The Al Jazeera Documentary Channel announced August 30 the 29 new projects that will be pitched during the upcoming Al Jazeera Documentary Industry Days. Taking place during the Al Jazeera Balkans Documentary Film Festival from September 14-16, 2024, in Sarajevo, AJD Industry Days seeks to connect decision-makers with compelling documentary projects.
“This edition will emphasize documentaries that tell human stories, address pressing social issues, and promote universal values, with a focus on the regions underrepresented in the documentary filmmaking industry. By fostering cultural exchange, the event encourages a deeper understanding of diverse perspectives,” write organisers.
Ahmed Mahfouz, Managing Director of Al Jazeera Documentary Channel, comments: “AJD Industry Days is a testament to Al Jazeera’s commitment to supporting documentary filmmaking. We believe in the power of documentaries to inspire change, and the event fosters international collaboration to showcase filmmakers’ work globally.”
Adel Ksiksi, head of Al Jazeera Documentary Channel Industry Days, adds: “We’ve received an overwhelming response, showcasing the talent and creativity within the global documentary community. This year’s program focuses on international collaboration and supporting emerging talent.”
He continues: “The third edition of AJD Industry Days will gather over 80 international decision-makers, 50 producers, and filmmakers. The event aims to facilitate networking, collaboration, and project discussions, potentially leading to funding opportunities”.
A “record-breaking” 270 documentary projects from around 50 countries were submitted to Industry Days. From this pool, 29 projects were selected to participate in the event. These chosen projects will be divided into four categories: Main Pitch (10 projects), Rough Cut (9 projects), Balkan Star (6 projects), and Special Selection (4 projects).
Competing projects will be judged based on their topic, relevance, originality, pitching quality, production skills, and international potential. A total prize fund of approximately €120,000 will be used to award the winning projects.
MAIN PITCH
- AMERICAN DREAM: THE RETURN OF CAPTAIN KABONGA, Amir El-Shenawy
- BIG IN GAZI BABA, Pauline Blanchet
- K67, Filip Filkovic Philatz
- POWER, ELAINE, Mila Turajlić
- THE AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHER’S FAMILY PORTRAIT, Nurlan Hasanli
- THE DRY PERIOD, Nihal Atasoy
- THE LAST BARON, Olga Lucovnicova & Annabel Verbeke
- THE OTHER GAZA, Wafa Jamil
- WOLF GAME, Patricia Echeverria Liras
- YOU ARE MINE, Fariz Ahmadov
ROUGH CUT
- 3PHRALA- 3BROTHERS, Katalin Bársony
- 32 METERS, Morteza Atabaki
- CLOSE TO PARADISE – ZAREMA AND HER REBEL FAMILY, Tatsiana Khamliuk
- DOM, Massimiliano Battistella
- DREAMS OF THE WILD OAKS, Marjan Khosravi
- EDUARD, Sophie Shevardnadze
- JODARI MENO, Jamal Al Khanji
- MAGMA, Mia Bendrimia
- SLAV(E)S, Robert Tomić Zuber
BALKAN STARS
- “FOR WHOM THE BELLS TOLL?”, Denis Karam, Zlatko Ivanisevic
- HOUSES ON SAND, Vid Begić
- PHANTOM LIMB, Catherine Norman Tahirović
- THIRD PERSON, Dragan Gmizić
- WEEPING HOUSES, Srđan Perkić
- ZANKI, Marcella Zanki
SPECIAL SELECTION
- FROM GROUND ZERO DOCS, Ahmad Hassouna, Reema Mahmoud, Mostafa El Nabieh and Khamis Masharawi
- INSIDE GAZA, Hélène Lam Trong
- “IS IT ALL ABOUT MONEY?”, Emir Nuhanović
- THE TRACK, Ryan Sidhoo
About AJB Doc Film Festival: Al Jazeera Balkans Documentary Film Festival (AJB DOC) is an internationally recognized event held annually by Al Jazeera Balkans, the regional TV broadcaster. In collaboration with Al Jazeera Media Network (AJMN) and Al Jazeera Media Institute from Doha, AJB DOC serves as a platform for showcasing the TV documentary format. The festival features competitive and non-competitive programs, along with the accompanying “AJB Screening” program.
About Al Jazeera Balkans: Founded in 2011, Al Jazeera Balkans is a regional news channel with headquarters in Sarajevo and broadcast centers in Belgrade, Skopje, and Zagreb. Delivering programming in local languages. Known for its impartial and objective coverage, Al Jazeera Balkans provides millions of viewers with a local perspective on regional and international issues, solidifying its reputation as a global player.
