Before 2025: All the Essentials to Get Ready for Sunny Side!

On Tuesday, June 3rd, Sunny Side of the Doc invites the global documentary community to join a special online pre-market webinar, designed to prepare participants ahead of the international marketplace in La Rochelle.

Whether you’re attending for the first time, preparing to pitch, or simply looking to make the most of your visit, the Before 2025 webinar offers key tools, insights, and tips to help you navigate the market efficiently and boost your opportunities.

Who can attend?

This year, the event is open to all accredited participants and to applicants who submitted a project under the New Voices category during the 2025 Call for Projects.

What to expect?

With two focused online sessions, the program will walk you through the structure of the event, how to pitch effectively, and how to connect with the right partners. Expect clear overviews, practical advice, and insider tips from industry professionals.

Each session will begin with a brief introduction by Aurélie Reman, Managing Director of Sunny Side of the Doc, and will then be moderated by an industry expert.

To accommodate different time zones, we’ve planned one session in the morning and one in the afternoon.

Session #1 – How Distributors Can Be Your Game-Changers
Tuesday, June 3rd - 9:00 – 10:30 AM (CEST)

In a rapidly evolving and sometimes turbulent, audiovisual market, distributors are among the few players who maintain a comprehensive overview of what broadcasters, platforms, and emerging channels are truly looking for. Their deep understanding of market trends makes them strategic partners for producers, both editorially and commercially.

Yet too often, they are only brought in at the post-production stage — missing out on the opportunity to contribute where they can have the most impact: during development. This session will explore the distributor's role at every stage of the production journey — and why involving them early on can make all the difference.

Speakers: Audrey KAMGA (Arte Distribution), Anne OLZMANN (Albatross World Sales GmbH)

Session #2 – Success Stories & Pitching Tips
Tuesday, June 3rd - 3:00 – 5:00 AM (CEST)

Discover how Sunny Side of the Doc has helped projects come to life. In this session, past project holders will return to share how they crafted their video pitch, built the right strategy, and connected with key partners through the pitch sessions. We’ll explore how Sunny Side pitches led to funding, co-productions, and international visibility — proving that pitching at Sunny Side truly makes a difference.

Two featured case studies will be presented:

Vietnam – Our Voice Unheard, produced by LOOKS Film & TV Produktionen GmbH (Germany) and directed by Lucio Mollica (Winner of Best History Pitch at Sunny Side of the Doc 2023)
Unwelcomed, produced by Amilcar Films (Chile) and directed by Sebastián González Méndez & Amilcar Infante (Pitched at Sunny Side of the Doc 2024)

As a bonus, Nicolas Deschamps, CEO of Realworks, will lead a hands-on segment on how to prepare for your pitch, what decision-makers are looking for, and how to build a presentation that truly stands out.

Before 2025: All the Essentials to Get Ready for Sunny Side!