Category: ACE Network

Berlinale 2026 winners

Golden Bear Jury Prize
YELLOW LETTERS by İlker Çatak
Co-produced by Nadir Öperli (ACE Turkey), Carole Scotta (ACE France)

Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize
SALVATION by Emin Alper
Produced by Nadir Öperli (ACE Turkey)
Co-produced by Miléna Poylo (ACE France), Stienette Bosklopper (ACE The Netherlands), Yorgos Tsourgiannis (ACE Greece)

Best Director
EVERYBODY DIGS BILL EVANS by Grant Gee
Produced by Janine Marmot (ACE United Kingdom), Alan Maher (ACE Ireland)

Best Leading Performance
Sandra Hüller for ROSE by Markus Schleinzer
Produced by Johannes Schubert (ACE Austria), Karsten Stöter (ACE Germany)

Silver Bear for Best Screenplay
Geneviève Dulude-de Celles for NINA ROZA by Geneviève Dulude-de Celles
Co-produced by Nikolay Mutafchiev (ACE Bulgaria)

Perspectives GWFF First Feature Award Special Mention
FOREST HIGH by Manon Coubia
Co-produced by Charlotte Vincent (ACE France)

Generation Crystal Bear for Best Film Special Mention
A FAMILY by Mees Peijnenburg
Produced by Iris Otten (ACE The Netherlands)

Generation Special Mention Kplus
ATLAS OF THE UNIVERSE by Paul Negoescu
Produced by Radu Stancu (ACE Romania)

Teddy Award for Best Film
IVÁN & HADOUM by Ian de la Rosa
Produced by Emilia Fort (ACE Spain), Jan Krüger (ACE Germany)

Oscar Nominations 2026

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.

Films by ACE producers at Berlinale 2026

BERLINALE COMPETITION

AT THE SEA by Kornél Mundruczó
Produced by Viktória Petrányi (ACE Hungary)

DUST by Anke Blondé
Produced by Dries Phlypo (ACE Belgium)
Co-produced by Joanna Szymanska (ACE Poland), Giorgos Karnavas (ACE Greece)

EVERYBODY DIGS BILL EVANS by Grant Gee
Produced by Janine Marmot (ACE United Kingdom), Alan Maher (ACE Ireland)

HOME STORIES by Eva Trobisch
Co-produced by Jonas Dornbach (ACE Germany), Janine Jackowski (ACE Germany)

MY WIFE CRIES by Angela Schanelec
Produced by Kirill Krasovski (ACE Germany)

NINA ROZA by Geneviève Dulude-de Celles
Co-produced by Nikolay Mutafchiev (ACE Bulgaria)

ROSE by Markus Schleinzer
Produced by Johannes Schubert (ACE Austria), Karsten Stöter (ACE Germany)

ROSEBUSH PRUNING by Karim Aïnouz
Produced by Viola Fügen (ACE Germany), Simone Gattoni (ACE Italy)

SALVATION by Emin Alper
Produced by Nadir Öperli (ACE Turkey)
Co-produced by Miléna Poylo (ACE France), Stienette Bosklopper (ACE The Netherlands), Yorgos Tsourgiannis (ACE Greece)

YELLOW LETTERS by İlker Çatak
Co-produced by Nadir Öperli (ACE Turkey), Carole Scotta (ACE France)

BERLINALE PERSPECTIVES

FOREST HIGH by Manon Coubia
Co-produced by Charlotte Vincent (ACE France)

A PRAYER FOR THE DYING by Dara Van Dusen
Produced by Dyveke Graver (ACE Norway)
Co-produced by Pavel Bercík (ACE Czech Republic), Vicky Miha (ACE Greece)
Executive Producer Andrea Berentsen Ottmar (ACE Norway)
Developed during the ACE 28 Annual Programme

TRULY NAKED by Muriel d’Ansembourg
Co-produced by Tom Dercourt (ACE France)

BERLINALE SPECIAL GALA

NO GOOD MEN by Shahrbanoo Sadat
Produced by Katja Adomeit (ACE Denmark)
Opening Film Berlinale 2026

THE TESTAMENT OF ANN LEE by Mona Fastvold
Produced by Viktória Petrányi (ACE Hungary)

BERLINALE PANORAMA

ÁRRU by Elle Sofe Sara
Co-produced by Jani Pösö (ACE Finland)

THE EDUCATION OF JANE CUMMING by Sophie Heldman
Produced by Bettina Brokemper (ACE Germany)

ENJOY YOUR STAY by Dominik Locher & Honeylyn Joy Alipio
Produced by Flavia Zanon (ACE Switzerland)

THE GARDEN WE DREAMED by Joaquín del Paso
Produced by Nicolás Celis (ACE Mexico)

IVÁN & HADOUM by Ian de la Rosa
Produced by Emilia Fort (ACE Spain), Jan Krüger (ACE Germany)

LONDON by Sebastian Brameshuber
Produced by Lixi Frank (ACE Austria)

BERLINALE PANORAMA DOKUMENTE

A RUSSIAN WINTER by Patric Chiha
Produced by Charlotte Vincent (ACE France)

TRISTAN FOREVER by Tobias Nölle & Loran Bonnardot
Produced by Christof Neracher (ACE Switzerland)

BERLINALE GENERATION

ATLAS OF THE UNIVERSE by Paul Negoescu
Produced by Radu Stancu (ACE Romania)

EVERYONE’S SORRY NOWADAYS by Frederike Migom
Produced by Ivy Vanhaecke (ACE Belgium)
Co-produced by Iris Otten (ACE The Netherlands)

A FAMILY by Mees Peijnenburg
Produced by Iris Otten (ACE The Netherlands)

FOUR GIRLS by Karen Suzane
Co-produced by Ellen Havenith (ACE The Netherlands)

GHOST SCHOOL by Seemab Gul
Co-produced by Dorothe Beinemeier (ACE Germany)

BERLINALE FORUM

LUST by Ralitza Petova
Co-produced by Eva Jakobsen (ACE Denmark)

WOMEN AS LOVERS by Koxi
Produced by Christine Kiauk (ACE Germany)

ACE Producers awarded during 2026 European Film Awards

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

Best European 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 European 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)

Best European 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)

Best European Screenwriter
Eskil Vogt & 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)

European Young Audience Award
SIBLINGS by Greta Scarano
Produced by Andrea Paris (ACE Italy)

Best European Casting Director
Nadia Acimi, Luís Bértolo & María Rodrigo for SIRĀT by Olivier Laxe
Produced by Mani Mortazavi (ACE France)

Best European Cinematographer
Mau ro Herce for SIRĀT by Olivier Laxe
Produced by Mani Mortazavi (ACE France)

Best European Composer (Original Score)
Hania Rani for SENTIMENTAL VALUE by Joachim Trier
Produced by Andrea Berentsen Ottmar (ACE Norway)
Co-produced by Jonas Dornbach (ACE Germany) & Janine Jackowski (ACE Germany)

Best European Editor
Cristóbal Fernández for SIRĀT by Olivier Laxe
Produced by Mani Mortazavi (ACE France)

Best European Make-up & Hair Artist
Torsten Witte for BUGONIA by Yorgos Lanthimos
Produced by Ed Guiney (ACE Ireland)

Best European Production Designer
Laia Ateca for SIRĀT by Olivier Laxe
Produced by Mani Mortazavi (ACE France)

Best European Sound Designer
Laia Casanovas for SIRĀT by Olivier Laxe
Produced by Mani Mortazavi (ACE France)

Eurimages International Co-Production Award 2026
Komplizen Film – Jonas Dornbach (ACE Germany) and Janine Jackowski (ACE Germany)

ACE Producers’ Films in Sundance 2026

WORLD CINEMA DRAMATIC COMPETITION

HOW TO DIVORCE DURING THE WAR by Andrius Blazevicius
Produced by Marija Razgute (ACE Lithuania)
Co-produced by Jessie Fisk (ACE Ireland) & Vratislav Slajer (ACE Czech Republic)

LEVITATING by Wregas Bhanuteja
Co-produced by Si En Tan (ACE Singapore)

SHAME AND MONEY by Visar Morina
Co-produced by Marija Dimitrova (ACE North Macedonia)

PREMIERES

FRANK & LOUIS by Petra Biondina Volpe
Produced by Reto Schärli (ACE Switzerland)

IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE by Andrew Stanton
Executive Produced by Daniel Bekerman (ACE Canada)

TIME AND WATER by Sara Dosa
Co-produced by Heather Millard (ACE Iceland)

THE WEIGHT by Padraic McKinley
Executive Produced by Oana Iancu (ACE Romania)

FICTION PILOT SHOWCASE

WORRIED by Nicole Holofcener
Produced by Daniel Bekerman (ACE Canada)

NONFICTION PILOT SHOWCASE

THE OLIGARCH AND THE ART DEALER by Andreas Dalsgaard
Produced by Miriam Nørgaard (ACE Denmark)

ACE PRODUCERS ANNOUNCES LEADERSHIP TRANSITION

ACE Producers today announces a leadership transition reflecting the Association’s continued growth and long-term vision. President Marleen Slot and the ACE Board are delighted to welcome Inke Van Loocke as its new Director and Adrien Barrouillet as Senior Studies Manager, following the hugely successful nine-year tenure of outgoing Director and Head of Studies, Jacobine van der Vloed.

The transition follows Jacobine’s much lauded leadership during which she implemented the successful move of the association from Paris to the Netherlands in 2017, and where she and the ACE team re-established the Association as Europe’s premier training and networking community of independent producers. Other accomplishments included expanding the ACE Annual Programme and revitalising the organisation, shown by a 40% growth of the ACE Network and a 200% rise in applications.

Jacobine oversaw the development of new programmes including the ACE Series Special, ACE Animation Special and ACE Leadership Special, which have trained over 240 experienced producers. The ACE Springboard Programme was also established to mentor and train emerging professionals, with the aim of creating a successful new generation of independent producers.

Marleen Slot, President of ACE Producers, said:
“Jacobine has played a pivotal role in the development of ACE. Under her leadership we have grown in strength and professionalism and she has laid a solid foundation for the years ahead. We are deeply grateful for her vision, commitment, and the way she has shaped the Association. We look forward to hearing what she chooses to do next and wish her all the best.

As part of the transition we are delighted to welcome our new Director, Inke Van Loocke. Inke comes to us with a wealth of experience in talent and project development at IFFR as well as a wide international network and broad industry knowledge. She and our new Senior Studies Manager Adrien Barouillet bring complementary strengths which align perfectly with ACE’s next phase, expanding the relevance of its programmes, deepening international partnerships and strengthening our producer network. We look forward to working with them to build ACE’s future while embracing new opportunities.”

As Director, Inke Van Loocke will lead ACE’s Amsterdam-based international team and manage the Association towards the realisation of its mission to deliver Europe’s premier executive training to independent producers.

Inke Van Loocke joins after nearly two decades at the International Film Festival Rotterdam, followed by an impactful managerial role at the Schiedam Library. During her tenure at IFFR, Inke became head of the festival’s industry strand, overseeing its strategic vision and professional programmes, while before that she led two of IFFR’s cornerstone initiatives: the CineMart co-production market and the Rotterdam Lab workshop.

Inke Van Loocke said:
“ACE Producers embodies the kind of filmmaking culture that I value most: one that is grounded in artistic ambition, collaboration, and an unwavering belief in independent voices. Over the past years, Jacobine, the team, board and members have built an amazing home for creative leadership together. Fostering a supportive and thriving network has been a guiding principle throughout my career, and I am honoured and excited to take on this role.”

Inke will join the ACE team at the beginning of 2026, alongside new Senior Studies Manager Adrien Barrouillet. In his role, Adrien will deliver ACE’s outstanding training programmes which continue to evolve and adapt to the needs of the industry. Adrien was previously the founder of Furyo Films in France, producing the 2024 film In the Land of Brothers, which won the Directing Award – World Cinema Dramatic Competition at the Sundance Film Festival.

Jacobine van der Vloed said:
“I am delighted to be leaving the wonderful ACE organisation in such good health. Inke and I worked together at Rotterdam, so I know how kind, driven and motivated she is. I am so pleased that she is stepping up to the role of Director and I’m sure she will lead ACE to discover fresh perspectives. It’s been the most amazing job, but I’ve been thinking for a while about what I want to do next. In the short term my next steps are going to be physical ones, as I plan to take some time off and do some hiking!”

Golden Globe nominations for ACE Producers

Best Picture – Drama

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

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 Picture – Musical or Comedy

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

Best Director

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)

Best 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)

Best performance by an actor in a motion picture – drama

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

Best performance by an actress in a motion picture – drama

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)

Best performance by an actress in a motion picture – musical or comedy

Amanda Seyfried for THE TESTAMENT OF ANN LEE by Mona Fastvold
Produced by Viktória Petrányi (ACE Hungary)

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

Best performance by an actor in a motion picture – musical or comedy

Jesse Plemons for BUGONIA by Yorgos Lanthimos
Produced by Ed Guiney (ACE Ireland)

Best 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)

Best 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)

Best picture – non-English language

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

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)

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

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

Best original score

Kangding Ray for SIRAT by Olivier Laxe
Produced by Mani Mortazavi (ACE France)

We’re also very excited to see a project developed during the ACE Animation Special nominated for Best Motion Picture – Animation: Little Amélie or the Character of Rain

European Film Awards 2025 Nominations for ACE producers

EUROPEAN FILM

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)

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

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

EUROPEAN DIRECTOR

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

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)

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

EUROPEAN ACTRESS

Léa Drucker for DOSSIER 137 by Dominik Moll
Produced by Carole Scotta (ACE France)

Leonie Benesch for LATE SHIFT by Petra Volpe
Produced by Reto Schärli (ACE Switzerland)

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)

EUROPEAN 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)

Sergi López for SIRAT by Olivier Laxe
Produced by Mani Mortazavi (ACE France)

EUROPEAN SCREENWRITER

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)

Santiago Fillol and Oliver Laxe for SIRAT by Olivier Laxe
Produced by Mani Mortazavi (ACE France)

EUROPEAN DISCOVERY

LITTLE TROUBLE GIRLS by Urška Đukić
Co-produced by Miha Cernec (ACE Slovenia), Dragana Jovovic (ACE Serbia) and Julie Paratian (ACE France)

MY FATHER’S SHADOW by Akinola Davies Jr.
Executive produced by Ed Guiney (ACE Ireland)

EUROPEAN YOUNG AUDIENCE AWARD

I ACCIDENTALLY WROTE A BOOK by Nóra Lakos
Co-produced by Joram Willink (ACE The Netherlands)

LUX AUDIENCE AWARD

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)

ACE Project Spotlight: SK+TE’KMUJUE’KATIK

SK+TE’KMUJUE’KATIK (AT THE PLACE OF GHOSTS) by Bretten Hannam is premiering at Toronto International Film Festival 2025. Producer Marc Tetreault participated with the project in the ACE 33 Annual Programme.

Mise’l and Ante have drifted apart in adulthood, but are forced to reunite when a supernatural presence they thought was long-buried threatens them and their loved ones. As they set off on a journey through an ancient forest rich with Mi’kmaq history, the past, present and future collide.

How did the ACE Annual Programme benefit you as a producer, and your ACE project?
When I joined the ACE Annual Programme, SK+TE’KMUJUE’KATIK was already fairly developed. We found a great co-producer in Diana Elbaum (ACE Belgium), and financing was largely in place. My goals for participating in the ACE Annual Programme was mainly to refine the creative vision.

The Content Development Workshop in Oslo, Norway was an important moment for me. Working with our script consultant and the other producers helped me realise that although the story is deeply rooted in North American history, and specifically around First Nation experiences, it was also a universal story that would resonate with international audiences. This creative input was valuable for the project and it was interesting to hear the European perspectives on the project.

The financing plan of the project didn’t change drastically during the workshop, but it had a huge impact on how I approach future work, and made me realise co-productions are not only financial collaborations, but also make for stronger and more meaningful films.

What was the most challenging part in getting this film from script to screen?
Interestingly, the financing of SK+TE’KMUJUE’KATIK came together relatively smooth, which is often not the case. The production and post-production were more challenging.

We shot almost entirely in remote forests, which was beautiful but logistically very difficult. The biggest challenge in the project came in the edit. This was by far the longest and most complex post-production I’ve ever been part of. With the footage, we could have made many different films, and after months of editing, we felt lost and didn’t agree on what the film was anymore.

At that time, we brought in a new editor from Belgium, who wasn’t involved until that time and brought a new perspective on the film, which was exactly what we needed. It took a while for everyone to align, but eventually we did, and we are excited that we will present it at TIFF now, following by screenings at BFI London Film Festival and at our home turf at Atlantic International Film Festival in Halifax.

What’s ahead for you and your company? What are you currently working on?
The ACE Annual Programme has changed how I look at co-producing, and that’s directly shaped our strategy at Shut Up & Colour Pictures.

We are currently in post-production on a low-budget Christmas horror movie, and have a UK/Canada co-production greenlit to shoot early next year: ODDLY FLOWERS. I actually found my partners for this project through a consultant I met at the Financing Strategies Workshop of the ACE Annual Programme.

We also have an Australia/Canada co-production that seems like it is financed for the same period.

Although we didn’t find a project yet, I would love to collaborate with any of my fellow ACE 33 producers. We build strong and long term relations during the programme, and I’m sure we will work together in the future.

ACE Project Spotlight: GRAND CIEL

GRAND CIEL by Akihiro Hata is premiering on 5 September during the 82nd Venice Film Festival. Producer Clément Duboin (ACE France) participated in the ACE 29 Annual Programme, and discussed the development of the project and the benefits of the workshop with us.

Vincent works the night shift on the construction site of a futuristic district. When a worker goes missing, Vincent and his colleagues begin to suspect that their superiors are covering up an accident. But soon, another worker disappears.

How did the ACE Annual Programme benefit you as a producer, and your ACE project?
ACE 29 was a truly unique edition, as the COVID-19 pandemic made it the longest ACE Annual Programme to date. We were able to have Content Development Workshop and Financing Strategies Workshop in the fall of 2019, before the lockdown, but had to wait until November 2021 for the Business Prospects Workshop.

By then, our outlook on company sustainability, growth, and management had shifted significantly, which made that final workshop especially engaging and refreshing, both personally and as a group.

For my project as well, the workshop has been decisive. From the initial feedback from my peers and consultants, the diverse perspectives they shared, to the ongoing mutual support we’ve maintained on each other’s projects.

What was the most challenging in getting this film from script to the screen?
The development and financing of GRAND CIEL took time and were inevitably slowed down by the pandemic. Within just a few months, the industry and the market had changed dramatically, and by the time we were ready to secure financing, the landscape was no longer the same as when we first initiated the project.

As an ambitious first feature, both arthouse and genre-blending, the project became a riskier bet after the pandemic than it had been before. At one point, we even considered scaling down our ambitions, but doing so would have compromised the very essence and uniqueness of the film.

Complicating matters further, during our initial preparation we faced difficulties securing our main shooting location—a massive construction site at night. This forced us to postpone filming for a year, reorganize our financing and production strategy, and ultimately bring the project together thanks to a decisive, organic co-production with long-time friend and ACE member Gilles Chanial (ACE Luxembourg) of Les Films Fauves.

What’s ahead for you and your company? What are you currently working on?
Beyond GRAND CIEL, we are completing Ulrich Köhler’s new film GAVAGAI, a co-production with Ingmar Trost (ACE Germany) from Sutor Kolonko, which will premiere in the Main Slate of the New York Film Festival at the end of September. With the same ACE partner, we are also in post-production on Ilian Metev’s new film PLATEAU, a German–Bulgarian–French co-production.

Together with Gilles from Les Films Fauves again, we are currently financing another project by a Japanese director based in Paris—an adaptation of a French comic book set in Japan, co-written by Yuki Kawamura and Raphaëlle Desplechin, and to be directed by Yuki Kawamura.

Alongside Akihiro Hata, writer-director of GRAND CIEL, we are also developing the TV series THE TREE (ACE Series Special 6), as well as a new feature film project.