24/04/2024 - Millennium Docs Against Gravity's professional strand endeavours to link Polish documentary filmmakers with the global industry by offering an extensive roster of events and pitching sessions

Director Alisa Kovalenko, who will be pitching the project Frontline (© Stephane Siohan)

MDAG Industry, an integral part of the 21st edition of Millennium Docs Against Gravity, unspooling from 9-13 May, stands as a distinctive film-industry gathering facilitating connections between Polish filmmakers and international festival representatives, distributors, producers, sales agents and contemporary cinema luminaries. Originating as a standalone event in 2021, it has evolved into an expanded module of industry gatherings operating under the MDAG Industry umbrella since 2022. The development of the MDAG Industry programme reflects a proactive response to the evolving demands of the audiovisual market, keeping attendees abreast of trends, anticipating market shifts and embracing innovation. MDAG Industry is organised in collaboration with Canal+ Polska and is co-financed by the Polish Film Institute.

Ten projects have been selected to participate in the Progress Pitching Session and will thus be showcased to an international panel of experts. Spanning various stages from concept to post-production, the projects are seeking international co-production or distribution opportunities. Noteworthy among the chosen works are new endeavours helmed by seasoned directors such as Maciej Cuske and Alisa Kovalenko. Additionally, debut projects like Dekonstrukt by Mateusz Góra and Kamil Wilk, or Bałtyk by Iga Lis, are part of the selection. The event is scheduled for 10 May at the State Ethnographic Museum, with Cineuropa’s own Ola Salwa, who is also head of Industry at the Gdynia Film Festival, moderating the pitching session.

The participants will be competing for various awards, including the Canal+ Poland Prize, valued at €3,000 in cash; the SMAKJAM Award, including colour-correction services worth 15,000 PLN (€3,473); the Polish Filmmakers Association Award, a cash prize of 10,000 PLN (€2,315); and SOUNDMIND, comprising sound post-production services worth 10,000 PLN.

The Progress Pitching Session is just one of the four pitching sessions slated to occur within MDAG Industry this year. The remaining ones include Pole Position, showcasing completed Polish films featured in the 21st Millennium Docs Against Gravity programme (see the news and the line-up); the Short Pitch Programme, highlighting five short documentary films from the Central and Eastern European region, selected by the Czech Institute of Documentary Film (see the line-up); and the fifth Documentary Film Forum for Young Audiences, featuring presentations of eight film projects aimed at young viewers from the fourth edition of the programme (see the line-up).

Regarding the remainder of the events taking place during MDAG Industry, Danish film editor Niels Pagh Andersen will lead a master class titled “The Authentic Now”, exploring the impact of the digital revolution on documentary filmmaking and questioning the genre's legitimacy in a world increasingly shaped by constructed realities and social-media narratives. Esther van Messel, an expert in the international audiovisual market, will conduct a master class titled “Where’s the Market for Documentaries?” Organised by KIPA (the Polish Producers Alliance), this session will equip Polish documentary producers with strategies for establishing international business relations, promoting their projects effectively and navigating the global documentary market.

Furthermore, Mariia Ponomarova presents a case study on her experimental documentary short Three Windows on South West, detailing its journey from conception to global recognition. Eric Hynes from the American Museum of the Moving Image offers insights into the US documentary film industry, shedding light on American programmers' preferences, and the potential for Central and Eastern European documentaries in the US market. The KIPA Breakfast, organised in collaboration with the Polish Producers Alliance and its Young Producers section, provides a platform for networking with key figures from leading film organisations, production companies, sales experts and creators. Following this, the KIPA-supported session on “How to Distribute Documentaries in Cinemas” delves into the profitability of cinema distribution for documentaries, audience preferences and metrics for success, using recent successful releases as examples.

Additionally, discussions on the working conditions on documentary film sets, organised by the Filmmakers’ Trade Union, focus on the challenges and solutions to enhance professional standards and employment conditions. Lastly, Papaya Films hosts a session on crafting sports documentaries beyond conventional sports narratives, exploring methods to create universally appealing and captivating stories in this genre.

Here are the ten projects selected for the Progress Pitching Session:

Birdie - Aneta Ptak (Poland)
Producer: Małgorzata Staroń (Staroń Film)

Bałtyk - Iga Lis (Poland)
Producer: Justyna Gawełko (Silver Frame)

Candidates of Death - Maciej Cuske (Poland)
Producers: Maciej Cuske, Ewa Hoffmann (Eh! Production)

Dekonstrukt - Mateusz Góra, Kamil Wilk (Poland)
Producers: Anna Kępińska, Piotr Śmiechowski (Telemark)

Frontline - Alisa Kovalenko (Poland/Denmark)
Producer: Katarzyna Kuczyńska (Haka Films)
Co-producer: Monica Hellström (Ström Pictures)

Leonard Cohen: Behind the Iron Curtain - Eric Bednarski (Poland)
Producer: Stanisław Zaborowski (Silver Frame)

Light in the Dark - Alina Aleksandrova, Tadeusz Chudy (Poland)
Producer: Marta Wierzbicka

My Father, the Iceman - Łukasz Kowalski (Poland)
Producer: Anna Mazerant (4.30 Studio)

My Sunnyside - Matylda Kawka (Poland)
Producers: Alicja Gancarz, Anna Wereda

Sugarland - Julia Groszek (Poland)
Producer: Ola Synowiec