First Cut+ is a program launched in 2020 for boosting the promotion & audience engagement strategies of feature films that previously took part in a First Cut Lab workshop.

First Cut+ operates twice a year, working in close cooperation with two dynamic and well-established film industry platforms: Trieste’s When East Meets West and Karlovy Vary IFF’s Eastern Promises. Each year a portfolio of 16 feature films is promoted: 8 films during the winter session at Trieste’s When East Meets West, and 8 films during the summer session at Karlovy Vary IFF’s Eastern Promises Industry Days.

Participating projects benefit from lectures and individual mentoring consultations on promotion, marketing, PR & press, festivals, and sales strategy from various film industry consultants. This is followed by a works-in-progress organized under the ‘First Cut+’ label, open to selected decision makers (sales agents & distributors, festivals’ programmers, etc). At each session, a jury awards the TRT Prize to one of the films – a cash award of 5 000 Euros sponsored by the Turkish public broadcaster.

Amongst the 48 feature films that have already participated over 3 years, previous First Cut+ projects include: Listen by Ana Rocha de Sousa (Lion of the Future for Best Debut Feature, Venice 2020); Brother’s Keeper by Ferit Karahan (Fipresci Prize, Berlinale 2021); Immaculat by Monica Stan and George Chiper-Lillemark (Lion of the Future for Best Debut Feature, Venice 2021); 107 Mothers by Peter Kerekes (Orizzonti Award for Best Screenplay, Venice 2021); A Piece of Sky by Michael Koch (Silver Bear - Special Mention, Berlinale 2022).

You may find more information on the First Cut+ website here.