DocedgeKolkata, Asian Forum for Documentary has re-emphasised the February 6 deadline for its 3-phase Spring 2022 edition. An incubation, pitching and networking platform for Indian and Asian filmmakers to develop best practices of storytelling skill, organisers describe the forum as “one the most vibrant documentary platforms in Asia creating co-production opportunities and creative collaborations for independent filmmakers who speak distinctly with their own voices.”
The event is designed to support innovative documentary projects “to unleash creative and co-production possibilities. The forum identifies new talents and experienced filmmakers to support original ideas realized through cross-border collaborations,” say organisers.
Recent DocedgeKolkata projects All That Breathes and Midwives enjoyed great success at Sundance 2022 winning the Grand Jury Prize and Special Jury Award for Excellence In Verité Filmmaking respectively,
What’s more, the highly acclaimed Writing With Fire by Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh is shortlisted for the 2022 Doc Feature Academy Award.
Diem Ha Le’s Children of the Mist, which won the Best Directing Award at IDFA.
Additionally, the new RoundGlass Sustain Award will be given for an innovative Indian project that will creatively explore the climate crisis, conservation concerns, and examine how communities connect with the natural world. “We are looking for stories that examine how relationships with the natural world are changing and how those evolving relationships impact the way communities negotiate the current ecological change,” say organisers.
Recent projects developed at DocedgeKolkata include the highly acclaimed Writing With Fire by Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh, shortlisted for the 2022 Doc Feature Academy Award.
Other projects include the Sundance 2022 selections All That Breathes (Grand Jury Prize) and Midwives (Special Jury Award for Excellence In Verité Filmmaking), and Diem Ha Le’s Children of the Mist, which won the Best Directing Award at IDFA.
Phase I: Project Development Workshop/Mentoring, March 4-17
Pre-pitch Mentoring will include Narrative Labs and Visual Labs and One-on-One sessions with the tutors.
Phase II: Pitch Submission, April 4
Post mentoring the participants will need to record and submit a 7-min Pitch Presentation including a visual clip/trailer links which will be shared with the decision-makers for viewing.
Phase III: Pitch Presentation and Post-Pitch Industry Meet, May 13-25
Pitch Season: May 13-14. The recorded offline pitch will be followed by live feedback and question and answer sessions with the panel. DocedgeKolkata will schedule virtual post-pitch meetings with the decision-makers based on their availability and interests in the respective projects. The DRI team will circulate the itinerary of meetings to participants and Decision-makers. The meetings (15 minutes each) will be held over a period of three to four days.
The DocedgeKolkata Award and Concluding Ceremony is scheduled for May 25.
Deadlines:
Submissions close: 6 February 2022
Selection Announcement: 21 February 2022
Participants & Observers Registration For Workshop: 22-28 February 2022
The event is organised by the Kolkata-based not-for-profit organization Documentary Resource Initiative (DRI). DRI is engaged in documentary campaign through training, skill development workshops, pitching forum, fellowship and creation of innovative documentary films. The institute is devoted to promote independent artistic and socially engaging documentary through intensive professional mentoring, screening of path breaking films and exchange of critical dialogues among the community through cross cultural creative collaboration. DRI also widens the audience base by facilitating continuous dialogue between the audience and documentary filmmakers.
