Baltic Emerging Film Producers Training Program “Up!”

“UP!” is a new intensive five-day training program designed for emerging Baltic film producers working with short films. The program aims to strengthen producers’ professional skills and introduce participants to the international short film ecosystem, principles of co-production, self-presentation, communication, and distribution strategies.

The program format consists of two parts: theoretical seminars and practical workshops led by experienced film industry professionals, as well as participation in the events of the Baltic short film industry forum “Baltic Pitching Forum”. This format will help build a strong foundation for the professional growth of emerging producers, encourage networking and the development of new professional connections and contribute to their integration into the international film industry community.

In 2026, “UP!” was developed as part of the European film training program TalentBridge – a series designed to help emerging filmmakers navigate the film industry, powered by T-Port.

The program is led by the “UP!” Head of Studies, producer Marija Razgutė (M-Films) and the T-Port TalentBridge Mentor at “UP!” Amos Geva.

The 2026 edition of “UP!” will take place on October 5–9 in Vilnius, Lithuania.

The open call for Baltic emerging film producers training program “UP!” is open till 2 August, 2026. Selected participants will be informed through the email.

Rules and regulations HERE.
Application form HERE.

PROGRAM SCHEDULE

September 29 – online introductory session for participants
October 5–7 – intensive “UP!” training sessions and creative workshops (for program participants only; preliminary schedule: 09:00–18:00 each day)
October 7–9 – participation in open “Baltic Pitching Forum” events, self-pitching sessions and networking with forum guests

ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS

The program is intended for Baltic emerging film producers who are:

citizens of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania or who have permanent residency in one of these countries;
currently producing or planing to produce short films in the future;
seeking to improve their self-presentation skills;
seeking to gain deeper insight into the short film ecosystem, as well as co-production, communication and distribution strategies.

Expected number of participants: up to 15.

PROGRAM STRUCTURE

October 5–7, 2026
Intensive training sessions and creative workshops. During the training, participants will be assigned practical tasks and will have the opportunity to consult with the program lecturers.

The final agenda of the training program will be announced by September 1, 2026.

October 6–9, 2026
Participation at the 14th edition of the Baltic short film industry event “BalticvPitching Forum” and self-pitching sessions for all “UP!” producers. The Baltic Pitching Forum is a leading short film industry event in the Baltic region, showcasing the latest short film projects from the Baltics and the Guest Country, which in 2026 is Italy. Its main objective is to foster networking, collaboration, and co-production opportunities between Baltic short film creators and industry professionals from across Europe.

TRAINING PROGRAM PARTICIPATION FEES

The training program offers 2 participation fee options:

190 EUR. The participation fee includes:

Participation in the training program
Accreditation for the “Baltic Pitching Forum”
Lunch during the training program and the “Baltic Pitching Forum” (October 5–9)
Access to networking events

490 EUR. The participation fee includes:

Participation in the training program
Accreditation for the “Baltic Pitching Forum”
Lunch during the training program and the “Baltic Pitching Forum” (October 5–9)
Access to networking events
5-nights of accommodation in Vilnius

There is no application fee.

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