NEXTDOOR NETWORKING

Film Professional Development Program of IN THE PALACE  

 

CONTEXT

As part of FILMER FORGE – the Short Film Industry Program of the IN THE PALACE International Short Film Festival – an intensive training course for young directors, writers/scriptwriters, producers, and film critics from the Balkans and the Black Sea region will take place during the 22nd festival edition in Pernik, Bulgaria, in 2025.  

The program aims to support the youngest generation of filmmakers in these regions, helping them grow as competitive professionals in the short film industry immediately after graduating from film academies.  

Program fosters professional communication and creates an environment that facilitates better cooperation and exchange in film production between the local short film industries of the Balkans and Black Sea region.  

 

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE

Participants must be final-year university students in Film Directing, Scriptwriting, Film Production, or Film Criticism from the following countries: Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Turkey, and Ukraine.  

The group of young professionals will include representatives from each focus area — director, scriptwriter, producer, and film critic/film historian — from the participating countries. Each national team or individual participant are provided the opportunity to engage with a film project, which must be potential to develop as a co-production with any of the other countries presented in the program.

 

SHORT PRESENTATION

The program aims to add partical value and thus enhance the participants' academic training and skills, while running alongside the environment of Oscar® Qualifying IN THE PALACE Festival.  

The festival invites established professionals actively working in the short film industry to lead working and training processes and teams in Film Directing, Scriptwriting, Film Production, and Film Criticism labs.  

Alongside trainings, participants, guided by their tutors, will be able to further develop their film projects. The program concludes with a pitching session where projects are presented to a professional audience, accredited participants, and decision-makers at the 22nd IN THE PALACE in 2025.  

Three of the most promising film projects will receive:

·         € 1,000 for production expenses;

·         a premiere screening of the completed work at the next edition of Oscar® Qualifying IN THE PALACE;

·         presentation and promotion at the Short Film Market (Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival).  

 

All participating film projects will receive:

·         exposition in IN THE PALACE’s video library for professional access and viewing by accredited professionals;

·         full accreditation for the 23rd IN THE PALACE in 2026, including free access and invitations to all professional events for all project team members.  

 

Benefits for Film Critics participants

Film critics participating in the workshops will actively engage with the dynamics of a renowned international event. Alongside the workshops and facilitated by tutors, young film critics are provided with the opportunities to:  

·         present and report on films from the festival’s Official Selection; NEXT DOOR NETWORKING’s student film projects and the program itself;

·         moderate Q&A sessions and discussions with filmmakers;

·         пublish news, reviews, and critical essays in English and their native languages in local and international online media;

·         contribute to IN THE PALACE’s paper journal, and thus gaining exposure at the Clermont-Ferrand and Cannes film markets;

·         receive full accreditation for the 23rd IN THE PALACE in 2026, with free access to all professional events;

·         coordinate, create, and publish content on IN THE PALACE’s blog as a paid professional engagement for one year (for the most outstanding participants).  

 

MOTIVATION AND NEEDS  

The program provides youngest generation of filmmakers from the Balkans and Black Sea region with access to the vibrant short film industry. This NEXTDOOR NETWORK aims to support their better and more oriented presence in professional environment and integration into professional networks, enhancing their competitiveness in the industry.  

The geographic focus of the training program reflects not only the cultural and aesthetic characteristics of these regions, but also the critical need for a cohesive and well-functioning creative industries sector, which is currently underdeveloped.  

To address this need, IN THE PALACE strives to establish, manage, and expand a complex communication network that promotes the exchange of good practices, financing policies, production, film projects distribution, and professional cooperation opportunities with national and international bodies, companies, institutions, organizations, etc.  

Furthermore, by involving participants and tutors in this program, IN THE PALACE integrates them into the professional audience of the Oscar® Qualifying festival, creating a pool of talented young professionals whose development the festival is committed to invest in long-term.  

 
To discussing possible collaborations with film schools, universities, companies, organizations, institutions and other private or public bodies, please contact us via email: filmerforge@inthepalace.com

 

For program`s call for participants and projects and application requirements, please follow the link:

For more information about FILMER FORGE industry program, please check here: https://www.inthepalace.com/en/industry/filmer-forge 

If you are still looking for more information, please do not hesitate to contact us by email: filmerforge@inthepalace.com