The EFP (European Film Promotion) revealed the selection 27th edition of Producers on the Move, the networking programme taking place during the Cannes Film Festival (12–23 May 2026).
The name of producers reflects the breadth and vitality of contemporary European filmmaking, spanning different genres, and embracing a strong female presence.
They are: Lixi Frank (Austria), Roxanne Sarkozi (Belgium), Constantinos Nikiforou (Cyprus), Dagmar Sedláčková (Czech Republic), Maria Møller Kjeldgaard (Denmark), Marianne Ostrat (Estonia), Daniel Kuitunen (Finland), Julie Billy (France), Philipp Trauer (Germany), Danae Spathara (Greece), Sunna Guðnadóttir (Iceland), Julianne Forde (Ireland), Stefano Centini (Italy), Marion Guth (Luxembourg), Olivia Sophie van Leeuwen (The Netherlands), Ivana Shekutkoska (North Macedonia), Agata Novinski (Slovak Republic), Xavi Font (Spain), Linda Mutawi (Sweden) and Michela Pini (Switzerland).
Producers attached to titles in the Cannes Film Festival Official Selection:
Lixi Frank (Panama Film) from Austria is the producer of Sandra Wollner’s Everytime (2026), screening in Un Certain Regard, and co-producer of Valeska Grisebach’s Competition entry, The Dreamed Adventure (2026). Italy’s Stefano Centini (Volos Films) is aboard Jorge Thielen Armand’s Death Has No Master (2026) which has been selected for Directors’ Fortnight.
Producers of internationally recognised productions
Several participants are linked to internationally recognised productions, including recent submissions to the Academy Awards’ International Feature Film category: Marianne Ostrat (Alexandra Film) from Estonia was behind the acclaimed Smoke Sauna Sisterhood (2023) which won the Directing Award at the World Cinema Documentary Competition at Sundance.
Icelandic producer Sunna Guðnadóttir (Bjartsýn Films) is associated with Beautiful Beings (2022), Iceland’s Oscar® submission.
The Producers on the Move party also includes Xavi Font (ZuZú Cinema), Spanish producer of Cannes Jury Prize winner, Sirât (2025), which was nominated twice for the last year’s Academy Awards as well as Swedish producer Linda Mutawi (Fikra), whose credits comprise Sweden’s Oscar® entry, Eagles of the Republic (2025), which premiered last year in the Cannes Film Festival competition.
Further names in this year’s ‘line-up’ are Julie Billy from France (June Films), whose film The Little Sister (2025) by Hafsia Herzi earned Nadia Melliti the Best Actress Award at Cannes, Philipp Trauer from Germany (BerghausWöbke Filmproduktion), associated with September 5 (2025) which was nominated for both an Oscar® and a Golden Globe®, as well as Finnish producer Daniel Kuitunen (Komeetta) and his film Nightborn (2026), which premiered in this year’s Berlinale Competition.
Ivana Shekutkoska (Minimal Collective) from North Macedonia is one of the two producers of DJ Ahmet (2025), produced by Cinema Futura, which received the Special Jury Award for Creative Vision and the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival 2025. Julianne Forde (Tailored Films) from Ireland produced The Apprentice, which received nominations at the Oscars®, BAFTAs, and Golden Globes®.
Danish producer Maria Møller Kjeldgaard (Manna Film) was behind Isabella Eklöf’s Kalak (2023), which won the Special Jury Prize at the San Sebastián Film Festival 2023.
Female driven storytelling and emerging talents
The selection underscores a strong focus on female-driven storytelling and a close collaboration with women directors: Dagmar Sedláčková (MasterFilm) from the Czech Republic produced Zuzana Kirchnerová’s Caravan (2025) and Michela Pini (Cinédokké) from Switzerland was behind Klaudia Reynicke’s Love Me Tender (2019).
A few participants are connected to debut features and emerging directing talent: Constantinos Nikiforou (Caretta Films) from Cyprus produced Kristijan Risteski’s Snow White Dies at the End (2022); Danae Spathara (Heretic) produced Kostis Charamountanis’ debut Kyuka: Before Summer’s End (2024), the opening film of ACID Cannes 2024, which was later featured at the 2025 New Directors/New Films Festival curated by MoMA; and Roxanne Sarkozi (De Wereldvrede) from Belgium produced Leonardo Van Dijl’s Julie Keeps Quiet (2024), winner of both the SACD Award and the Gan Foundation Award at Cannes Critics’ Week.
