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enCinEuro Film Lab: Call for projects - Cross-border genre film residency "Stories and Legends"
The Région Grand Est, through the CinEuro Film Lab, in partnership with screen.brussels and Wallimage, and in collaboration with La Scénaristerie and with the support of SAFIRE Grand Est, is launching a cross-border writing residency dedicated to genre cinema. The programme is structured around four in-person sessions held between 2026 and 2027.
Designed for writer–producer duos, this initiative supports the development of feature film projects in genre cinema (fantasy, science fiction, crime, thriller, horror, action), whether live-action or animation, around the theme “Stories and Legends.”
Organised across two territories—the Grand Est region (France) and the Brussels-Capital Region (Belgium)—this residency runs in parallel with three major events in the Grand Est and will conclude at the BIF Market (Brussels Genre Film Market) in April 2027. It offers selected participants a structured framework that fosters professional development, network expansion, and the emergence of international co-productions.
The thrills at the Heart of Europe: Regional Tales and Legends as a Catalyst for Bold, Boundary-Pushing Creativity
This call for projects is part of the policy to support genre cinema promoted by the Région Grand Est and its partners. Building on a structured ecosystem and leading events, the Région Grand Est has, since 2022, been implementing a program dedicated to supporting genre short and feature film projects through the writing, development, and production stages via the “Frissons en Grand Est” label.
As a partner of the Greater Region, the Brussels-Capital Region is also a major hub for genre cinema, notably thanks to the BIF Market (Brussels Genre Film Market), organized as part of the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFFF), which has been bringing together international professionals and projects in development for the past 10 years.
Stories and Legends:
This focus explores these territories as a narrative reservoir, where the real and the imaginary converge, to bring forth unique regional narratives.
It highlights places steeped in memory, borderlands, forests, lakes, and mountain ranges, as well as historic cities.
These may include regional tales and local legends, open to reinterpretation or reimagination, or contemporary genre film narratives.
Tailored support for selected projects
Up to four feature film projects will receive tailored support over a ten-month period, from July 2026 to April 2027. This program, developed by La Scénaristerie—which brings extensive expertise in supporting feature films—will include both individual and group script-doctoring sessions, as well as pitch preparation. These workshops will be led by consultants Claudia BOTTINO and Judith GODINOT.
Participants will also have the opportunity to network with screenwriters and producers from partner regions and to present their projects during a pitch session at the BIF Market 2027.
This initiative has several objectives:
- to enhance the artistic quality and narrative uniqueness of projects in order to strengthen their positioning in international markets;
- to consolidate the artistic and strategic development of projects from an international perspective, by strengthening their visual identity and structuring a production strategy tailored to the challenges of co-production;
- to integrate the principles of eco-responsible production from the development phase onward;
- to encourage networking among genre film professionals and stimulate cross-border and European collaborations during major events:
- Forum Alentours – Rhineland Co-production Meeting,
- Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival (EUROGENRE),
- Gérardmer International Film Festival,
- Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival (BIF MARKET).
The working language shall be English for the entire duration of the workshops.
Schedule
- Session 1: June 30 – July 3, 2026 (4 days) in Strasbourg during the Forum Alentours.
- Session 2: September 29 – October 2, 2026 (4 days) in Strasbourg and Mulhouse during the Eurogenre industry meetings at the Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival (FEFFS).
- Session 3: Week of January 25, 2027 (4 days) during the Gérardmer International Fantastic Film Festival.
- Session 4: April 2027 (4 days), during the BIF MARKET of the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival.
Two personalized online interim sessions, led by script doctors, are scheduled between sessions 1 and 2 and between sessions 2 and 3. These sessions serve as progress checkpoints and will complement the in-person meetings mentioned above.
Who can apply to this residency?
- a screenwriter-producer duo with a signed and up-to-date option or copyright assignment agreement
- whose production company is based in the cooperation areas known as the “Upper Rhine” and the “Greater Region”: Brussels-Capital Region, Wallonia, Luxembourg, Saarland, Rhineland-Palatinate, Baden-Württemberg, Grand Est, and the cantons of Basel-Stadt, Basel-Landschaft, and Aargau.
- or, if this is not the case, where the screenwriter is a resident of the Grand Est region in France or the Brussels-Capital Region or Wallonia in Belgium.
- The program is primarily aimed at professional screenwriters who have written at least one professional fiction project (short film, feature film, or series) that has received institutional funding and has been professionally distributed (festival selection, TV broadcast).
On the basis of which criteria?
- a feature-length fiction project, either live-action or animated
- a genre film set in the aforementioned regions and related to the theme of “stories and legends”
- fluency in English is required, as all communication and submissions will be in English
a commitment to be available for all four residency sessions
Note: The screenwriter may also intend to direct the film, but this is not required. Please mention this in the statement of intent.
Conditions to submit
Applicants must submit the following documents combined into a single PDF file (with artistic materials provided in their native language and in an English translation):
- the application form;
- a short synopsis of the film highlighting how the project relates to the theme “Stories and Legends” (1 page maximum);
- a detailed synopsis (between 3 and 6 pages maximum);
- a statement of intent outlining the film’s genesis, the applicant’s connection to the story, its treatment through the lens of genre film, its universe and tone, with possible references (2 pages maximum);
- a cover letter specifying the applicant’s expectations for the workshop and the current stage of the project’s development (synopsis, treatment, dialogue draft—this document must be provided if shortlisted) (maximum 1 page);
- if applicable, please mention your previous involvement with programs from the Grand Est Region, screen.brussels, or Wallimage;
- a biography and CV of the screenwriter (and co-screenwriter, if applicable) clearly listing the films written and/or directed, their screenings, and festival selections, with valid viewing links (maximum 2 pages);
- a presentation of the production company;
- the copyright assignment or option agreement;
All documents must be formatted as follows:
Arial, size 12, line spacing 1.15, margins 2.5 cm.
Any application that does not comply will be considered ineligibile.
Participation fees
The participation to CinEuro Film Lab is free. Accommodation and lunches are covered according to the current rates of the Grand Est Region. Dinners will be at the participants’ expense. Reimbursement of travel expenses for pairs may be considered under certain conditions:
- Session 1: Strasbourg (FR): up to €200 round-trip per person;
- Session 2: Strasbourg & Mulhouse (FR): coverage of travel between Strasbourg and Mulhouse.
Please note: Any possible coverage of the travel expenses will be confirmed at a later date depending on budget availability.
- Session 3: Gérardmer (FR): up to €150 round-trip per person
- Session 4: Brussels (BE): up to €200 round-trip per person;
File of the call
Selection of the projects
A two-step process:
Step 1: A pre-selection committee composed of the two consultants leading the workshop, a representative from SAFIRE Grand Est, and the Association of Belgian Screenwriters (if applicable), as well as members of La Scénaristerie’s Educational Committee, will pre-select the most relevant applications.
This selection will be made in consultation with a representative from the Grand Est Region and CinEuro.
Step 2: Project presentation – interview in English (via videoconference) with the screenwriter-producer duo, including a presentation of the project, an explanation of their motivations, and a Q&A session.
The selected candidates will be announced in early June 2026.
For any questions regarding the call for projects, please contact us by email at the following address:
