ACE Producers and the Independent Film Foundation are excited to announce the 12 emerging producers selected for the fifth edition of ACE Training Days Poland, a workshop aimed at strengthening upcoming producers from Poland and other Central Eastern European countries. Focusing on “Fundamentals of International Co-productions”, it gives the participants the opportunity to learn from established producers and film professionals and to further develop their international network. The ACE Training Days Poland is supported by the Polish Film Institute.

The 2-day interactive workshop, taking place on 26 and 27 November 2025, includes plenary sessions and case studies, as well as group meetings and round table discussions, provided with the help of ACE consultants and producers who have notably strong track-records in international financing, co-production, sales and distribution, and who will share their knowledge and international expertise.

The Training Days Poland is connected to the ACE 35 Financing Strategies Workshop (24 – 29 November 2025, Warsaw), which is a workshop within the ACE Annual Programme organised for the selected 18 experienced producers from Europe and beyond.

 

SELECTED PRODUCERS FOR ACE TRAINING DAYS POLAND:

Greta Akcijonaite – Magic Film – Lithuania

Marita Bierońska – Hamsa Film – Poland

Malwina Gorecka – EGo FILM and nonoto film cooperative – Poland

Kristina Husová – Pure Shore – Czech Republic

Małgorzata Małysa – Furia Film – Poland

Matěj Paclík – Breathless Films – Czech Republic

Justinas Pocius – Smart Casual – Lithuania

Jakub Rálek – BFILM.cz – Czech Republic

Agnieszka Rostropowicz – Consigliere Film Studio – Poland

Nevena Semova – Attic Films – Bulgaria

Rafał Ulicki – Raster Film – Poland

Maria Wachowiak-Czuchnowska – No Prob Production House – Poland

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.

11 emerging producers have been selected for the upcoming ACE Training Days NL. Taking place on 14 and 15 October 2025 in Leiden and Amsterdam, the workshop will focus on “How to Build a Sustainable Economic Foundation for Your Business”.

The ACE Training Days NL is a tailor-made programme designed for emerging producers at relatively early stages in their careers, who are looking to expand their network and learn more about the international context of the audiovisual industry. The workshop 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* time:

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

 The ACE Training Days NL has been set up in collaboration with the Netherlands Film Fund, a key funder of ACE Producers.

 

PRODUCERS SELECTED FOR THE ACE TRAINING DAYS NL 2025:

Maritza Grass – Carousel Film – Germany

Dwight Groot – Narang Film – The Netherlands

Rosalien Hollestelle – Bind Film – The Netherlands

Katharina Kolleczek – Kalekone Film – Germany

Nina Landau – Associate Director – Belgium

Zipporah Nyaruri – Zippy Creatives – The Netherlands

Sulin Passial – Pantalla Chica Productions – Curacao

Anna-Sophie Philippi – Contando Films – Germany

Felix Schreiber – Sommerhaus Filmproduktion – Germany

Daniel Tenné – 70 Steps – Germany

Marijn van der Ploeg – Mad Scientists Movement – The Netherlands

Together with the ACE Mentoring Programme, the ACE Training Days, is 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.

Anaïs Bertrand – Insolence Productions – France
“Bergies” directed by Dian Weys

Ioanna Bolomyti – Atalante Productions – Greece
“Sunbruise” directed by Stavros Markoulakis

Vanessa Ciszewski – Luftkind Filmverleih – Germany
“Minzi Monster” director to be confirmed   

Agnieszka Dziedzic – Koi Studio – Poland
“We Have No Chances” directed by Marta Karwowska

Emilia Fort – Avalon – Spain
“Basarda” directed by Salvador Sunyer

Lixi Frank – Panama Film – Austria
“Ice Cream” directed by Patric Chiha

Sébastien Haguenauer – 10:15 Productions – France
“Paz” directed by Guillaume de Fontenay

Elisa Heene – Mirage – Belgium
“L’Invention du Sauvage” directed by Fien Troch

Anda Ionescu – Tangaj Production – Romania
“Agatha Candy” directed by Andrei Tănase

Veselka Kiryakova – Red Carpet – Bulgaria
“Magdalena” directed by Dimitar Kutmanov

Kirill Krasovski – Blue Monticola Film – Germany
“Little Explosions” directed by Vladimir Beck

Vladimír Lhoták – Hausboot – Czech Republic
“The Northern Star” directed by Eléa Gobbé-Mévellec

Kim McCraw – micro-scope – Canada
“Heart’s Exil” directed by Ivan Grbovic

Kristýna Michálek Květová – Cinémotif Films – Czech Republic
“Nora” directed by Martin Krejčí

Rikke Tambo Andersen – Tambo Film ApS – Denmark
“The Devils’ Film” directed by Thora Lorentzen

Si En Tan – Momo Film Co – Singapore
“Other People’s Dreams” directed by Daniel Hui

Flaminio Zadra – Dorje Film – Italy
“Moldovan Story” directed by Giuseppe Gagliardi

Flavia Zanon- Close Up Films – Switzerland
“Sunlash” directed by Carmen Jaquier

ACE Producers has selected 18 experienced independent producers to participate in the 35^th edition of its ACE Annual Programme. Representing 15 different territories, the selected producers will attend three workshops throughout 2025 and 2026, developing the projects with which they applied and moving them forward. After completing the programme, these producers will join the established ACE Network.

The selection committee consisted of members of the ACE Network, ACE president Marleen Slot and director and head of studies Jacobine van der Vloed.

“We are delighted to welcome this inspiring new group of established producers, chosen from a record-breaking pool of applicants this year. Representing fifteen territories and a wide range of backgrounds, they bring with them a wealth of perspectives, experience, and expertise. Each producer adds something unique to the ACE Network, and we look forward to the collaborations and exchanges that the coming year will bring” Jacobine van der Vloed commented.

Four events make up the core of the training. The first workshop takes place in Leiden, The Netherlands, in mid-October, with the support of the Netherlands Film Fund. This workshop is dedicated to content development and includes group sessions and individual meetings, analysing the concepts, dramaturgy, and target audiences of producers’ projects.

In November, the second workshop, offering the producers advice on possible financing strategies for their projects, will take place in Warsaw, Poland, with the support of the Polish Film Institute and in collaboration with Independent Film Foundation. This week-long workshop consists of interactive sessions exploring international financing opportunities and strategies through detailed analysis of the producers’ finance plans, with input provided by high-grade professionals from across the industry. The sessions offer a uniquely open exchange of experience and ideas which sheds light on the evolution of co-production practices, of public and private funding schemes, and of the global marketplace in the digital age.

The third workshop looks at the producers’ business strategies, providing them with models of sustainable company management and ways to build businesses that have real value. Group sessions and panel discussions guide the producers through keener applications of marketing techniques and diversified commercial activities. The Business Prospects Workshop is immediately followed by the ACE Annual Reunion, where the new producers will be officially welcomed into the ACE Network.

The ACE Annual Programme is supported by Creative Europe MEDIA, Netherlands Film Fund, Polish Film Institute, Procirep, Screen Ireland, German Films, Téléfilm Canada, Roma Lazio Film Commission, Focal and APA Czech Republic – Audiovisual Producers Association.

Please find more information here:
https://ace-producers.com/programme

Or contact:
thijsvanderlaak@ace-producers.com

Eighteen international producers will join ACE for the seventh edition of the ACE Series Special, taking place in Rome, Italy this coming November.

The week-long workshop offers producers the opportunity to expand their understanding of the series production landscape and internationalise their network within the industry. Professionals from companies such as Fremantle, and Banijay regularly attend as consultants, along with producers and showrunners offering no-holds-barred case studies and discussions.

The ACE Series Special will take place in Rome thanks to support from Creative Europe MEDIA and the Roma Lazio Film Commission. The selected 18 participants represent 15 countries and include a number of highly experienced producers venturing into series production for the first time. Each producer will attend the workshop with a series project in the early stages of development which will serve as a vehicle for their learning.

The workshop will take place from the 3^rd till the 8^th of November 2025 and will in include an afternoon open to local Italian producers.

ACE SERIES SPECIAL 7 PRODUCERS

Serena Alfieri — Italy — Volos films Italia
“Hallyu”
Writers: Michele Furfari, Gaia Marianna Musacchio, Giulio Nocerino

Aija Berzina — Latvia — Tasse Film
“The Last Divorce of Communism”
Writers: Teodora Markova, Stanislavs Tokalovs
Directors: Stanislavs Tokalovs, Teodora Markova, Linda Olte

Maria Blicharska-Lacroix — France & Poland — Blick Productions
“Bloodletting”
Writer: Anita Doron
Directors: Anita Doron and Kasia Adamik

Inese Boka-Grübe — Latvia — Mistrus Media    
“Aurora. Newsroom”
Writers: Juris Kursietis, Katri Manninen, Osvalds Zebris, Martin Algus
Director: Juris Kursietis

Stefan Eichenberger — Switzerland —   Contrast Film
“Gold”
Writers: Christian Wehrlin, Pascal Glatz, Mariama Djité

Verena  Gräfe-Höft — Germany — Junafilm
“Madame de Sade”
Writers: Katrin Gebbe, Sorcha Kurien-Walsh
Director: Katrin Gebbe

Vanessa Henneman — The Netherlands — Henneman Projects
“Lucky Lucie”
Writer: Cecilia Verheyden & Esther Gerritsen
Director: Cecilia Verheyden

Torfinnur Jákupsson — Faroe Islands — GRÓ Studios     
“Reyna”
Writer: Torfinnur Jákupsson

Siniša Juričić — Croatia— Nukleus Film
“Stringers”
Writer: Nikola Kuprešanin
Director: Danis Tanović

Vesela Kazakova — Bulgaria — Activist38           
“A Wild Horse in the Rotten West”
Writers: Mina Mileva, Vesela Kazakova
Directors: Mina Mileva, Vesela Kazakova

Laurent Medea — France, Reunion — Tiktak Production             
“Without Mercy”
Writers: Amine G. Mahamat, Nicolas Soum
Director: Paul Mignot

Emily Morgan — Untied Kingdom — Quiddity Films
“Animal Spirits”
Writer: Shyam Popat

Evelin Penttilä — Estonia — Stellar Film              
“Business as Usual”
Writers: Hendrik Toompere Jr., Mehis Pihla
Director: Ove Musting

Geraldine Sprimont — Belgium — Need Productions     
“The Invisible Ink”
Writers: César Diaz, Fernando Epstein, Janine Zaruski
Director: César Diaz

Viktor Tauš — Czech Republic — Heaven’s Gate
“Confluentia”
Writer: David Jařab
Director: Viktor Tauš

Sophie Toth — Switzerland — Shining Nice        
Project under embargo

Konstantinos Vassilaros — Greece — StudioBauhaus     
“Dark Water”
Writer: Orfeas Peretzis

Olena Yershova — Turkey — Tato Film  
“Escape from Harem”
Writer: Emine Yıldırım

 

PREVIOUS EDITIONS

Since 2019, when the workshop was devised, over 100 producers have attended the Series Special programme from companies such as The Match Factory Productions, Lemming Film, Heretic and Komplizen Film. Attending consultants have included Christian Vesper (Fremantle), Ed Guiney (Element Pictures), Piv Bernth (Apple Tree Productions), Davide Nardini (Amazon Italy), Alexandre Piel (ARTE), Frank Spotnitz (Big Light Productions), Philipp Kreuzer (maze productions), Olivia Sleiter (Fremantle), Reno Antoniades (Lee & Thompson), Mario Gianani (Wildside) and Caroline Benjo (Haut et Court).

 

ACE PRODUCERS

ACE Producers (ACE) is Europe’s premier community of independent producers, dedicated to equipping them with the entrepreneurial, collaborative, and adaptive skills needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving industry. Through high-end executive training, ACE empowers producers to anticipate trends, be forward thinking, embrace new partnerships, integrate emerging technologies, and implement modern environmental practices. This approach not only builds sustainable networks and businesses but also enhances producers’ ability to navigate an increasingly dynamic global landscape. By fostering collaboration and facilitating the transfer of high-level industry knowledge, ACE strengthens producers’ capacity to innovate and adapt to creative and market shifts.

Each year, 18 experienced independent producers join ACE after completing the ACE Annual Programme, an intensive series of workshops designed to enhance their expertise in all stages of film production. These workshops focus on the critical responsibilities of producers, including leadership, co-production strategies, business strategy, international market readiness, and creative collaboration across disciplines.

To respond to the industry’s evolving needs, ACE offers additional workshops allowing producers to hone their skills in series production, animation production, and leadership development. These ACE Specials give producers a widened perspective on the audiovisual industry and how to diversify their role within it. The ACE Springboard provides emerging producers with essential mentorship and training, nurturing the next generation of creative leaders.

Since its founding in 1993, ACE Producers has cultivated a thriving community of hundreds of producers, with over 280 active members from more than 52 countries. Members collaborate year-round to share knowledge, discuss industry changes, and initiate partnerships at the ACE Annual reunion and industry events at major festivals and markets.

ACE Producers is committed in its mission to support independent producers by developing every part of the production ecosystem. Their creative vision can be nurtured by harnessing digital tools that foster innovative storytelling, and enhancing skills that empower producers to lead in a competitive global industry.  ACE Producers is firmly committed to this as it believes in the power of high-quality content creation, and recognises the importance of understanding modern distribution and marketing strategies to achieve these objectives.

ACE Producers is pleased to announce the call for applications for the seventh ACE Animation Special. The workshop, which will be held in Dingle (Ireland) between 17 and 22 March 2026, is organised thanks to Creative Europe MEDIA, the Netherlands Film Fund, Screen Ireland, Animation Ireland, in close collaboration Animation Dingle.

The workshop is aimed at two kinds of experienced producers: those looking to expand their businesses into animation production, and those who already have experience in the field but seek to deepen their knowledge and grow their international network. For all participants it is a chance to build stronger industry connections and enhance their skill set.

16 to 18 producers will be selected for the workshop, preferably with a long-form/feature-length animation project at concept stage. 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 one or more sessions on physical line production as well as case studies on completed animation projects. Group sessions, plenary sessions and one-to-one meetings will together build a workshop where producers learn from each other’s experiences and those of key industry guests.

WORKSHOP DATES
17 – 22 March 2026
during the Animation Dingle Festival

LOCATION
Dingle, Ireland

ELIGIBILITY CONDITIONS

• To be an owner, partner or associate of an independent film/animation/TV production company;
• To be an ACE member or producer with a similar level of experience;
• To have a long-form or feature-length animation project at idea or concept stage; producers without a project are also welcome to apply but must demonstrate a clear motivation.

APPLICATION DEADLINE
22 October 2025
Up to 18 places available

HOW TO APPLY
For more information or to request an application form, please contact specials@ace-producers.com

ACE Producers and Independent  Film Foundation are pleased to announce the Call for Applications for the Training Days Poland 2025 which has been set up thanks to the support of the Polish Film Institute.

The ACE Training Days Poland is a tailor-made 2-day programme designed for emerging producers at relatively early stages in their careers, who are looking to expand their network and learn more about the international context of the audiovisual industry. The hands-on workshop welcomes producers working in fiction, animation, and documentary, and strives to make the industry more inclusive, diverse, and collaborative.

For this workshop, a total of 12 producers (6 Polish and 6 total from neighbouring countries) will be selected to join the workshop taking place in Warsaw. As ACE aims to encourage international collaboration, the call is open to emerging producers from Poland, as well as Albania, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldavia, Montenegro, North-Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Ukraine.

The Training Days Poland will be themed around “Fundamentals of International Co-productions”. The interactive workshop will include plenary sessions, case studies as well as group meetings provided with the help of ACE consultants and producers who have notably strong track-records in international financing, co-production, negotiation, sales, and distribution, and who will share their knowledge and international expertise.

The ACE Training Days Poland is connected to the ACE 35 Financing Strategies Workshop (24  – 29 November, Warsaw), which is a workshop within the ACE Annual Programme organised for the selected 18 experienced producers from Europe and beyond.

WORKSHOP DATES
26 & 27 November 2025 (the workshop starts at 09:30 in the morning, therefore international participants should arrive on the 25^th and depart the 27^th after 18:00)

LOCATION
Warsaw, Poland

ELIGIBILITY CONDITIONS

• Emerging producers with an interest in the international market and co-production (this workshop will not focus on line production).
• Producers should have at least one credit on a short film.
• Producers will best benefit from the workshop when already working on a  feature-length project 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

• Participation is free of charge, but we do ask full commitment.
• ACE Producers will cover the subsistence during the workshop.
• All travel & accommodation expenses that arise will NOT be covered by the organisation. The producers can apply to their local/national fund to support these expenses.

APPLICATION DEADLINE
1 September 2025 at 23:59 CEST (up to 12 places available)

HOW TO APPLY
Please submit your application HERE

In the applications, you need to attach the following documents, in English and all merged into 1 PDF file:

• One-page motivational letter
• Company profile
• Producer’s biography & filmography
• List of current projects in development (with information and status on each project)

You have also to attach the declaration of participating, which you can find HERE

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Violetta Kamińska  violetta@nff.org.pl
Thijs van der Laak  thijsvanderlaak@ace-producers.com

ACE Producers is pleased to announce the call for applications for the ACE Training Days NL 2025, taking place on 14 & 15 October in Leiden and Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

The ACE Training Days NL is a tailor-made programme designed for emerging producers at relatively early stages in their careers, who are looking to expand their network and learn more about the international context of the audiovisual industry. The workshop welcomes producers working in fiction, animation and documentary, and strives to make the industry more inclusive and diverse.

For this workshop, a total of 12 producers (6 Dutch and 6 from neighbouring countries) will be selected to join the workshop. As ACE aims to encourage international collaboration, the call is open to emerging producers from The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, and the Dutch Overseas Countries and Territories which include Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, Sint Eustatius and Sint Maarten.

Scheduled over 2 consecutive days, the ACE Training Days NL 2025 will be themed around “How to Build a Sustainable Economic Foundation for Your Business”.

The ACE Training Days NL has been set up in collaboration with the Netherlands Film Fund.

Make sure to apply before the extended deadline of 8 September 2025, noon CEST. More information and how to register can be found here.

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

ACE Producers has selected 12 acclaimed film and television producers from 10 different territories for this year’s ACE Leadership Special.

Now in its fourth 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 Creative Europe MEDIA, the Netherlands Film Fund, FOCAL, Trentino Film Commission and Film Commission Lucerne and Central Switzerland. It will take place in Vitznau (Switzerland) in June and in Trentino (Italy) in September 2025 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 (True Brands).

SELECTED PRODUCERS

David Bohun –  Austria –  Panama Film GmbH & Co KG

Sarah Born –  Switzerland –  Catpics

Miha Černec –  Slovenia –  STARAGARA

Sophie Erbs – France – GAÏJIN

Alise Gelze – Latvia – White Picture

Verena Gräfe-Höft – Germany – Junafilm GmbH

Gints Grube – Latvia – Mistrus Media

Marie Kjellson –  Sweden – Kjellson & Wik

Amanda Livanou – Greece – Neda Film

Vicky Miha – Greece – asterisk*

Silvia Panáková – Slovakia – ARINAFILM

Denis Vaslin – The Netherlands – Volya Films