The Baltic Sea Forum for Documentaries (Baltic Sea Docs), has announced a call for projects for its 28th edition. The Forum, which describes itself as “the most important documentary co-financing pitching event in the Baltic countries,” will take place 1-8 September 2024 (industry dates 1-6 September) in Riga, Latvia. The call for projects across all sections is now open and will close May 10.
Baltic Sea Docs balticseadocs.lv is inviting applications from independent production companies from the wider Baltic Sea region countries, Eastern Europe and Caucasus region – and from other countries if the documentary subject relates to the region. The focus of the Baltic Sea Docs is on full-length creative documentary projects, but cross-media applications are also welcome, organisers advise. The international selection committee will select 18 projects to be pitched to the international broadcasters, sales agents, film funds and other industry representatives in attendance.
Due to ongoing Russia’s full-scale invasion in Ukraine, production companies from Russia and projects focusing on Russia are excluded.
Since 2023, the Baltic Sea Docs Industry section also includes a pitching session for projects at post-production stage which have been previously pitched at the Forum. For this ‘Coming Soon’ session, up to 4 projects will be selected and presented to the decision makers and festival representatives.
Participation at Baltic Sea Docs is free of charge. The selection results will be announced by 7 June. Guidelines and application form is accessible on the Baltic Sea Docs website.
Among the completed films presented as projects in the previous editions of the Forum are such films as Podnieks on Podnieks. A Witness of History (directed by Antra Cilinska, Anna Viduleja, 2024, Latvia), Girls Stories (directed by Aga Borzym, 2023, Poland), Fragile Memory (directed by Ihor Ivanko, Ukraine, Slovakia), Outside (directed Olha Zhurba, 2022, Ukraine, Denmark, Netherlands), and many others.
Parallel to all Industry activities, Baltic Sea Docs will a film program of recent documentaries.
Baltic Sea Docs is organised by the National Film Centre of Latvia, with financial support from the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia, and Creative Europe Media programme “Markets & Networking.”
