A truly european hub...

While Sunny Side of the Doc is a truly international event, Europe is a core component of the market, making up about 80% of all participants and of the projects presented and pitched. With the ongoing support from the Creative Europe’s MEDIA programme, we're committed to encouraging european countries who are less represented on the international market to take part in our activities by handing out each year, special grants enabling them to participate at lower costs.

...bringing new voices

In order to achieve this, Sunny Side of the Doc has joined forces with key European partners active in the sector, to help identify these new voices in emerging European markets.

"It is extremely important to bring new voices and visions to the international documentary landscape, as they provide us with a deeper understanding of various topics, make us think about them and teach us how to behave. Giving these opportunities to new talent, through markets such as Sunny Side of the Doc, is absolutely fantastic as is it enables us, Broadcasters, Distributors, Film Festivals, State Funders and other Independent Producers to meet them and help them in their quest to tell the world their untold stories." - Lejla Dedic, AJBDOC Film Festival

2023 Grant recipients

This year, talented filmmakers from Ukraine, Latvia and Hungary will have the chance to travel to La Rochelle and meet the documentary community from 19 to 22 June 2023. In addition, following up on our 2022 Talent Hub Ukraine that showcased 6 documentary projects with international potential, we are honoured to support the first participation of Ukrainian pubcaster Suspilne to Sunny Side of the Doc 2023.

Sari Haragonics, Campfilm (Hungary)
Selected in the New Voices pitching category for the project Don't Worry Sari!

Bio: Sári, a University of Theatre and Film Arts, Budapest graduate with an MA in documentary directing is working on her 2nd feature-length documentary, Don’t worry Sári! about understanding family dynamics and patterns. She started her Doctoral studies 4 years ago, researching how participatory video can affect our social relations.

Glib Lukianets, Gogol Film (Ukraine)

Selected in the Nature & Conservation pitching category for the project Divia.

Bio: Glib Lukianets is Ukrainian-Polish film producer, the owner of Gogol Film and Gogol Vertigo production houses, that focus on social issues by creative storytelling.

Madara Melberga, FA Filma (Latvia)
Sunny Side of the Doc prize recipient at East Doc Platform 2023.

Bio: Madara Melberga produces creative documentaries and art house fiction films. She appreciates to work very close to directors, lately Madara Melberga also turned to writing. She likes the stories balancing on the edge and exposes dilemmas we have to face. Two of her documentaries were premiered at IDFA, her last film is considered the best Latvian documentary 2022. Graduated in philosophy and currently studying theology.

Lukian Halkin, Suspilne (Ukraine)
Speaker at Meet the Executives: Suspilne - Ukraine

Bio: Ukrainian producer, film expert and critic. Executive producer of Suspilne Kultura TV channel. Selected filmography (as producer): «Ukraine Behind The Scenes» (2023, dir. Vladyslav Vasylchenko, full-length documentary feature. Agora Doc Work in progress – official selection) “Shchedryk against “the russian world” (2022, dir. Oleksandr Nazarov, full-length documentary. Production by Prosto Production company) «No see / No sin» (2022, dir. Anna Yeresko, full-length documentary feature. KharkivMeetDocs IFF – official selection) “The Tereshchenko’s Legacy” (2021, dir. Oleksandr Nazarov, 8-episode documentary series. Production by Prosto Production company)

Kateryna Feleniuk, Suspilne (Ukraine)
Speaker at Meet the Executives: Suspilne - Ukraine

Bio: Executive producer at Ukraine Public Broadcasting company, responsible for socio-political and documentary projects. Currently, manages the production of socio-political talk show «Noviy Vydlik» and internal and external documentaries. Selected filmography (as producer): “Life after tomorrow” (2020, dir. Snizhana Potapchuk) “Children of the Great Famine” (2020, dir. Snizhana Potapchuk) “Strong women” (2021, dir. Snizhana Potapchuk, , 3-episode documentary series) “People of the zone” ( 2021, dir Oleksiy Mulyavin) “Once was made” (2022, dir. Volodymyr Bakum) “Destroyed bridges” (2023, dir. Volodymyr Bakum).

partners

A shared ambition
with our partners