Tor Vadseth, CEO of the Norwegian Nordnorsk Filmsenter, explains to BDE the appeal of the North Pitch – Below Zero project workshop, whose target audience is filmmakers, producers and decision makers whose common interest is documentaries thematically rooted in the Northern Polar region, and which is eyeing up its 13th (and live) edition.
“The Arctic is hot for the time being, unfortunately in two meanings of the word.” stresses Tor Vadseth, CEO of Nordnorsk Filmsenter, who is taking applications for the next North Pitch – Below Zero online workshop, which is scheduled to run in-person 19-22 January 2022.
“Climate change is a serious topic, which many documentary filmmakers are aware of, and the results in the Arctic are visible, and are good examples of the changes. But there are many other political and environmental topics in the limelight, like aspects around the lives of indigenous peoples of the north.”
The 2021 edition of North Pitch – Below Zero took place as an online event, where the projects were sent to a selection of decision makers after the workshop. “We had a good online event last year, but we know that on site is a totally different experience for all involved parties,” says Vadseth. “We can`t express how much we are looking forward to North Pitch 2022, and seeing all the decision makers and participants again.”
The North Pitch – Below Zero event was initiated in 2009 to bring together filmmakers, producers, decision makers and organizations whose common interest is ‘documentaries thematically rooted in the Northern Polar region.’
Vadseth underlines the application deadline of November 29 for the event.
The January 2022 2-part event will consist of a pre-pitching workshop where the selected projects will be developed under guidance from experienced international experts from the documentary business. The workshop will focus on how the project can be developed in the best possible direction and how the presentation of the project can be optimized. This is followed by a project presentation where each project will be presented to a selection of decision makers.
“I think our foremost advantage, as a forum, is that we are small, and have what previous participants and decision makers describe as ‘a very friendly atmosphere.’ We only admit 12 projects, and normally have 14-16 decision makers, so the participants normally get a good relationship and access to the decision makers,” says Vadseth.
He further flags up two pitch awards as reason for attendance, as well as the light, the Northern lights and the nature in general. The pitch workship is also presented within the framework of Tromso International Film Festival, the largest audience festival in Norway.
Vadseth estimates a completion rate average of nine films per workshop, for which 12 projects are selected each year. “The Fight for Greenland had a flying start at North Pitch- Below Zero in 2017, and was chosen as the opening film at CPH:DOX 2020…The financing [of projects] is a long and winding road, and we see that the time from pitching here to a fully financed film can take from 2 to 5 years.”
“We look for projects from all over the world, and with content regarding any aspect, and any area of the Arctic or Antarctic. We have had projects on topics in Greenland, Iceland, Russia, Canada, and US in addition to the Scandinavian Countries,” Vadseth ends.
