Sunny Side of the Doc announced Feb 7 the project Replica as winner of the Global Pitch Award for Global Change. The pitch event took place online 6-7 February. Replica is directed by Chouwa Liang and produced by Axel Rise Films (Australia) and The Why Foundation (Denmark). The fourth edition of the event, sponsored by AJB DOC and Al Jazeera Documentary Channel, focused on doc projects dealing with issues linked to the sustainable development objectives as defined by the United Nations.
The 12 projects of the Official Selection from the 135 submitted during the call for projects were presented to a panel of high-level decision-makers.
The prize jury consisted of Patricia Finneran (The StoryBoard Collective, Switzerland), Mohamed Saïd Ouma (Documentary Africa Fund, Kenya) and Jane Mote (The Whickers, UK).
Best Global Pitch Award: Replica by Chouwa Liang. Produced by: Axel Rise Films (Australia), The Why Foundation (Denmark). Logline: “With the widespread use of AI chatbots, young urban women in China are trying out a ‘never-ending’ love affair with machines.” The Global Pitch Award is endowed with €3,000 by the sponsors plus 2 full passes are given for Sunny Side of the Doc 2024.
Jury citation word: “Our award goes to an important story of post-modernity, unconditional love, and addiction. It is ironic, at times tragic, but very sensitive with well-cast protagonists. The Director is highly articulate, has a good sense of where she wants to take you and asks the right questions. It’s a story that is relevant to this day and age and one that we think is important for the world to see. It happens to be set in China but has universal themes that should concern us all.”
Added Mathieu Béjot, Director of Strategy and Development at Sunny Side of the Doc: “In a brilliant, oblique way, through the personal experience of the director and the subtle portrayal of the relationship of three Chinese women with their AI lovers, Replica uses a universal theme – love and companionship – to raise pressing questions on the sustainability of a future where AI and technology invade our private lives. Gender roles, data sharing and privacy challenge human values and social relationships and underpin this original, sensitive story.”
A Special Mention was given to Camels of the Sea, directed by Vikram Singh and produced by Elefant Films (India). Jury citation: “The director of this project is hugely engaging and convincing with a beautifully filmed teaser and multi-layered story to tell. The jury was especially taken by the director’s eye when filming both sides of this urgent story – we could really sense the challenges that lie ahead with climate change and over-development of sensitive lands.”
