The 2014 jury of industry professionals includes Norwegian actor and former European Shooting Star Anders Baasmo Christiansen, film magazine editor Charles Gant from the United Kingdom, German film director Hermine Huntgeburth, Croatian casting director Oriana Kunčić and film producer Jani Thiltges from Luxembourg.

Selected from a short list of 24 nominating European member countries, the hugely talented stars will be presented to the world΄s media and influential film industry experts alike, from February 8th -10th, at the Berlin International Film Festival 2014.

Two of this year’s Shooting Stars come from the Balkans!  Cosmina Stratan from Romania, for her role in the film Beyond The Hills by Cristian Mungiu, and Nikola Rakocevic from Serbia, for his parts in the movies Circles by Srdan Golubović, Trolling by Kosta Djordjevic and Travelator by Dusan Milic.

Other Shooting Stars announced are Danica Curcic (Denmark), Maria Dragus (Germany), Miriam Karlkvist (Italy), Marwan Kenzari (Netherlands), Jakob Oftebro (Norway), Mateusz Kościukiewicz (Poland), Edda Magnason (Sweden) and George MacKay (UK).

European Shooting Stars is part of EFP΄s annual programme that is financially supported by the MEDIA Programme of the European Union and the participating EFP member organisations. Furthermore, each year the project is supported by generous promotional partners, allowing for a wide selection of industry-focused activities for the lucky stars to participate at the Berlinale. 

Following in the footsteps of former European Shooting Stars including Arta Dobroshi (Kossovo*), Ada Condeescu (Romania), Jure Henigman (Slovenia) and Nermina Lucac (Montenegro), the annual Berlinale debut of the ten performers has become a high point of the festival calendar. All young stars are introduced to influential casting directors, agents, directors, producers and international media across a weekend of scheduled profile-raising events, which culminate in a ceremony at the Berlinale Palast, where each young actor receives the prestigious Shooting Stars Award.

Altcine.com followed last year’s Shooting Stars and presented their work by interviewing them. You can read the interviews by checking the related links on this article.