With less than a month to go until the start of NEM Zagreb 2024, the organizers have revealed the full agenda for the event’s fourth edition. Taking place from December 10th to 12th at the Esplanade Zagreb Hotel, the program will offer abundant opportunities for CEE content creators from low-production-capacity countries to connect with colleagues from high-production-capacity countries.

The NEM Awards, a competition that honors the best content from CEE, received more than 260 submissions across three main categories: the Best Pre-development Project Award powered by HAVC, the Council of Europe Series Co-production Development Award, and the Best Finished TV Series in the CEE Award from which the top 10 finalists, listed in alphabetical order, are: BH Telecom - I Know Your Soul; Canal+ Czech Republic - Daughter of the Nation; Cosmote TV-OTE SA - 17 Threads; Czech Television/ZDF Studios We're on It, Comrades!; ERT S.A., Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation - The Wilder; Firefly Productions/Telekom Srbija - V Effect; Keshet International/Voyo - Extractors; StarLight Films - In Her Car; TVN Warner Bros. Discovery - The Thaw; Telewizja Polska (TVP) - Bay of Spies.

A record number of pitches will be presented to the public: twelve for the Best Pre-development Project Award powered by HAVC, eight of the best projects from other markets, and five for the Council of Europe Series Co-production Development Award, which carries a prize of €50.000.

Panel topics include strategic partnerships (this panel will be hosted by CEETV’s VP of Research Yako Molhov), the importance of public broadcasters, the power of music, and casting.

Noel Curran, Director General, European Broadcasting Union shared his excitement over the panel Public Broadcasters: Fight Worth Fighting For: “I’m really looking forward to participating in NEM Zagreb this year and connecting with industry professionals in Croatia. The demand for strong public service media is at an all-time high, bringing with it a significant need for transformation. The programming, innovation, diverse content across all genres and platforms, and—most importantly— the PSM core values are genuinely more important now than ever!”

Special insights from Europe’s most influential association of producers, the European Producers Club, will be shared by Dariusz Jablonski, CEO, producer, and director of Apple Film Production. During a keynote Q&A, he will discuss 30 years of shaping European independent production.

Renowned panelists speaking at the event include Nicholas Hooper, film composer and founder of Wordandnote, known for his work on several Harry Potter movies, and Teresa Fernández-Valdés, the first Spanish woman to receive the Médaille d’Honneur for her significant contribution to television and the development of the international TV community.

The panel discussions will cover: The power of casting in TV formats; Decisive factors for broadcasters; Strategic partnerships crucial for Europe’s television industry; The secrets of music in films and TV series; Co-productions between low- and high-capacity production countries; How to turn a concept into capital; Masterclasses opened for all attendees.

Enhancing screenwriting, production, and networking skills is one of NEM Zagreb’s main goals. The final day is reserved for masterclasses led by industry legends: John Altman, Film Composer, Music Arranger, Orchestrator, Conductor, and Saxophonist, will discuss his approach to collaboration and the practicalities of balancing creativity with the ability to navigate the sometimes-murky politics of media work; Larry Bass, Founder & CEO, ShinAwiL will discuss building sustainable businesses in a rapidly changing environment.

Creative Europe MEDIA – European Showrunner Think Tank: Teodora Markova and Teresa Fernández-Valdés will focus on the distinctions between show running in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and Western European countries.

Unique workshops for producers and top students, as well as Script Surgery for the top 3 in the NEM Awards Best Pre-Development Project Award category, will be held several days before and during the main event.

Special guests attending the event include Nina Obuljen Koržinek, Minister of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia, who will officially open the program.

The agenda also includes several networking events, such as Best Pre-Development Project Award Gathering & Brunch, Co-Production Dinner, Christmas Party by Mediavision, Coffee Breaks and Goodbye Drinks.

NEM Zagreb 2024 is co-funded by the European Union, through the Creative Europe MEDIA sub-program.