Valeriu Andriuta’s The Circle (Cercle) won the Screen International Award at C EU Soon’s In-Development Program held at the MIA Market in Rome.
circle was one of several projects recognized at the MIA Awards 2025, which was held on the final day of the market from October 6th to 10th.
See below for the full list of winners.
circle The film marks the feature directorial debut of Andriuta, a Romanian actor, writer, and director known for his performance in the films of Cristian Mungiu. west and Over the hill.
The film, shot in Moldova, centers on Agati, a young detective assigned to his first seemingly easy case. Determined to prove himself, Agachi enthusiastically investigates the case, but it turns out that what initially appeared to be an accidental death was actually a murder.
It was produced by Iulia Andriuta of Moldova’s Ampreta Films and co-produced with Romania’s Idea Film Around the World.
The circle was featured in MIA’s C EU Soon program, which specializes in European films in post-production that are looking for international sellers.
The jury for C EU Soon consisted of Jakob Abrahamsson, CEO of Sweden’s NonStop Entertainment; Samuel Blanc, co-head of international sales at The Party Film Sales in France; and Gaia Frères, artistic director of the Giornate degli Autori sidebar in Venice.
the jury said: circle: “Despite the challenges of filming in Moldova, we were really impressed with how the director and producers were able to accurately portray a society where power relations trump the rule of law.”
Last year’s C Eu Soon winner was Tereza Nuvotova father, The film had its world premiere at the Horizons section in Venice and was Slovakia’s entry in the International Feature Film category at the 98th Academy Awards.
Meanwhile, the MIA Development Award, which recognizes outstanding film projects, went to an adult film. we have to have sex before the world endsthe debut novel by Andrea Benjamin Manenti.
Produced by Stefano Centini of Volos Film Italia and Carlo Hintermann of Citrullo International, the Italian-Filipino co-production draws on Manenti’s own family history and explores the intimacy, memory and resilience between the two worlds.
The jury called it a “strong submission by an exciting young new voice” and were “captivated by the generous blend of humor and tenderness behind this deeply personal and original project”.
The 10th anniversary edition, held in Rome, had around 2,800 participants, with attendees from 64 countries, MIA reported. Over 100 projects were announced during the market.
2025 MIA Award Winners
MIA Development Award Outstanding Animation Project Award
Golden Butterfly / Zlatnata Peperczka (Arg-Braz-Col-N.Mac-Sp).
Directed by Gauce Cvetanovski. product. Makedonska Krepost, Blurr Stories, Technscope Films, and The G7
MIA Development Award for Outstanding Documentation Project
edition 96 (Lev)
Director Ahmad Nabulsi. product. OOB concept
MIA Development Award for Excellence in Drama Project
Ainda!
product. Critic Andreas Zupanos (Falillo House Productions). Written by Kevin Zance Anson and Stavros Panbals
Special note: Diouf / Guest
product. May Jabaleen (Philistine Films). Written by Saleh Saadi
MIA Development Award for Best Film Project
we have to have sex before the world ends
Directed by Andrea Benjamin Manenti. product. Stefano Centini (Volos Film) and Carlo Hintermann (Citrullo International)
Sony Pictures Television Awards Best Drama Project Award
roaring banshees
product. Paul Donovan (Deadpan Pictures). script. John Morton and Peter McGann
Paramount New Story Award
POV point of view (Italy)
product. Tapeless film. Created by Luca Murphy
GEDI Visual Award
pestifera wolf
Directed by Ludovico Serra and Luka Janković. product. box vision
Special note: fish don’t close their eyes
product. Big Sur Srl, Oh!Pen; Art Line Film; Jund Music. Director Audrey Gordon
Screen International Award / C EU Coming Soon
The Circle (Cercle))
Director Valeriu Andriuta
product. Julia Andriuta (Footprint Films). joint product. Idea films travel around the world
Women in Italian Film and Television – WIFTMI Awards
Rock and Rolla (Rock and Rolla)
Director Andrea Giro. product. primordial form
(Tag translation) Award
