Inspirational session Beyond Borders - Inspiration for cross borders stories

Experts and witnesses will share powerful experiences with you, offering inspiration and a wide range of perspectives on the rich theme of borders.

Meet interesting personalities and experts in an exclusive setting and Q&A. Gain valuable insights into the work of customs, historical contexts and geopolitical developments, among other things, and learn first-hand about personal fates in connection with escape and security.
Discover emotional stories and inspiring approaches that could provide new ideas for material and film projects and take the opportunity to network.

This inspirational session takes place within the framework of the cross-border CinEuro project, and offers the ideal starting point to develop screenplays on subjects that transcend borders and are just waiting to be told.

We look forward to your participation and to an exciting exchange!
Register now to reserve your place at this special event.

Borders – moving stories

As a boundary and place of exchange, the border and border regions are symbolically powerful places – and can be the setting for moving stories.

Provisional program

(start approx. 11:30 a.m., with evening reception)

• Arrival & Welcome (C-Hub Mannheim)
• Personal testimonials from women who have experienced escape, contributions from the book “No single stories”, a project of the International Rescue Committee Germany.
• Networking Lunch
• Insights into the work of customs from Alina Holm, Karlsruhe Main Customs Office
• Borders in the historical context and field of tension of geopolitical developments on the Rhine with Prof. Dr. Hiram Kümper, historian, University of Mannheim

Shuttle to Heidelberg (Karlstorbahnhof)

• Film screening La mer au loin (FR), feature film by Saïd Hamich
• Get-together

Shuttle back to Mannheim

Next steps

Other events on this topic will be organized in the frame of CinEuro Film Lab. Stay tuned!

After the inspirational phase, screenwriters will be supported in the development of their projects through writing workshops, before presenting them at public pitch sessions at a film festival or market.

Priority access to the writing workshops will be given to professionals who have already taken part in the inspiration session.

How can I take part?

The session is open to a maximum of 20 professionals from the film and audiovisual industry (scriptwriters, directors, producers, etc.) developing a project related to the theater of European institutions in a broad sense, or wishing to deepen their knowledge of this theme as part of a future project.

Candidates must meet the following 3 criteria:

• Be domiciled in Europe or the EEC
• Proof of previous experience in writing/directing/production (at least 1 project, including short films, supported by one of CinEuro’s partner funds or purchased and/or broadcast on at least one TV channel or Category A festival – even in the non-competitive section).
• Submit the completed application form by the deadline.

Application deadline: October 25, 2024

Participants will be selected by the CinEuro project partners on the basis of the number of places available, the motivation of the applicants and a balanced geographical and gender balance.

🇫🇷 🇩🇪 🇬🇧 : Communication during the event is possible in German, English and French. Simultaneous English-German interpretation will be available.

Participation fees

Participation is free of charge for selected professionals.

Overnight accommodation may be provided for participants who do not reside on site.

The international film festival Mannheim – Heidelberg

This event is part of the Mannheim – Heidelberg International Film Festival.

Take advantage of the opportunity to discover the festival’s program and meet other international industry professionals.

About the CinEuro project

CinEuro is a cross-border cooperation project in the film and audiovisual sector. Its partnership brings together the main organizations responsible for implementing film and audiovisual policies in the regions of Grand Est, northern Switzerland, Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Luxembourg, Brussels and Wallonia.

Since 2023, the project partners have launched the “CinEuro Film Lab”, a new program for the development of films or series dealing with stories, characters or settings that bear witness to the links between the partner territories in all their dimensions (economic, political, geographical, societal, cultural, …).

To achieve this, the CinEuro Film Lab is divided into 3 phases: an initial inspiration phase to identify new subjects likely to inspire filmmakers, a second writing phase, and a third phase to support the production of the projects developed through pitch sessions at film festivals and markets, networking sessions, professional meetings, etc.