NORTH PITCH — Below Zero 2017
January 18 – 21, 2017. Tromsø, Norway
No matter where you are based you can submit your documentary project on all aspects of life above the Arctic Circle. Projects selected for NORTH PITCH - Below Zero will pitch to a panel of international decision makers as well as compete for The Arctic Documentary Award and The Below Zero Award.
NORTH PITCH — Below Zero is an international pitching session for documentary projects focusing on life above the Arctic Circle. At the session a wide range of documentary projects on all subjects related to this matter will be pitched. These can be projects focusing on culture, environment, resources, politics, climate changes and indigenous peoples as well as general human stories.
For the second time the projects selected for NORTH PITCH — Below Zero will be competing for 2 awards. The Arctic Documentary Award, NOK 40000, is granted to the project which has the best political, environmental or cultural relevance to the Arctic and has an international potential for financing and distribution. The Below Zero Award , NOK 10.000, is given for the most innovative project. Kulturnæringsstiftelsen SNN is funding both awards.
Filmmakers from all over the world are welcome to submit projects for NORTH PITCH — Below Zero. Stories with a broad international market appeal are preferred. From the submitted project proposals a maximum of 12 projects will be selected for participation. The working language will be English.
NORTH PITCH - Below Zero consists of a producers-meet-producers set up, a 2-day workshop and will conclude with a pitching session, where the selected projects are pitched to a panel of international financiers and experts.
An essential part of the NORTH PITCH — Below Zero is the pre-pitch workshop, where the selected projects will be developed under guidance from experienced international experts from the documentary business.
The following panel participants are confirmed so far:
Jan Daae, DR Sales, Denmark
Pekka Uotila, Finnish Film Foundation, Finland
Ralf Quibeldey, NDR, Germany
Anna Svensson, SVT, Sweden
Anna Birgersson-Dahlberg, SVT UR, Sweden
Katja Härkönen, Filmpool Nord, Sweden
Alexei Laifurov, 24 DOK, Russia
Tore Tomter, NRK, Norway
Ingrid Kristin Dokka, North Norwegian Film Centre, Norway
Anders Riis-Hansen, The Danish Film Institute
Helle Hansen, Norwegian Film Institute, Norway
Valérie Theobaldt, ARTE G.E.I.E, France
Astrid Guger, Autlook Filmsales, Austria
The tutor team for the workshop is:
Hanna Heilborn, Director, Sweden
Emma Davie, Director, Scotland
Gitte Hansen, Sales agent, Switzerland
Phil Jandaly, Editor, Sweden
Mikael Opstrup, Head of Studies EDN, Denmark
What do previous participants say about NORTH PITCH — Below Zero?
- Aurelio Laino
‘NORTH PITCH — Below Zero has been a great occasion for my project ADRIFT to grow. During three days in beautiful Tromsø, I worked on my project with a team of committed, enthusiastic and professional tutors before pitching it to a panel of high profile international commissioners. Through the workshop I had the chance to focus on both strong and weak points of the project and was able to shape the final pitch accordingly.
It was also useful getting to know other projects on the same topic and meeting producers and commissioners in a very nice and friendly environment.
Below Zero has been the starting point of a journey for ADRIFT, and yet most of the results we achieved today are direct consequences of the massive work we did during the workshop and the connections established with the commissioners after the pitch’.
Aurelio Laino, director, Italy. NORTH PITCH — Below Zero participant with the project ADRIFT.
The NORTH PITCH — Below Zero program
- a producers-meet producers set up where the participating producers present their projects before and have meetings with producers from Norway, Sweden and Denmark
- 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
During the workshop, there will be a possibility to work with both the pitch trailer and the written presentation.
- a pitching session where each project will be pitched in seven minutes for a panel of international financiers and possible future collaborators. The pitch will be followed by a brief round of feedback from the panel and individual meetings between filmmakers and financiers
- networking events to encourage future collaborations between organizations, financiers, producers and filmmakers.
How to Participate
The deadline for submitting your project for NORTH PITCH - Below Zero was November 28, 2016.
The following projects have been selected for the 2017 edition:
Attention | Dir: Guro Saniola Bjerk. Prod: Håvard Wettland Gosse, Spætt Film, Norway
Latest News from the Stars | Dir: Jonathan Millet. Prod: Aleksandra Cheuvreux, Docks 66 & Les Films de l’Heure Bleu, France
Secret of the Giisá | Dir: Ellen-Astri Lundby. Prod: Mette Cheng Munthe-Kaas, Ten Thousand Images, Norway
The Aurora’s Chant | Dir: Alessia Zampieri. Prod: Alessia Zampieri, Milano Film Network, Italy
The Custodians | Dir: John Erling Utsi. Prod: Karl Emil Rikardsen & John Erling Utsi, Relation04 Media & Sami Kompania, Norway & Sweden
The Strait Guys | Dir: Rick Minnich. Prod: Gunter Hanfgarn, Hanfgarn & Ufer, Germany
Life of Ivanna | Dir: Renato Borrayo Serrano. Prod: Vlad Ketkovich, Ethnofund, Russia
Wating for Whales | Dir: Sidse T. Larsen & Sturla Pilskog. Prod: Sidse T. Larsen & Sturla Pilskog, Blåst Film, Norway
Declare Independence | Dir: Kenneth Sorento. Prod: Ulrik Gutkin, Copenhagen Film Company Short & Doc, Denmark
Captain Adrian | Dir: Fridtjof Kjæreng. Prod: John Arvid Berger, JAB Film, Norway
Immortal | Dir: Ksenia Okhapkin. Prod: Riho Vastrik, Vesilind, Estonia
Background on NORTH PITCH - Below Zero
The NORTH PITCH - Below Zero event was initiated in 2009 in order to bring together filmmakers, producers, financiers and organizations whose common interest is documentaries thematically rooted in the Northern Polar region. Building on the success of the first eight editions of NORTH PITCH - Below Zero, this ninth edition will further strengthen and develop the international network for documentaries made around or focusing on the Arctic region. NORTH PITCH - Below Zero is set in Tromsø, Northern Norway, during the last days of the polar night.
EDN Contact:
Mikael Opstrup
NORTH PITCH - Below Zero is arranged by Nordnorsk Filmsenter and organised by EDN. The event takes place in the framework of Tromso International Film Festival.
NORTH PITCH - Below Zero is made possible by the support from: