Lau Zautsen | When You Change The Sky

Lau, née Laurens Zautsen, is a visual artist, performing artist and filmmaker, based in Utrecht. Born in Limburg, Lau went on to attain a Bachelor's degree in Audiovisual Media from the HKU University of the Arts Utrecht. Their graduation film Phoenix won the Film Fund Wildcard award at the Dutch Film Festival. Lau is currently a Master student at the Piet Zwart Institute in Rotterdam, Lens-Based Media program. Their work explores colourful worlds, peoples and emotions. This often comes with a touch of theatrics and a dash of humour but remains rooted in social realism.

Pitch project | When You Change The Sky

Two drag performers are an inseparable couple, both personally and on stage. But when one's instability and addiction starts to become increasingly difficult, the other is faced with a difficult choice.

Dahiana Candelo | TIO

Dahiana Candelo is a writer and theater maker. In 2020 she graduated from the Theater academy Maastricht. She moved from Colombia to the Netherlands at the age of 8. Her origin is an important source in her work. Last year she completed the 'New Makers trajectory' of the Bijlmerpark theater with a one hour theatrical performance; REFLEJO. In this, the fluidity of identity becomes the art and life of painter Frida Kahlo.

Pitch project | TIO

When tio (uncle in Spanish) suddenly gets in touch, father and son are again faced with a traumatic event where they out of guilt and shame dare not talk about it.

Aleksandra Szymanska | Before the Law

Aleksandra Szymanska, film director and screenwriter. Born and raised in Upper Silesia Poland. She lives in Cologne, Germany, since 2002. She graduated from the Krzysztof Kieślowski Film School at the Silesian University in Katowice and continued her education at the New York Film Academy in Los Angeles. Before she started making films, she worked in different positions for various TV companies in Germany and Poland. Her first short film Lilith was made in 2012. She is also member of the Association of Women Artists and Patrons of the Arts GEDOK.

Pitch project | Before the Law

A gatekeeper stands before the law. A woman from the country comes to this gatekeeper and asks to enter. The gate is open, but the gatekeeper refuses her request. For years the woman tries to change the man's mind - but it is in vain. At the end of her life, she learns that the entrance was meant only for her - and will be closed now.

Douglas Robson | Shrapnel

Douglas Robson is a filmmaker from Roermond, The Netherlands. As the name might suggest, he has English roots. Yet he feels 100% Dutch. For many years, Douglas has been engaged in it full-time making corporate films. He now is creating great projects for various companies throughout the Netherlands. Whenever possible, he seizes the opportunity to devote himself to free productions. The documentary genre is one of his specialties.

Pitch project | Shrapnel

Sada, a former RAF flight nurse with severe PTSD goes on a path to recovery after she rescues Shrapnel, an abused but ever so gentle dog. Together they will learn to trust in love and life again.

Amber Rozema | Shark Tears

Amber Rozema is the director and writer of the screenplay. While studying Directing at the Institute of Performative Arts in Maastricht (Toneelacademie Maastricht), Amber began to develop a big affection for film. With a background in visual arts, she is always searching for ways to tell stories using images.

Pitch project | Shark Tears

When a curious little girl who has just learned how to read and write discovers a goodbye letter that was written by her passed away mother, her grieving father doesn’t know how to find the words for what happened to the mother.

Karel Konings | The Elephant

Karel Konings comes from Belgian Limburg and he made his directorial debut with Charlie Z, Charlie Z won the Audience Award at the Euregion Film Festival and at the VERS Film Awards and Limburg Film Festival among others. In 2022, he made a short film called Jagers. The film screened at the Nederlands Film Festival 2022 and is now being distributed by Agence du Court Métrage. Later that year he also made Vogelkooi, which is going into distribution as of now. After having had a taste of acting, directing and writing, Karel is determined to combine these crafts into making films that will fascinate their audiences for generations to come.

Pitch project | The Elephant

When Thomas' son is born with a severe physical deformation, he is willing to do the unthinkable to ease the pain.

Nicky Onstenk

Nicky Onstenk completed her Bachelor of Media & Culture at the University of Amsterdam in 2015. In 2019 she graduated from the Netherlands Film Academy with the short fiction film Porfotto, which was nominated for a Student Oscar. After graduation, she started at IJswater Films as a junior producer. The documentary Dunya (directed by Tim Bary) premiered at the Netherlands Film Festival 2021. The short film Vlekkeloos (directed by Emma Branderhorst) won the main prize for the best short (youth) film at Berlinale 2022. Currently, there are several projects, both documentary, and fiction, long and short, in development and production. Magma by Luca Meisters and produced by IJswater Films premiered at Berlinale 2023.

Anna Weber

Short Film Competition Made in Euregion & Euregion Film Pitch

Anna Weber was born in Viersen, Germany in 1999. After graduating from high school, she worked for a year in a business detective agency. She is now involved in several student projects. During the production of a short film in Estonia, her interest in film production was confirmed. Anna has been studying Creative Production at the ifs international film school in Cologne since 2019. Her projects have been presented at renowned national and international film festivals. Her short film Mona & Parviz premiered at the Short Film Corner Cannes 2021 and won the 2nd audience and jury prize at the Exground Filmfest (Wiesbaden). She completed her studies in February 2023 with her graduation film El Mártir.

Patrick Tass

Short Film Competition Made in Euregion & Euregion Film Pitch

Patrick Tass is a Belgian director of Palestinian origin born in Beirut in 1992. He completed degrees in directing at ALBA (Lebanon) and scriptwriting at the ULB (Belgium). As a script doctor, he teaches cinema analysis and scriptwriting courses at various Belgian cinema labs. He is currently directing two short films and co-writing a feature-film. In his works, Patrick focuses on themes such as identities and sexualities.

Luca Meisters

Short Film Competition Made in Euregion & Euregion Film Pitch

Luca Meisters (1996, Maastricht) graduated as a director from the Maastricht Institute of Performative Arts in 2019. Her graduation film WHEN BIRDS FLY LOW (original title: 'ELF') had its international premiere at the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen 2020 and got selected for Palm Springs Short Fest and Cinekid. Her 2021 short film NOVA had its premiere at BUFF Malmö and got nominated for Best Short Film. Her newest short film MAGMA produced by IJswater Films and written by Nena van Driel will have its international premiere in 2023. Besides her work as a director she also works as a director's assistent and children casting director/children coach on set.