Cherri, The Dam, which opened at the Quinzaine in Cannes 2022.
He has participated in various writing labs such as LIM, Locarno Open Doors, Midpoint, Holland Film Meeting/Cinemart, Next Step or Talent Village/Les Arcs Film Festival.
As consultant or translator, he has worked with directors such as Pia Marais (Transamazonia, in post-production), Ola Jankowska (Anatomia, Venice 2021), Teboho Edkins (Days of Cannibalism, Berlinale 2020), Magnus von Horn (Sweat, Cannes 2020) or Ben Russel (Good Luck, Locarno 2017).
He was co-president, from 2016 to 2018, of the collective Le Deuxième Regard, now Collective 5050, which promotes gender equality and diversity in the film industry.
INTERNATIONAL SALES & FESTIVALS EXPERT
Sofia Tocar (Square Eyes, AT/CZ)
Raised in Moldova and now residing in Prague, she is responsible for overseeing short films in the Vienna-based sales company Square Eyes. Previously, Sofia worked at the Institute of Documentary Film in Prague, where she managed the East Silver Caravan project, supporting the festival distribution of Central and Eastern European documentary films alongside East Doc Market, a vital networking component of the East Doc Platform. With an educational background in art history, she also works as a curator and co-creator of craftivist and artivist projects.
ELIGIBILITY
Who can apply:
Film professionals who are looking to develop and train professional skills and thus support their new film project development in producing processes, strategies, partner seeking, co-producing, funding, and development opportunities for their current or upcoming short film, etc.
Eligible participants are teams of 2 representatives of a film project – a producer paired with a director/writer. Individual applications will not be considered.
Each team submit an application, presenting also a short film project.
After a selection process 6 teams and their film projects will be selected to take part in the EAVE on Demand Company Strategies training program in Pernik, Bulgaria during 23rd IN THE PALACE.
Participants from all countries are eligible to submit a short film project.
Only producers or other project rights holders can submit film projects.
Short film projects criteria:
Short film projects in development are accepted.
Short film projects in fiction and animation.
Secured funding by third parties is not an obligatory condition to submit a project.
DEADLINE MAY 20TH 2026
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TAKE PART
6 project teams and their film projects will be selected to take part in the workshop. How to apply?
STEP 1. Please, provide us with an Application Package of the short film project, containing the following materials:
1. A Minikit* ( 8 pages max), including the following elements:
1.1. Project Info Sheet (please, download and fill in with requested info)
1.2. Synopsis
1.3. Budget top sheet in local currency and EURO
1.4. Financing plan
1.5. Producer’s note of intention
1.6. Director’s note of intention
1.7. CV of producer
1.8. CV of director/writer
1.9. Company profile
1.10. Visuals and links to the director’s previous work
2. Script or Treatment**
3. Participant’s Info (please, provide for each participant)
3.1. Contact information, incl. email and phone number
3.2. Role in the project
3.3. Participant`s photo (preferably 300 ppi - print quality)
4. Application Checklist (please, download and fill in with requested info)
* The Minikit will be included in the infobook and shared with all experts and participants prior to the workshop
** The script or treatment will be sent to all experts and participants prior to the workshop.
STEP 2. Please, upload the Application Package by the deadline – instructions you can find here (please download)
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Applications will be taken into a consideration only if in compliance with the following:
1. Answer to eligible criteria
2. Provided all requested information and materials
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Please, do not hesitate to contact us if any questions arise or assistance and navigation is needed: filmerforge@inthepalace.com
