ACE Producers has selected 12 acclaimed film and television producers from 9 different territories for this year’s ACE Leadership Special.

Gearing up for its fifth edition, the ACE Leadership Special allows producers to take time out to examine themselves, their companies and their teams. The programme gives them the tools to recognise and harness their capabilities and innate skills, raising their confidence to be able to provide effective leadership for their production companies and to create work environments which are effective, productive and harmonious. The workshop format allows the small group to benefit not only from the knowledge of the workshop consultants, but from each other’s lived experiences.

The programme is supported by the Netherlands Film Fund, FilmCamp Norway and CFAP. It will take place in Vinkeveen (The Netherlands) in June 2026 and at FilmCamp in Øverbygd (Norway) in September 2026 along with online elements over the summer.

The consultants for the programme are Jeroen Achterberg, Jo Bishop (The Coaching Cabin) and Mark van der Grift (For REAL).

SELECTED PRODUCERS:

Nicolás Celis – Pimienta Films – Mexico

Marie Dubas – Deuxième Ligne Films – France

Harry Flöter – 2Pilots Filmproduction – Germany

Alexander Glehr – Film AG Produktions GmbH – Austria

Erik Glijnis – Lemming Film – The Netherlands

Miia Haavisto – Tekele Productions – Finland

Marc Irmer – Dolce Vita Films – France

Milena Klemke – Weydemann Bros. GmbH – Germany

Kuba Kosma – Serce – Poland

Mark Lwoff – Bufo – Finland

Adrià Monés Murlans – Fasten Films – Spain

Giovanni Pompili – Kino Produzioni – Italy

Gearing up for its fifth edition, ACE Producers has selected ten emerging producers for the ACE Mentoring Programme EU 2026 from Europe and beyond.

The aim of the programme is to support emerging producers in reaching the next level of their careers and extending their international network by offering them the opportunity to learn from established mentors from within ACE Producers Network actively working within the international film industry.

Each selected producer has been carefully matched to a mentor according to their specific needs. This tailor-made programme includes (online) meetings throughout the year, with the intent to share collective knowledge with a new generation of producers.

SELECTED PRODUCERS FOR ACE MENTORING PROGRAMME EU 2026: 

Anne-Flore Aussant – Studio Marguya – Ireland
Mentor: Amanda Livanou – Neda Film – Greece

Flavia Biurrun – Saga Film – Belgium
Mentor: Snezana van Houwelingen – This and That Productions – Serbia

Maximiliano Bolados Jara – Bússola Film – France
Mentor: Titus Kreyenberg – unafilm – Germany

Melissa Byrne – Nordpolaris – Germany
Mentor: Laurence Lascary – De l’autre côté du périph (DACP) – France

Fahriye Ismayilova – Parda Film Production – Türkiye
Mentor: Carla Fotea – microfilm – Romania

Sarah Kang – Seesaw Pictures – South Korea
Mentor: Denis Vaslin – Volya Films – The Netherlands

Matěj Paclík – Breathless Films – Czech Republic
Mentor: Bernard Michaux – Samsa Film– Luxembourg

Bahnam Roshan – Prespective – Iran
Mentor: Kurban Kassam – Raucous Pictures – United Kingdom

Betty Sulty-Johnson – Habebo Studios – France
Mentor: Joram Willink – Bind Film – The Netherlands

Marta Szarzyńska – Watchout Studio – Poland
Mentor: Filipa Reis – Uma Pedra No Sapato – Portugal

Together with the ACE Training Days, the ACE Mentoring Programmes are part of ACE Springboard, a combination of programmes focusing on emerging independent producers to strengthen their careers at an early stage. ACE Springboard provides participants with the tools needed to be adaptable and innovative in an ever-changing film industry – for a successful new generation of independent producers!

More information on the ACE Springboard Programmes can be found here.
For questions, contact us at ace@ace-producers.com. 

ACE Producers is excited to announce the 6 emerging producers from Slovakia, selected to participate in the upcoming ACE Training Days SK. Taking place on 14 and 15 April 2026 in Modra, the workshop will focus on “How to Build a Sustainable Economic Foundation for Your Business”.

The ACE Training Days SK is a tailor-made programme designed for producers from Slovakia who are looking to expand their networks and learn more about how to build a sustainable economic foundation for their businesses. The workshop welcomes producers working in fiction, animation and documentary.

This interactive workshop will include different sessions by trusted ACE consultants, and networking opportunities with the producers of the ACE 35 Annual Programme, who will be in Modra for the third session of their programme Business Prospects Workshop (BPW) and in Bratislava for the ACE Annual Reunion.

The ACE Training Days SK, ACE 35 Business Prospects Workshop and the Annual Reunion are supported by the Slovak Audiovisual Fund, SAPA and Košice Region Film Office

PRODUCERS SELECTED FOR THE ACE TRAINING DAYS SK 2026:

Nataša Findrová – Murmur Films

Michaela Kaliská – NINJA film

Andrej Kolencik – Admiral Films

Radka Machalová – Bright Sight Pictures

Roman Pivovarník – HITCHHIKER Cinema

Marianna Vadovičová – Silverart

Together with the ACE Mentoring Programme, the ACE Training Days are part of ACE Springboard, a combination of programmes strengthening emerging independent producers. ACE Springboard provides participants with the tools needed to be adaptable and innovative in an ever-changing film industry – for a successful new generation of independent producers.

Please find more information here, for more information please contact us at ace@ace-producers.com.

ACE Producers is pleased to announce the Call for Applications for the Training Days SK 2026, taking place on 14 & 15 April, in Modra, Slovakia.

The ACE Training Days SK is themed around “How to Build a Sustainable Economic Foundation for Your Business” and is designed for emerging producers at relatively early stages in their careers. The programme welcomes producers working in fiction, animation and documentary and strives to make the industry more inclusive and diverse.

The world is changing fast and the world of film and television is no different. Just when you think you have everything under control, something changes. Ever-evolving technology, changing legislation, climate change, turbulent politics and so on. This has a huge impact on film production companies and the people who work for them, requiring a great deal of flexibility, adaptability and above all, the right strategy supported by accurate leadership.

In this workshop we will focus on two main pillars of building a sustainable business in this VUCA* times:

• Developing and implementing an agile and at the same time sustainable strategy;
• Effective leadership in a VUCA world.

*VUCA stands for:
Volatility: The nature and dynamics of change, and the speed at which things evolve.
Uncertainty: The lack of predictability and the inability to foresee future events.
Complexity: The multitude of interconnected and interdependent variables that can complicate decision-making and problem-solving.
Ambiguity: The lack of clarity about the meaning of an event or situation, making it hard to interpret and act decisively.

The ACE Training Days SK has been set up in collaboration with the Slovak Audiovisual Fund.

WORKSHOP DATES
14 & 15 April 2026

LOCATION
Modra, Slovakia

ELIGIBILITY CONDITIONS

• Emerging producers based in Slovakia, at a relatively early stage in their careers;
• Producers should have at least one credit on a short film;
• Producers will best benefit from the workshop when already working on feature-length projects in development;
• Producers would need to be committed to attend the entire workshop;
• Producers who were selected for previous editions of the Training Days are eligible to re-apply.

FEES

The participation fee for the workshop is €150 (excluding VAT, if applicable). This includes the workshop programme and subsistence during the workshop. Travel and accommodation expenses that may arise will not be covered by the organisation.

APPLICATION DEADLINE
6 March 2026, noon CEST (up to 6 places available)

HOW TO APPLY
You can apply by completing the application form. In the form, we request the following information:

• A one-page motivational letter;
• A company profile;
• Producer’s biography & filmography;
• List of current projects in development (with information and status on each project).

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Contact us at ace@ace-producers.com

ACE Producers has selected 18 experienced independent producers for the 7^th edition of the ACE Animation Special. The intensive workshop is designed to provide extensive knowledge of how to diversify business with developing and producing long form, feature film and series animation productions for an international audience including cinema, broadcast and streaming. Supported by Screen Ireland, the Netherlands Film Fund and Animation Ireland, the ACE Animation Special will take place from the 17^th to the 22^nd March 2026 in Dingle, Ireland, in collaboration with the Animation Dingle festival.

Focusing primarily on the creative and financial aspects of feature and long form animation production, the ACE Animation Special will offer sessions on animatic story development, international production workflows, the creative dynamics of animation production, financing strategies and international distribution. The workshop will also include sessions on physical line production as well as case studies on completed animation projects.

SELECTED ACE ANIMATION SPECIAL PRODUCERS:

Agne Adomene – ART SHOT – Lithuania

Marine Arrighi de Casanova – Apsara Films – France

Brunella Cocchiglia – Lovely Productions – Ireland

Alexander Glehr – Film AG Produktions GmbH – Austria

David Keitsch – Komplizen Film – Germany

Felipe Lage – Zeitun Films – Spain

Natalia Libet – 2Brave Productions – Ukraine

Lillian Løvseth – Loev Film (LØV Film) – Norway

Heather Millard – Compass Films & Animation Studio Iceland – Iceland

Ed Moline – Lighthouse Studios – Ireland

Chantal Nissen – Cool Beans / Katuni – The Netherlands

Samuli Norhomaa – Just Republic Oy – Finland

Julia Ouston – Title Page Films – United Kingdom

Marta Reguera – Fox in the Snow – Sweden

Vicki Rock – Enter Yes – United Kingdom

Danae Spathara – HERETIC – Greece

Artem Vasyliev – Lazy Sunday – Ireland/Moldova

Bostjan Virc – Leavante Produzioni – Italy

For more information please contact:
specials@ace-producers.com

BEST PICTURE

BUGONIA by Yorgos Lanthimos
Produced by Ed Guiney (ACE Ireland)

THE SECRET AGENT by Kleber Mendonça Filho
Co-produced by Leontine Petit & Erik Glijnis (ACE The Netherlands)

SENTIMENTAL VALUE by Joachim Trier
Produced by Andrea Berentsen Ottmar (ACE Norway)
Co-produced by Jonas Dornbach (ACE Germany) & Janine Jackowski (ACE Germany)

BEST DIRECTOR

SENTIMENTAL VALUE by Joachim Trier
Produced by Andrea Berentsen Ottmar (ACE Norway)
Co-produced by Jonas Dornbach (ACE Germany) & Janine Jackowski (ACE Germany)

BEST ACTOR

Wagner Moura for THE SECRET AGENT by Kleber Mendonça Filho
Co-produced by Leontine Petit & Erik Glijnis (ACE The Netherlands)

BEST ACTRESS

Renate Reinsve for SENTIMENTAL VALUE by Joachim Trier
Produced by Andrea Berentsen Ottmar (ACE Norway)
Co-produced by Jonas Dornbach (ACE Germany) & Janine Jackowski (ACE Germany)

Emma Stone for BUGONIA by Yorgos Lanthimos
Produced by Ed Guiney (ACE Ireland)

SUPPORTING ACTOR

Stellan Skarsgård for SENTIMENTAL VALUE by Joachim Trier
Produced by Andrea Berentsen Ottmar (ACE Norway)
Co-produced by Jonas Dornbach (ACE Germany), Janine Jackowski (ACE Germany)

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Elle Fanning for SENTIMENTAL VALUE by Joachim Trier
Produced by Andrea Berentsen Ottmar (ACE Norway)
Co-produced by Jonas Dornbach (ACE Germany), Janine Jackowski (ACE Germany)

Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas for SENTIMENTAL VALUE by Joachim Trier
Produced by Andrea Berentsen Ottmar (ACE Norway)
Co-produced by Jonas Dornbach (ACE Germany), Janine Jackowski (ACE Germany)

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Jafar Panahi for IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT by Jafar Panahi
Produced by Philippe Martin (ACE France) and David Thion (ACE France)

Eskil Vogt and Joachim Trier for SENTIMENTAL VALUE by Joachim Trier
Produced by Andrea Berentsen Ottmar (ACE Norway)
Co-produced by Jonas Dornbach (ACE Germany), Janine Jackowski (ACE Germany)

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Will Tracy for BUGONIA by Yorgos Lanthimos
Produced by Ed Guiney (ACE Ireland

INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM

THE SECRET AGENT by Kleber Mendonça Filho
Co-produced by Leontine Petit & Erik Glijnis (ACE The Netherlands)

IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT by Jafar Panahi
Produced by Philippe Martin (ACE France) and David Thion (ACE France)

SENTIMENTAL VALUE by Joachim Trier
Produced by Andrea Berentsen Ottmar (ACE Norway)
Co-produced by Jonas Dornbach (ACE Germany) & Janine Jackowski (ACE Germany)

SIRĀT by Olivier Laxe
Produced by Mani Mortazavi (ACE France)

THE VOICE OF HIND RAJAB by  Kaouther Ben Hania
Produced by Nadim Cheikhrouha (ACE France)

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)
BUGONIA by Yorgos Lanthimos
Produced by Ed Guiney (ACE Ireland)

SOUND
SIRĀT by Olivier Laxe
Produced by Mani Mortazavi (ACE France)

MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
THE UGLY STEPSISTER by Emilie Blichfeldt
Co-produced by Ada Solomon (ACE Romania) and Mariusz Włodarski (ACE Poland)

BEST EDITING

SENTIMENTAL VALUE by Joachim Trier
Produced by Andrea Berentsen Ottmar (ACE Norway)
Co-produced by Jonas Dornbach (ACE Germany) & Janine Jackowski (ACE Germany)

CASTING
THE SECRET AGENT by Kleber Mendonça Filho
Co-produced by Leontine Petit & Erik Glijnis (ACE The Netherlands)

We’re also very proud to see a Best Animated Film nomination for Little Amélie or the Character of Rain, which was developed during the ACE Animation Special.