Launched eleven years ago by European Film Promotion (EFP) and the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF), the FUTURE FRAMES programme continues to serve as a steadfast springboard for emerging European directing talent.
The 2025 edition of EFP FUTURE FRAMES – Generation NEXT of European Cinema is supported by Creative Europe – the MEDIA Programme of the European Union and held in cooperation with the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival and its partner Allwyn, the leading multi-national lottery-led entertainment company.
All partners proudly present a remarkable new line-up of recent European film school graduates whose films will be screening at this year’s edition of the festival. Nominated by their respective national film promotion institutes, EFP’s member organisations, and carefully selected by KVIFF’s Artistic Director, Karel Och and his team, the chosen filmmakers will take part in a curated programme of promotion and industry networking activities before and during the festival. Once again the festival’s partner Allwyn offers a month-long scholarship in Los Angeles for one of the directors of this year’s selection, underlining the company’s ongoing commitment to nurturing creative talent through the power of film.
These are this year’s fledgling filmmakers reflecting the diversity of European cinema’s next generation: Belgium: Mila Ryngaert Karaokiss (IAD - Institut des Arts de Diffusion) | Czech Republic: Terézia Halamová Dog and Wolf (FAMU Prague) | Finland: Veera Lamminpää Fish River Anthology (ELO Film School Finland / Aalto University – School of Arts, Design and Architecture) | Germany: Simon Schneckenburger Skin on Skin (Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg) | Ireland: Ruairi Bradley We Beg To Differ (IADT | Institute of Art, Design and Technology) | The Netherlands: Jetske Lieber January (Netherlands Film Academy, NFA) | Poland: Dominik Mirecki Son of Happiness (Warsaw Film School) | Slovenia: Jan Krevatin Greek Apricots (Academy of Dramatic Art, University of Zagreb) | Spain: Nausica Serra Dissection of an Incoherence in Crisis (ESCAC, Escola Superior de Cinema i Audiovisuals de Catalunya) | Switzerland: Sinan Taner 1:10 (ZHdK).
Two of the participants, Jetske Lieber and Dominik Mirecki, have successfully transitioned from acting to directing: Lieber’s film January, a contemplative story about separation, relationships, and self-discovery received the KNF Award at the Netherlands Film Festival, while Mirecki’s Son of Happiness, which follows a single father helping his son with Down Syndrome fulfill his dream of becoming an actor, won Best Film at the 2024 Rare Disease International Film Festival in Italy.
Other award-winning directors include Simon Schneckenburger (Germany), whose short film Skin on Skin contrasts the harsh, cold reality of a meat factory with a tender queer love story. The film won the Audience Award at the Max Ophüls Preis Festival. Sinan Taner’s 1:10 (Switzerland) examines the causes and consequences of violence through a conflict between two primary school children, earning a Special Mention at the Winterthur International Short Film Festival. Veera Lamminpää (Finland) received the Risto Jarva Award at the Tampere Film Festival for Fish River Anthology, a philosophical puppet animation that reflects on the act of queuing at a fish counter.
Irish director Ruairi Bradley has already garnered more than 13 awards for his documentary, We Beg to Differ, which explores Northern Ireland’s underground car culture amid a mental health crisis. Among its accolades are an Oscar-qualifying win at the Galway Film Fleadh and nominations from the London Critics’ Circle and the Irish Film and Television Awards. The film is currently nominated for the 2026 European Film Awards.
Themes of relationships, fear, memory, and the self-empowerment of younger generations are central to Karaokiss by Mila Ryngaert and Dog and Wolf by Terézia Halamová. Terézia’s short is also the foundation for her debut feature film, selected as a KVIFF Talent in 2022 and set for release in 2026. Greek Apricots, a short drama written and directed by Jan Krevatin, portrays a couple brought together by their shared Macedonian roots on a quiet summer night. The film has screened at several festivals, including Go Short in the Netherlands and SEEfest Los Angeles.
Spanish filmmaker Nausica Serra is interested in new perspectives on directing. In her film essay, Dissection of an Incoherence in Crisis she examines the impossibility of accepting the superiority of others in two everyday family scenes. For her observations, she gives the actors plenty of space for improvisation.
EFP FUTURE FRAMES – Generation NEXT of European Cinema, in collaboration with Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF), is made possible thanks to the support of Creative Europe – the MEDIA Programme of the European Union and Allwyn, the leading multi-national lottery-led entertainment company, as well as the participating national film promotion institutes, EFP's member organisations: Austrian Films, Czech Film Center, Finish Film Foundation, Wallonie Bruxelles Images (Belgium), German Films, Instituto de la Cinematografía y de las Artes Audiovisuales / ICAA (Spain), Polish Film Institute, SEE NL (The Netherlands), Slovenian Film Centre and SWISS FILMS. The main media partner is Variety, with Cineuropa and Fred Film Radio as additional media partners.
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about the karlovy vary international film festival
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF) is the largest film festival in the Czech Republic. It is one of the oldest A-list film festivals, a category it shares with the festivals in Cannes, Berlin, Venice, San Sebastian, Montreal, Shanghai, and Tokyo. Among filmmakers, buyers, distributors, sales agents, and journalists, KVIFF is considered the most important event in all of Central and Eastern Europe.
about allwyn
Allwyn is the leading multi-national lottery-led entertainment company with decades of experience in making play better for all. As a business committed to social responsibility, Allwyn aims to deliver a consistent, trusted, and entertaining experience for players, whether they're participating in lotteries, playing online games, or engaging with their local communities. Allwyn operates in multiple markets across Europe and the US, including the Czech Republic, Austria, the UK, Greece and Cyprus, and has ongoing plans to enter new markets. As a partner of KVIFF, Allwyn will host the Allwyn Future Frames Lounge on site and recognise ten emerging European filmmaking talents - celebrating their work and granting one fortunate director a scholarship to work with talent in Hollywood.
