The 2025 winners of the JETS Initiative have been announced. Directors UK members Adrian Mead and Sid Bennett were amongst those awarded.
A two-day international film festival which takes place in Berlin alongside the Berlinale, the JETS Initiative brings together directors and producers with funding organisations, sales agents and financing and distribution companies from partner countries, including the UK and Ireland, for their debut, second or third film.
The awards recognise feature film projects which have significant artistic and/or commercial potential. This year, the jury honoured Directors UK members Adrian Mead and Sid Bennett. Adrian's film The Hate Factory took home first place. Second place was awarded to Sid's film Night Song.
Hate Factory is a prison drama is based on a revolt that took place in Peterhead Prison in 1987. Horror eco-thriller Night Song explores the errie things happening at an Arctic oil station. The other winning pitches were: Canadian entry Headliner directed by Kill Weyman and produced by James Weyman; German entry Raunächte directed by Enkelejd Lluca and produced by Sebastian Sgodzai; Irish entry Riot Girl Summer directed by Sinéad Ni Bhroin and produced by Daniel Hegarty; Norwegian entry Dustbin Heroes by director Jørn Kolsrud and producer Kristian Kamp; and South African entry Baptism of Silence directed by Emilie Badenhorst and Kanya Viljoen, produced by Casey Diepeveen.
UK projects also participating in the pitch include: Hello Again directed by Tom Ruddock and produced by Shelly Ruddock; Mother Nature directed by Ana Pio and produced by Andrea Land; Rockwood Inn directed by Christopher Baker and produced by Simon Sprackling; and The Way to Eden directed by Branko Tomovic and produced by Davin Jeayes.
The JETS Initiative (Junior Entertainment Talent Slate) is organised by WEP Productions and JETS Filmverleih & Vertrieb. Find out more about this year’s competition and all the winning pitches.
Learn more about the JETS Initiative and see if you qualify to participate.
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