The leading documentary pitching event in the Baltic countries, Baltic Sea Docs, has finalized the project selection for its 28th edition, scheduled to take place in Riga on 1-6 September 2024. The selection includes 22 projects currently in development and production, as well as four projects in the post-production stage in the forum's “Coming Soon” session.
The 26 selected projects represent film studios from 17 countries, including Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Germany, Poland, Ukraine, and Georgia. A wide variety of topics are covered – the ongoing full-scale invasion in Ukraine, environmental issues, poetical odysseys exploring societal processes, strong characters, aspects of popular culture, and many others.
“The growing number of submissions shows the importance of Baltic Sea Docs for the filmmakers from the region and those working on projects thematically related and relevant to the territory within the scope of Baltic Sea Docs. We are very happy to feature projects from so many different countries in this year's selection. In addition to the new projects pitching in the main section, the Coming Soon session, for the second time, will showcase projects in the post-production stage returning to the forum, thus also gathering more festival representatives among our industry guests,” comments Zane Balčus, manager of the Baltic Sea Docs.
Prior to the pitch, the new project teams will participate in a workshop led by international industry experts – the experienced documentary film consultant Tue Steen Müller and documentary developer Mikael Opstrup (Denmark). The tutor team will also include the marketing and audience strategist Paul Rieth (Germany), film director Giedrė Beinoriūtė (Lithuania), film director Kumjana Novakova (North Macedonia), and film editor Phil Jandaly (Sweden).
Some special events at BSD will be organized by CE MEDIA Desk. Paul Rieth will conduct a workshop, 'Tools for Documentary Audience Reach: AI and Beyond,' to inspire documentary professionals on ways to better connect with audiences. Additionally, Basil Tsiokos, a senior non-fiction programmer at the Sundance Film Institute, will share tips on how to maximize documentary chances at the Sundance Film Festival in an engaging audience conversation.
In parallel to the industry activities, a programme of recent international documentaries will be screened in Riga and several regional towns. The film programme will run from 3-8 September.
Baltic Sea Docs is organized by the National Film Centre of Latvia and supported by the Creative Europe MEDIA programme and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia. More information about the selected film projects and the event can be found on the Baltic Sea Docs website: www.balticseadocs.lv/industry/
A complete list of the selected projects:
80 Angry Journalists | Hungary / Germany
dir. András Földes, Anna Kis | prod. Lorand Balazs Imre | filmDOUGH Productions UG
Acting Classes (wt) | Kazakhstan
dir. Sasha Shegai | prod. Sasha Shegai, Yevgeniya Moreva | CatNip
Baltic | Poland
dir. Iga Lis | prod. Stanislaw Zaborowski, Justyna Gawelko | Silver Frame
Between Borders | Estonia
dir. Erik Tikan | prod. Elina Litvinova, Maris Salumets | Three Brothers OÜ
Chasing Gold in the Dark | Lithuania
dir. Andrius Lekavičius | prod. Gabrielė Vaičiūnaitė | Cinema Cartel
Double Self Portrait | Lithuania
dir. Aistė Stonytė | prod. Giedrė Žickytė, Migla Butkutė | Moonmakers
Edge Of The Night | Estonia
dir. Vladimir Loginov | prod. Janika Möls | Anthill Films OÜ
El Dorado | Georgia
dir. Rati Oneli | prod. Rati Oneli, David Vashadze, Evgeniia Marchenko | Office of Architecture
Emptiness | Latvia / Romania
dir. Viesturs Kairišs | prod. Elīna Gediņa-Ducena, Gints Grūbe | Mistrus Media, Dash Film
Entr’actes | Ukraine
dir. Yuriy Shylov | prod. Olha Tuharinova | LLC "Alarm Productions"
Faithful unto Death | Latvia
dir. Ivars Zviedris | prod. Ivars Zviedris | BIEDRĪBA "DOKUMENTĀLISTS"
Leave Easy Come Back Safe | Germany
dir. Sasha Kulak, Masha Maroz | prod. Julia Shaginurova | Einbahnstraße Productions, SESTRA Film
Making Friends with the Idea of a Father | Bulgaria
dir. Nikolay Stefanov | prod. Ralitsa Golemanova | Smarty Pants Shooter Ltd.
No Death | Ukraine / Latvia
dir. Yevhen Titarenko | prod. Guntis Trekteris, Natalia Khazan | Braha Production Company, Ego Media
Odyssey MD | Moldova / Lithuania
dir. Pavel Braila | prod. Pavel Braila, Lilia Braila, Aušra Lukošiūnienė | ARTWATT, VEGELE FILMS
Sacred Songs | Georgia
dir. Nona Giunashvili | prod. Mariam Bitsadze | 17/07 Productions
Serozhik | Armenia
dir. Lusine Papoyan | prod. Aram Petrosyan | Formlab
Ship of Dreams | Sweden
dir. Johan von Sydow | prod. Katja Uneborg | Picky Pictures
Silent Hill | Estonia
dir. Kullar Viimne | prod. Erik Norkroos | Rühm Pluss Null - Missing Pictures
Sky Nomads | Azerbaijan
dir. Aytaj Khalig Suleymanova | prod. Elmaddin Suleymanov | image x
The Red Barn | Latvia
dir. Pēteris Krilovs | prod. Uldis Cekulis | VFS FILMS
The Story of the Wild Rose | Estonia
dir. Kristen Aigro, Miguel Llansó | prod. Liis Nimik | Klara Films
The projects at the BSD “Coming Soon” section:
Becoming Roosi | Estonia
dir. Margit Lillak | prod. Margit Lillak, Dirk Manthey | Tiny Desk Productions OÜ, Dirkmantheyfilms
Dedovshina | Tajikistan / Uzbekistan
dir., prod. Elyor Nematov, (received Baltic Sea Docs prize in 2021?) 1844 productions
Nord Express | Latvia / Estonia / Poland / Germany
dir. Kārlis Lesiņš | prod. Elīna Gediņa-Ducena, Gints Grūbe | Mistrus Media, Allfilm, Staron Film, Gebrueder Beetz
Scarecrows | Latvia / Lithuania
dir. Laila Pakalniņa, prod. Uldis Cekulis, Giedrė Žickytė | VFS FILMS, Moonmakers
Press Contact:
Ieva Lange
Baltic Sea Docs media coordinator
ieva.lange@nkc.gov.lv
+371 22189061
Facebook, Instagram, X: @BalticSeaDocs