CANNES: Jakubisko Films (http://www.jakubiskofilm.com/) is considering further self-releasing in other territories after their successful distribution of Bathory in Hungary topped 35 000 admissions during Cannes. Self releasing has become a buzz word among independent filmmakers in the USA but Prague based Jakubisko Films is one of the first producers in central Europe to go it alone in a foreign market without a distributor.

CANNES: Budapest based Hungaricom (http://www.hungaricom.com/) has acquired world rights for the Kecskemetfilm (http://www.kecskemetfilm.hu/) animation catalogue with over 300 short films and 10 animated features. Hungarian animation studio Kecskemetfilm, founded in 1977, is one of the world's best know producers of children's animation. Hungaricom is offering the catalogue in the Cannes film market this year.

CANNES: New concept sales outfit Yellow Affair has picket Estonian feature Red Mercury for world sales. The crime thriller set in 1990's Estonia is directed by Andres Puustusmaa and produced by Taska Film (www.taska.ee). Czech, Slovak, German Coproduction 3 Seasons in Hell directed by Tomas Masin and produced by Dawson Productions (http://www.dawsonproduction.com/) which is screening in the main competition at Karlovy Vary IFF (http://www.kviff.com/) this year is another pre-Cannes acquisition.

CANNES: Films Boutique has acquired Radu Muntean's Tuesday After Christmas for world sales. The film which is screening in Un Certain Regard was acquired just before Cannes and Films Boutique (http://www.filmsboutique.com/) helmer Jean-Christophe Simon is convinced there is a sales strong potential for Romanian films which have done well at international festivals over the past five years.

CANNES: M-Appeal (http://www.m-appeal.com) has picked up world sales rights for Bulgarian title Tilt directed by Viktor Chouchkov Jr and Hello! How Are You? directed by Romanian director Alexandru Maftei for world sales just before Cannes. Tilt is a Bulgarian (Chuchkov Brothers Ltd) German (Ostlicht Filmproduktion) coproduction set in the turbulent years of the Bulgarian transition from communism to a pro-Western democracy. Chouchkov sets a troubled ove story against this background of change and upheaval.

CANNES: Hungarian film has a major presence at Cannes IFF this year with Kornel Mundruczo's Tender Son - The Frankenstein Project in Competition and Agnes Kocsis's Adrienn Pal in Certain Regard. Balint Szimler's Here I Am can also be seen in the Cinefoundation programme.

ISTANBUL: Bridges Europe - Turkey is a new initiative of European Film Promotion (EFP) and Istanbul International Film Festival that was launched this year to bring introduce 10 new European and 12 new Turkish up-and-coming directors to the Istanbul public as well as industry professionals.

ISTANBUL: Turkish films have had a string of successes at international festival recently and the 14 new feature film projects in development presented at this year's edition of the Meetings on the Bridge in Istanbul attracted an unusually high level of international interest.

ISTANBUL: Celebrated Turkish photo artist Selim Gunes is in production on his first feature film Snow White produced by Istanbul based Augostos Film (www.agustos.com). The film was one of nine feature film projects selected to be funded by the Turkish Ministry of Culture this year.

PRAGUE: Marek Najbrt's Protektor was the clear favourite at this year's Czech Lions (6 March) picking up the prize for both best film and best director well as prizes for best script, best editing, best music and best actress. The Czech Lions are the Czech equivalent of the Oscars.