Sunny Side '23

In Garry Keane’s intimate feature doc project, we meet four Deaf couples who tell their personal stories about how love blossomed, in the process weaving a rich tapestry of Deaf experience over a period of 70 years. “With your support we want to reach broad audiences who are fascinated to dive into this unknown world,” Irish producer Anne Heffernan told the Sunny Side audience.

This year, 42 projects from 23 countries will compete for the best pitch across seven thematic pitching sessions all supported by key industry partners. Project holders will present their works before a panel of key industry decision-makers consisting of leading broadcasters, funders, platforms and foundations. #SSD23 will be held 19-22 June, once again in La Rochelle, France.

Archive is in the frame at Sunny Side 2023 with two Industry sessions Wednesday June 21. The first session introduces three new sector organisations that have launched in France, Germany and Spain over the past 12 months, while the second session is set to address archives and innovation. Both are moderated by archive producer & copyright clearance specialist Elizabeth Klinck. “There's a real need for archive producers, people who understand the process artistically, financially and logistically,” she tells BDE.

At Sunny Side of the Doc 2023, BDE caught up with Catherine Le Clef, CEO and Head of Acquisitions and Sales of Paris-based sales agent CAT&Docs. The Paris-based sales doyenne emphasised how “rigour, respect, curiosity, diversity and innovation” underline the company’s editorial policy and commitment “to meet the demands of national and international markets.”

“The 2023 edition of the Global Pitch for Global Change is devoted to Climate Change: its consequences on our societies and the concrete solutions implemented around the world,” write organisers of the project pitch event running online 7-8 February and for which 12 projects have been selected (out of 100 submissions from 37 countries) to compete for a cash prize of €3,000.

The German project Fatma Said – Reviving a Forgotten Treasure (Ralf Pleger) picked up the Best Pitch Award Arts & Culture category June 21 at Sunny Side of the Doc. “This is a project we want to see on screens because it tells a story that bridges the gap between the past and present, classical and contemporary cultures, and the Arabic and Western worlds,” said the jury.

Over four days, the market attracted 2,000+ participants from 64 different countries, 1,000 companies, 90 exhibitors and 300 international decision-makers including major global broadcasters, streamers, foundations, sales agents, funders and museums. "Sunny Side of the Doc is asserting its unique status as the international market place for all forms of storytelling and documentary,” said Director of Strategy Mathieu Béjot.

The next edition of Sunny Side takes place June 19-22 in La Rochelle (France). “Viewers will hold center stage as Sunny Side of the Doc will address some of the industry's most burning issues through the lens of audiences,” write organisers. This year, pitches will be divided into two main categories: Specialist Factual and Focus of the Year. The deadline for submissions is midnight CET on April 6.

Eight Chilean doc companies have sailed in for Sunny Side 2023. These include Bioesférica Filmes whose Diary of an Infiltrator is presented in the June 22 History Pitch session. “For years, there has been considerable interest from Sunny Side of the Doc in fostering a more robust presence for Chile; abroad, there is a high value placed on our productions,” says Paula Ossandón, director of Chiledoc.

The French project Science's Forgotten People (Laurence Thiriat) and the Irish project This is a Quiet Love (Garry Keane) win in the Science and Global Issues categories respectively. Magali Serre’s Right-wing Extremism: The New Terrorist Threat was handed the Impact Social Club Award.