Freud & Ecstasy Wins HAVC & MIDPOINT Development Award

The Freud & Ecstasy team is thrilled to share that our noir drama Manclave, currently in development, has received the HAVC & MIDPOINT Development Award at When East Meets West, one of Europe’s leading co-production markets connecting filmmakers from Central and Eastern Europe with international partners.

Held in Trieste from January 18–20, 2026, the 16th edition of When East Meets West brought together three days of pitching sessions, works-in-progress, labs, and industry meetings.

The award, a €3,000 cash prize sponsored by Hrvatski audiovizualni centar (HAVC) and the MIDPOINT Institute, supports outstanding projects in development and recognizes bold, distinctive cinematic voices.

Presented during the co-production market, Manclave was praised by the jury as a project that “dives into the contemporary topic of hypermasculinity,” questioning the dangers of the digital manosphere while effectively “blending genres from drama to thriller.”

The project is directed by Pablo Pagán and written and produced by Frederik Ehrhardt.

We are deeply grateful to MIDPOINT, When East Meets West, HAVC, and the jury for their trust and continued support.

Spending the week in Triestel, sharing ideas, building connections, and shaping the next steps of the film, was both inspiring and energizing. We leave humbled, thankful, and excited for what lies ahead.

(Images courtesy of the MIDPOINT Institute)