Europski summit industrijskih događanja kratkog filma (ESFIES) neformalni je skup predstavnika europskih industrijskih događanja, tržišta i foruma posvećenih kratkom filmu. Cilj mu je osigurati vrijeme i prostor za otvoreni razgovor o zajedničkim izazovima, razmjenu dobrih praksi i istraživanje mogućnosti suradnje. Fokus je na podršci novim europskim talentima i profesionalcima te na stvaranju novih sinergija među industrijskim događanjima diljem Europe.
ESFIES je prošle godine pokrenuo Baltic Pitching Forum u organizaciji Lithuanian Shorts. Iako postoje brojne mreže i udruženja festivala kratkog filma te organizacija koje se bave promocijom i distribucijom, do tada nije postojala platforma koja posebno okuplja industrijske forume i tržišta kratkog filma. ESFIES okupljs Short Film Corner | Rendez-Vous Industry, Euro Connection i Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Market, ShorTO Film Market, European Short Pitch, Brussels CoProMarket, DokuFest Short Film Forum, Nordisk Panorama, RIGA IFF Test Screenings i Baltic Pitching Forum.
Drugo izdanje ESFIES-a održat će se 8. i 9. listopada 2026. u Vilniusu (Litva), u sklopu 14. izdanja Baltic Pitching Foruma (6.–9. listopada 2026.), vodećeg industrijskog događanja kratkog filma na Baltiku. Organizatori ističu zabrinutost zbog položaja kratkog filma u europskom političkom kontekstu i brojnih neizvjesnosti oko budućeg EU financiranja inicijativa kratkog filma. Zato će ovogodišnji susret imati oblik seminara o zagovaranju (advocacy) s vanjskom stručnjakinjom Juliette Prissard, glavnom delegatkinjom EUROCINEMA-e, organizacije koja zastupa francuske filmske i televizijske producente u europskim i međunarodnim politikama.
Središnja pitanja seminara su kako europski sektor kratkog filma može izgraditi snažniji zajednički glas te kako od reagiranja na političke odluke prijeći na proaktivno utjecanje na odluke koje oblikuju industriju. Kratki film nije samo „manji” format dugometražnog filma. On je bitan dio europskog filmskog ekosustava i prostor za eksperiment, nove glasove, razvoj talenata, umjetničke inovacije i međunarodnu razmjenu.
Program seminara:
Četvrtak, 8. listopada, 15:00–18:00
ESFIES Think-Tank: Advocating in Film Industry, Juliette Prissard (EUROCINEMA, Francuska)
Prvi dan bit će teorijski usmjeren, uz primjere iz prakse Juliette Prissard. Istovremeno će biti otvoren i interaktivan, s prostorom za razmjenu iskustava i razgovor o izazovima s kojima se sudionici trenutačno suočavaju.
Petak, 9. listopada, 15:00–17:00
ESFIES: Advocating in Film Industry (follow-up sesija)
Pitanje dana: Za što bi se industrija kratkog filma trebala zalagati?
Drugi dan bit će otvorena rasprava u kojoj će sudionici dijeliti iskustva vezana uz EU financiranje i izazove zastupljenosti industrije kratkog filma. Razgovarat će se i o realnim zajedničkim aktivnostima, u plenumu ili u manjim radnim skupinama, koje mogu ojačati položaj kratkog filma na razini EU-a. U sklopu navedene sesije Martina Petrović predstavit će i novosti o budućem programu AgoraEU te kratki pregled rezultata MEDIA financiranja u 2026.
Očekivani ishod seminara je skup ključnih točaka koje mogu poslužiti kao temelj službene izjave, odnosno pisma predstavnicima EACEA-e i EK-e. Uz to će nastati popis dodatnih aktivnosti za osnaživanje položaja industrije kratkog filma te prvi elementi zajedničkog europskog akcijskog plana zagovaranja kratkog filma.
Uz predstavnike ESFIES-a, ovogodišnjem susretu pridružit će se i gosti s dugogodišnjim iskustvom i angažmanom u industriji kratkog filma:
Uloga DKE – Ureda MEDIA Hrvatske obuhvaća sudjelovanje u radu ESFIES-a, moderiranje sesije i izrade akcijskog plana te predstavljanje novosti o programu Agora EU i rezultatima MEDIA poziva u 2026.
Na ovogodišnjem Baltic Pitching Forumu bit će prisutne i hrvatske predstavnice: Maja Gros i Daria Stilin sudjeluju kao gošće iz kruga BPF alumnija s projektom Samo jedna stvar (BPF 2024.).
Više informacija ovdje: Baltic Pitching Forum
The European Short Film Industry Events Summit (ESFIES) is an informal gathering of representatives from European short film industry events, markets and forums. Its goal is to provide dedicated time and space to openly discuss common challenges, share best practices and explore opportunities for collaboration. It focuses on supporting emerging European talents and professionals and on fostering new synergies among film industry events across Europe.
ESFIES was initiated last year by the Baltic Pitching Forum, organised by Lithuanian Shorts. While there are various networks and associations of short film festivals and organisations working in promotion and distribution, there was until then no platform specifically bringing together short film industry forums and markets. The core group of ESFIES consists of Short Film Corner | Rendez-Vous Industry, Euro Connection and Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Market, ShorTO Film Market, European Short Pitch, Brussels CoProMarket, DokuFest Short Film Forum, Nordisk Panorama, RIGA IFF Test Screenings and the Baltic Pitching Forum.
The 2nd edition of ESFIES will take place on 8–9 October 2026 in Vilnius, Lithuania, during the 14th edition of the Baltic Pitching Forum (6–9 October 2026), the leading short film industry event in the Baltics. The organisers point to concern over the position of short film in the EU political context and the many uncertainties about future EU funding for short film initiatives. This year's gathering will therefore take the form of an advocacy seminar with external expert Juliette Prissard, General Delegate of EUROCINEMA, which represents French film and television producer organisations in EU and international policy-making.
The seminar's key questions are how the European short film sector can build a stronger collective voice, and how short film organisations can move from reacting to political decisions to proactively shaping the decisions that affect the industry. Short film is not simply a smaller format of feature film. It is an essential part of the European film ecosystem and a space for experimentation, emerging voices, talent development, artistic innovation and international exchange.
Seminar programme:
Thursday, 8 October, 15:00–18:00
ESFIES Think-Tank: Advocating in Film Industry, Juliette Prissard (EUROCINEMA, France)
The first day will be more theoretical, drawing on real examples from Juliette Prissard's practice. It will also be open and interactive, leaving room for participants to share their own experiences and discuss the challenges they currently face.
Friday, 9 October, 15:00–17:00
ESFIES: Advocating in Film Industry (follow-up session)
Question of the day: What should the short film industry be advocating for?
The second day will be an open discussion in which participants share their experiences of EU funding and the short film industry's representation challenges. They will also discuss realistic actions, taken jointly or in smaller working groups, to strengthen the position of short film at EU level. During Friday's session, Martina Petrović will also present an update on the upcoming AgoraEU programme and a brief overview of the 2026 MEDIA funding results.
The expected outcome of the seminar is a set of key points that can form the basis of an official statement or letter to EACEA. The seminar should also produce a list of further actions to strengthen the short film industry's position and the first elements of a joint European short film advocacy action plan.
Alongside the ESFIES core group, this year's gathering will welcome guests with long-standing experience and engagement in the short film industry:
The role of the Creative Europe Desk – MEDIA Office Croatia includes taking part in ESFIES, moderating the session and the drafting of the action plan, and presenting updates on AgoraEU and the 2026 MEDIA funding results.
Croatian filmmakers will also be present at this year's Baltic Pitching Forum: Maja Gros and Daria Stilin are attending as BPF alumni guests with their project Just One Thing (BPF 2024).
More info here: Baltic Pitching Forum
