Akmar (17), a queer violin prodigy and recent immigrant to Germany, earns a spot at the prestigious Academy of Music in Munich. Having fled persecution in Russia, he finds fleeting peace in a budding romance with Wai, a gifted cellist. But under relentless pressure from his perfectionist teacher and the looming threat of losing his legal status, Akmar’s trauma resurfaces. He senses his shadow dissociating and splitting from him: playing better, acting bolder, embodying all he represses. At first, it helps him thrive, sharpening his performance and confidence. But when it nearly chokes Wai to death in a jealous fit, Akmar spirals, losing his grip on reality. As he advances to the finals of a major competition, he must confront the pain and darkness within himself to stop his shadow from fully consuming him; onstage, in front of the world.
Freud & Ecstasy focuses on stories that spark the mind and stir the soul, committed to filmmaking that is as smart and sophisticated as it is fun, fearless, and emotionally gripping. Based in Germany and the United States, it champions an international perspective, connecting bold storytellers and boundary-pushing narratives across borders, specializing in co-productions with a local texture and a global heartbeat. Past projects include the screen adaptation of Stalking the Bogeyman, based on Markus Potter’s Outer Critics Circle–nominated Off-Broadway play, starring Tony winner Santino Fontana; and Pablo Pagán’s neo-noir drama Voyager, shortlisted for the Goyas. Upcoming work includes Big Man, the next narrative feature from Independent Spirit Award winner Rashaad Ernesto Green, currently in pre-production.
Visually, we aim to make Akmar’s pressures and torments, which reflect the experience of many musicians, fully tangible. His violin will show growing wear: strings fraying, metal wrappings bursting; a visual metaphor for Akmar’s unraveling. Fabric and light will be used to cast Akmar’s shadow, until a bow pierces through, violin strings erupting like hair from a monster within. The shadow won’t appear as a clean silhouette, but as a volatile, shifting presence. Rough, unpredictable, and as if drawn in charcoal. Ready to break free and spiral out of control at any moment. The Sibelius Concerto, one of the most demanding and emotionally gripping pieces in the violin repertoire, will be woven throughout to heighten dramatic tension. Its raw energy mirrors Akmar’s inner chaos, becoming both a driving force and a psychological battleground.
Devil’s Instrument blends queer character drama with supernatural genre elements. Set against the high-stakes world of classical music, the project builds on Andreas Kessler’s award-winning body of work. His films Blind Audition (Tribeca, Disney+) and Nakam (Oscar-shortlisted) both center on young musicians and have received international acclaim. A trained violinist himself, Andreas brings rare authenticity and insight to the story.
The project has been selected for the 2025 Stowe Story Producers Lab. It will be supported by a proof-of-concept short, shooting this year with named talent attached. The short will help refine the visual language, especially the evolving presence of the shadow. Given the international scope of the classical music world, the project is well suited for co-production and attaching an international cast.
Freud & Ecstasy
Friedrichstraße 3-4, 37073, Göttingen, Germany
Email: [email protected]
Andreas Kessler | Director
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: +49 (0)151-14923008
Frederik Ehrhardt | Scriptwriter, Producer
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: +49 (0)151-58112849
While attempting to keep her mother’s Bed and Breakfast afloat, Gillian falls for a young drifter, Lana. When Lana shares that her father abandoned her as a child, Gillian offers to drive with Lana across Ireland to confront him. But when they arrive, Lana freezes and runs away with the car, leaving Gillian stranded. In a moment of grief, Gillian approaches Lana’s father’s home, where his new family mistakes Gillian for Lana, and takes her in. Living as Lana for the summer, Gillian forms a connection with their young son on the autism spectrum, navigates her suspicions they all know more than they seem, and encounters repeated magical signals from the land. As things intensify, the truth is revealed, and the family shares that Lana ran away just years ago – they played along for a chance at closure, everyone using proxy to heal.
MHK Productions is a production company, based in Los Angeles, London & Cork. Its focus is feminist, diverse and queer stories, often through a genre lens. Its narrative work thus far has been to over 300 festivals and won over 100 awards. These include Diabla (premiered on Alter to 50k views); #NoFilter stars Misha Oshervic from Freaky (distributed via Omeleto) & Blue Hour (part of the AFI DWW lab & WIF funded). Feature highlights include: Lucky Strikes that completed the Berlinale Talent Project Market Lab and Fantasia Frontieres; ICON that completed Cine Qua Non and EAVE Ties That Bind. Its commercial and TV work has forged collaborations with MTV and Facebook Live. The brainchild of Maya Korn who herself has a passion for the strange and unusual. She is a Columbia University Producing MFA, La Femis, WIF Producing and WEMW graduate.
As the most personal story I have ever written, Gillyfish has helped me understand my own autism, my own queerness, and even my own magic. A modern love story, steeped in the visceral and textured, it uses magical realism and Irish folklore via the sudden appearance of animal guides, and other signals from the universe to support its protagonist's journey. We plan for a rich and precise visual style with naturalistic performances. Wide shots rooted in the land and aliveness of Ireland, detailed close ups of environmental details, reflections and mirrors in the human and natural world, bursts of digital animation, and vivid flashbacks convey the specific inner world of our main character. A film about knowing without ever having been told, Gillyfish is a surreal telling of the mirrors we hold up to ourselves through relationship.
Gillyfish is planned as a Canadian / Irish co-production, with the participation of US - UK equity and an Irish tax credit. Through MHK’s long-standing UK equity partnerships we have already raised 30% of the budget. Sarah, a seasoned industry professional, has worked on television shows at SyFy, Netflix and Amazon. Their pilot - COTTONWOOD – won Series Fest's Writer Initiative, was presented at IFP’s forum and featured in Deadline’s Top Unproduced Scripts. In 2023, we shot a proof of concept for the film which premiered at BFI Flare (UK), and continued to Kinoforum (Brazil), Denver Cinema Q (US) and Whistler (Canada), which gave us some idea of the scope of territories that would celebrate the premise. Our project has also successfully participated in the Stowe and Cinestory labs, as well as Galway Fleadh market.
MHK Productions
Penrose 2, Penrose Dock, Cork, Ireland
Email: [email protected]
Sarah Sellman | Director, Scriptwriter
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: +171 94 800 759
Maya Korn | Producer
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: +44 778 965 7413
During one of the frequent blackouts of a Dominican neighbourhood, Vitico (12) plays hide and seek with his friends. They dart across rooftops like cats in the night. The kids catch Vitico's uncle, Jorge (35), kissing and dancing with another man at a street party. Despite insults from the other kids, Vitico defends his uncle and ends up in a violent fight. Bruised and alone, he is forced to spend the night at the home of his neighbor Rosita (72). She's an elderly woman with an overwhelming fear of the dark that's kept her apart from the community. The next day, they find out Jorge was arrested for public indecency and are told he'll be held one more day. Jorge tells them he will return to the party to dance with his lover once he’s released. Vitico and Rosita spend the day together, knowing they must show up for him that night.
No hay sitema is a Dominican production company committed to telling stories that emerge from the periphery, and is driven to ask urgent questions and offer new perspectives. Led by creative producer and lawyer Yatnna Montilla (Ibermedia Development Fund 2023 for a Dominican-Argentinian co-production, DR FONPROCINE Production Fund 2023 and Development Fund 2021, Talents Alumni 2024, Nuevas Miradas 2021, EICTV), and director-producer Jeure Tavare (FONPROCINE Production Fund 2023, selected at Trinidad + Tobago Film Festival 2022, Fabrica resident), the company is building a space for those who understand cinema as a tool for social and cultural transformation. It actively seeks international co-productions that align with its values and expands the reach of underrepresented narratives.
I wrote the characters of Vitico and his uncle with myself in mind, thinking about what it means to be queer in the suburbs, not from a place of victimhood or caricature, as so often seen in local cinema, but from a place of protest and hope. For queer people, holding hands, walking, dancing, living is an act of resistance. I want to push back against the persistent idea that queerness is somehow a threat to children. I see children as fully sensitive people, capable of understanding the world on their own terms.
This film is also a portrait of the person I love most in the world and, in many ways, it's a self-portrait. Rosita's character is heavily based on my grandmother, her fear of the dark, her fear of being alone. The film explores how emotional connections can grow through the rhythms of everyday life, care, and shared resistance.
I’ve collaborated with Jeure ever since we’ve both studied at film school, including on the animated short Cabezu. His perspective and authorial voice have always struck me as both admirable and necessary in our region. With his feature-length debut, he is taking his exploration of the same subject even further.
We are currently co-developing the project with the Brazilian company Carnival Filmes, aiming to access the Ibermedia development fund, and we are interested in completing our structure with a European co-producer, whose funding and creative experience will strengthen the production. We believe this project is positioned to meet the demand and interest in firsts features and voices from our region in the international market.
No Hay Sitema S.R.L.
Distrito Nacional, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Email: [email protected]
Jeure Tavare | Director, Scriptwriter
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: +39 345 242 6621
Yatnna Gabriela Montilla | Producer
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: +1 829 304 8225
David, a 25-year-old Czech architect, receives an unexpected invitation from his former best friend, Klára, to her Jewish wedding in France. What seemed like a great way to rekindle their friendship turns out to be a "wedding from hell." Old wounds are reopened and doubts arise. David, who now navigates various aspects of his life—from enjoying queer parties to spending tense time with his family to joining pro-Palestinian protests in the streets—can’t forget how Klára abandoned him when he came out as gay. Klára feels he abandoned her and the rest of the Jewish community when she met the love of her life in Israel. This irreparable rift finally forces David to move on with his life. He leaves the confines of his family's apartment and finds hope that he can fall in love.
Helium Film is a film production company based in Prague, led by female producers Pavla Klimešová and Mária Môťovská, who complement each other with the diversity of their experiences, mainly in animation and documentaries. They share a passion for collaborating with young artists of their generation and creating high-quality films with international potential. Online child abuse (Caught in the Net, 2020), same-sex marriage (The Law of Love, 2021), the landscape of the OnlyFans platform (Virtual Girlfriends, 2025), and nervousness and performance anxiety (Melodies of Resilience, 2026) are among the socially relevant topics that Helium Film focuses on, aiming to spark important public debates. Since 2023, Helium Film has been a part of the Czech Association of Audiovisual Producers
This film is my most personal project to date. Through David's story, I explore the challenges of expressing our feelings, identity, and history. Just as David and Klára could not agree on what happened between them when they were eighteen for years, Israelis and Palestinians cannot agree on historical events in the territory they share. However, this is not a film about war and colonialism. It is a story about consequential divides within Jewish communities around the world—communities that struggle with anti-Semitism and seem to forget the values and humanity they otherwise uphold. The film offers a stark conclusion: sometimes it's better to disagree, and friends can become mere acquaintances. Nevertheless, the film offers hope for a better world where everyone has the right to love whomever they choose.
Mazel Tov, David! is a film about complexity—of identity, heritage, and political reality. It is set in a time when the Israeli-Palestinian conflict divides families, communities, and the world. Both as producers and director, we share a commitment to supporting underrepresented minorities in our projects (documentary The Law of Love, 2021, prod. Pavla Klimešová, Martina Štruncová, dir. Bára Chalupová) or showing queer people and topics on screen (And Then There Was Love…, 2022, dir. Šimon Holý, premiered at KVIFF, being shown on HBO Max in 16 countries). As producers, we feel we are still missing a major Czech film with positive queer representation, which would speak to younger audiences and help them feel connected and heard. After deep research and development, we feel that as a team, we are ready to move this project forward.
Helium Film
Senegalská 636/4, 160 00, Prague, Czech Republic
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: +420 737 454 912
Šimon Holý | Director, Scriptwriter
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: +420 774 047 048
Pavla Klimešová | Producer
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: +420 737 454 912
Jan Syruček | Producer
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: +420 728 707 978
In southern Taiwan, Ricardo (25), an undocumented, self-serving Filipino caregiver, is assigned a job looking after Yen (25), a sad and lonely young man with severe disabilities—with only one functional hand—from a wealthy but controlling family. Realizing that Yen is attracted to him, Ricardo offers hand-job services in exchange for money, hoping to save up for a black-market ID. A fragile intimacy develops as he helps Yen complete his studies and pursue his dream of making electronic dance music. When Ricardo begins to feel desire for Yen as well, he panics and tries to flee, accidentally nearly killing Yen. Amid the chaos, Ricardo slips away from the family and walks out a free man, yet he’s overwhelmed by regret of losing Yen and uncertain of what he truly wants or where he belongs.
A House Film Production, co-founded by Etsen Chen and Brendan Huang, focuses on project development across shorts, animation, and series. Its first production, Damp (in post), a co-production between Taiwan and Korea, serves as a proof of concept for their feature No Money No Honey. Brendan, a 2025 Busan Asian Film School (AFiS) fellow, is a Taiwanese producer with a background in literature and cultural studies. His credits include In the Belly of a Tiger (Berlinale Forum 2024) and Deep Quiet Room (HAF WIP, Focus Asia WIP). Etsen, an alumnus of Busan Asian Film Academy and Taipei National University of Arts, won Best Fiction Short in the Golden Harvest Award with The Younger (2015), widely screened at LGBTQ+ film festivals, and his co-directed short, Lipstick (2019), premiered at Busan International Film Festival.
No Money No Honey is inspired by my time volunteering with an NGO advocating sexual rights for people with severe disabilities. One client’s agency and openness surprised me. What began as a sexual experience became something deeper. I liked feeling needed, but often questioned whether I was helping or taking advantage. When I expressed doubt, he would just laugh, “It’s okay, we’re both taking advantage of each other.” That stayed with me. The film centers the protagonist in symmetrical, saturated frames, following his movement through vividly composed spaces. As the story progresses and the power dynamic shifts, the framing tightens, the light dims—mirroring Ricardo’s growing sense of entrapment. Desire is portrayed in a direct and realistic way—not through explicit sex, but through glances, breath, and sound design outside the frame.
In No Money No Honey, Ricardo reflects an important part of us all: a fear of losing control, only to lose what matters most. The film explores the fragile line between care and desire, survival and connection, especially within the context of migrant caregiving. This isn’t just a local issue but a globally resonant narrative about labor, power, and the human need for love. I previously worked with Etsen on Damp, a short exploring power imbalances and physical intimacy in caregiving. As with Damp, in which we worked with an actor with a disability, we are committed to authentic casting and representation. We are currently seeking a Filipino co-producer to support casting for the lead role and a European co-producer to bring an editor, cinematographer, and composer of electronic music on board to shape this emotionally layered story.
A House Film Production
9F.-4, No. 98, Guanqian E. Rd., Banqiao Dist., New Taipei City, Taiwan
Email: [email protected]
Etsen Chen | Director, Scriptwriter
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: +886 937 304 490
Brendan Yan-Hao Huang | Producer
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: +886 975 378 287
Vary z první ruky během celého roku.
Buďte mezi prvními, kteří se dozví o chystaných akcích i dalších novinkách. Newsletter posíláme, jen když máme co říct.
