The 27th Baltic Sea Forum for Documentaries (Baltic Sea Docs) is scheduled from 3 – 10 September in Latvia, bringing together documentary professionals from around the globe. The event will comprise 24 film projects, an extensive industry programme, and film screenings aimed at local audiences in Riga and various regional towns across Latvia.
The forum showcases film projects from 11 countries, including Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland. Of these, 20 are first-time pitches, while four will return as part of the «Coming Soon» session to present their films at the post-production stage. Before the pitch sessions in Riga on 7-8 September, the projects will undergo training workshops. These workshops, taking place in the seaside village of Liepupe, will be led by international industry experts such as Tue Steen Müller, Mikael Opstrup, Salomé Jashi, and Simon Kilmurry.
Key decision-makers from globally recognized TV channels like BBC, YLE, and NHK, along with sales and distribution companies like Lightdox and Taskovski Films, will evaluate the pitches. In collaboration with partners like Current Time TV and BB Post House, the forum will offer various awards, including cash prizes and post-production services. This year will also introduce the «IDFA Spotlight» award and an award from the Helsinki Human Rights Foundation.
Additionally, the forum will host «Travelling Docs», a networking event aiming to facilitate Creative Europe MEDIA Co-development projects. Organized by 11 Creative Europe Desks, the event gathers 16 documentary producers from eight countries. Alongside this, a seminar will explore the intersection of documentary and fiction, featuring case studies and keynotes by industry experts.
Parallel to the industry activities, the film program will commence on September 5. Highlights include Roman Liubyi’s Iron Butterflies, examining the 2014 Malaysia Airlines MH17 incident, and Alisa Kovalenko’s We Will Not Fade Away, among others. The program will also include a special presentation by the European Commission, focusing on the importance of education in emergencies.
Overall, Baltic Sea Docs 2023 promises to be an essential gathering for professionals and enthusiasts in the field of documentary filmmaking, offering a plethora of opportunities for networking, training, and collaboration.
