THe yellow affair
EFM LINEUP 2026

LOCATION: MGB 162

ÁRRU

Directed by: Elle Sofe Sara
Cast: Sara Marielle Gaup Beaska, Simon Issát Marainen, Ayla Gáren Nutti, Mikkel Gaup
Written by: Elle Sofe Sara, Johan Fasting
Producers: Elisa Fernanda Pirir, Mimmi Spång, Jani Pösö, Elle Sofe Sara
Production Company: Stær

Synopsis:
Amid the breathtaking landscapes of Sápmi, reindeer herder Maia fights to protect her ancestral lands from a looming mining project. As protests rise, she turns to her charismatic uncle Lemme for help, but his presence reignites deep-buried traumas. Maia must choose: save the land at the cost of her family or surrender it to break the silence.

Genre: Sámi joik Drama | Release Year: 2026 | Country: Norway, Sweden, Finland | Language: Norwegian, Finnish, Swedish, North Sámi | Duration: 90 min

EFM MARKET SCREENING - SAT 14 FEB | 13:50 | CINEMAXX 9

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EFM MARKET SCREENING - SAT 14 FEB | 13:50 | CINEMAXX 9 ~

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WINNER - GRAND JURY PRIZE - WORLD CINEMA DRAMATIC - SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL

SHAME AND MONEY

Directed by: Visar Morina (Exile, Babai)
Cast: Astrit Kabashi, Flonja Kodheli, Kumrije Hoxa, Fiona Gllavica, Alban Ukaj
Written by: Visar Morina, Doruntina Basha
Produced by: Fabian Altenried, Sophie Ahrens, Kristof Gerega, Pia Hellenthal, Visar Morina
Production Company: Schuldenberg Films

Synopsis:
A couple in their 40s live with their extended family in rural Kosovo making a modest living on their farm. Following a familial dispute, their livelihood is lost. They are forced to move to Pristina where the pressure to provide for their family weighs heavily on the parents as they do their best to find work and a place to stay. A journey into a hyper-capitalist society begins.

"A Keenly Observed, Sharp-Edged Portrait of a Kosovo Family Divided by Class"
“Intricately observed domestic dynamics keep the drama textured and humane”
The 13 Best Movies of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival
Guy Lodge - Variety

”…it unfolds as deeply empathetic and engaging”
”...retains a humanity that should help it resonate with audiences who have supported the films of Ken Loach and Stephane Brize”
”Mario Batkovic enhances their sense of disorientation with an urgent, haunting score that incorporates traditional folk music”
Allan Hunter - Screendaily

“Shame and Money casts a piercing, sorrowful gaze at the ground-level effects of globalization.”
"...attuned to every held breath and hopeful, wary or wounded glance of its two leads, Astrit Kabashi and Flonja Kodheli, who deliver performances of exquisite understatement in a story of dwindling hope and mounting tension.”
THR Film Critics Pick the Best of Sundance 2026
Sheri Linden - The Hollywood Reporter

“...more accessible than your average superhero movie.”
“...reminded of the work of the Dardenne Brothers, or Mike Leigh”
Bilge Ebiri - New York Magazine / Vulture

”A stand-out of the world cinema narrative section”
Jordan Raup - The Film Stage

“Shame and Money is undoubtedly an early critical standout of the 2026 Sundance World Cinema Dramatic Competition”
“In his second feature to compete at Sundance, Visar Morina takes a razor-sharp blade to pierce the veil of our ultra-transactional late-stage capitalist present”
“Shame and Money will resonate strongly with anyone who has personally had to fight to survive – or who has seen family and friends do so.”
Olivia Popp - Cineuropa

“Shame and Money gets to the cold heart of the punishment the dignity of the working class endures.”“shocking and enigmatic”
The Film Verdict - Kevin Jagernauth

“There isn’t a single false beat in director German–Kosovan filmmaker Visar Morina’s anti-capitalist venture “Shame and Money.” This is the kind of austere yet hard-hitting film that reveals the apathy of a system without relying on melodramatic speeches or explanatory dialogue. Morina’s film is a confident, smart, and tightly calibrated work”
Robert Daniels - Roger Ebert.com

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EFM MARKET SCREENING - THU 12 FEB | 14:15 | CINEMAXX 9

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EFM MARKET SCREENING - THU 12 FEB | 14:15 | CINEMAXX 9 ~

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SPLISH SPLASH FOREVER!

Directed by: Natascha Beller
Cast: Neah Hefti, Alva Maurer, Zazie Mawete, Michèle Rohrbach, Olga Strub, Patrick Frey
Written by: Sabina Gröner
Producers: Sarah Born, Rajko Jazbec
Production Company: Catpics AG

Synopsis:
Pola (11) wants to save the swimming pool SPLISH SPLASH from being closed so that her best friend will come back. Her friend’s parents, who ran the café, emigrated when the pool was shut down. But her friend does not return, and Pola learns to let go of the past and stand up for a greater cause. In the end, she has not only won the fight for the pool, but also gained new friendships.

Genre: Family, Feel Good | Release Year: 2026 | Country: Switzerland | Language: Swiss-German, German | Duration: 87 min

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BABYSTAR

Directed by: Joscha Bongard
Cast: Maja Bons, Bea Brocks, Liliom Lewald, Joy Ewulu, Maximilian Mundt, Verena Altenberger
Written by: Nicole Rüthers, Joscha Bongard
Producers: Lisa Purtscher, Lotta Schmelzer
Production Company: LiseLotte Film

Synopsis:
Since birth, 16-year-old Luca has been the star of her parents’ influencer empire, her every milestone curated for millions of followers. When they announce plans for another child, the cracks in their perfect image widen. Luca spirals into an emotional tailspin, rebelling against the role she’s bene forced to play and realising how little of her life truly belongs to her. As the pressure mounts, she must decide whether to keep performing for the feed or reclaim her life beyond the spotlight.

A biting satirical drama, Babystar explores the rise of family influencing and the children who become both product and commodity.

“The screen-time satire 'Babystar' delivers sharp observations about social media coupled with a surprisingly bold visual style”
Kevin Jagernauth - The Film Verdict

“… set to be one of the most discussed titles of the festival, thanks to its highly contemporary setting that explores a hyper-social-media-driven society”

”Bongard’s feature maintains a freshness and likability that feel Netflix-friendly, while still preserving its arthouse style through unconventional techniques and ensuring that the cinematography (by Jakob Sinsel) is meticulously curated and bold.”
Veronica Orciari - Cineuropa

Genre: Satire, Drama, Thriller | Release Year: 2025 | Country: Germany | Language: German | Duration: 98 min

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EFM MARKET SCREENING - SAT 14 FEB | 09:00 | CINEMAXX 16

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EFM MARKET SCREENING - SAT 14 FEB | 09:00 | CINEMAXX 16 ~

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WOLVES

Written & Directed by: Jonas Ulrich
Cast: Bartosz Bielenia (Corpus Christi, Primę Time, Scarborn), Selma Kopp, Fabian Künzli, Judith Hofmann, Thomas Ott
Produced by: Nicole Ulrich, Jonas Ulrich, Philipp Ritler
Production Company: Dynamic Frame GmbH

Synopsis:
Luana (23) finds escape from her monotonous life when she joins her cousin’s atmospheric black metal band, WLVS, on tour. Life on the road is raw: hard work, cheap hostels, endless rehearsals. But the energy of the stage is addictive, and so is her growing bond with Wiktor (31), the band’s charismatic new frontman. While Luana proves herself taking care of social media and merchandising, controversial photos of Wiktor surface. Accusations of extremism push the band to the brink of collapse, forcing her to confront her feelings: how much does she really know him?

WINNER - CRITICS’ AWARD FOR BEST FEATURE and YOUTH JURY Awards at Max Ophüls Film Festival

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EFM MARKET SCREENING - SUN 15 FEB | 16:30 | CINEMAXX 18

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EFM MARKET SCREENING - SUN 15 FEB | 16:30 | CINEMAXX 18 ~

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ON THE SEA

Written & Directed by: Helen Walsh (The Violaters, The Gathering)
Cast: Barry Ward (Bad Sisters), Lorne MacFadyen (Vigil, Starstruck), Liz White (Unforgotten, Pride, Wild Bills), Henry Lawfull, Celyn Jones, Danny Webb
Production Company: Red Union Films

Selected as part of the BFI and British Council GREAT 8 Cannes presentation of the films most likely to achieve festival and critical acclaim supported by BBC and Film4

Synopsis:
Jack has been married to Maggie for over half his life. He works as Hand Raker on the mussel beds in North Wales with his younger brother, Dyfan, and Dyfan's three sons. Jack has always assumed that his own boy, Tom, will join the family business on leaving school but Tom's resistance to follow in his footsteps causes familial tension. Tensions are further inflamed by the arrival of an itinerant deckhand, Daniel, who makes known his feelings for Jack. In this remote, rural community where life revolves around Church and fishery, Jack is faced with an impossible dilemma. On The Sea is a beautiful, sensual and at times, tragic exploration of masculinity, place and desire..

“On the Sea combines astute observational writing with powerful performances and evocative cinematography…”
“sex scenes are frank, sensitive and shot through with genuine feeling; buoyed by Felix Rosch’s lilting score”
Nikki Baughan - Screendaily

“Helen Walsh’s On the Sea is a masterclass in powerful storytelling”
”…stellar performances from Ward and MacFadyen, actors who share some of the same intensity and gravity that make Barry Keoghan such a draw”
Barry Didcock - The Herald

“A Stirring, Windblown Romance”
”…finely drawn, weather-heavy sophomore feature from British novelist-turned-filmmaker Helen Walsh”
”… it traves the expected, anguished coming-out arc with rare honesty and frank, bristly sensual abandon - both actors committing with equal parts vulnerable yearning and terse emotional avoidance”
”On the Sea finds poignancy in complication and compromise rather than easy, empowering short cuts to a happy ending”
Guy Lodge - Variety

“Like a slow-burning fuse Helen Walsh’s second feature finds its strenght in the subtlety of the writing and the power of the understated performances, in particular the central duo of Barry Ward and Lorne MacFadyen”
”…the film finds a note of hope and optimism and demonstrates how a good deal of compassion and understanding can emerge from the confrontation of someone’s worst fears”
Eye for Film - Richard Mowe

Genre: Drama, Romance, LGBTQI+ | Release Year: 2025 | Country: UK | Language: English | Duration: 111 min

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EFM MARKET SCREENING - SUN 15 FEB | 13:10 | CINEMAXX 19

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EFM MARKET SCREENING - SUN 15 FEB | 13:10 | CINEMAXX 19 ~

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PIXIE

Written & Directed by: Krzysztof Komander
Cast: Amelia Golda, Maksymilian Zieliński, Arkadiusz Jakubik, Anna Smołowik, Agata Turkot, Wojciech Solarz, Borys Szyc
Produced by: Dagmara Piasecka
Production Company: Green Rat Production

Synopsis:
Hania, an eleven-year-old girl, who believes in pixies, becomes the object of ridicule. In order to save the fantasy world she created with her recently deceased mother, she must prove to everyone that the fairy-tale creatures really exist. Together with Michał, a school outsider, they meet Sindri, a pixie living in the nearby forest, who promises to help them. An adventure full of twists and turns begins, during which Hania learns the power of friendship, the negative effects of lies, and finally comes to terms with the loss of her mother.

WORLD PREMIERE - LOCARNO FILM FESTIVAL 2025 - Locarno Kids

Genre: Family, Adventure | Release Year: 2025 | Country: Poland, Czech Rep | Language: Polish | Duration: 99 min

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MIKI

Directed by: Jakub Kroner
Written by: Miro Šifra
Cast: Milan Ondrik, Gregor Hološka, Michal Kubovčik, Anna Javorková, Rebeka
Poláková, Dušan Cinkota, Martin Nahálka, Petra Vajdová, Ivan Vojtek, Juraj Loj
Produced by: Zuzana Mistríková, Radovan Gerek, David Blümel
Production Company: PubRes (SK), Regia Civitas Productions (SK), Europeana Production (CZ)

Synopsis:
MIKI is the story of a man who returns from abroad to his native village, to a country that is changing rapidly and where new great opportunities are opening up, including in the field of organized crime. Miki, originally a bus driver, gradually discovers and activates the abilities within himself to build one of the largest and most feared mafia groups in the country.

THE BOX OFFICE SMASH HIT FROM SLOVAKIA
Released as two feature films in its domestic territory
MIKI - 3rd Highest Grossing Film in the modern era of Slovak cinema
CERNAK - Highest Grossing film in the modern era of Slovak cinema

4 part mini-series available for international delivery

Genre: Crime, Thriller | Release Year: 2025 | Country: Slovakia | Language: Slovak | Formats: 4 x 50min

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UPCOMING TITLES IN POST-PRODUCTION

Synopsis: FIGHTER follows Sara, who dreams of becoming a professional MMA athlete. She also dreams of Andrea. And even though their feelings are mutual, their relationship must remain a secret. Her father, whom she looks up to, expects Sara to one day take over the family-owned halal butcher shops and sees martial arts as nothing more than a hobby. The pressure from her father, Samal, and their cultural traditions grows.

FIGHTER

Directed by: Irasj Asanti
Cast: Sofia Tjelta, Maja Christiansen, Deniz Kaya
Written by: Irasj Asanti and Nina Andersson
Produced by: Ole Marius Araldsen, Mia Welin
Production Company: Anagram

SPOTLIGHT ON: THE NORDICS | WIP Selection of Feature Films from The Five Nordics
THU 12 FEB | 16:00 - 17:00 | EFM Cinemobile (by invitation only from Five Nordics)

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THE GREENEST GRASS

Written & Directed by: Kim Sundbeck
Cast: Vilhem Blomgren (Gösta, Midsommer, Clark), Anna Asp (Beck), Maria Nohra, Cedomir Glisovic, Dodona Imeri, Ia Langhammer
Produced by: Ann Lundberg
Production Company: Anagram Sweden

Synopsis: Sasja has been unfaithful and fears that his partner, Olivia, will never forgive him. In an attempt to balance the guilt, he arranges for her to be unfaithful too, hoping they will then be able to forgive each other. But things don’t go quite as planned