RIGA IFF FORUM is a meeting point and co-production platform for children’s film creators. Taking place from October 18-19, FORUM focuses on upcoming children’s films projects from the Baltic Sea region and Central Europe. Within the 2 days of FORUM, children’s filmmakers will pitch their projects to an international audience of producers, distributors and sales agents and get feedback on their ideas by presenting them to a savvy audience of youngsters aged from 7-14 years. Riga IFF FORUM is the-place-to-be for filmmakers, seeking to find co-producers and get their projects around. For sales agents and distributors Riga is the place to get a thorough overview of the upcoming projects of the region. If you wish to attend the pitching session and one-on-one meetings with the pitching teams, please fill out the form below by 1st of October. The team of Riga IFF curators will process your application and you shall be granted the festival accreditation. [buttons] 5000 EUR in post-production services or gear from BBRental With kind support of BBRental - a full service professional filming equipment rental house with branches in Riga, Tallinn and Vilnius, RIGA IFF FORUM is proud to have the best project award that will be bestowed on a project, selected by an international jury of film experts. The beneficiary of the BBRental prize will obtain 5000 euros, worth of post-production services or filming gear.

In cooperation with interactive media production company Story Hub and start-up community holders TechHub Riga, RIGA IFF is opening doors to Virtual Reality (VR). Our common goal is to break the invisible wall between traditional filmmakers and VR content creators by sharing tips, advices and remarkable case studies that have the potential to inspire the crowd to start experimenting and developing ideas in the fast developing VR environment. Inspirational talks focused on educational content for children and youth will include a set of topical updates on the VR world, its storytelling and valuable case studies, featuring savvy speakers and bold ideas. These lectures are organised as a part of the Cross Motion project funded by the EU. To put the newly gained expertise into action, we invite you to challenge yourself and take part in RIGA IFF Hackathon. Participants, forming teams, will be able to work on children's and youth VR content, providing creative solutions. [buttons]

European Script Meeting (ESM) seeks to facilitate creative partnership of professional screenwriters, film producers and directors through individual meetings to discuss collaboration on new screenplays. On October 23 – 24, 2018, for the 4th time the meeting will bring together 10 selected screenwriters and 9 project representatives from all over Europe. ESM’s aim is to encourage new international partnerships among screenwriters and creative film crews who are looking for writing professionals – screenwriters, co-writers, editors, consultants, doctors, analysts, mentors etc. The structure of the event is organized as individual one-on-one meetings but is not limited to it. To have a productive setting for shaping new ideas within their initial conception, networking, crossover meetings and participant brainstorming is encouraged regardless of the set event structure. [buttons]

Every year the RIGA IFF ZIP-MEETING focuses on a different field within the industry to provide the time and space for an intensive yet informal networking session. This year ZIP-MEETING takes form of an unprecedented trilateral film school meeting from Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. Delegates from the seven most prominent players of audiovisual studies in the Baltics (including animation studies) are meeting to gain apprehension of the audiovisual studies available in the Baltics, compare the study programs and approaches, share problems, solutions and ambitions and create a platform for further collaboration.

In 2018, in collaboration with British Council in Latvia and NFC, Creative Europe Desk Latvia, MEDIA Office the CRITICS MEETING has invited British film critic and reviewer Michael Pattison for three talks. One of the talks is targeted at professional film critics and those interested in the craft, one for educators that covers topics of audiovisual literacy, and the third one will be dedicated to people who want to find out more about film criticism but have no previous experience.

The section is dedicated to young talents eager to learn, practice, get inspired, and expand their creative horizons: each year 8 to 10 young film-makers from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are invited to present their short films to a panel of international experts that provide an in-depth analysis of their work. The screenings are open to all RIGA IFF industry badge holders and other registered participants. To register as an observer, please contact the curator Anna Zača via anna@rigaiff.lv [buttons]

What’s Up? is an informal event for SHORT RIGA guests and Baltic artists and producers who are working in short moving image format. With no protocol and only one rule - 5 minutes for presentation and 5 minutes for questions, the participants are invited to share what they have been up to lately. The event is open for all RIGA IFF badge holders and other registered participants. To register to present your work or as an observer, please contact the curator Anna Zača to anna@rigaiff.lv

The format of the discussions reflects its purpose: to create a place and chance to discuss topics brought up in the hallways of film theatres during the film festival informally but concisely. It is also a chance for people to meet. We hope to introduce the guests of the festival with local professionals, institutions and urban environment of Riga. We have planned three discussions in different formats and places that are chosen in line with the particular theme.