Just one week left to submit to RIGA IFF FORUM – the deadline is 15 August! Submissions are open for both programmes – SHORT RIGA Test Screenings – a session where short films can get in-depth, professional feedback and RIGA IFF SHOWCASE – a pitching session for feature film and series projects. The festival’s annual industry section will take place from 19 to 21 October.

SHORT RIGA Test Screenings is a programme aimed at short film projects in a post-production stage. During two pitching sessions projects will be presented to the industry experts – Catherine Colas (ZDF / Arte, Germany), Pascale Faure (L’Œil en plus, France), Marie-Pauline Mollaret (La Semaine de la Critique, Festival de Cannes, France) and Sydney Neter (SND Films, the Netherlands) – who will provide in-depth, professional feedback and notes to boost chances for a successful festival run.

The event is complemented by a pitching training led by curator Laurence Raymond (France) and editing consultations with film director and editor Armands Začs (Latvia).

The programme is open to directors either residing, or born in the Baltic countries – Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania – and this year’s guest country – Norway.

One SHORT RIGA Test Screenings project will be awarded a prize of post-production services worth 5000 EUR, thanks to our partners BBPosthouse. 

RIGA IFF SHOWCASE is the festival’s co-production platform, which includes a pitching competition for film and series’ projects from development to post production stage, as well as a broad programme from industry screenings for newly completed work (both features and & series), looking for festivals, sales and distributors, one-to-one meetings and, networking events to a panel discussion organized in co-operation with the Council of Europe on support mechanisms for European series.

The platform aims to encourage co-productions between Baltic, Eastern and Central European as well as Georgian filmmakers. Its goal is to foster stories that feature topics important to the region’s sociocultural space and support local talent by providing them a platform to seek new partnerships in a compact and easily navigable event.

After a successful inaugural edition in 2022, the RIGA IFF SHOWCASE has rendered its pitching session competitive – the winner (determined by an international jury) will receive a cash prize of 5000 EUR, which is provided by the festival’s main partner – Tet. Tet will also grant a production prize to one of the series projects, becoming its co-producer.

The deadline for project submissions is 15 August 2023, 23:59 (local time in Latvia, GMT+2). 

To see the eligibility requirements and to submit your work, visit forum.rigaiff.lv.