Slovakia at Marché du Film 2025: Strengthening Global Film Ties

From May 14 to 22, 2025, the Slovak Film Commission participated in one of the world’s most prominent film markets – Marché du Film, held annually as part of the Cannes Film Festival. The aim was to represent the Slovak audiovisual industry, showcase the activities of the Slovak Film Commission, and build new international connections to support cooperation with foreign producers and partners.

Slovakia’s Participation

Slovakia was represented within the Czech-Slovak Pavilion, which once again provided a joint platform for film professionals from both countries. The Slovak presence included representatives from the Slovak Film Institute, independent producers, distributors, and members of the Audiovisual Fund Council.

A highlight was the participation of two Slovak producers in the prestigious Producers Network:

• Vera Lacková (Media Voice) took part with the support of ERIAC – the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture,

• Michaela Kaliská (NINJA Film) was selected based on the success of her upcoming project Lover, Not a Fighter, featured in the 2024 Works in Progress at KVIFF Eastern Promises.

Co-Production in the Official Festival Programme

Slovak cinema had a strong presence in the official selection of the festival. The world premiere of Caravan – a Slovak-Czech-Italian co-production and the feature debut of director Zuzana Kirchnerová – was held in the Un Certain Regard section. This poetic road movie had previously drawn industry attention when it was selected in 2021 for the L’Atelier residency programme as one of the 15 most promising projects worldwide.

International Meetings and New Partnerships

Throughout the market, Zuzana Bieliková, head of the Slovak Film Commission, held numerous formal and informal meetings with producers and representatives of international funds. Strong interest in filming in Slovakia came from producers based in Poland, Germany, the USA, Canada, and the United Kingdom. These partners were especially drawn to Slovakia’s historic and natural locations such as castles, chateaus, manor houses, vineyards, and forests.

Interest also increased in Funding Scheme No. 5 of the Audiovisual Fund, which provides attractive incentives for foreign partners. Slovakia is gaining increasing recognition as a competitive and visually appealing filming destination.

Promising developments also came from meetings with representatives of international film markets including Feira de Valladolid (Spain), Production Marketplace (Busan) and TIFFCOM (Tokyo), all of whom expressed interest in future cooperation with the Slovak Film Commission and offered favorable participation conditions.

Industry Programme and Expert Discussions

Zuzana Bieliková actively participated in the market’s industry programme, joining several expert panels and discussions focused on current challenges in film production:

• The EUFCN panel “Capitalizing on Collaboration: Harnessing the Power of Film Commissions in Europe” presented best practices in collaboration between film commissions and producers.
  Speakers included Solveig Sigmond Ræstad (Midgard Film Commission Norway), Marijana Stoisits (Vienna Film Commission), Christiane Krone-Raab (Berlin Brandenburg Film Commission), and Markus Bensch (Studio Babelsberg Motion Pictures GmbH).
  The discussion highlighted how productive partnerships between producers and film commissions can lead to positive impacts on local communities, stimulate regional economies, and enhance the sustainability of the European audiovisual sector.

• The Global Film Commission Network Summit (AFCI), marking its 50th anniversary, gathered film commissioners from around the globe to discuss sustainability, community engagement, and the growing importance of screen tourism.
  A new resource, the “Best Practice Guide in Screen Tourism,” was introduced, offering practical tools for film commissions and local stakeholders to implement sustainable screen tourism strategies – a topic increasingly relevant for Slovakia.

Cooperation and Strategic Initiatives

During the festival, Bieliková also took part in a meeting of EUFCN members, where discussions were held with representatives from the European Producers Club and EAVE about opportunities for co-productions and international shoots.

At the EFAD General Assembly, representatives of European film agencies addressed organizational and financial matters. To mark the 10th anniversary of EFAD, several high-level panel discussions were held, featuring speakers from the CNC, the European Commission, and the European Parliament. One of the panels included Dagmar Sedláčková, co-producer of Caravan, who emphasized the strong co-production relationship between Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

Photo credit: EUFCN, AFCI