25/06/2014 - In addition to a programme of screenings, the event is also hosting a pitching forum and a round of talks aimed at professionals

Since yesterday, Espinho has been hosting the tenth edition of the New Directors New Film Festival. Over seven days, the event held in the coastal city in northern Portugal will present around 70 films from 31 countries, as well as boasting a parallel programme of talks and meetings intended for young professionals from the audiovisual industry.

As a testament to the youthful spirit that inspired the festival, most of the works being presented have been directed by filmmakers who are under 30, or are in fact debut films by directors over 30. It will therefore come as no surprise that the short-film format, the gateway to the world of cinema for many young authors, features heavily in the programme. There is not only a competitive section dedicated to shorts, but also another section entitled “Flavours of the World”, which includes titles produced in Poland, Romania and Mexico.

Alongside this, there is also a competitive section organised for documentaries and fictional works, which is showcasing the Polish film Little Crushes by Ireneusz Grzyb and Aleksandra Gowin, the Austrian production Cracks in Concrete [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Umut Dag, the Irish title The Stranger by Neasa Ní Chianáin, the Netherlands’ In Your Name [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Marco van Geffen, the Portuguese film Placenta by Paulo Lima and Poland’s The Caged Swallow by Bartosz Warwas.

Beyond the screenings, the festival is organising two events for professionals. In the Fest Pitching Forum, each participant has five minutes to present his or her project and attract investors. Out of the over 100 projects, a total of 15 were selected for the presentation in front of a group of international experts. The Training Ground invites well-known professionals to share their experiences in their respective fields. Among the most famous names this year are Austrian producer Michael Katz and his English colleague Gareth Wiley, in addition to sound editor Eddy Joseph, screenwriter William Brookfield and editor Chris Dickens.

The festival wraps up on Monday 30 June with the announcement and screening of the winning works.

(Translated from Spanish)