DocsBarcelona 2013/ 2
In a week from now the thirteen first of 25 documentary film projects have been pitched on the first day of the pitching part of the 16th edition of DocsBarcelona. 12 others will follow the day after. The pitching filmmakers have done their best to draw attention to their project in a room, where observers will guarantee for a good atmosphere with support to those talking and showing their teasers of 3 minutes. The pitchers, most often director and producer, have 7 minutes to present and additionally the same time to answer the questions raised by the panel. 14 commissioning editors and distributors will be sitting around the table, accompanied by the equivalent number of other professionals, who buy or show or invest in documentaries. The latter sit on a so-called Row 0 and will be called upon, when a project falls within their interest area.
No reason to hide that there is a crisis in the financing of creative documentaries in most countries when it comes to the role of the public broadcasters, nevertheless some deals will for sure be made in Barcelona, or let’s say at least some contacts will be made that will result in helping the filmmakers to realise their projects. The organisers of DocsBarcelona are proud to have a strong range of tv channels represented – like local TVC, Spanish TVE, Israeli Yes TV, Dutch AVRO, BBC, arte France, arte/ZDF, American POV, SVT Sweden, YLE Finland – and sales agents and distributors like Autlook, Cat&Docs, Taskovski Films, Echo Bridge Entertainment, Java Films – and many others like idfa and the Mexican doc festival DOCSDF.
Most important, however, are the filmmakers, who come with their proposals to make documentaries for a local and international audience. I can’t mention them all, visit the website, link below, but I am happy that there will be 4 from Latin America as well as many stories that deal with what happens in that part of the world. Many young filmmakers have chosen this pitching forum as the first step into the market. But also experienced directors like Sergio Tréfaut from Portugal, Swedish Fredrik Gertten, Barcelona based Denis Delestrac and Albert Solé, as well as Germany-based German Kral and Paula Rodriguez have been chosen to perform.
Perform… yes, there is a show element to a pitching forum, and I think there should be at such a fest for the the documentary genre – but don’t forget that the filmmakers come there with strong thoughts and the intention to seek help to further their proposal. They will be welcomed with warmth and respect.
Photo: German Kral’s El Ultimo Aplauso – prize winner at previous edition of DocsBarcelona.
http://www.docsbarcelona.com/en/text.php?id=187&edicion=2013&sub=1
