Sunny side of the Doc: chronicle of a job well done

Basque audiovisual sector professionals worked hard at the international documentary fair Sunny Side of the Doc, promoting the Basque Audiovisual brand – and their work has borne fruit. Every year over 2000 industry professionals from 60 countries gather together for this essential event. Distributors, buyers, filmmakers, producers and other agents of the documentary market come to Sunny Side of the Doc to buy or sell projects and programmes, find partners or funding, get a foot into new markets, and learn about the latest trends in the sector.

Basque audiovisual sector professionals worked hard at the international documentary fair Sunny Side of the Doc, promoting the Basque Audiovisual brand – and their work has borne fruit. Every year over 2000 industry professionals from 60 countries gather together for this essential event. Distributors, buyers, filmmakers, producers and other agents of the documentary market come to Sunny Side of the Doc to buy or sell projects and programmes, find partners or funding, get a foot into new markets, and learn about the latest trends in the sector.

For many producers this was the first time at Sunny Side of the Doc: Marmoka Films, Mr. and Mrs., Bainet Zinema, Gastibeltza Filmak, Haruru Filmak. But being newcomers was no obstacle. They participated in different activities and opened their doors to the international market. For example, Marmoka Films participated in eight meetings, and their documentary about a blind surfer "Gallo" was a hit at television stations in Australia and Turkey. On the other hand, the documentary "Arzak since 1897" by Baines Zinema generated interest among French and German distributors.

Regular participants also took advantage of their time at the trade fair. Sincro Producciones clinched a distribution company in Canada, and Taui Madia made contact with a Western co-producer.

Representatives of the producers Gastibeltza Filmak and Sr. Y Sra. commented on the importance of having everything ready to go prior to Sunny Side of the Doc.

In this edition, 12 Basque companies came to La Rochelle, France, where the fair took place: Altube Filmeak, Commu nication Arena, Bainet Zinema, Gastibeltza Filmak, Haruru Filmak, Irusoin, Marmoka Films, Mirokutana, Sincro Produccion, Sonora Studios, Sr and Sra and Taui Media. All of them worked under the Basque Audiovisual brand, created and promoted by Eiken (Basque audiovisual cluster), Zineuskadi and the Etxepare Basque Institute.