The 2025 edition of co-production market When East Meets West (Trieste, 19–22 January) marked a special return to its roots, with the Baltic countries, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, once again in the spotlight after their first focus back in 2017. This year’s event not only celebrated the enduring creative and dynamic ties between Italy, Eastern and Western Europe but also looked ahead to the future, as the Baltics will once again take center stage as a Focus region in 2026.
In alignment with this renewed partnership, the Italy-Baltic Co-Development Awards were announced, further strengthening the cooperation between Italy and the Baltic countries. Three cash prizes, totaling €40,000, were awarded through the support of the Ministry of Culture (MiC), the Estonian Film Institute, the Lithuanian Film Center, and the National Film Center of Latvia.
The project Tre Madri (Three Mothers) directed by Enrico Lando and produced by the Italian Jolefilm s.r.l., and the Latvian Air Productions was awarded with € 20.000.
Two Baltic majority co-productions received an award:
the project Dolce Far Niente, directed by Elena Kairyté and co-developed by Lithuanian company Baltic production and Italian company Kiné Società cooperative received an award of € 13.000, and the project The Art of Biting Your Tongue, directed by Ieva Norvele, and co-developed by Latvian Tasse Film and the Italian company Corego s.r.l. was awarded with € 7.000.
ITALY-BALTIC CO-DEVELOPMENT AWARDS