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Inside Gaza, Edgar Hilsenrath the Masturbator Among 2024 Pitch Projects at Sunny S

International documentary marketplace Sunny Side of the Doc has revealed the 42 projects from 21 countries that make up the official selection for its 2024 edition.

As always, the projects are topical and eclectic, ranging from Helene Lam Trong’s “Inside Gaza,” that tells the inside story of the ongoing conflict in the region; to Francois-Xavier Destors’ “Edgar Hilsenrath The Masturbator,” an animated documentary journeying through the transgressive world of Edgar Hilsenrath, the first German-Jewish writer and Holocaust survivor who dared to laugh at death.

The projects will participate in pitch sessions in front of more than 300 international decision-makers, including major broadcasters, streamers, foundations, distributors, buyers and other investors looking for stories with the biggest impact.

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This year’s call for projects received 320 responses (the same as 2023) from 60 countries, 52% of which were led by female filmmakers.

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The Specialist Factual strand, which has a cash prize of €3,000 ($3,217), focuses on the topics Global Issues, Wildlife & Conservation, Science, History and Arts & Culture, while Focus of the Year with a cash prize of €2,000 is over two specific pitching sessions: New Voices, Impact Campaigns.

This year, Sunny Side of the Doc is introducing the Innovation WIP program for which five projects have been chosen. The program aims to encourage the creation of all forms of non-linear documentary (podcasts, video games, immersive technologies, digital arts, virtual worlds). The selected projects will benefit from development support for their project before and during the market.

“The 2024 selection is rich and balanced, and should satisfy the expectations of broadcasters while
making room for promising projects that are more unexpected and in need of international exposure,” said Mathieu Bejot, director of strategy and development at Sunny Side of the Doc. “The work started last year with the first season of our Australian focus resulted in a record number of high-level submissions, and the final selection includes no fewer than seven Australian projects. This 2024 selection reflects our ambition to Map the Future, and stands out for the diversity of views and treatments around major social issues – conflict, migration, climate change, the place of women, disability, the impact of technology, etc. – all of which have in common a desire to question the role and place of human beings in our environment and an ambition to have a social impact.”

Over June 24-27, at La Rochelle, France, the 42 selected projects will compete for the Best Pitch Award in each of the seven themed pitching sessions, sponsored by industry partners, including PBS International, Blue Ant Media and Love Nature, RTBF, Al Jazeera Documentary and AJB DOC.

Explore the 2024 projects here.

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