Winners Of 13th Baltic Pitching Forum Announced

This year, the 13th edition of the Baltic Pitching Forum (BPF) welcomed filmmaking talents from the Baltic countries and Hungary to the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius on 7-10 October. Pitching twelve projects to key industry figures, alongside participating in a series of talks, lectures, and training sessions, the selected filmmakers benefited from the Forum, which continues to be regarded as the most important short film industry event in the Baltic region.

All the projects were pitched before international film experts - BPF Panel and Baltic Producers Jury, who awarded prizes at a ceremony held on Thursday evening.

Lithuanian animation project “Bobo” (dir. Tauras Čeledinas, Lukas Naraškevičius, prod. Justė Michailinaitė) was awarded a place at the European Short Film Co-production Forum “Euro Connection” 2026, which is part of the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival in France. According to the BPF Panel: “The art of pitching is a hard one, but when you find the perfect balance between a strong concept, an appealing artistry, a solid producer and a fun duo of directors, magic happens. We hope that this project and their little mascot will find partners in Euro Connection to bring what promise to be an amazing short film to the next step, and the end of their jazzy journey.”

Estonian animation project “Mutation” (dir. Liisi Grünberg, prod. Aurelia Aasa) received an invitation to the ShorTO Film Market 2025 and its Pitching Session “You Only Pitch Twice”. The BPF Panel said: “For a Market edition that is welcoming many more animation projects than we would have imagined, we picked a project that immediately caught our attention, from the book of projects all the way to the pitch. With a women-led team, made of a promising young animator with such an unique creative sensibility, and a strong - and very well-dressed - producer that we know will take care of the project until its successful completion. The award goes to a short film with a topic so bizarre yet universal, and hoping we’ll act as a boost.”

The Baltic Producers Jury MEDIA Award – initiated by the Creative Europe offices in Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, and accompanied by a €1000 cash prize – went to the fiction project “Last Curonian Cow” from Lithuanian director Dovydas Drakšas (prod. Greta Akcijonaitė). The Baltic Producers Jury said: “The project is a poetic and thought-provoking exploration of an urgent issue, told through the unique and tender perspective of an innocent being. It offers a profound meditation on our intrusive reshaping of the natural ecosystem, fueled by over-tourism.”

The Jury also gave a special mention to the Hungarian hybrid project “Sun In Retrograde” (dir. Adél Szegedi, prod. Barnabás Tóth-Justh, Viki Réka Kiss, Patricia D'Intino, Eszter Knopp) “for its daring blend of love and loneliness, and its fearless exploration of new cinematic forms, the project stands out as a love story for the age of the attention economy. Through its reflection on post-digital alienation and globalization, the film pushes the boundaries of storytelling, offering a fresh and deeply human perspective on connection in a disconnected world.”

This year, the Baltic Pitching Forum introduced a new prize – Riga IFF Award that grants one project the invitation to the SHORT RIGA Test Screenings event in 2026 or 2027, depending on the project’s timeline. The award was given to the Lithuanian fiction project “Last Curonian Cow” (dir. Dovydas Drakšas, prod. Greta Akcijonaitė).  “The first ever SHORT RIGA Test Screenings Award goes to a promising young voice who bravely tackles the pressing topic of how humans shape and take over the land. The director’s poetic vision offers a subtle yet powerful reflection – both on broad societal shifts and on intimate, fleeting moments such as the end of summer. The director has already demonstrated a cinematic language that resonates universally, connecting with audiences beyond borders. With the support of a strong producer, there is no doubt that the upcoming project will deliver impressive results.”

For the second year in a row, one project received the Up Records Sound Post-Production Award – established by the Vilnius-based Up Records studio. This prize offers the winners post-production services worth €2000. The award went to “Sun In Retrograde” (dir. Adél Szegedi, prod. Barnabás Tóth-Justh, Viki Réka Kiss, Patricia D'Intino, Eszter Knopp). Saulius Urbanavičius, the sound post-production supervisor at Up Records, said: “I believe that sound in this film can become a subtle character in itself – an emotional thread that connects and reveals deeper layers of the story and the characters' relationships in post-pandemic Budapest. During the pitch, I was intrigued by the hybrid genre and reverse chronology, both of which offer rich space and creative opportunities for sound design.”

Radiator IP Sales Distribution Award, including consultancy and guidance for filmmakers, went to “Bobo” (dir. Tauras Čeledinas, Lukas Naraškevičius, prod. Justė Michailinaitė). Ben Vandendaele, the founder of Radiator IP Sales, said he is “thrilled to recognize this charming team whose witty presence and refreshingly funny pitch had me hooked from the start. After impressive careers in marketing, Tauras and Lukas, together with experienced producer Justė, are clearly eager to dive into the short film industry—bringing a bold mix of creativity, humor, and heartfelt storytelling. I’m excited to support this talented bunch as they make their mark in animation and beyond.”

The Baltic Film Students’ Mention, initiated by the National Film School of the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre and the National Film School of the Latvian Academy of Culture, was given to the Lithuanian animated project “The Pigeon of Our Time” (dir. Agata Tracevič, Edita Rudak, prod. Marija Lenkutytė-Bartoševič, Giedrė Burokaitė). According to the students: “This project left a strong impression on all of us. Demonstrating great teamwork, innovative idea in a familiar setting. After all, we need to love our neighbours. Even if they become a pigeon.”

The winners of the Euro Connection and ShorTO Film Market prizes were selected by the BPF Panel members: Elena Ciofalo (ShorTO Film Market, Italy), Catherine Colas (ARTE TV, Germany), Inja Korać (Cobra Chicks, Croatia), Valentin Leblanc (Black Boat Pictures, White Boat Pictures, France), Sydney Neter (SND Films, The Netherlands), Julie Rousson (Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Market, Euro Connection, France), Ben Vandendaele (Radiator IP Sales, Belgium), Millán Vázquez (FREAK Agency, Spain), Sari Volanen (YLE TV, Finland).

This year’s Baltic Producers Jury consisted of Brigita Beniušytė (M-Films, Lithuania), Andris Gauja (Riverbed, Latvia), Dóra Nedeczky (Mindwax, Estonia/Hungary).

The 14th edition of the Baltic Pitching Forum will take place on 6–9 October 2026. Baltic Pitching Forum is organized by the Lithuanian Short Film Agency “Lithuanian Shorts”. The event is financed by the Lithuanian Film Centre, Vilnius City Municipality, Audiovisual Works Copyright Association “AVAKA” and Baltisches Haus. Associated partners: Riga International Short Film Festival 2ANNAS, Riga International Film Festival, Latvian Short Film Agency, PÖFF Shorts (Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival) and Estonian Film Institute. Partners – Creative Europe MEDIA Desks in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Italian Short Film Center, Friss Hús Budapest International Short Film Festival, Vilnius Film Office.