Lisbon Docs - 10th Financing and Co-Production Forum for Documentary Film
21 a 25 October, Lisbon, Culturgest
workshop – public pitching session – masterclass with screenings – networking

Lisbon Docs is a financing and co-production forum for documentary film which takes place in the framework of doclisboa – Lisbon International Documentary Film Festival.

The program consists of:
- workshop for producers/directors,
- pitching public sessions
- masterclass
- screening

October 21th – 23th
Project development workshop
Portuguese, western and eastern European independent documentary filmmakers and producers work on their projects for three days, in an intense and creative atmosphere. 20 proposals for documentaries have been selected by EDN to be discussed, developed and improved by colleagues and a tutor team of internationally experienced producers and directors:
- Luis Correia, produtor (Portugal)
- Carmen Cobos, produtora (Países Baixos)
- Luke Holland, realizador e produtor (Reino Unido),
- Leena Pasanen, directora EDN (Finlândia)
- Stefano Tealdi, produtor (Itália)
- Rada Sesic, realizadora/programadora (Bósnia Herzegovina/Países Baixos)
- Sibylle Kurz, Consultora de Pitching (Alemanha)
- Esther van Messel, distribuidora, Suíça
This workshop is only open to participants, who are also trained in the presentation of their projects for the public pitching sessions (Oct. 24th & 25th).

October 22nd 16h30 – Big Auditorium
Screening of the film Damages
Thomas Balmès, France, 67’, 2007
Every year in the United States billions of dollars are paid out in personal damages and Koskoff Koskoff & Bieder is one of the biggest legal firms that shows the best results in this domain. Not without some irony and cynicism, Damages tackles the various aspects of this specialty in advocacy. What’s the best strategy to get the highest compensations? Through several cases, the film observes the lawyers as they meet with the families of victims, examine documents, create a script and try to put a value for each human life.

October 22nd 18h30 – small auditorium*
Master class with filmmaker Thomas Balmès (France)
Thomas Balmès will talk about his personal experience of directing and producing documentaries for more than 15 years. He will talk about the delicate balance between keeping your independence and "final cut" as a director/producer and at the same time securing your films both an audience and financing. Thomas Balmès will show clips from some of his films and discuss the impact it has had on his films that he is also producing them. Is it possible to co-produce documentaries with up to 15 broadcasters and not lose control or independence?
Thomas Balmès started his career as an independent producer and cinematographer of documentaries. In 1992, he set up his production company, TBC Production, producing various documentaries. He directed his first documentary film Bosnia Hotel in 1996. In 2002, created Margot Films and produced and directed the film A Decent Factory, commissioned by several TV channels. The film was released theatrically in the USA in 2005 and was also a festivals success (it was shown in doclisboa in 2005)
Filmography: Damages (2007), A Decent Factory (2004), Christ comes to the Papuans (2001), Waiting for Jesus (2000),
The Gospel according to the Papuans (1999), Maharadja Burger (1997), Bosnia Hotel (1996)

*Free entrance within the availability of seats; tickets can be picked up at the box office (2 per person). free entrance, within the availability of seats. In English

October 24th /25th – 10h00/14h30 – Small Auditorium*
public pitching session
20 projects, previously selected by EDN for their potential appeal to the international market and developed during 3-day workshop, are presented to a panel of decision-makers from documentary funding institutions and leading European channels in international co-productions:
1. Cynthia Kane, ITVS, USA
2. Claudia Schreiner, MDR, Germany
3. Jordi Ambrós, TVC, Spain
4. Gregory Sanderson, BBC, United Kingdom
5. Olaf Grunert, ARTE, France
6. Jenny Westergård, YLE FST, Finland
7. Roberto Blatt, Multicanal, Spain
8. Vera Bonnier, SVT, Sweden
9. Sabine Bubeck-Paaz, ZDF/ARTE, Germany
10. Marijke Huijbregts, AVRO, The Netherlands

It's a show of what we can expect from documentarists in Portugal and other European countries. 15 minutes are given to each project - half of the time to the producers/directors, the other half to reactions from the Experts. The main goal of a Pitching Session is to secure financing for documentary projects. Thus, to be in the audience is a unique chance to observe what works and what does not work in today’s international non-fiction market!

This year the selected projects are:
· Albert Schweitzer - Saint or Sinner
Iris Flechtner (Mischief Films/NFP, Austria/Germany);
· Apotheosis
António Borges Correia (Primeiros Sintomas, Portugal);
· Art, the Passion of a Survivor
Oriol Cortacans (Batabat, Spain);
· A Short Night's Journay into Day
Marion Bornschier & Elvira Geppert (Tanid Film & Geppert Productions, Switzerland/Germany);
· Behind the Desert Wall
Mark Mc Loughlin (Bang Bang Teo, Ireland);
· Calvet
Dominic Allan & Alexandre Cornu (Les Films du Tambour de Soie, France);
· Cemetery’s Pleasure
José Baptista (AM Produções, Portugal);
· Children of the Revolution
Shane O'Sullivan (E2 Films, UK);
· Comrade where are you Today?
Sarita Sharma (Making Movies/Kinomaton, Finland/Germany);
· Festival of the Boys
Pierre Primetens (Filmes do Tejo II, Portugal);
· Fighthing Darkness
Miguel Clara Vasconcelos & Daniela Ribeiro (Andar Filmes, Portugal);
· Hollywood Latina
Álex Balsa & Juan Carlos de la Hoz (Sagrera TV, Spain);
· Mother Fátima
Christine Reeh (C.R.I.M., Portugal);
· Mugshots
Stéphane Barbato & Delphine Busnel (Monkey Bay, France);
· Pessoas’ Case
Isabel Chaves (Hora Mágica, Portugal);
· Planet Kirsan
Magdalena Pieta (Eureka Media, Poland);
· South Africa, Mon Amour
Aldo Lee & Benoit Gryspeerdt (Cuisine Productions, France);
· The Elephant and its Teeth
Sarita Siegel (Alchemy Films, UK);
· This is how Life Is
Yrsa Roca Fannberg (Iceland);
· Vinylmania
Paolo Campana & Edoardo Fracchia (Stefilm, Italy)

*free entrance, within the availability of seats. In English

Lisbon docs takes place since 1998 and is promoted by Apordoc – Portuguese Documentary Association with EDN – European Documentary Network in the framework of the programme “Documentary in the South of Europe”.

Organized by: EDN- European Documentary Network + AporDOC - Portuguese Documentary Network
Co-Produced by: Culturgest

Staff: Leena Pasanen (EDN, Director) | Hanne Skjodt (EDN, Coordenator) | Rita Forjaz (Apordoc, Coordenator) |
Marta Frade (Apordoc, production) | Carlota Ribeiro Sanches (Apordoc, production assistant) | Victor Queiroz (Apordoc, production assistant))
Support: Programa MEDIA, União Europeia | Ministério da Cultura / ICA

For further information, please contact:
Apordoc - Rita Forjaz: lisbondocs@sapo.pt
EDN - Hanne Skjødt: hanne@edn.dk| www.edn.dk