29th BALTIC SEA DOCS
Riga, Latvia
Baltic Sea Docs is an international co-production pitching forum focused on feature length creative documentary projects from and on the Baltic Sea region, Eastern Europe, Caucasus region. It is the only pitching forum in the Baltic region focused solely on documentaries. It was established in 1997, and it is organized by the National Film Centre of Latvia.
Industry Dates: 31 August – 5 September 2025
Pitching sessions: 4 – 5 September 2025, Riga
Pitch Training Workshop: 31 August – 3 September 2025, Riga (for Coming Soon projects – only 3 September)
CE Media Workshop: 3 September 2025, Riga
Activities in 2025:
In-person event consisting of:
- pitch training workshop of 18 selected projects;
- pitching of 18 selected projects followed by individual meetings;
- Coming soon session of up to 4 films in post-production stage pitched in previous BSD editions;
- film program.
Decision Makers of BSD 2024:
Kenan Aliyev, Analog Vision, Czechia
Christa Auderlitzky, Filmdelights, Austria
Christine Camdessus, FIPADOC, France
Arianna Castoldi, Mediawan Rights, France
Margje de Koning, Movies that Matter, the Netherlands
Aleksandra Derewienko, Cat & Docs, France
Sophie Duncan, Sheffield DocFest, UK
Manuela Hintzsche, MDR, Germany
Marcella Jelic, Split Screen, Croatia
Marianna Kaat, PÖFF, Estonia
Diana Karklin, Rise and Shine, Germany
Natsu Kawakami, NHK, Japan
Erkko Lyytinen, YLE, Finland
Nevena Milasinovic, Lightdox, Switzerland
Liina Murd, ERR, Estonia
Proinsias Ní Ghráinne, TG4, Ireland
Alena Rudnevskaya, Current Time TV, USA
Bernd Seidl, SWR, Germany
Giannis Smoilis, Thessaloniki IDFF, Greece
Alex Szalat, Docs Up Fund, France
Basil Tsiokos, Sundance Institute, US
Kristian van der Heyden, Harold Films, Belgium
Erik Winker, Corso Films, Germany
Agnese Zapāne, LTV, Latvia
Awards: TBA
Who can apply?
- Independent production companies from the wider Baltic Sea Region countries (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Sweden)
- Independent production companies from Eastern Europe and Caucasus region (not eligible in 2025: production companies from Russia)
- Independent production companies from other European countries if the project relates to the regions and eligible countries specified above and/ or if there is a regional co-producer.
What kind of projects?
Producers may enter up to 3 projects each. Apart from feature length creative documentaries the BSD also invites cross media projects and documentary animations. One project may be submitted for selection up to 3 times. Projects pitched in the previous editions are ineligible. Priority is given to projects having some financial commitment from broadcasters or film institutions, however it is not essential for being selected. Projects by first time filmmakers are also welcome and eligible.
Application Deadline: 9 May 2025
Application Process:
Fill in an online Application Form (open from 10 March) (while filling out the form, please save it regularly to ensure that the information is stored properly), providing following information (in English):
· short description of the production company, producer and director (max 150 words each),
- short synopsis of the project (max 50 words),
· long synopsis of the project (400-600 words),
· print quality photo representing the project, photo of the producer and other filmmakers pitching the project,
· a link to the trailer/visual material of the current project (mandatory already for the selection process) - director’s statement about the project explaining the creative vision (preferably as a short video uploaded at the “Notes” section),
- when applying for Coming Soon session, indicate this in the “Notes” section.
Application and Participation Fee:
None
Contact Details for Application:
The link to application form is available online at balticseadocs.lv. For any further enquiries please contact us at balticforum@nkc.gov.lv or call +371 26054287.
Selection:
Selection of projects made by an international Selection Committee will be announced by 4 June 2025, and the contact person of the project will be notified about the results via e-mail. The main criteria of the selection will be the international potential and creative approach of the project entered. The decisions of the Selection Committee will be final.
Observers:
Producers may attend BSD as observers without pitching a project (it allows to observe pitching sessions, attend industry events, networking events, film program). Fill in an online Application form (available from 1 June 2025) by 25 July 2025, the notification will be sent out by 1 August.
Pitching:
Each project has 7 minutes for pitching (language – English), with further time for discussion. The pitch has to be supported with a trailer (subtitled in English).
Individual Meetings:
Individual meetings with decision makers will be held on 4–5 September.
Workshops:
A Pitching Training Workshop for new projects will be organized from 31 August – 3 September. The filmmakers will work intensively on their project presentation with the guidance of 6 international tutors with extensive industry experience lead by documentary consultants Mikael Opstrup and Tue Steen Müller. In addition to this, a professional editor will give advice on the structure of trailers. We strongly advise to take part in the workshop, as its usefulness has been proven over the years. Participants of Coming Soon session have to attend the pitch rehearsal on 3 September.
TUTORS, BSD 2024
Mikael Opstrup, Documentary Developer, Denmark
Tue Steen Müller, Documentary Consultant & Critic, Denmark
Giedrė Beinoriūtė, director, Lithuania
Phil Jandaly, Film Editor, Sweden
Simon Kilmurry, producer, USA
Kumjana Novakova, director, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia
Paul Rieth, audience developer, Germany
Film programme:
Parallel to the Baltic Sea Docs industry activities, a program of selected documentary films will be screened from 2 – 7 September 2025.
All deadlines:
9 May 2025 – project submission
4 June 2024 – announcement of selected projects
25 July 2024 – observer registration
We look forward to receiving your projects!