Gentle Monster, the new feature project from Austrian director Marie Kreutzer (Corsage), has won the 2025 ArteKino International Prize at this year’s Investors Circle in Cannes. Producers Alexander Glehr and Johanna Scherz of Film AG Produktions received the €20,000 ($22,000) award during a private pitching session that capped the third edition of the Marché du Film’s curated investment platform.
I’m surprised in the most positive way,” said Kreutzer, about her win. “Filmmaking is a really big mountain, and what happens before the premiere — to get a film made — is a very long climb. So we really need people who want to support cinema and have love for cinema — that’s why meeting investors is extremely important. I had great conversations with these investors so far. The script has sparked their interest, and they’re eager to learn more about the project.”
Held at the Plage des Palmes during the 78th Cannes Film Festival, the Investors Circle once again convened top-tier film financiers and equity investors for an exclusive presentation of ten new auteur-driven projects. The invitation-only event included presentations by several internationally recognized directors, including Jessica Hausner, Sebastián Lelio, Lukas Dhont, and Jasmila Žbanić.
Designed to connect bold, creative visions with long-term backers, the event featured projects with budgets ranging from €3 million to over €9 million ($3.3 million – $10 million). Each team was supported in their investor preparations by 111 Avocats, a Paris-based law firm specializing in entertainment. This year’s selection was overseen by Aleksandra Zakharchenko, Head of Industry Programs at the Marché du Film, alongside a jury that included Remi Burah (ARTE France Cinéma), Serge Hayat, Tamara Tatishvili (Hubert Bals Fund), and Marcin Łuczaj (New Europe Film Sales).
In addition to Gentle Monster, the 2025 Investors Circle lineup included Coward from Lukas Dhont (Belgium), produced by Michiel Dhont at The Reunion; Disorder, directed by Giacomo Abbruzzese (Italy), produced by Marco Alessi and Giulia Achilli at Dugong Films; Kamo, directed by Kornél Mundruczó (Hungary), produced by Mike Goodridge at Good Chaos, Ilya Stewart at Hype Studios, and Balthazar de Ganay; Motherlove, directed by Eliza Hittman (U.S.), produced by Paul Mezey and Andrew Goldman at Present Company; On Land and Sea, directed by Hlynur Pálmason (Iceland), produced by Katrin Pors at Snowglobe and Anton Máni Svansson at Still Vivid; Poeta Chileno, directed by Sebastián Lelio (Chile), produced by Rocío Jadue, Juan de Dios Larraín, and Pablo Larraín at Fabula; Quo Vadis, Aida – The Missing Part, directed by Jasmila Žbanić (Bosnia and Herzegovina), produced by Damir Ibrahimović at Deblokada; The Puma, directed by Marcela Said (France/Chile), produced by Carole Scotta, Barbara Letellier, and Eliott Khayat at Haut et Court; and Toxic, directed by Jessica Hausner (Austria), produced by Johannes Schubert at Schubert and Philippe Bober at Coproduction Office.
