Program
A development & networking boost for emerging queer filmmakers
OUTPITCH is designed specifically for early-career filmmakers from Central Europe and Ukraine who are developing queer-themed audiovisual projects. Whether you’re a film student or an emerging creative, OUTPITCH supports you at a crucial stage of your professional journey — when guidance, visibility, and meaningful feedback can make all the difference.
The participation fee is €70 per person and includes accommodation in Prague, professional mentoring, and accreditation for the QFF Mezipatra.
The 2025 pilot edition includes the following key phases:
Online Mentorship (September & October 2025)
Selected teams (up to 4 projects, each with max. 3 team members — ideally director, producer, and screenwriter) will receive two months of intensive online mentoring with established queer filmmakers and professionals in the fields of development, production, and audience design. This phase focuses on helping teams sharpen their concept, strategy, and pitch materials.
Two weeks before the festival, projects will attend an online pitching workshop led by expert mentor, preparing them to confidently present their projects in front of an audience and jury.
Šimon Holý
Mentor
Šimon Holý was born in Prague in 1994. He graduated from the Department of Feature Film Directing at FAMU. He served as a film composer for many films and the film score he composed for Olmo Omerzu’s Winter Flies was nominated by the Czech Film and Television Academy for the Czech Lion Award.
His feature debut Mirrors in the Dark premiered in 2021 at Karlovy Vary and travelled around the world. The movie was nominated for two Czech Film Critics Award including Newcomer of the Year. His second film And Then There Was Love… premiered a year after at Karlovy Vary in Proxima Competition. The movies was nominated for both Czech Lion Award and Czech Film Critics Award. His third film Hello, Welcome opened LFŠ Uherské Hradiště in 2024. He is a co-founder of the film company První řada.
Kamil Krawczycki
Mentor
Polish director and scriptwriter born in 1990. He graduated from Warsaw Film School and Wajda School. In 2022, he made his feature film debut with Elephant, a queer love story set in rural southern Poland. The film premiered at the New Horizons Film Festival in Wroclaw and received awards at the Gdynia Polish Film Festival, Oslo Fusion, and Reeling Chicago Film Festival. It was screened at over 20 international festivals and had theatrical releases in Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic.
In 2026, he will shoot his second feature film, an international co-production produced by Lava Films.
On-Site Program in Prague (6–9 November 2025)
Live Public Pitching
Each project will be presented in front of a professional jury and an audience of industry guests, including festival programmers, producers, and distributors. Projects will compete for awards to support further development.
One-on-One Meetings
Private consultations with mentors and industry observers to provide personalized feedback and potential networking opportunities.
Public Masterclasses & Panels
Informal gatherings and mixers to build lasting connections across borders and disciplines.
Networking Events
Informal gatherings and mixers to build lasting connections across borders and disciplines.
Two weeks before the festival, projects will attend an online pitching workshop led by expert mentor, preparing them to confidently present their projects in front of an audience and jury.
