WEMW 2026 OPENS ALL CALLS FOR ENTRIES and announces new 2026 FOCUS!
Set to happen once again in Trieste on January 18-20, 2026, the upcoming edition of WEMW will dedicate an exciting East & West Focus to the Baltic Countries & GAS region, bringing together projects, professionals and talents from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Germany, Austria and Switzerland, with the main goal to facilitate new creative and business exchanges with the spotlight territories.
This upcoming East & West Focus is made possible thanks to the support of FFA – German Federal Film Board, German Films, Austrian Films, Swiss Films, Estonian Film Institute, Lithuanian Film Center, National Film Centre of Latvia in cooperation with ABA – FILM in AUSTRIA, Cine Tirol Film Commission, FFF Bayern, Cinéforom, FISA, Hessenfilm&Medien, kreativland.tirol, MEDIA Desk Suisse, Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung (MDM), Switzerland Film Commission and Zürcher Filmstiftung.
Alongside this expanded geographical focus, WEMW will also introduce the brand-new Films x Games Connection Hub, an innovative programme aimed at bringing together, for the first time, film producers and game studios to explore their possible present and future connections.
Balancing tradition with innovation, WEMW is therefore happy to open the calls for its 5 different sections, ranging from the established Co-Production Forum and Work in Progress sessions to the cutting-edge Inspirational Labs, EAVE Slate and the Films X Games Connection Hub, all designed to foster collaboration, inspire creativity, and drive the industry forward.
1. CO-PRODUCTION FORUM
early bird deadline: October 10, 2025
last minute deadline: October 20, 2025
WEMW 2026 will select 20 projects in development (live-action features, creative documentaries and short animated projects) from all over Europe and beyond, with special attention to the 2026 East & West spotlight countries: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Germany, Austria and Switzerland. All selected projects will be pitched in front of more than 500 decision makers and professionals from over 60 countries, and will compete for two main cash prizes: the Film Center Serbia Development Award and the CICLIC WEMW Award (granted by the French Centre-Val de Loire Region). Thanks to the WEMW network of partners, the Co-Production Forum will also feature a series of other major awards, including EAVE Producers Workshop Scholarship, the Pop Up Film Residency Award, the Marché du Film Producers Network Badges, the DAE Talent Development Prize, GoGo2025 Residency Award and the CEE Animation Award.
SUBMISSION FEES
Early bird fee: € 0 (no fee) – from 16 September until 10 October, 23:59 CET
Last minute fee: € 20 – from 11 until 20 October, 23:59 CET
With the recent steady growth of submissions, this contribution allows us to maintain the usual standards, timing and dedication of our reviewing and selection process.
2. WORKS IN PROGRESS
deadline: November 5, 2025
Starting from today, it is also possible to submit a project to the two WIP sections organised by WEMW and Trieste Film Festival.
Last Stop Trieste will select documentary projects in a stage of fine-cut, previously developed or presented in one of our partners platform: Ex-Oriente Film Workshop, BDC Discoveries, Docu Rough Cut Boutique, Baltic Sea Docs, ZagrebDox PRO and WEMW Co-Production Forum. All selected docs will be in the running for the HBO Europe Award and the Film Center Montenegro Award.
This is IT, works in progress section run in partnership with L’Atelier – Milano Film Network, will focus on feature films and hybrid works with a strong visual and artistic approach produced or co-produced by Italian producers, or coming from any of the East & West 2026 spotlight territories: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Germany, Austria and Switzerland. All selected films will compete for the Laser Film Award.
3. EAVE SLATE
deadline: November 5, 2025
EAVE Slate will select up to 8 European companies that are developing a slate of A/V works and will combine the EAVE group work method with a series of plenary sessions and individual consultancies focusing on strategic company planning, potential risk evaluation and company diversification.
4. INSPIRATIONAL LABS
deadline: November 5, 2025
European, Latin American and Canadian producers will also be able to apply to our Inspirational Labs, a series of initiatives meant to stimulate selected participants to develop new content and explore new business models. Run in collaboration with leading training programmes and international partners, the 8 Labs will offer a deeper insight on AI, animation production, drama series content, docu-series, genre film production, impact & outreach strategy, private equity funding and sustainable leadership for women producers.
5. FILMS X GAMES CONNECTION HUB
deadline: November 5, 2025
After two successful editions of the Video Games Production Inspirational Lab, WEMW and SpielFabrique join forces again to expand the programme and launch the FILMS x GAMES Connection Hub, a brand-new initiative designed to enhance the connections between the film and game sectors.
The programme is targeting up to 10 A/V producers with a game project in development who are keen to learn how the game sector works and better understand how to position, finance and distribute a game. Besides group work and individual consultations with international experts, the programme will include a matchmaking session with a group of dynamic game developers & studios from different European countries, aimed at exploring new opportunities of collaboration at project development level.
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PARTNERS & SUPPORTERS
WEMW 2026 is organised by the FVG Audiovisual Fund, in collaboration with the Trieste Film Festival and EAVE, and thanks to the precious and constant support of Creative Europe MEDIA, MIC – Direzione Generale per il Cinema, CEI – Central European Initiative, Catalan Films, Film Center Serbia, CICLIC – Centre-Val de Loire Region and the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia.
The 2026 East & West Focus is made possible thanks to the support of FFA – German Federal Film Board, German Films, Austrian Films, Swiss Films, Estonian Film Institute, Lithuanian Film Center, National Film Centre of Latvia in cooperation with ABA – FILM in AUSTRIA, Cine Tirol Film Commission, Cinéforom, FISA, Hessenfilm&Medien, kreativland.tirol, MEDIA Desk Suisse, Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung (MDM), Switzerland Film Commission and Zürcher Filmstiftung.
Inspirational Labs & Film x Games Connection Hub partners: ACE Producers, CEE Animation Workshop, ESoDoc, EURODOC, Fantastic Film Forum of the Trieste Science+Fiction Festival, International Screen Institute, Investors Circle – Marché du Film – Festival de Cannes, MIDPOINT Institute, SpielFabrique.
Inspirational Labs supporters: ACAU – Agencia del Cine y el Audiovisual del Uruguay, CNC Moldovan National Film Center, Cyprus Cinema Office, Czech Film Center, Film Center of Montenegro, Film Commission Vallée d’Aoste, Fondazione Sardegna Film Commission, Greek Film Center, ICAA – Film and Audiovisual Arts Institute, IDM Film & Music Commission Südtirol, North Macedonia Film Agency, Polish Film Institute, Projecto Paradiso, RE-ACT, Toscana Film Commission, Vlaams Audiovisueel Fonds.