Docs in Thessaloniki 2015
March 18 - 22, 2015. Thessaloniki, Greece.
Docs in Thessaloniki is your cost effective fast track to the European and international documentary market, and through the new outreach program also an opportunity for you to find new ways of reaching your audiences. In Thessaloniki you will develop your project, network with colleagues and pitch to financiers in a relaxed and constructive atmosphere. Submission deadline for projects was on January 16, 2015. But if you want to take part in the forum without a project, you can still apply.
The project pitches incl. videos and additional details are available in our "Projects Pitched @ EDN" section.
Docs in Thessaloniki consists of a five-day program, where 21 selected documentary projects will be developed, re-written and pitched to a panel of international financiers. For at selected group of top-projects the new outreach programme will offer you an opportunity to develop your outreach strategy, optimise distribution plans and enhance audience engagement.
The first three days are focusing on development
The participating project teams are working on their projects’ structure, style and focus of the content as well as the presentation and pitching techniques. This is done by working in small groups under guidance from international experts and through highly informative seminar sessions. At the end of the workshop each project is re-written and presented to the participating financiers in a 2-page presentation.
The development workshop is lead by experienced international filmmakers and experts. The tutor team is:
- Flora Gregory, documentary expert, UK
- Iikka Vehkalahti, documentary expert, Finland
- Jesper Osmund, Film Editor, Denmark
- Stefan Kloos, Producer & Sales Agent, Germany
- Hanna Heilborn, Director, Sweden
- Rea Apostolides, producer, Greece
- Ove Rishøj Jensen, Film Consultant, EDN, Denmark
Master Class with Peter Hamilton
- Peter Hamilton
As part of the Docs in Thessaloniki program, EDN is presenting a master class with Peter Hamilton entitled:
The North American Documentary Broadcast Market
It takes place Thursday, March 19, 2015 at 16:00 – 18:00 at the Pavlos Zannas Theater, 5th floor of Olympion Cinema.
For many European documentary professionals the North American broadcast market can be difficult to grasp. During this two-hour master class Peter Hamilton will present key players in North America and what they are looking for.
All Docs in Thessaloniki participants and accredited guest of the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival are invited to take part in the master class.
Docs in Thessaloniki concludes with two days of pitching
- You will be pitching to 12-15 leading financiers
During the pitching sessions all participants pitch their projects to a panel of international financiers from leading broadcasters. Pitchers have seven minutes to present their projects. The visual material in form of a trailer or promo has to be included in these seven minutes. After the pitch the panel has seven minutes to give feedback.
The pitching session is followed by scheduled individual meetings between the pitching teams and the financiers. The meetings are for in-depth discussions about further development and possible future collaboration.
The panel will consist of financiers from leading broadcasters and funders. We expect to have 12-15 financiers present for the Docs in Thessaloniki panel. We will announce the panel participants as soon as they have confirmed their participation.
- Kathrin Brinkmann, ZDF/ARTE, Germany
- Madeleine Avramoussis, ARTE GEIE, France
- Lars Säfström, SVT, Sweden
- Hanka Kastelicova, HBO Europe, Hungary
- Jenny Westergård, YLE, Finland
- Claudia Schreiner, MDR, Germany
- Jan Rofekamp, Films Transit, Canada
- Kerime Senyücel, TRT, Turkey
- Mohamad Soueid, Al Arabiya News Channel, United Arab Emirates
- Irene Gavala, NERIT, Greece
- Gitte Hansen, First Hand Films, Switzerland
- Aleksandra Biernacka, TVP2, Poland
Download the Docs in Thessaloniki flyer
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DocsInThessaloniki2015Flyer.jpg |
Outreach workshop
- Top projects take part in the outreach workshop
In connection with the 2015 edition of Docs in Thessaloniki EDN is launching a new outreach workshop, which is tied to this pitching forum as well as Lisbon Docs. The new format will create a synergy between the two events, by selecting the top projects from each forum and bring 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.
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.
Projects selected for Docs in Thessaloniki 2015
The following projects have been selected to take part in Docs in Thessaloniki 2015:
Cities for Life Director Francesc Relea. Producers Marta Castañé, Isabel Jubert, What's Up Doc, Arena Comunicación, Spain
For the love of a man Director Rinku Kalsy. Producer Harmen Jalvingh, KeyDocs, Netherlands
Hobbyhorse Chicks - The secret life of a thousand girls Director Selma Vilhunen. Producers Elli Toivoniemi, Selma Vilhunen, Tiina-Mari Pitkänen, Therese Högberg, Tuffi Films, Bautafilm, Finland/Sweden
I Am Golden Karen Directors Maui Druez, Preben Verledens Producer Steven Dhoedt, Visualantics, Belgium
I had a dream Director Claudia Tosi. Producer Nathalie Combe, COSMOGRAPHE Productions, France, Italy
Nine Rocks Director Tor Nygård Kolding. Producer Nynne Selin Eidnes, First Lady Film, Denmark
No Country for Great Men Director Pawel Ferdek. Producers Marta Habior, Marta Lewandowska, No Sugar Films, Poland
Outside of Prison - A Diary of a Family Director Pau Ortiz. Producer Maria Nova Lopez, INTACTES, Spain
Same Same But Different Directors Benjamin Cantu, Nils Bökamp. Producer Stefano Strocchi, Boekamp & Kriegsheim GmbH, Germany
Tahrir Generation Director Pauline Beugnies. Producer Laurence Buelens, Rayuela Productions, Belgium
Technology Refugees: A Very modern Warfare Director & Producer Bianca Barker, Steadipix Productions, UK
The Beast is still alive Directors and Producers Mina Mileva, Vesela Kazakova, Activist38 Bulgaria
The Escapist Director Trond Kvig Andreassen. Producers Natalya Sarch, Vilje Kathrine Hagen, Sigve Endresen, Thomas Robsahm, Motlys, Norway
The Forest in me Director Rebecca E. Marshall. Producers Vasilis Chrysanthopoulos, Kasia Skibinska, Nicole Stott, Mark Johnston, plays2place productions, Greece, UK
The Grenade Man Director Karianne Berge. Producer Carsten Aanonsen, Indie Film, Norway
The Last Russian Orca Directors Nikita Tikhonov-Rau, Gayane Petrosyan, Olga Arlauskas. Producers Nikita Tikhonov-Rau, Gayane Petrosyan, The Artvideo Studio Ltd, The Baikal Cinema Film, Russia
The Pentcho’s Daughter Director Stefano Cattini. Producers Lara Rongoni, Aurelio Laino, Sonne Film, Mosaic Films, Italy, UK
Ultra Director Balazs Simonyi. Producers Laszlo Jozsa, Balazs Simonyi, Speak Easy Project, Hungary
Who killed Che Guevara? Director Margarita Ramon. Producer Margarita Ramon, Don Young, Terra Incognita Productions, Canada
Wondering Photographer Director Tamara Erde. Producer Sandrine Bagarry, Big Bang Films, France.
Succesful projects
Projects previously pitched at Docs in Thessaloniki include:
Those who said NO Directed by Nima Sarvestani. Produced by Nimafilm in co-production with Ma.ja.de. Filmproduktion, SVT, DR TV and ZDF in association with ARTE. Selected for IDFA Feature Length competition 2014.
My Life My Lesson Directed by Åsa Ekman. Produced by Oscar Hedin, Film and Tell, Sweden. Selected for IDFA Mid Length competition 2014.
Two Raging Grannies Directed by Håvard Bustnes. Produced by Christian Falch & Håvard Bustnes, Faction Film, Norway. Co-produced by EiE Film, Italy & Fridthjof Film, Denmark.
Everyday Rebellion Directed by The Riahi Brothers. Produced by Golden Girls Filmproduktion & Filmservices GmbH, Austria & Mira Film GmbH, Switzerland.
Gangster of Love Directed by Nebojsa Slijepcevic. Produced by Vanja Jambrovic, Restart, Croatia. Co-produced by Kloos & Co, Germany; Subcultura Films, Romania & ZDF/ARTE, Germany.
If you want to have an impression of previous editions of Docs in Thessaloniki we have gathered a selection of photos at our .
Participating without a project
The deadline for submitting your project for Docs in Thessaloniki was January 16, 2015. However, we are still accepting applications from participants without a project.
If you currently do not have an international project in development but want to know more about making documentary projects for the international market, gain a network of international colleagues and meet leading international financiers you can of course still take part in Docs in Thessaloniki. Simply apply as a participant without a project. You will take part in all seminars and all sessions on equal terms with the selected project teams.
To apply for as a participant without a project, please send your C.V. and a short motivation for your participation to . You can apply up until the start of the workshop, but as seats are limited, early applications are preferred.
Participation fee
Please note that there is no fee for submitting your project to Docs in Thessaloniki.
If your project is selected or if you want to participate without a project, the price for being part of Docs in Thessaloniki is:
- - 300 Euro for the first person connected to a project
- - 200 Euro for second or third person connected to a project
- - 200 Euro for observers
EDN members receive a 20% discount.
Besides the whole five-day pitching workshop and forum the participation fee includes all lunches and coffee breaks, dinner on the first evening and a festival pass for the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival.
EDN Contact Person
Ove Rishøj Jensen
Phone:
Docs in Thessaloniki is organized by EDN in collaboration with the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival-Images of the 21st Century.