Four European features in post-production have been selected for WIP Europa, the San Sebastian Film Festival’s industry showcase for works in progress, where they will screen for accredited professionals during the festival’s 73rd edition.
The lineup includes “Somewhere Between Sleep” from German filmmaker Jonas Bak; “Sieben Tage Februar” (“February, Seven Days”) by Tatjana Moutchnik; “Lovers Sleep Alone” (working title) by Massih Parsaei; and “Veha” from Turkish director Elif Sözen. Three of the titles mark feature debuts, with Bak presenting his second film. All are eligible for the WIP Europa Industry Award and WIP Europa Award.
Bak, who studied in Scotland, returns after his 2021 debut “Wood and Water,” which premiered in Berlin and earned a special mention from the Kompass Perspektive Award jury. His new film follows the aftermath of a chance encounter between two women in a Black Forest town.
Moutchnik, previously known for short films, makes her feature debut with “Sieben Tage Februar.” Set against the backdrop of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the drama centers on two Ukrainian siblings reunited in Stuttgart for their mother’s funeral.
Parsaei, an Iranian-born filmmaker, presents “Lovers Sleep Alone,” about a young Iranian exile working precarious jobs in Berlin whose only relationship is an occasional sexual connection with a man — until the arrival of a cousin from Tehran shifts his life.
Sözen’s “Veha,” a Turkish production, follows a woman traveling with her son from Germany to her hometown in Turkey for her father’s funeral, only to disappear overnight, leaving the boy behind.
WIP Europa has a track record of advancing titles into San Sebastian’s main program. Seyhmus Altun’s “Aldığımız Nefes” (“As We Breathe”) competed this year in New Directors after appearing in WIP Europa 2024 under the title “Memento non mori. Sarah Miro Fischer’s “Schwesterherz” (“The Good Sister”), which won both WIP Europa prizes last year, went on to premiere in Berlinale’s Panorama section before screening in Zabaltegi-Tabakalera.
Other filmmakers to emerge from the program include María Trénor, Michael Fetter Nathansky and Arantza Santesteban, with works premiering both in San Sebastián and at other international festivals.
The 73rd San Sebastián Film Festival runs September 20–28.
More details on the WIP Europa 2025 selection below:
“Lovers Sleep Alone”
Director: Massih Parsaei
Country of production: Germany
Iman (33) left Iran years ago and cut ties with his family. Living a life of exile in Berlin,he drifts through the city, chasing closeness and solitude. He works day and night in two different jobs: as a caregiver for an old man and at a truck wash station. He invents stories to fill the void. His only relationship is an affair with André, a man he meets for sex at night in a park. A fleeting visit from his cousin Maneli, whom he barely knows, gently disrupts Iman's routine. Their shared heritage of culture and pain lingers in the background. They talk, go to the pool, and fall asleep in a patch of forest. On his endless paths through the city, fragments from the lives of other passers-by drift alongside him. His search begins to connect with the world.
“Sieben Tage Februar” (“February, Seven Days”)
Director: Tatjana Moutchnik
Countries of production: Germany/Austria
Germany, 2022: After years apart, Ukrainian brothers Arkadi and Igor reunite to mourn their deceased mother. Their father Grisha, a complacent patriarch, insists on grieving according to Jewish tradition, although none of the other family members knows how to perform a shiva properly. When Russia begins its full-scale invasion against Ukraine, the family is turned upside down, and the brothers confront their relationship with their homeland. A film about everyday life in a state of emergency and the sense of responsibility for one's own country and family.
“Somewhere Between Sleep”
Director: Jonas Bak
Countries of production: France/Germany
Anke is about to leave her small German town in the Black Forest region, while Lisa finds it hard to feel at home there. They meet by chance on a cold, grey autumn day, and wander the streets together. Cracks in the thin membrane between reality and dream transform their stroll into a journey to new places.
“Veha”
Director: Elif Sözen
Country(ies) of production: Turkey/France/Saudi Arabia
After hearing about her father's sudden death, Meral comes with her young son Ali from Germany to the village in Turkey where her mother lives. She plans to stay for a while. At her invitation, her old friend Nilay also comes to visit. Nilay finds Meral distant and quiet, very different from how she remembers her. Ali is a withdrawn child who has almost stopped speaking. Meral has a reason for calling Nilay, she wants to leave Ali in her care. One night, Meral disappears and doesn't come back. The grandmother, shaped by a life under patriarchy, is left with questions she doesn't want to face. Ali is left alone in a life where he feels lost. And Nilay is left with Ali's growing attachment as she tries to find her own way forward.