Sunny Side of the Doc Unveils 2022 Pitches, Achieves Perfect Gender Balance

Naman Ramachandran
·6 min read

Following two pandemic-caused online editions, Sunny Side of the Doc, the international marketplace for documentary and narrative experiences, has unveiled the pitch selection for its 33rd edition, which will be in-person.

48 projects from 22 countries will be presented across eight pitch sessions across three genre categories – global issues, wildlife and conservation, and science, history, arts and culture. The submissions this year were in response to the event’s callout for new voices.

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The event has achieved a perfect 50/50 gender balance among the directors of the selected projects. These sessions will take place during the marketplace in front of more than 400 international decision-makers, including broadcasters, streamers, foundations, sales agents and other investors Eight winners will each receive a cash prize of €3,000 ($3,164) from the respective pitch session sponsors.

For the first time, a “Coup de Coeur” award will be presented by international student delegations to a director who has submitted a first or second documentary project.

The event will take place June 20-23 June in La Rochelle, France. Concurrently, the PiXii Festival will give industry delegates and the general public the opportunity to discover an exhibition space across six cultural venues, featuring innovative digital installations and narratives.

Mathieu Bejot, director of strategy and development at Sunny Side of the Doc, said: “This 2022 official selection, with equal gender representation, is once again distinguished by the great diversity of the works presented. 40% of the selection — in all categories — is made up of first or second films, and new territories are being seen and heard, such as Jordan, Iceland, Kenya, the United Arab Emirates and Slovenia. The search for authenticity and new and different points of view are the main features the majority of the works selected, some of which exist in a more original format, the podcast, which is making a remarkable entry at Sunny Side this year.”

Filmmaker Sarvnaz Alambeigi, winner of the global pitch dedicated to women’s voices in 2021 and who will be a jury member in June, said: “As the winner of global pitch 2022 I am pleased and thankful to be invited to contribute to celebrate new voices and hidden gems at the coming edition of Sunny Side. This provides a unique opportunity to young and talented directors, writers and producers who want to develop their work, grow in their careers, expand their boundaries and work internationally.”

Sunny Side of the Doc 2022 Pitches

Science Pitch

“Science Of Bats”
Produced by
Blue Paw Artists (Germany)
Directed by
Marion Poellmann

“After The Meteorite”
Produced by
Pernel Media (France)
Directed By
Thomas Cirotteau

“Mother’s Little Secret”
Produced by
Truenorth (Iceland)
Directed By
Jeremiah Cullinane And Sigríður Sólan Guðlaugsdóttir

“Ayahuasca”
Produced by
Ey Up Films (U.K)
Directed by
Bruce Gill

“Dopamine – How Apps Hack Our Brains”
Produced by
Les Bons Clients (France)
Directed by
Léo Favier

“Ocean Seen From The Heart”
Produced by
Jane Losa Films (Canada)
Directed by
Marie-Dominique Michaud and Iolande Cadrin-Rossignol

Global Issues Pitch

“Outsider”
Produced by
Kopuku Films (India)
Directed By
Siddesh Shetty

“Breaking Social”
Produced by
Wg Film AB (Sweden)
Directed By
Fredrik Gertten

“Poison(s)”
Produced by
Little Big Story (France)
Directed by
Jennifer Deschamps

“War Baby”
Produced by
Miss Guided Films, Docdays And Mongoose Pictures (U.K.)
Directed By
Natasha Cox

“She”
Produced by
Antropica S.R.L. (Italy)
Directed by
Parsifal Reparato

“Space Empires”
Produced by
La Compagnie Des Taxi Brousse (France)
Directed by
Véronique Préault

Immersive Experiences Pitch

“Jacob’s Journey”
Produced by
Infinite Frame Media (Canada)
Directed by
Joanne Popinska

“Traveling With Trotsky”
Produced by
Cultural Video Production/Thenrbbus Collective And Invr.space (Germany)
Directed by
Vincenzo Cavallo

“Alternates” (Bergantian)
Produced by
Cinemaleap Inc. (Japan)
Directed by
Jonathan Hagard

“JFK: Memento:
Produced by
Targo (France)
Directed by
Chloé Rochereuil

“Jeanne And The Flowers Of Evil”
Produced by
Little Big Story Lab (France)
Directed by
Régine Abadia

“71% And Rising”
Produced by
Seetree Gmbh (Germany)
Directed by
Hendrik S. Schmitt

Arts & Culture Pitch

“Blowing Up America”
Produced by
Heimatfilm Gmbh + Co KG (Germany)
Directed by
Veit Bastian

“Hugo In Venice”
Produced by
Fiumi Film (Switzerland)
Directed by
Stefano Knuchel

“Matrix, Inside & Out”
Produced by
Bellota Films (France)
Directed by
Benjamin Clavel

“Celtic Utopia”
Produced by
MDEMC & Plainsong Films (Sweden)
Directed by
Dennis Harvey and Lars Lovén

“The Hidden Eye”
Produced by
Wanda Films (Spain)
Directed by
Carlota Nelson

“Camerraman”
Produced by
Bridge Films (Czech Republic)
Directed by
Jana Hojdová

Wildlife & Conservation Pitch

“Love Safari”
Produced by
Media Stockade (Australia)
Directed by
Randall Wood

“The Big Little Things”
Produced by
Ouragan Films, Saint Thomas Productions, Red Nature Films (France)
Directed by
Muneera Sallies

“The Butterfly Murders”
Produced by
Sagamedia (Germany)
Directed by
Michaela Kirst

“Simbius”
Produced by
Prana Filmes (Brazil)
Directed by
Liliana Sulzbach

“Marine Creatures Lost And Found”
Produced by
Guangdong X Elements International Sports And Public Communication Co.,ltd; Shenzhen Xin Gang Culture Communication Co.ltd; Muyi Film B.v. (China)
Directed by
Chen Huiping

“Homo Animalis”
Produced by
Hauteville Productions (France)
Directed by
Jacques Mitsch

New Voices Talent Hub

“Harvest Moon”
Produced by
New Productions (Jordan)
Directed by
Rama Ayasraa

“The Hayflick Limit”
Produced by
Les Films De La Passerelle (Belgium), Calisto Productions (France), Lcp – Assemblée Nationale (France)
Directed by
Thomas Licata

“Nothing Called Home”
Produced by
Maurice & Morrise (U.A.E.)
Directed by
Arkus

“A Woman’s Path”
Produced by
Seven Springs Pictures (Islamic Republic Of Iran)
Directed by
Marjan Khosravi

“What Can It Do?”
Produced by
Virtuel (France)
Directed by
Francois Demerliac

“Shaman vs Putin”
Produced by
Les Steppes Productions (France)
Directed by
Beata Bubenec

Digital Na(rra)tive Stories Pitch

“Barn Short Docs”
Produced by
Neolight Productions Limited (Kenya)
Directed by
Jake Sirma

“Finding Home”
Produced by
Iliade Et Films (France)
Directed by
Maria Stanisheva

“A Very Hot Summer In New-York City
Produced by
Binge Audio (France)
Directed by
Anne-cécile Genre and Marine Pradel

“La Buissonnière”
Produced by
Clap Audio (France)
Directed by
Héloïse Pierre

“Climate Justice”
Produced by
Seppia (France)
Directed by
Zouhair Chebbale

“The Characters”
Produced by
Point Du Jour – Les Films Du Balibari (France)
Directed by
Elsa Oliarj-Ines

History Pitch

“Snatched From The Source”
Produced by
Senca Studio, Bela Film (Slovenia)
Directed by
Maja Weiss

“The Factory’s Basement”
Produced by
Grifa Filmes (Brazil)
Directed by
Gustavo Ribeiro

“Moscow Nights”
Produced by
Akajava Films (Ireland)
Directed by
Irina Maldea

“A Woman In Kabul”
Produced by
Kepler22 Productions (France)
Directed by
Charlotte Erlih

“Liberation Diaries”
Produced by
Saxonia Entertainment (Italy)
Directed by
Matteo Parisini

“Chasing Dragons: The Forgotten Knight Of The Round Table”
Produced by
Zed (France)
Directed by
Marie Thiry

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