28/11/2023 - More than 40 projects that have participated in the programme in recent years have been released or are in production, a high rate for industry standards in Europe

Previous MFI Script 2 Film participant 20,000 Species of Bees by Estibaliz Urresola, the winner of a Silver Bear at the Berlinale this year and a current LUX Audience Award nominee

The Mediterranean Film Institute (MFI) has been emphasising its success stories so far. Since 2019, 37 projects, spanning fiction films, series and documentaries, have emerged from the MFI Script 2 Film Workshops. Additionally, five films are currently in post-production and are gearing up for release. This achievement positions its overall implementation rate at 30%, occasionally surpassing 36% in certain years – an accomplishment that exceeds industry standards in Europe. Forecasts indicate further growth in these statistics from 2023-2025, crediting the calibre and diversity of the selected projects, and the rich academic structure and support they've received.

At the core of the MFI Script 2 Film Workshops is the creation of an environment that nurtures participants' distinctive voices, fostering both group and individual work in script and project development within a relaxed and supportive setting that encourages creativity. The MFI team takes immense pride in nurturing cinematic art and providing creators with the means to reach broader European and global audiences. Central to their philosophy is their belief in the compelling impact of a well-crafted narrative. Consequently, the focus remains on meticulous project development before imparting the necessary marketing and production tools, enabling projects to materialise and connect with their audiences.

Among the most notable success stories arising from these workshops are Carla Simón's Alcarràs [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Carla Simón
interview: Carla Simón
interview: Giovanni Pompili
film profile] (winner of the Golden Bear at the Berlinale), Estibaliz Urresola's 20,000 Species of Bees [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Estíbaliz Urresola
film profile] (Silver Bear at the Berlinale this year and a current LUX Audience Award nominee), Stephan Komandarev's Blaga's Lessons [+see also:
film review
interview: Stephan Komandarev
film profile] (Crystal Globe at Karlovy Vary) and Rounds [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Stephan Komandarev
film profile], Milko Lazarov’s Ága [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Milko Lazarov
film profile], Georgis Grigorakis’ Digger [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Georgis Grigorakis
film profile], Sonia Liza Kenterman’s Tailor [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Sonia Liza Kenterman
film profile], Araceli Lemos’ Holy Emy [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Araceli Lemos
film profile], Azra Deniz Okyay's Ghosts [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], Anna Kazejak's Fucking Bornholm [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Anna Kazejak
film profile], Ameen Nayfeh's 200 Meters [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ameen Nayfeh
film profile], Muayad Alayan’s The Reports on Sarah and Saleem [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] and A House in Jerusalem [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], Nazlı Elif Durlu’s Zuhal [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], and the documentary Il posto – A Steady Job [+see also:
film review
interview: Gianluca Matarrese and Matt…
film profile] by Mattia Colombo and Gianluca Matarrese, developed during the COVID-19 years. The list of the remaining projects can be found below.

The MFI Script 2 Film Workshops have received continuous support from Creative Europe – MEDIA for the past 24 years, alongside backing from Greece’s national funds: the General Secretariat for the Aegean and Island Policy, the Municipality of Nisyros and the Municipality of Rhodes.

Applications for the 2024 MFI Script 2 Film Workshops will be open from 1 January-1 March. Additionally, applications for trainer trainees will be accepted from 1 January-1 April.

Here is the list of the other successfully produced projects that have attended MFI sessions:

Behind the Haystacks [+see also:
film review
film profile] - Asimina Proedrou (Greece/Germany/North Macedonia)
Citizen Saint [+see also:
film review
interview: Tinatin Kajrishvili
film profile] - Tinatin Kajrishvili (Georgia/France/Bulgaria)
Cosmic Candy [+see also:
trailer
film profile] - Rinio Dragasaki (Greece/France)
Crime - Derviş Zaim (Turkey)
The Daughter [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] - Manuel Martín Cuenca (Spain)
Dogwatch [+see also:
film review
film profile] - Gregoris Rentis (Greece/France)
Ferretti Brothers VS Real Madrid - Roberto Constantini (Italy)
Gli anni belli [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] - Lorenzo D'Amico De Carvalho (Italy/Portugal/Serbia)
Hunger - Joanna Nelson (Chile/Italia/Venezuela)
Karaoke Paradise [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Einari Paakkanen
film profile] - Einari Paakkanen (Finland)
Listen [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Maria Douza
film profile] - Maria Douza (Greece/Bulgaria)
Lost in Paradise [+see also:
film review
film profile] - Fiona Ziegler (Switzerland/Czech Republic)
Love Beats [+see also:
trailer
film profile] - Roberto Bueso (Spain)
The Man with the Answers - Stelios Kammitsis (Cyprus/Greece/Italy)
Matria [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Álvaro Gago
film profile] - Álvaro Gago Díaz (Spain)
MIGHTY AFRIN: In the Time of Floods - Angelos Rallis (Greece/France)
Moon, 66 Questions [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jacqueline Lentzou
film profile] - Jacqueline Lentzou (Greece/France)
Paradise [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Davide Del Degan
film profile] - Davide Del Degan (Italy/Slovenia)
Passed by Censor [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Serhat Karaaslan
film profile] - Serhat Karaaslan (Turkey/Germany/France)
People We Know Are Confused [+see also:
trailer
film profile] - Tomas Smulkis (Lithuania)
Raspberries with Mustard [+see also:
film review
film profile] - Ruth Olshan (Luxembourg/Germany/Netherlands/Switzerland)
Six Nights on the Acropolis - Giannis Diamantopoulos (Greece)
The Uncle [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Andrija Mardešić and David …
film profile] - David Kapac, Andrija Mardešić (Croatia/Serbia)
Window to the Sea [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Miguel Ángel Jiménez
film profile] - Miguel Ángel Jiménez (Spain/Greece)