30/08/2023 - A jam-packed programme of industry events, talks and film screenings is in store at the major documentary gathering, which will run from 3-10 September in Latvia

January by Viesturs Kairišs, one of the case studies on the concept of employing a documentary approach within fictional films

The 27th edition of the Baltic Sea Forum for Documentaries (BSD) is ready to get going, running from 3-10 September in Latvia. A total of 24 projects have been selected to be presented at the event (see the news), while film screenings tailored for local audiences in Riga and multiple regional towns in Latvia have been scheduled.

Before the pitching sessions, the project teams will enhance their presentations through a training workshop, which will take place in the coastal village of Liepupe, marking a departure from its traditional location in Riga. This new choice of venue aligns with the vision of documentary filmmaker Ivars Zviedris, who aims to establish an emerging cinema village in this picturesque seaside setting.

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Numerous accolades are poised to be bestowed upon the participants in the forum. Baltic Sea Docs will uphold its collaboration with Current Time TV, the prominent broadcaster concentrating on the region, which will confer a monetary prize upon a selected project. Another affiliate of the forum, the BB Post House, will provide an award comprising post-production services valued at €3,000. Marking a first, over the coming two years, the forum will introduce the IDFA Spotlight award. This prize encompasses the director's participation, travel expenses and accommodation for the upcoming edition of IDFA. The recipient will also partake in a customised programme within the IDFA Industry strand, taking in training activities. Additionally, in its inaugural year, Baltic Sea Docs will join forces with the Helsinki Human Rights Foundation. The foundation will hand out an award of €2,500 to cover expenses related to the project's realisation. Lastly, the Baltic Sea Docs Award will grant a unique opportunity to a producer and a director, enabling them to present their upcoming project at a subsequent edition of Baltic Sea Docs without being subject to competition.

On 6 September, the Travelling Docs initiative, organised by the Creative Europe – MEDIA desks, will once again take place as a distinct event, encouraging collaboration among European documentary producers. This year, it will be hosted as part of Baltic Sea Docs and will see the participation of 16 documentary producers from eight countries, brought together by 11 Creative Europe desks (Berlin, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hamburg, Latvia, Lithuania, Munich, NRW, Poland and Sweden).

On the same day, the Creative Europe – MEDIA desks will organise a seminar featuring a keynote address by Barbara Wurm, author, curator and head of the Berlinale Forum. The seminar will delve into the concept of employing a documentary approach within fictional films. The discussion will encompass two case studies: January [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Latvian director Viesturs Kairišs, produced by Mistrus Media and focusing on the events of January 1991 in Latvia and Lithuania, with the film utilising documentary footage while being flexible with its presentation of fictional elements; and The Return of the Projectionist [+see also:
film review
film profile], a work in progress from Germany's NRW region, which is a co-production between Germany and France. The latter film's producer, Carl-Ludwig Rettinger from Lichtblick Filmproduktion in Cologne, and writer-director Orkhan Aghazadeh have drawn inspiration from a true story, even involving some of the real-life individuals as characters in the film. Rettinger will be present in Riga to enlighten attendees on how the genuine narrative influenced the production of the fictional movie.

Concurrently with the industry-focused activities, the Baltic Sea Docs film line-up is scheduled to commence on 5 September with Iron Butterflies [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Roman Liubyi
film profile] by Roman Liubyi (Ukraine/Germany), which examines the tragic incident of the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 in Eastern Ukraine in 2014. The film programme also includes We Will Not Fade Away [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Alisa Kovalenko (Ukraine/Poland/France), After Work [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Erik Gandini
film profile] by Erik Gandini (Sweden/Italy/Norway) and Between Revolutions [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Vlad Petri
film profile] by Vlad Petri (Romania/Croatia/Qatar/Iran), among other titles.

Furthermore, the programme is set to include a spotlight on the "Education, No Matter What" campaign led by the European Commission, under the aegis of the European Directorate-General for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid (ECHO GD). This campaign's objective is to heighten awareness about the significance of education during emergencies. As part of this initiative, a short film titled When I Grow Up, created in Ukraine, and directed by Claire Billet and Olivier Jobard, will be screened during the event.