Leading pitch forum Sunny Side of the Doc revealed May 18 the official selection for its 32nd edition, plus the XR experiences shortlisted for the 5th edition of PiXii Festival. “It’s sending out a strong message by shining the spotlight on diversity, independent voices and creativity at the international marketplace for documentary and narrative experiences!” say event organisers.
Sunny Side of the Doc takes place June 21-24.
This year, 42 projects from 18 different countries “that stand out due to their originality, international potential and continuous search for new ways of storytelling” will be presented during six themed sessions and tailored one-to-one meetings: RTBF for the Global Issues Pitch, PBS International for the History Pitch, Science & Vie TV for the Science Pitch, West Lake International Documentary Festival for the Arts & Culture Pitch, The Redford Center and Love Nature for the Wildlife & Conservation Pitch and Ubisoft for the Immersive Experiences Pitch.
“Following in the footsteps of our central theme #StorytellingMatters, the projects selected highlight stories which affect our planet, shake our convictions and incite change for the future,” say Sunny Side of the Doc organisers.
72% of the projects selected are created or produced by women.
“Not only do the works submitted offer wide range of diversity in terms of geographical origin, subjects tackled and the voices that shares them, but this 2021 vintage also brings the opportunity to discover bold and untold stories from different perspectives that we’re not used to seeing,” comments Mathieu Béjot, Director of Strategy and Development at Sunny Side of the Doc.
In 2021 Netflix and Sunny Side of the Doc are collaborating on the presentation of the New Voices Award, a newly-created prize for up-and-coming voices “fighting their way to the top of the industry and bringing new perspectives through the lens of storytelling.”
Comments Lorraine Sullivan, Manager Creative Talent Investment and Development EMEA at Netflix: “Diversity and inclusion unlock our ability to innovate and to be creative. This is a cultural value at Netflix, and we know that inclusion behind the camera exponentially increases inclusion in front of the camera. That’s why we are committed to supporting new talent and allowing people to discover the world through a different perspective.”
The 5th edition of the international festival of Digital Cultures, PiXii Festival continues its “strategy to drive networking, co-creation and collaboration between professionals from the creative and cultural industries around XR,” and promises an eclectic selection of seven XR films (360, 3 DoF and 6 DoF) as well as a podcast/vodcast series will be available from 7th to 30th June via a dedicated video library.
For the first time, in cooperation with leading cultural sites in La Rochelle, the event also expands its offer to the general public, who can discover nine immersive experiences from the official selection (Belgium, France, Germany, Denmark) at the Natural History Museum, Musée du Nouveau Monde, Tour de la Chaîne (CMN), the Aquarium and the city’s SNCF train station.
Ubisoft will present Georges Méliès: virtual fantasies out of competition, a VR experience designed especially for the Musée Méliès, the new movie museum of Cinémathèque Française.
“Immersive technology is a fantastic way to help more people better understand crucial themes like the climate emergency, women’s rights, migration and social change,” comments Stéphane Malagnac, PiXii Development Executive. “This collaboration between PiXii and local cultural operators provides a great opportunity for museums, such as the Natural History Museum and the Centre des Monuments Nationaux, to become the backdrop for XR and foster collaboration between producers and distributors of immersive experiences.”
The Sunny Side of the Doc 2021 digital platform will open its (virtual) doors June 7 to industry delegates looking to organise in advance and take part in meetings at the Exhibitor Spaces or with Experts before the four-day international marketplace and PiXii Festival.
