The Riga International Film Festival’s annual industry section RIGA IFF FORUM will take place on 19 – 21 October. Submissions are now open for RIGA IFF Showcase, a pitching session for feature film and series projects, as well as for SHORT RIGA Test Screenings, a session where short films can get in-depth, professional feedback. In addition, the RIGA IFF FORUM programme will include a conference hosted by the Council of Europe on European series co-production where industry professionals, policymakers, and stakeholders will come together to discuss the legal and financial instruments that regulate series production in Europe.

The RIGA IFF Showcase is a compact market tailored for professionals involved in the creation, funding, or distribution of feature films or series. It gives participants an insight into up-and-coming work from the Baltics as well as Eastern and Central Europe, with the aim to boost co-productions within the region and present projects to buyers from Europe and North America. It comprises a pitching session for diverse feature film and series projects that are in pre-production or production, industry screenings of newly completed films, and dedicated networking events. Only projects and completed work with existing or planned financing from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Georgia, Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Ukraine are eligible for submission.

As RIGA IFF marks its 10th anniversary, it has entered into a long-term strategic partnership with Tet, one of the largest technology and TV content companies in the Baltics. Tet will award a cash prize of 5,000 EUR to the feature film or series project selected by a jury of Latvian and international professionals. Tet will also grant a production prize to one of the projects, becoming its co-producer.

SHORT RIGA Test Screenings offers a platform for directors from the Baltic states and this year’s guest country Norway to showcase their work and acts as a springboard to the festival circuit. The basic principle of the event is to gather representatives of notable film festivals and talent scouts in one place. Following the screenings of 10 to 14 promising short films, an international panel of experts will provide invaluable feedback, recommendations for completing the films, and advice for creating a festival strategy.

The festival continues its long-standing partnership with the Riga-based post production company BBPosthouse. The company operates in the three Baltic capitals and works with all aspects of post-production across different media, from cinema to web content. Thanks to them, this year one short film from SHORT RIGA Test Screenings will be awarded a BBPosthouse prize of post-production services worth 5,000 EUR.

Please visit forum.rigaiff.lv for detailed submission guidelines, eligibility requirements, event schedule and further information about the events. Submissions are open until 15 September.

RIGA IFF receives support from the State Culture Capital Foundation, Creative Europe MEDIA, the National Film Centre, and the Riga City Council. The main partner of RIGA IFF is Tet.