TATINO launches First Cut+ Munich 2026, in partnership with Munich International Film Festival

The program will select 6 work-in-progress films, and will bring them together at the Industry Days, the industry forum of the festival.

© Joel Heyd / FILMFEST MÜNCHEN

Initiated in 2020 by TATINO, First Cut+ is a program designed to support emerging filmmakers in maximizing the visibility and impact of their feature films on the international market. Building on the foundation of the First Cut Lab experience, First Cut+ provides participants with tailored expertise in marketing, distribution, audience engagement, festival positioning, and sales strategies.

TATINO is proud to launch First Cut+ Munich, in partnership with the Munich International Film Festival, one of Europe’s leading summertime film festivals. The program will select 6 films in post-production — drawn from TATINO's flagship initiatives First Cut Lab, Full Circle Lab, and Pop Up Film Residency. The creative teams of producers and directors will benefit from a series of online consultations and guidance on the marketing strategies of their films during the month of June 2026. They will also attend online talks, lectures and case studies in the field of film promotion.

The participants will then join the Industry Days, the industry forum of the Munich International Film Festival. There, filmmakers will benefit from One-to-One Meetings, B2B networking, and a work-in-progress screening, guided by an international pool of seasoned film professionals and marketing experts.

"We are truly excited to collaborate with the Industry section of the Munich International Film Festival — a partnership that brings together creative producing and real industry momentum at exactly the right moment. First Cut+ will arrive in Munich with six carefully selected works-in-progress, at a stage where promotion, marketing, and positioning become absolutely crucial, as these films are about to be picked up by festivals and by distributors and discovered by the audiences. Bringing together filmmakers, consultants, and industry experts in this context will create a powerful space for exchange, visibility, and strategic thinking, and we strongly believe our collaboration will give these projects the best possible conditions to move forward internationally."

Natalia Libet

Head of First Cut+

"The Munich International Film Festival has long been a key address for German film professionals. As the number-one platform for German filmmaking, we’re the go-to resource for anyone seeking access to the German film industry. Our CineCoPro initiatives make the festival a prime location for international co-productions; we’ve also partnered with the University of Television and Film Munich (HFF), the Kirch Foundation, and TATINO to build a sustainable mentoring program, Munich Film Up!, which serves as a launchpad for German and international talent. Now we’re thrilled to be working with TATINO to bring a further initiative to Munich. First Cut+ will make our industry platform even more international by connecting outstanding global filmmakers with experts from Germany and abroad, as always amid the casual Munich ambience for which our festival is known."

Christoph Gröner & Julia Weigl

Artistic Directors of Munich International Film Festival

The program is managed by producer Natalia Libet, who welcomes returning advisors: Cătălin Cristuțiu (editor), Christina Pelekani (Marketing & Distribution Consultant - Endorphin Agency), Boris Pugnet (Marketing Consultant), Katarzyna Siniarska (Head of Sales - New Europe Film Sales), Joanna Solecka (Film Marketing Strategist & Awards Consultant - Alphapanda).

The lectures online are conducted by Michael Arnon (PR Expert - Wolf Consultants), Wendy Mitchell (Film Journalist & Festival Consultant), and Katarzyna Siniarska (Head of Sales - New Europe Film Sales).

The creative teams will arrive in Munich on Monday 29 June 2026. They will attend the marketing master talk given by marketing strategist Joanna Solecka at the Industry Days, and take part in a curated networking event. The showcase of selected projects will take place the next day, on Tuesday 30 June 2026, followed by one-to-one meetings. More information on the lab's structure here.

First Cut+ alumni films

Here are a few examples amongst the 96 feature films that have participated in First Cut+:

THE ARCTIC CIRCLE OF LUST by Markku Heikinnen

CPH:DOX 2026

OUR SECRET by Grace Passô

Berlinale Perspectives 2026

EXPLANATION TO EVERYTHING by Gábor Reisz

Orizzonti Best Film Award, Venice 2023

CHARCOAL by Carolina Markowicz

Toronto Platform 2022

THE MAIDEN by Graham Foy

Cinema of The Future Award, Venice 2022

A PIECE OF SKY by Michael Koch

Silver Bear Special Mention, Berlinale 2022

107 MOTHERS by Peter Kerekes

Grand Prix, Les Arcs 2021

IMMACULATE by Monica Stan & George Chiper-Lillemark

Lion of the Future, Venice 2021

About TATINO

First Cut+ is part of TATINO's broader ecosystem, which annually delivers labs and residencies for over 300 filmmakers annually from 50 countries through the flagship programs First Cut Lab, Full Circle Lab, and Pop Up Film Residency, and via its global partnership with Netflix.

More information about TATINO here.

About Munich International Film Festival

The Munich International Film Festival (FILMFEST MÜNCHEN) is the number-one platform for German filmmaking and a key venue for discovering what’s new in international cinema. At the festival’s Industry Days, German and international filmmakers, producers, and experts from the industry gather each year to share their ideas.

In a variety of panel discussions, talks, and workshops, the Industry Days address current developments in the film and television industry and explore what the future may hold. Additionally, the CineCoPro Conference brings together German producers and producers from a different region each time. The Industry Beer Garden offers a casual setting for networking, finding inspiration, and forging new collaborations. In 2026, the Industry Days will be held during the Munich International Film Festival from June 26 to July 5. For more information, see FILMFEST MÜNCHEN.

Contacts

Natalia Libet, Head of program: natalia.libet@firstcutlab.eu / +380675022199

Xavier Mondoloni, Head of communications: xavier.mondoloni@tatinofilms.com / +33698661621

Alina Götzlich, Munich International Film Festival: alina.goetzlich@filmfest-muenchen.de / 

+49 89-381904-36

First Cut+ Munich

an initiative by

In partnership with