The Baltic Pitching Forum is a unique platform of networking and bringing the latest short film projects from the Baltics into the spotlight. The main goal of the Forum is to facilitate interaction, cooperation and coproduction between short filmmakers from Baltics and the rest of Europe.
Since 2013, the Forum has created a space where film directors and producers can present their short film projects in order to attract active European producers, TV commissioners, fund representatives, VoD programmers and distributors.
The Baltic Pitching Forum consists of an online script consultation and a three-day training and pitching event alongside one-to-one meetings with film professionals from all over Europe. Individual consultation with an experienced scriptwriting expert takes place in the first week of September. The Forum event is held in October in Vilnius.
During the Forum, filmmakers gather to discuss, get feedback and learn to promote their newest short film projects on the international level. Selected projects are evaluated by the international panel of 7 members – professionals from the fields of festivals, TV, distribution, production and film commissioning, as well as Baltic producers’ jury.
Eligible participants – Lithuanian, Latvian, Estonian and Guest country film directors and/or producers who have finished at least one short film project and are now developing a new project which is fiction/animation short film up to 30 minutes and aimed for an international audience.
12 short film projects (3 from each country) are selected to participate at the Baltic Pitching Forum.
The Baltic Pitching Forum is organised by Lithuanian Short Film Agency LITHUANIAN SHORTS (www.lithuanianshorts.com) in partnership with Riga International Film Festival, Riga International Short Film Festival 2ANNAS, PÖFF Shorts (sub-festival of Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival), Estonian Short Film Centre | ShortEst and Creative Europe Desk Lithuania MEDIA Office.
PRIZES
The BPF Panel will select two Best Short Film Projects*:
Representatives of the first place winning project will be awarded with participant rights at the European Short Film Co-production Forum EURO CONNECTION, which is a part of the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Market (co-funded by the Europe Creative MEDIA Programme) taking place in February, 2021. The award also covers up to 400 EUR in travel expenses to Clermont-Ferrand (France).
Representatives of the second winner project will be awarded with the participant rights at the European Short Pitch programme initiated by NISI MASA and taking place in Autumn, 2021. The award covers participating fee up to 450 eur.
BALTIC PRODUCERS MEDIA AWARD*
The Baltic Producers’ Jury, consisting of three experienced producers from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, will select their Best Short Film Project and award it with a Baltic Producers MEDIA Award* – a 1000 EUR cash prize. This initiative is co-organized by the Creative Europe MEDIA Desks in Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.
* All participants are eligible to compete for the Baltic Producers’ Jury MEDIA Award. Only Estonians, Latvians, and Lithuanians are eligible to compete for the Euro Connection and European Short Pitch Awards.
WINNERS
2013
THE BUTTERFLY-MAN (dir. Edina Csüllög, prod. Kristo Jürmann, Peeter Urbla) – participant rights at the European Short Film Co-production Forum EURO CONNECTION 2014
2014
KARV (dir. Orskar Lehemaa, prod. Kaspar Ainelo) – participant rights at the European Short Film Co-production Forum EURO CONNECTION 2015
BUILDING (dir. Oskars Kalninš, prod. Tommas Beķeris) – Vilnius Film Cluster award of 10 000 Lt for in-kind services
2015
WINTER IN THE RAINFOREST (dir. Anu-Laura Tuttelberg, prod. Kerdi Kuusik-Oengo, Estonia) – participant rights at the European Short Film Co-production Forum EURO CONNECTION 2016
BATHHOUSE (dir. Laurynas Bareiša, prod. Klementina Remeikaitė, Lithuania) – participant rights at the European Short Pitch 2016 by NISI MASA
2016
THE JUGGLER (dir. Skirmanta Jakaitė, prod. Agnė Adomėnė, Lithuania) – participant rights at the European Short Film Co-production Forum EURO CONNECTION 2017
RIGA’S LILAC (dir. Lizete Upīte, Latvia) – participant rights at the European Short Pitch 2017 by NISI MASA
2017
DARK SIDE OF THE EARTH (dir. Urmas Nimetu, prod. Peeter Urbla, Estonia) – participant rights at the European Short Film Co-production Forum EURO CONNECTION 2018
ELENA (dir. Birutė Sodeikaitė, prod. Agnė Adomėnė, Lithuania) – participant rights at the European Short Pitch 2018 by NISI MASA
THE RITUAL (dir. Aivars Madris, prod. Sergei Serpuhov, Latvia) – Lithuanian Producers MEDIA Award
2018
COUNTY COURT (dir. Eeva Mägi, prod. Karolina Veetamm, Estonia) – participant rights at the European Short Film Co-production Forum EURO CONNECTION 2019 and Lithuanian Producers MEDIA Award
GIRL AND THE PIANO (dir. Jurga Šeduikytė, prod. Giedrė Burokaitė, Lithuania) – participant rights at the European Short Pitch 2019 by NISI MASA
BLUEBERRIES & MILK (dir. Milda Baginskaitė, Lithuania) – special mention by Lithuanian Producers’ Jury
2019
THE DEER (dir. Kristīne Vītola, prod. Lelde Prūse, Latvia) – participant rights at the European Short Film Co-production Forum EURO CONNECTION 2020
PENTHOUSE FOR SHORT PEOPLE (dir. Anna Zača, co-prod. Agnė Adomėnė, Latvia) – participant rights at the European Short Pitch 2020 by NISI MASA
MOTHERS (dir. Birutė Kapustinskaitė, Lithuania) – Lithuanian Producers MEDIA Award
MIA AND LIKI (dir. Katrin Tegova, prod. Maario Masing, Estonia) – special mention by Lithuanian Producers’ Jury
FLOWER SHOW (dir. Elli Vuorinen, prod. Jani Lehto, Finland) – special mention by Lithuanian Producers’ Jury
2020
SKIN OF A MANDARIN (dir. Jaanika Arum, prod. Tiina Savi, Estonia) – participant rights at the Euro Connection 2021
THE ONE WHO KNOWS (dir. Eglė Davidavičė, prod. Agnė Adomėnė, Lithuania) – participant rights at the European Short Pitch 2021
THE MAN WHO SCOOPED THE SEA (dir. prod. Zurab Dzhidzhilava, Latvia) – Baltic Producers MEDIA Award and Special Mention by BPF Panel
TEAM BUILDING (dir. Mateusz Pacewicz, prod. Ludka Kierczak, Poland) – Special Mention by Baltic Producers’ Jury
