Variety Unveils 10 Europeans to Watch for 2020

By Variety Staff

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Variety has unveiled its sixth edition of 10 Europeans to Watch, spotlighting 10 rising talents from across the continent who are poised for breakthroughs in 2020. The selection includes emerging actors, directors, writers and producers. The group will be feted at the upcoming Berlin Film Festival. They are:

U.K. actor Sam Adewunmi, star of Sundance film “The Last Tree” who was nominated at the British Independent Film Awards and won the most promising newcomer prize from the org. He’s filming the BBC adaptation of Terry Pratchett’s “The Watch” in South Africa. 

Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly produced William Oldroyd’s “Lady Macbeth,” Florence Pugh’s powerful film debut. She’s got  Francis Lee’s “Ammonite,” with Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan, on her docket.

German writer-director
Nora Fingscheidt’s 
“System Crasher” debuted at the Berlin Film Festival last year and repped Germany in the international film race. She is now helming
Sandra Bullock and Viola Davis in Netflix’s feature-length adaptation of Sally Wainwright’s 2009 drama series “Unforgiven.” 

German filmmaker
Leonie Krippendorff will make her feature directing and writing debut in the Berlin festival’s Generation section with
“Cocoon,” which world premieres in Berlin Generation. Coming-of-age story is toplined by Jella Haase, one of the stars of hit comedy “Fack Ju Göhte.” Sales agent M-Appeal has picked up the film.

Filmmaker Visar Morina won a flurry of prizes for his feature debut, “Babi.” He’s back with “Exil,” which will debut at Sundance and play in the Berlinale’s 
Panorama section.

Writer-director Sudabeh Mortezai won a slew of prizes and acclaim for “Joy,” which Austria submitted for the international film Oscar race. Unfortunately, the Academy disqualified it because the film did not meet the category’s language requirements. Nevertheless, the powerful film about African immigrants in Vienna has reached people all over the world. 

Multihyphenate Rapman (the alias of Andrew Onwubolu) is behind the YouTube sensation ”Shiro’s Story” and acclaimed film “Blue Story.” He has caught the eye of a lot of Hollywood insiders. 

Italian director Carlo Sironi won a prize in Venice for his debut feature, “Sole,” as the film became a festival circuit favorite.

Actor A
bigél Szõke turned heads with her powerful performance in the Oscar shortlisted Hungarian film “Those Who Remained.”

Estonian filmmaker Tanel Toom directed and wrote the Oscar shortlisted film “Truth and Justice.”