For the second year the 3-part Ex Oriente Series programme, dedicated to developing and supporting innovative docuseries projects from Central and Eastern Europe, kicks off at Sunny Side of the Doc. Six projects are selected. The programme continues in October 2024 at DOK Leipzig and in March 2025 at the East Doc Platform in Prague.
The lead tutor is Ruth Reid, who is joined by Chris Westendorp, Catherine Chevassu, Malin Hüber, and Samuel Joyce. “Each brings a unique set of skills and perspectives, enriching the program with diverse methodologies and industry knowledge. Their combined experience is expected to foster an environment of creativity and rigorous professional development for the participating projects,” write organisers.
The six projects selected for Ex Oriente Series 2024 are:
- Cradle To Grave (dir. Stanislav Donchev, prod. Teodora Doncheva, Bulgaria). A documentary series about those generations from whom the totalitarian system in Eastern Europe took away property, the connection with the land, the connection with God, the right to choose and freedom. The lives of these generations were unified by the communist ideology based on Marxist-Leninist postulates. One is urged everywhere to work, in the name and for the benefit of the USSR. Simultaneously funny and sad, we also discover the “spells” of socialist rituals.
- Forever Young (dir. Đuro Gavran, prod. Miljenka Čogelja – Pipser, Croatia). Documentary series about once famous Yugoslav athletes, today in their golden years. Over several decades in the former state, we eagerly followed different athletes before our TV screens, cheered for them, and in a way lived with them. Where are they today, how do they live, what do they do and, most importantly, what sport do they play now?
- Gone Guy (dir. Andrei Dascalescu, prod. Ligia Ciornei – Filmlab, Romania). A cinematic journey through a tapestry of landscapes, challenges, adventures and encounters. It’s an adrenaline-filled, inspirational and uplifting documentary, but it also delves into themes of solitude, overcoming traumas, and the discovery and understanding of one’s true self and the complex world we all live in.
- Frozen Ocean (dir. Viktória Dénes, prod. Julianna Ugrin – Éclipse Film, Hungary). A team of young filmmakers, sailors and a researcher embark on an expedition to the Arctic to gather the knowledge that might help them to deal with the coming consequences of climate change. The historic expedition sails from Bremerhaven to Franz Josef Land, stopping all along the coasts of Norway and Novaya Zemlya, talking to native and local people of small communities.
- Near Light (dir. Niccolò Salvato, prod. Mara Cracaleanu – Melancholia Pictures, Romania). A display of the disregarded reality of detainees from different European prisons. The characters portrayed are granted a special treatment plan, allowing them to work or study outside of prison at a specific time of the day. The reconnection with society brings out the ghosts of their past and fear of an uncertain future that they can now shape for the better.
- One Inch Eastward (dir. Irina Maldea, prod. Brendan Culleton – Akajava Films, Ireland). The peaceful ending of the Cold War was a huge achievement, entrancing the whole world and making Mikhail Gorbachev one of the most famous people ever. But his grand project for the demilitarisation of international relations was never realised. The series composed entirely of archives, brings us on an immersive journey back in time to the 1990s; we watch as the fate of humanity is yet again decided by a small group of politicians.
Sunny Side of the Doc accredited delegates also have the unique opportunity to participate in the Ex Oriente Series Open Program, hosted at the University of La Rochelle. This program offers a variety of workshops and masterclasses led by the Ex Oriente tutors.
Anna Kaslová, Ex Oriente Film & East Doc Forum Manager, comments: “We cannot wait to continue another year of our successful partnership with Sunny Side of the Doc, and embark on a creative journey with Ex Oriente Series 2024.”
“We are proud to work with six outstanding projects this year showcasing innovative and creative storytelling,” she continues. “From the exploration of generational impacts of totalitarian regimes in Cradle to Grave to the adrenaline-filled journey of self-discovery in Gone Guy, the poignant depiction of former Yugoslav athletes in Forever Young, the Arctic expedition to combat climate change in Frozen Ocean, the reconnection of detainees with society in Near Light and the immersive archival journey into Mikhail Gorbachev’s unfulfilled vision in One Inch Eastward, each docuseries offers a unique and compelling narrative that promises to captivate and inspire audiences.”
“Our support for documentary series projects began in 2020, responding to the high demand for series in the documentary industry,” Kaslová adds. “Since then, over 20 documentary series in various formats from Central and Eastern Europe have participated in our programs. Notable examples include Tito. The West’s Favourite Dictator by Bence Máté and Not in the Business of Making Friends by Monica Lăzurean-Gorgan, both of whom pitched at the East Doc Platform in Prague in 2024.”
