WEMW 2025: Call for Entries Across Europe, Canada, and Latin America

The When East Meets West (WEMW) 2025, taking place in Trieste, Italy, from January 19-22, 2025, has opened 15 calls across 5 categories, providing extensive opportunities for filmmakers and producers worldwide. With a special spotlight on Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, this edition aims to bridge East and West through innovation and collaboration.

1. Co-Production Forum
   • Deadline: October 18, 2024
   • Description: Selects 20 projects in development (live-action features, creative documentaries, and short animated projects) from around Europe and beyond. Projects are pitched to more than 500 decision-makers from over 60 countries and compete for multiple cash awards, including the Film Center Serbia Development Award and the CICLIC WEMW Award.
   • Awards/Grants: Cash prizes, EAVE Producers Workshop Scholarship, Pop Up Film Residency Award, and DAE Talent Development Prize​
2. Works in Progress
   • Deadline: November 5, 2024
   • Description: Projects in post-production can be presented in front of industry experts like festival programmers, sales agents, and distributors. Includes sections like Last Stop Trieste for documentary projects and This is IT for feature films and hybrid works with artistic approaches from select countries.
   • Awards/Grants: Compete for awards such as the HBO Europe Award, Film Center Montenegro Award, and Arte Video Award
3. EAVE Slate
   • Deadline: November 5, 2024
   • Description: Focuses on up to 12 European and Latin American companies developing a slate of A/V works. It combines group work, plenary sessions, and consultations aimed at strategic company planning and risk evaluation.
   • Awards/Grants: No direct financial grants, but provides consultation and mentorship​
4. Inspirational Labs
   • Deadline: November 5, 2024
   • Description: Open to Canadian, European, and Latin American producers, these labs cover various topics such as AI, animation production, drama series, genre cinema, and more. They provide hands-on workshops and consultancy from industry experts to help participants develop new content and business models.
   • Awards/Grants: No direct financial grants, but significant industry mentorship and knowledge​
5. First Cut Lab Trieste
   • Deadline: November 5, 2024
   • Description: Open to films that participated in WEMW’s Co-Production Forum and are in the rough-cut phase. Offers expert feedback from international advisors and tailored advice from a consultant editor to help unlock the artistic potential of the film.
   • Awards/Grants: No direct financial grants, but provides valuable industry feedback and guidance​

These programs provide a mix of mentorship, consultation, and potential cash awards, depending on the category.

For more details and submission guidelines, visit the WEMW website​