Alumni Highlights @ Berlinale
Celebrating the remarkable accomplishments of our alumni at this year’s Berlinale.
We are pleased to share that three films from our ISI alumni had their premiere at the Berlinale this year.
Georg Tiller – The Valley Where LOAB Lives
ISI Market Ready: Documentary 2024 alumnus Georg Tiller (Subobscura Films, Austria) premiered his film The Valley Where LOAB Lives in Forum Special at the Berlinale.
Through six iconic horror eras, from Nosferatu to Get Out, LOAB — a female figure born from code — guides the audience: a prompted being, cursed by design. Those who know her become part of the algorithm; those who resist are punished.
The Valley Where LOAB Lives is an AI-driven meta-genre essay that reflects on power, authorship, and the myths embedded in technology.
Espen Nomedal – Árru
Espen Nomedal, ISI Market Ready 2025 alumnus, is CEO of STÆR Films, an independent production company based in Tromsø, Norway.
Produced by STÆR Films and directed by Elle Sofe Sara, Árru is the first-ever Sámi Yoik drama and has been selected for the Panorama programme at the 76th Berlinale, where it celebrated its world premiere.
Set in the landscapes of Sápmi, the film follows reindeer herder Maia as she struggles to protect her ancestral land from a mining project. As tensions rise, the return of her uncle Lemme reopens unresolved family conflicts, forcing Maia to confront the cost of resistance and silence alike.
Flavia Biurrun – Iván & Hadoum
Flavia Biurrun, ISI Market Ready 2025 alumna, is co-producer of Iván & Hadoum, which had its world premiere in the Panorama section of the 76th Berlinale.
Set in the vast greenhouse landscapes of southern Spain, the film tells the story of Iván, who falls in love with his new colleague Hadoum. When a long-awaited promotion disrupts the fragile balance of their relationship, Iván is confronted with questions of power, intimacy, and personal responsibility.
A heartfelt congratulations on being honored with this year’s TEDDY Award for Best Feature Film.
Die Blutgräfin (The Blood Countess) – Berlinale Premiere
Die Blutgräfin is a international co-production directed by Ulrike Ottinger and co-written with Nobel Prize–winning author Elfriede Jelinek, inspired by the legend of Erzsébet Báthory. The film approaches the myth of the “Blood Countess” through a surreal, genre-defying lens and had its world premiere in the section Berlinale Special Gala.
In 2025, the project was presented as a case study within ProPro – The Producers Programme for Women, with co-producers Bady Minck and Alexander Dumreicher-Ivanceanu (AMOUR FOU, Austria & Luxembourg) as well as co-producer and ProPro expert Bettina Brokemper (Heimatfilm, Germany) participating in the session.
Congratulations everyone on these important milestones!