Co-producing outside Europe. Case studies with Elisa Pirir and May Meng
Join us in the next hangout with May Meng and Elisa Pirir ( Stær Film) and get to know their experiences working with the Chinese market and coproducing with South America and Africa.
WHAT ARE EWA NETWORK ONLINE HANG-OUTS?
Through an online space where EWA members from all around can connect and know each other, we organise once a month a meeting where an expert introduces a topic followed by Q&A and members can interact. Each meeting will last 75 minutes aprox and it's open to 20-25 EWA members, who can introduce themselves and participate in the following Q&A.
An invitation to join the talk will be sent to EWA members (first come, first served basis).
May Meng is a Producer & Filmmaker/Buyer based in Paris, with extensive experience working across the USA, China, and Europe. Her most recent project is a Chinese commercial comedy-drama film, a collaboration between Gaumont and Maoyan Entertainment, China’s largest distribution company. The film is currently in production in Chongqing, China. Another ongoing project involves a partnership with MFE Media Italy (Media for Europe Italia, formerly Medusa Films, etc), China Film Group Corporation, and Qianlu Pictures. In addition to her production work, May actively helps Chinese films reach international markets and festivals, including Cannes, Venice, and others. She also acquires indie or high-quality films/TV series for SVOD or theatrical distribution when they demonstrate market potential in China and meet censorship requirements.
Currently, May is optioning an Austrian fiction novel for screen adaptation and has two additional feature films in development between Paris and New York City. Her company acts as a bridge between different markets, facilitating co-productions, co-distribution, and other collaborations. While primarily focused on projects in English and French, she also works with other languages.
May is passionate about helping Chinese films gain international visibility and bringing European, American, and African films into the broader Asian market. Every project takes time, but she remains committed to staying true to the filmmaking journey, finding the best ways to tell impactful stories, and ensuring those stories can travel the world
Elisa Fernanda Pirir is a film producer from Guatemala, based in Norway. She graduated from The National Film School in Norway with the student Oscar nominated “Generation Mars”. She has been working with several acclaimed international directors such as Thomas Arslan, Ciro Guerra, Cristina Gallego, Nabil Ayouch, Ann Marie Jacir, Sofía Quirós, Vytautas Katkus, César Díaz, Laura Mora and some of Norway's most acclaimed directors.
She has, among others, worked as associate producer for Ciro Guerras' “Birds of Passage” official premiere at Director’s Fortnight in Cannes 2018, associate producer for “Disco” directed by Jorunn Myklebust Syversen (Toronto and San Sebastian 2019), “Flee” by Jonas Pohe Rasmussen (official selection at Cannes 2020), associate producer and line producer for "Gritt" by Itonje Søimer Guttomsern (Rotterdam official competition and nominee for a Dragon Award 2021), and co-producing Laura Mora’s “Kings of the world” (winner Golden Shell, San Sebastian 2022) Nabil Ayouch’s «Everybody Loves Touda» Cannes Premiere 2024 and Inadelso Cossa’s «The Nights Still Smell of Gunpowder» (Berlinale, CPH:DOX, IDFA 2024), as well as produced Emilija’s Skarnulyte documentary feature “Burial” Hotdocs, Visions du Reel, Viennale.
She is working as a commissioner advisor at the Council of Art for documentaries and short films and has served as advisor and jury member for several international film festivals among them San Sebastian Film Festival, New Directors jury member 2023, Tallin Black Nights 2024.
In 2023, Elisa started her own company STÆR in the arctic city of Tromsø in Northern Norway. STÆR aims to develop, produce, and co-produce independent feature films and documentaries of the highest artistic quality and relevance.
Elisa is a Berlinale Talents, Guadalajara Talents, and EWA alumni. In 2023, she was selected as the Norwegian producer on the move in Cannes.
