European Film Promotion (EFP) is delighted to announce the ten emerging European talents for the 27th edition of EUROPEAN SHOOTING STARS. From 16 - 19 February 2024, seven actresses and three actors will be presented to the international press, industry, and public in an exclusive four-day programme during the 74th Berlinale (15 - 25 February 2024), with major support by Creative Europe - the MEDIA Programme of the European Union. One of the programme's many highlights will be the European Shooting Stars Awards Ceremony on 19 February 2024 at the Berlinale Palast.
The 5-person international jury includes: Austrian director, screenwriter and producer Barbara Albert; Lithuanian producer Zivile Gallego; former Irish European Shooting Star Moe Dunford; British casting director Aisha Bywaters; and Greek Public Relations officer, senior writer and industry reporter at Cineuropa, Vassilis Economou They have selected the ten exceptional talents, recognising their potential for an international career based on many factors, including their outstanding performance in the recent feature films and drama series which were submitted for their nomination (noted in bold in their bios below).
"We are thrilled to present such a diverse selection of talented up-and-coming actors and actresses hailing from diverse cultural backgrounds and professional experiences. Many thanks to the Jury for taking on the challenge to spot this year's nominees, and for embracing their international potential. We would also like to thank the European national film promotion institutes and film centres - our members - for putting forth so many stellar nominees and giving us the opportunity to continue to discover Europe's diverse array of emerging acting talent!", says Tina Hajon, programme director of EUROPEAN SHOOTING STARS.
Here are the European Shooting Stars 2024: Thibaud Dooms (Belgium), Margarita Stoykova (Bulgaria), Suzy Bemba (France), Salome Demuria (Georgia), Katharina Stark (Germany), Éanna Hardwicke (Ireland), Valentina Bellè (Italy), Dziugas Grinys (Lithuania), Kamila Urzedowska (Poland) and Asta Kamma August (Sweden).
The Italian actress Valentina Bellè starred in two competition films at the Venice Festival this year: Michael Mann's Ferrari and Lubo by Giorgio Diritti. She plays the leading role in the award-winning and highly acclaimed Disney + series The Good Mother, for which she won the Italian Nastro D'Argento award for supporting actress in 2023. The jury is impressed with her performance in which she " steals the spotlight as the audience follows her journey and roots for her throughout this tense drama."
Throughout its 27 years, EUROPEAN SHOOTING STARS has been an important stepping-stone for the selected talent's international careers - notable Shooting Stars over the years include: Matilda de Angelis (Across the River and Into the Trees, Atlas, The Undoing), Bill Skarsgård (Boy Kills World, It, It Chapter 2), Carey Mulligan ( Maestro, She Said, The Dig, Promising Young Woman, The Great Gatsby), Alba Rohrwacher (La chimera, Happy as Lazzaro), Oscar-winner Alicia Vikander (Firebrand, Beckett, Tomb Raider), Maisie Williams ( Game of Thrones), Riz Ahmed (Fingernails, Encounter, Sound of Metal, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Mogul Mowgli), George MacKay (The Beast, Munich - The Edge of War, 1917), Daniel Brühl (All Quiet on the Western Front), Louis Hofmann (The Forger ) and Leonie Benesch (The Teachers' Lounge).
EUROPEAN SHOOTING STARS is made possible thanks to the support of Creative Europe - the MEDIA Programme of the European Union, the German Federal Commissioner for Culture and Media, the Berlin International Film Festival, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg and Spotlight, as well as the national film promotion institutes and film centres from the Shooting Stars' home countries (EFP's member organisations): With special thanks to German Films, Bulgarian National Film Center, Cinecittà (Italy), Flanders Image, Georgian National Film Center, Lithuanian Film Centre, Polish Film Institute, Unifrance, Screen Ireland / Fís Éireann and Swedish Film Institute. The programme's industry partner is the International Casting Directors Association (ICDA). EUROPEAN SHOOTING STARS' main media partner is Variety, with additional media partners: Screen International, Cineuropa, Blickpunkt:Film, HeyUGuys and Festival Scope.