East Doc Platform (EDP, 25-31 March), a co-production, funding and distribution initiative designed for Central and Eastern European documentary projects, is bracing for its 11^th edition. The platform connects Eastern European filmmakers with relevant decision-makers and potential partners from European territories and further afield. Cineuropa has already introduced this year’s selection of projects across the platform’s usual industry segments of East Doc Forum, East Doc Market and Ex Oriente Film (see the news). In addition to project matchmaking sessions, EDP offers the Open Program, which entails a host of master classes, presentations, talks and case studies.

British documentary filmmaker Marc Isaacs will deliver a master class on the importance of provocation in his filmmaking process, while “encouraging a reflection on the balance between intervention and chance, and how to plan for spontaneity”. Danish specialist in international project development Mikael Opstrup will talk about developing character-driven documentaries and will touch upon certain aspects of documentary pitching in his lecture. Filmmakers Tomasz Wolski and Anna Gawlita will be discussing the pros and cons of working with small teams, and what it’s like to fulfil several roles at once on a project, demonstrating the approach on their works An Ordinary Country and 1970 [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Tomasz Wolski
scheda film]. The founder and CEO of First Hand Films, Esther van Messel, will deliver a keynote speech about audiences, aptly titled “Loving the Audiences”, and AR artist and researcher Rob Eagle will look at the application of AR, taking in a range of formats, from documentaries to games, and will ponder where the emerging technology is heading. Senior producer at Atlas V Oriane Hurard has prepared a lecture about new technologies and the production of XR content.

The Ex Oriente Film and dok.incubator international training workshops, together with the Docs Up Fund, are due to present a joint case study on the producer’s strategy when making politically engaged documentaries, homing in on the Romanian project Too Close [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Botond Püsök. Guests Raj Patel, Lise Lense-Møller, Lucia Kašová, Nazarij Kľujev and Katarína Krnáčová will discuss a hot topic – namely, sustainable filmmaking – and will share their own experiences of green shooting. Furthermore, one panel will be dedicated to the presentation of the Austrian documentary landscape. The Institute of Documentary Film, in cooperation with the One World Film Festival and the Institut Français in Prague, has prepared three screenings with accompanying discussions as part of the East Doc Platform, and the proceeds from ticket purchases will be donated in support of Ukrainian filmmakers.

The 11^th edition of East Doc Platform will unfold from 25-31 March, with the Industry Days taking place from 29-31 March. The full programme is available here.