7. August 2025 | redaktion2 We’re happy to announce the six international jury members of this year’s 8th European Work in Progress (EWIP). EWIP was able to secure six versatile film industry experts for its jury: Rémi Bigot, Head of the film department for Semaine de la Critique of Cannes Film Festival, Maren Schmitt, producer of this year’s winner of the Jury Prize in Cannes, SOUND OF FALLING, and Simon Ofenloch, editor of ARTE responsible for the TV channel’s film production department. Furthermore EWIP’s jury will also be completed by three film distribution professionals: Beatrice Gulino, head of sales and Acquisitions for the Italian distribution company Teodora; Yuan Sui, founder of Berlin based world sales and production company Picture Tree International and Ethiopian film distributor Aaron Kassaye. The members of the 2025 jury include: Rémi Bigot (Head of Film department, Cannes Semaine de la Critique) As Head of the film department for Rémi Bigot is responsible for the film selection of the Semaine de la Critique. He is one of the most important decision makers of the European Film Industry and offers enormous expertise and an experienced eye for detail to the EWIP-jury. Rémi Bigot was previously in charge of the Semaine de la Critique short films. At Semaine, he is also the editorial manager for Next Step, Semaine de la Critique’s feature development workshops. Maren Schmitt (Producer, Studio Zentral) As producer of SOUND OF FALLING Maren Schmitt is currently one of the most sought after producers of European cinema. Since 2020 Maren Schmitt is responsible for the development and production of series and films for Studio Zentral. After earning her Masters degree in culture studies, spanish philology and political science she studied film production at the Universidad del Cine in Buenos Aires from 2010-2013, where she produced several short films that premiered at international film festivals. Simon Ofenloch (commissioning editor, ZDF/ARTE) Simon Ofenloch has been working as a commissioning editor for the fiction department of ZDF/ARTE since 2009 and is responsible for the acquisition of feature films for the five weekly cinema slots on ARTE as well as the handling of cinema co-productions and the channel’s feature film participations (e.g. AFIRE by Christian Petzold; INGEBORG BACHMANN – JOURNEY INTO THE DESERT by Margarethe von Trotta; CORSAGE by Marie Kreutzer). Before that, he worked at the German Film Institute in Frankfurt and Wiesbaden. He was a student at the Philipps University in Marburg, the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz and the University of Edinburgh. Beatrice Gulino (Acquisition and Distribution executive, Teodora Film) Beatrice Gulino is the Head of Acquisitions and Sales for Italian distributor Teodora Film and in charge of sourcing feature films during all stages for distribution and co-production. Her acquisitions include: SENTIMENTAL VALUE, FLOW, ANATOMY OF A FALL and THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD. She has more than 20 years of experience in the industry. Beatrice Gulino is an Inside Pictures and EAVE Puentes alumni and is a voting member of the European Film Academy. Yuan Sui (Co-Managing Director, Picture Tree International) Yuan Sui is Co-Managing Director and a founding team member of Picture Tree International (PTI), a Berlin-based international sales and production company. With over 20 years of experience in global film distribution and acquisitions, she has closed multimillion-Euro deals across 50+ markets and platforms including Netflix, HBO, and M6. She advises producers from early development through packaging and global positioning. Based in Germany, Yuan is multilingual and highly experienced in international sales, contract strategy, and festival leadership. Aaron Kassaye (Distributor, African Alliance Films) Aaron Kassaye is a Ethiopian film curator, distributor, and entrepreneur based in Addis Ababa. He is the founder of African Alliance Films, Ethiopia’s first film distribution and world sales company, dedicated to bringing both African and international cinema to East African audiences and global platforms. With a strong curatorial eye, he has organized screenings and cinema events that highlight classic, independent, and socially relevant films, creating new spaces for film culture in the region. A graduate of the African European Distribution Academy (AEDA), Aaron also serves as a content acquisition expert for Tele TV, Ethiopia’s leading streaming platform, and works to build sustainable distribution networks that connect filmmakers with local and diaspora audiences. EWIP will take place in Hamburg for the first time. In cooperation with FILMFEST HAMBURG and MOIN Film Fund Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein, EWIP will present outstanding European film projects and bring filmmakers into contact with important industry partners as part of FILMFEST HAMBURG INDUSTRY DAYS from September 29 to October 1, 2025. Thanks to this new cooperation EWIP grows and further expands its standing as a trailblazing event. European Work in Progress (EWIP) will give out awards this year totaling a prize sum of 140.000 Euro. That translates to an increase of 75.000 Euro compared to last year. EWIP offers a valuable insight into the newest and most promising European late stage film projects to international film sales, distributors, film festivals, TV commissioning editors, potential co-producers and other buyers. The opportunity to invest and license film projects this early provides a unique time advantage to EWIP participants. Supported by Creative Europe MEDIA up to 30 European film projects, encompassing fiction, documentary and animation, will once again be competing on the EWIP stage for the numerous awards. The 8th edition of EWIP unites a plethora of important sponsors. Lately the sales company OneGate Media has become a strong partner of EWIP. Furthermore the company alliance “Northern Stars – Hamburg Film Partners“, consisting of Loft Tonstudios, CineGate, Zeigermann_Audio, Optical Arts and Zeitkostüm GmbH will be first time EWIP-sponsors. Other new sponsors include post production specialists The Post Republic and VFX experts D-Facto Motion. EWIP will also be supported by longstanding partners K13 Studios, Gruvi, Way Film and mm filmpresse.
