European Short Film Industry Events Summit (ESFIES) is the gathering of representatives from European short film industry events, markets, and forums. Its goal is to provide dedicated time and space for representatives to openly discuss common challenges, share best practices, and explore opportunities for collaboration – both in supporting emerging European talents and professionals, and in fostering new synergies among film industry events across Europe.
ESFIES is initiated by the Baltic Short Film Industry Event Baltic Pitching Forum, which is organised by the Lithuanian Short Film Agency Lithuanian Shorts. The main partner is Baltisches Haus.
The 3-day Summit includes a dedicated meet-up for participating representatives of European short film industry events, markets, and forums, as well as participation in the Baltic Pitching Forum activities, including short film project pitching sessions. During the dedicated meet-up, the discussions will focus on shared challenges faced by short film industry events – particularly how to stay relevant and make a meaningful impact on the European short film ecosystem.
2025
The first ESFIES meeting took place in Vilnius on October 7-10, 2025, during the 13th edition of the Baltic Pitching Forum. The Summit was advised and moderated by short film industry expert Jing Haase.
The attending representatives of ESFIES 2025:
- Short Film Corner | Rendez-Vous Industry (Céline Roustan, France)
- Euro Connection | Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Market (Julie Rousson, France)
- ShorTO Film Market (Elena Ciofalo, Italy)
- European Short Pitch (Lauma Kaudzīte, France)
- Brussels CoProMarket (Alicia Martinez, Belgium)
- DokuFest Short Film Forum (Eroll Bilibani, Kosovo)
- Nordisk Panorama (Lea Maria Strandbæk Sørensen, Sweden)
- RIGA IFF Test Screenings (Lauma Kaudzīte, Latvia)
- Baltic Pitching Forum (Rimantė Daugėlaitė, Lithuania)
2026
The 2nd European Short Film Industry Events Summit will take place on 8–9 October 2026 in Vilnius, Lithuania, during the 14th edition of the Baltic Pitching Forum.
This year’s ESFIES theme: Advocating for Short Film.
Guest speaker: Juliette Prissard, General Delegate of EUROCINEMA, France.
The attending guests of ESFIES 2026:
- Anne Gaschütz, Filmfest Dresden, Locarno Film Festival (Germany)
- Martina Petrovič, Creative Europe MEDIA Desk Croatia (Croatia)
- Elena Ciofalo, ShorTO Film Market (Italy)
- Lauma Kaudzīte, RIGA IFF Test Screenings (Latvia), European Short Pitch (France)
- Veronika Jakab, Friss Hús Budapest International Short Film Festival (Hungary)
- Alexandra Gramatke, Kurzfilm Agentur Hamburg (Germany)
- Jana Cernik, AG Kurzfilm (Germany)
- Rimantė Daugėlaitė, Baltic Pitching Forum (Lithuania)
