industry

Focus on Docs at Young Horizons Industry

26/08/23

Still. Armed With Drums

We are pleased to announce the ‘Focus on Docs’ section in this year’s programme. The ‘Focus on Docs’ section at Young Horizons Industry is organised in partnership with Andrzej Wajda Centre for Film Culture.

The idea to create a special focus on documentaries came up after having two successful editions of the ‘Kids Kino Docs’ documentary project development programme (note: the second edition ends in September). The aim of these workshops is to create a space for documentary filmmakers with projects at development or pre-production stage that will contribute to the growing popularity of documentaries for young viewers – among filmmakers as well as audiences.

‘Focus on Docs’ in this year’s programme is another step aimed at giving this genre more visibility and talking about the biggest challenges and obstacles the documentary industry faces.

Confirmed guests from documentary field

An extended list of industry professionals working in the documentary field gives an opportunity for filmmakers to meet with peers and talk with international experts. This list includes distributors: Cinema Delicatessen, Split Screen, Attraction Distribution, Windrose and JEF, as well as broadcasters: BBC, VRT – Ketnet, Canal + Poland and Latvian TV, and producers: GotFat Productions, Haka Films, Pinot Films, Bulletproof Cupid.

Find all guests here.

DOCS FOR A YOUNG AUDIENCE – Towards more visibility

As part of the special focus on documentaries, Young Horizons Industry invites film professionals to take part in a special session – “DOCS FOR A YOUNG AUDIENCE – Towards more visibility”.

The session will highlight several case studies, followed by round tables with international experts. One of the case studies will be the Dutch film “Shabu” – a movie directed by Shamira Raphaëla that has been screened at multiple festivals and already won awards at IDFA, Berlinale, CPH:Docs, Hot Docs to name a few.

After the session, international industry stakeholders and professionals, in a safe space of two round tables, will share and analyse the pressing question of how to create more buzz for non-fictional films for young audiences, discuss strategies that have already worked, using the examples of the various case studies, and come up with new creative concepts.

Pitching presentation of documentary projects

The second part of this year’s ‘Focus on Docs’ will take place during pitching sections, which are the core part of the Young Horizons Industry programme. Some of documentary projects developed at the Kids Kino Docs programme will join the previously selected 26 projects and will be presented during Young Horizons Industry.

Over the last couple of months, we have had the pleasure of working with talented filmmakers from Poland and Norway who have been developing their documentary projects under the guidance of Kirsten Bonnén Rask and Paweł Ziemilski.
Now it is time to show you what our participants have been working on during the programme.

Focus on Docs – list of projects

Armed With Drums by Øyvind Aamli (developed at Kids Kino Docs)
Being a pART by Aleksandra Bielska (developed at Kids Kino Docs)
Elliot by Maida Eirheim (developed at Kids Kino Docs)
Finding Home by Maria Stanisheva
Julian by Laura Sonik
A Layup by Olga Papacz (developed at Kids Kino Docs)
My Imaginary Friend by Ellen Morgenstierne (developed at Kids Kino Docs)
Patterns of Being by Małgorzata Wabińska (developed at Kids Kino Docs)
We Keep Them In Our Hearts by Julie Engaas, Cecilie Bjørnaraa (developed at Kids Kino Docs)

Browse all projects

All the case study presentations and pitchings are open to anyone with an accreditation, but the individual round tables require registration.

The registration for the round tables is now open. Register here (only for people with Young Horizons Industry accreditation).

More information about Young Horizons Industry and accreditation can be found here.

Become our partner