October 10 - 15, 2015. Lisbon, Portugal.

The 2015 edition of Lisbon Docs concentrates on strategies to create top-quality documentary projects and on how to deliver them to existing and to new audiences. If you are a documentary maker with an international project in development, Lisbon Docs is the place to be. Lisbon Docs is a reference for professionals who seek financing and co-production opportunities for documentary projects.

The 16th edition of the event will take place from 10 to 15 October 2015 at Culturgest in Lisbon, Portugal. At Lisbon Docs, participants will be introduced to the power of new players in the distribution and financing markets. The workshop sessions will focus on analyzing the content of the selected projects, on delivering advice on how to tell the stories in a way that will allow people to find an audience without loosing artistic integrity.

Lisbon Docs is open for all European documentary professionals and has a limited number of seats for participants coming from outside Europe. Submissions are accepted from professionals, who want to take part in an intense creative dialogue and development process as well as present their project to potential documentary financiers, European television channels and producers. In the past, Lisbon Docs has proven to be successful in pushing filmmakers into the international scene.

The Lisbon Docs Forum consists of two distinct working phases: the first part is a workshop during which the participants are accompanied by a team of experienced tutors in the development of their projects. The second part consists of two pitching sessions where the projects are presented to a panel of production and distribution professionals, potential co-producers and financiers. Attendance at both work phases is mandatory. Participants of Lisbon Docs will gain a great network of international colleagues and get unique opportunities to introduce their documentary projects to industry professionals.

In connection with the 2015 edition of Lisbon Docs EDN is launching a new outreach workshop, which is tied to this pitching forum as well as Docs in Thessaloniki. The new format will create a synergy between the two events, by selecting the top projects from each forum and bringing them together in this post-event session taking place as an online workshop.

Focus for the session will be how the selected project teams can handle the increased need to combine new financing methods and alternative distribution methods with more traditional public funding sources. During the workshop the selected teams will strengthen the understanding of audience building and outreach for their projects in development. Through the online workshop the participants will:

• ·    Learn about tools for audience engagement
• ·    Sharpen their distribution strategy
• ·    Get individual feedback from outreach experts
• ·    Enhanced promotion and distribution possibilities.
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The participants will benefit from these added values without adding extra travel costs and expenses for the production teams, as the seminar will take place online. The workshop is scheduled as a three-day event in early December 2015.

Jörg Winkelmann