European Film Promotion (EFP) expands its EUROPE! VOICES OF WOMEN+ IN FILM initiative. This year, the Busan International Film Festival joins Sydney Film Festival and Festival do Rio as the third major international partner outside Europe. All three film festivals spotlight European films directed by women and genderqueer filmmakers. Sydney Film Festival, which launched the original version of the programme with EFP a decade ago, will once again be the first in the row: this year’s selection includes stories centered around young protagonists who are exploring their place in the world.
In her third feature film, Ari (France, Belgium), having premiered in Competition at this year’s Berlinale, Léonor Serraille tells the story of a 27-year-old teacher caught between his longings for freedom and the weight of everyday pressures. As he navigates shifting social norms and evolving gender roles, his journey becomes a poignant experiment with identity and belonging.
Eva Libertad’s feature film debut Deaf (Spain) observes the nuanced relationship between a deaf woman and her partner as they prepare to have a child. Their different worlds—marked by communication challenges and uncertainty —are portrayed with intimacy, especially in the film’s quietest moments.
Hanami (Switzerland, Portugal, Cap Verde) by Denise Fernandes offers an enchanting glimpse of the island of Fogo, Cape Verde. The volcanic island is not just a setting but becomes a central character within the story of Nia and Nana, mother and daughter, who grow up apart.
Renowned documentary filmmaker Mercedes Stalenhoef makes her fiction debut with I Shall See (The Netherlands). The film follows 17-year-old Lot, who, after losing her eyesight in an accident, must reimagine her future and confront her fears. With the support of friends and mentors at a rehabilitation center, she embarks on a journey of resilience.
Little Trouble Girls (Slovenia, Italy, Croatia, Serbia) by Urška Djukić centers on the shy 16-year-old Lucia, who befriends the extroverted Ana Maria in a Catholic girls' choir. When Lucia develops sexual feelings for a worker at the monastery, things get complicated. The film looks at the concept of sin through the eyes of a young girl on the verge of sexual awakening.
After the death of her beloved brother, 12-year-old Eya feels that nothing is the same. Growing up in a Tunisian Muslim family in Brussels, she tries to deal with her grief. In her debut film, Têtes Brûlées (Belgium), Maja Ajmia-Zellama tells a story about loss, comfort and how memories can give us strength.
This year’s EUROPE! VOICES OF WOMEN+ IN FILM programme kicks-off in June with online and on-site promotional networking events during Sydney Film Festiva.
"EUROPE! VOICES OF WOMEN+ IN FILM continues to be a powerful platform for bold and original storytelling. This year’s selection is deeply moving - courageous filmmakers exploring the emotional terrain of youth, identity and transformation with clarity, complexity and grace. We’re proud to once again partner with EFP to showcase these vital perspectives and support a new generation of European women filmmakers", says Sydney Film Festival director Nashen Moodley.
"Diversity of European narratives are meant to challenge and encourage audiences outside of Europe with different perspectives on universal issues and give hope in uncertain times. We are sending the label EUROPE! VOICES OF WOMEN+ IN FILM to three major film festivals, Sydney, Busan and Rio with dedicated campaigns to encourage visibility. To foster a supportive community among European women or genderqueer filmmakers, we invite all participants of this year’s festival selections to EFP’s International Virtual Women+ Networking Summit in December – a two-day programme to develop further expertise via tailor-made contacts with key international film industry players”, says EFP’s Managing Director Sonja Heinen.
EUROPE! VOICES OF WOMEN+ IN FILM, in collaboration with Sydney Film Festival, the Busan International Film Festival and Festival do Rio is made possible thanks to the support of Creative Europe – the MEDIA Programme of the European Union - and the participating national film promotion institutes (EFP’s member organisations): Flanders Image (Belgium), Instituto de la Cinematografía y de las Artes Audiovisuales/ ICAA (Spain), SEE NL (The Netherlands), Slovenian Film Centre, SWISS FILMS and Unifrance. The media partner is Cineuropa.
