EXCLUSIVE: To A Land Unknown producer Geoff Arbourne and Silent Rebellion producer Nicolas Wittwer are among the 18 independent producers selected for the 2026 ACE Producers annual programme.
The 18 producers represent 16 countries, and are each participating with a feature film project.
Scroll down for the full list of producers
Arbourne, of the UK’s Inside Out Films, is taking part with No Earthly Words, with director to be confirmed. The producer previously made Mehdi Fleifel’s crime thrillerTo A Land Unknown, which debuted in Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes 2024.
Wittwer, of Switzerland’s Box Productions, takes part with Fisnik Maxville’s Reel Skin. The producer previously made Marie-Elsa Sgualdo’s Silent Rebellion, which launched in Venice Spotlight last year.
The producers will attend three workshops across 2026 and 2027, developing the projects with which they applied; and will join the ACE Network upon completing the programme.
The first workshop takes place in Leiden, the Netherlands in mid-October, with the second on finance strategies in Strasbourg, France in November. The third, on business strategies, will run in Albania.
The programme is supported by the Netherland Film Fund, CNC, QKK – Albanian National Center of Cinematography, Contrat Triennal Strasbourg Capitale Europeenne 2024-2026, Eurimages, Region Grand Est, Telefilm Canada, Procirep, German Films, Screen Ireland, Roma Lazio Film Commission, Focal and APA Czech Republic – Audiovisual Producers Association.
“The ACE 36 producers are an exciting group of experienced independent producers navigating an industry in transition,” said ACE director Inke Van Loocke. “What connects them is a creative and forward -looking approach to producing and a willingness to share knowledge and rethink how projects and companies are developed.”
ACE Producers 2026 programme
Geoff Arbourne, Inside Out Films (UK) with No Earthly Words
David Bohun, Panama Film (Austria) with Fanny Is Alive, dir. Alexandra Makarova
Claudia Calvino, Fasten Films (Sp-Cuba) with Dasha, dir. Mar Coll
Stefano Centini, Volos Films (It-Tai) with I Have To Fuck Before The World Ends, dir. Andrea Benjamin Manenti
Kristof Gerega, Schuldenberg Films (Ger) with Where You Are I Leave You The Keys, dir. Visar Morina
Nelson Ghrenassia, Yukunkun (Fr) with The Big Party, dir. Nicole Genovese
Tena Gojic, Dinaridi Film (Cro-Nor) with Tekton, dir. Tin Zanic
Gints Grube, Mistrus Media (Lat) with She Devil, dir. Davis Simanis
Rogier Kramer, Labyrint Film (Neth) with Men Ruin Everything, dir. Michiel van Erp
Maria Moller Christoffersen, Frau film (Den) with Divine, dir. Jesper Dalgaard
Samuli Norhomaa, Just Republic (Fin) with The Year Of The Hare, dir. Mike Kaurismaki
Lubomira Piperova, Ginger Light (Bul) with 69 Meters
Julie Ryan, MK1 Studios Productions (Ire) with Skinful, dir. Louise Ni Fhiannachta
Roxanne Sarkozi, De Wereldvrede (Bel) with Harvest, dir. Anke Blonde
Marko Talli, Yellow Film & TV (Fin) with Baby Box, dir. Joona Tena
Lindsay Tapscott, Babe Nation Films (Can) with Soft As It Began, dir. Durga Chew-Bose
Noortje Wilschut, Family Affair Films (Neth) with Pack, dir. Mirjam de With
Nicolas Wiitwer, Box Productions (Switz) with Reel Skin, dir. Fisnik Maxville
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