Rome’s European co-production market New Cinema Network has awarded the €30,000 Eurimages Co-production Development Award to drama 9 Fingers by writer-director F.J. Ossang, produced by Catherine Dussart.

The French-language apocalyptic-noir follows a man who falls in with a dangerous gang, which in turn becomes stranded on a container ship.

The project has an estimated budget of €1.9m and has backing from CNC.

The jury, which comprised Marie-Pierre Duhamel, Sandra Hebron, and Elena Kotova, described the script as “a project that combines philosophical and narrative qualities in a decidedly original manner”.

A special mention was awarded to 1313 – Dante’s Emperor by Bady Minck, produced by Alexander Dumreicher-Ivancenau, and Menocchio by Alberto Fasulo produced by Nadia Trevisan.

Andrea Paris of Ascent Film was awarded the €5,000 Cubix Award for best emerging European producer, while the UNICEF Italia Special Mention went to White Shadows by Fabio Mollo for “having addressed a story of abuse and violation of children’s rights effectively yet with great delicacy”.

This year Rome’s Business Street drew 811 accredited visitors, including 295 buyers, 104 world sales agents and 246 producers from 52 different countries.​