Memento Non Mori by Seyhmus Alten; Usier Tevrshi / In a Grove, by Nino Akhvlediani; China Sea, by Jurgis Matulevicius; and Blaue Flecken / Blue Marks (working title), by Sarah Miro Fischer are the four European feature films at the post-production stage to screen for an audience of professionals at the 72nd edition of the San Sebastian Festival. All four titles, three of which are first or second films, will compete for the WIP Europa Industry Award and the WIP Europa Award.

Turkish-Italian producer and director Seyhmus Altun will present his opera prima Memento Non Mori. In the film, the life of Esma and her family is dramatically changed by the fire at the chemical factory that was their livelihood.

Usier Tevrshi / In a Grove, third feature by the Georgian Nino Akhvlediani, tells the tale of two brothers, one deeply committed to myriad causes and the other a student who makes a surprise return visit to Georgia from Germany to try and shed light on the circumstances of his older brother’s death.  

China Sea is the second film from the Lithuanian Jurgis Matulevicius, nominated for the EFA’s European Discovery - Prix FIPRESCI award with Izaokas / Isaac (2020). In the film, a martial arts champion is left out of his country’s team for aggressive behaviour and holes up in the ‘China Sea’, a restaurant owned by his only friend, planning to start a new life.

With prior experience in short films, German first-timer Sarah Miro Fischer brings her debut movie, Blaue Flecken / Blue Marks (working title), in which she follows the reaction of the lead character when accusations of sexual aggression are made against her brother, with whom she shares a close bond.  

Many of the films recently shown in WIP Europa have gone on to enjoy a successful international career: Rock Bottom, by María Trénor participated in the Official Competition of the Annecy Animation Film Festival in 2024, while the Panorama section of the last Berlinale programmed the premieres of Ty mene lyubysh? / Do you Love Me?, by Tonia Noyabrova, and Alle die Du Bist / Every You Every Me (formerly Mannequins) by Michael Fetter Nathansky, to participate in Zabaltegi-Tabakalera. More information on the success stories of participants in this initiative can be found here.

AWARDS

WIP Europa Industry Award. Bestowed by the companies Best Digital, BTeam Pictures, Deluxe Content Services Spain, Dolby Labs, Laserfilm Cine y Vídeo, Nephilim Producciones and No Problem Sonido, the prize consists of the post-production of one of the films presented until obtaining a DCP subtitled in English and the distribution in Spain of the winning film.

WIP Europa Award. Coming with 10,000 euros for the main production company of the same film winning the WIP Europa Industry Award.

This initiative is possible thanks to the backing of Best Digital, BTeam Pictures, Deluxe Content Services Spain, Dolby Labs, Laserfilm Cine y Video, Nephilim Producciones and No Problem Sonido.