Partners We Love: #1 Umedia x Wide Eye Films

We are proud to introduce our brand-new interview format “Partners We Love”, dedicated to highlighting the partnerships that shape our projects. This series will give us the opportunity to shed light on valuable collaborations, in connection with key events or co-productions.

For our first issue, we spoke with Wide Eye Films about our collaboration on “Once Upon a Time in a Cinema”, which opened the 2026 Dublin International Film Festival.

Nathalie: My producing partner, Judy Tossell, had already collaborated successfully with Umedia on previous projects and introduced us.

Cloé: Indeed, it all began at the back of a taxi we shared with Judy Tossell in Cannes, where she first told us about the project. We had previously collaborated on several films together, and she was working as executive producer on this one. She then introduced us to Nathalie from Wide Eye Films, and we clicked right away.

Nathalie: I found Umedia and its team to be exceptionally patient, accommodating and professional. I especially valued the communication and help they provided at every stage of the process.

Cloé: The collaboration has been incredibly smooth: working with Nathalie and Judy felt natural and effortless from the start. As independent film producers, building co-productions can be quite challenging these days. And yet we succeeded in making the whole process feel organic, alongside a talented director who was genuinely eager to collaborate with key Belgian talent.

Nathalie: Through our partnership with Umedia, we had the opportunity to work with “Aquarium Belgium” on the sound design, which was a fantastic experience. The film was quite complex from a sound perspective, and their creative input made a tangible difference. It was, without question, the best experience we’ve had in sound post-production.

We also collaborated with Belgian cinematographer Hyun de Grande, who brought a beautiful visual approach to the film. His work with director David Gleeson was a strong and very natural collaboration. Strategically, involving international collaborators adds more than just expertise: it broadens the creative vision of the whole team and pushes the project beyond its usual boundaries.

Cloé: Definitely! From a creative standpoint, Belgian talent was involved from start to finish. Our Director of Photography helped shape the visual language of the shoot, followed by the picture editor, the VFX team (UFX Studios, editor’s note), and finally the sound mixer: each contributing to the film’s identity at every stage.

Nathalie: Opening the Dublin International Film Festival is a significant milestone for the film and a wonderful way to introduce it to the world. I’m particularly excited to share it first with festival audiences, especially as it is a story that celebrates cinema itself. It feels like the perfect place to begin this new chapter.

Cloé: As the film is a true love letter to cinema and its extraordinary ability to bring audiences together, it also highlights the vital role of local cinema owners: a profession driven by passion and resilience.

What could be more meaningful than opening the Dublin International Film Festival with a film that is profoundly Irish at heart? We, at Umedia, are immensely proud.

Nathalie: Smooth sailing

Cloé: Seamless

A drama feature directed by David Gleeson, produced by Wide Eye Films, and coproduced by Umedia Production. Visual effects were created by UFX Studios.

The film opened the 2026 Dublin International Film Festival and is scheduled to be released in cinemas as of May 2026.