The 2021 edition of North Pitch -Below Zero took place as an online workshop, where the projects were sent to a selection of decision makers after the workshop. The 2022 edition was cancelled, but we will be back with a full version in 2023. The call for projects is now open.

NORTH PITCH — Below Zero is an international pitching session for documentary projects focusing on life above the Arctic Circle.

The event will take place from 18-21 January 2023.

The NORTH PITCH — Below Zero program

The program will consist of the following elements:

• a pre-pitching workshop where the selected projects will be developed under guidance from experienced international experts from the documentary business. The workshop will focus on how the project can be developed in the best possible direction and how the presentation of the project can be optimized. During the workshop, there will be a possibility to work with both the pitch trailer and the written presentation.
• a project presentation where each project will be presented to a selection of decision makers.

Confirmed panelists 2023:

• Kalle Løchen, NNFS, Norway
• Anna Svensson, SVT, Sweden
• Katja Härkönen, Filmpool Nord, Sweden
• Jannik Splidsboel, SFI, Sweden
• Frank Piasecki Poulsen, DFI, Denmark
• Freja Johanne Nørgaard Sørensen, DR Sales, Denmark
• Anna J Ljungmark, NFI, Norway
• Iris Olsson, FFF, Finland
• Jenny Westergård, YLE, Finland
• Mikko Peltonen, AVEK, Finland
• Fredrik Færden, NRK, Norway
• Tore Tomter, Altibox, Norway
• Ralph Quibeldey, NDR, Germany
• Stefan Kloos, Rise and Shine, Germany
• Liisa Holmberg, International Sámi Film Insitute, Sápmi

The NORTH PITCH - BELOW ZERO Tutors:

An essential part of the Below ZERO is the pre-pitch workshop, where the selected projects will be developed under guidance from experienced international experts from the documentary business.

Tutor team for the workshop in 2023:

• Mikael Opstrup, Denmark, Doc Developer
• Gitte Hansen, Switzerland, Consultant
• Jesper Osmund, Denmark, Editor
• Iikka Vehkalahti, Finland, Producer & Consultant
• Salomé Jashi, Georgia, Director & Consultant

Projects Selected for NORTH PITCH - Below Zero 2022

• The Solitary Road | Prod: Johan Palmgren | Dir: Johan Palmgren | Vindelfilm | Sweden
• The Mob of the North | Prod: Bendik Mondal | Dir: Trond Kvig Andreassen | Monster - Fremantle Company | Norway
• The Art of Walking Slowly | Prod: Yngvar Christensen | Dir: Kaia Kendall-Kjos | Lofoten Film Collective | Norway
• Ice Grave | Prod: Cedric Bonin | Dir: Robin Hunzinger | Seppia | France / Finland
• Kyiv Soloists | Prod: Karianne Berge | Dir: Trond Kvig Andreassen | Indie Film | Norway
• Joik, the film | Prod: Karl Emil Rikardsen | Dir: Anna Andersen / Catherine Yrisarri | Relation04 Media/EQV/NINA Films | USA / Norway
• The Tower | Prod: Kristin Andrea Þórđadóttir | Dir: Ísold Uggadóttir | Skot Productions | Iceland
• Eanuid Eadni - The River Speaks | Prod: Outi Paadar & Bob Cohen | Dir: Bob Cohen & Co-director Inga Wiktoria Påve | Ahkku Vision | Finland/USA
• In the Shadow of the Midnight Sun | Prod: Josef Åkebrand | Dir: Juan delGado and Khaled Alesmael | Maschine Garden Film | Germany
• Undefined | Prod: Kari Anne Moe / Gudmundur Gunnarsson | Dir: Åse Svenheim Drivenes | Fuglene | Norway
• Stardust | Prod: Elisabeth Rasmussen & Jamie Hever | Dir: Elisabeth Rasmussen | Wonderline Productions | Norway / Denmark / UK

What do previous participants say about NORTH PITCH — Below Zero?

The 2018 participant at NORTH PITCH – Below Zero "Where Man Returns" (working title ‘The last Hunter’) was the opening film of Tromsø International Film Festival 2019. Producer Racha Nia says this about NORTH PITCH:

"Below Zero became a very important arena for our film and for whom we ended up collaborating with. We got incredible support, and not least important feedback to determine and understand the strengths and weaknesses of our project. We encountered a lot of resistance, but also met the people who loved our project and became our invaluable partners."

How to Participate

You submit your project by sending a written 2-page presentation of your project accompanied by visual material. The deadline for submitting projects is November 23 2022. You can submit your 2-page presentation by email to :bz@northpitch.no

The 2-page presentation

Your written 2-page presentation should include the following elements:

• Project info: project title, status of the project, expected time of delivery, length, & format
• The film: depending on the nature of the project this can include the story, characters, visual approach, director’s note, etc.
• Contacts: name of producer, production company, director and contact information
• Profiles: short CV & filmography of company and director
• Financing: budget sum (total sum for the production, not the whole budget) and brief financing plan.

You can submit your 2-page presentation by email to: bz@northpitch.no

The visual material

Applications must be accompanied by visual material shot for the submitted project. Applications with no visual material / visual material as a previous work will normally not be considered. You submit your visual material by including a link to an online streaming facility like Vimeo or YouTube when you email your 2-page presentation.

Participation fee

Each selected project pays a participation fee of 300 Euro, which includes the fee for one person. We strongly recommend participation of both director and producer, and the extra fee for additional participants is 200 Euro. The fee includes lunch Thursday-Saturday, and dinner Wednesday and Saturday.

Participating as Observer

For NORTH PITCH - Below Zero a number of observer seats are available. When participating as an observer you will take part in all sessions on equal terms with the pitching participants. Only exception is not having a concrete project developed and pitched. Observers pay 200 Euro for participating.

Background on NORTH PITCH - Below Zero

The NORTH PITCH - Below Zero event was initiated in 2009 to bring together filmmakers, producers, decision makers and organisations whose common interest is documentaries thematically rooted in the Northern Polar region. Building on the success of the first twelve editions of NORTH PITCH - Below Zero, this thirteenth edition will further strengthen and develop the international network for documentaries made around or focusing on the Arctic region. NORTH PITCH - Below Zero is set in Tromsø, Northern Norway, during the last days of the polar night.

For questions regarding the pitch, please contact Mikael Opstrup, mikael@northpitch.no.
For practical questions regarding the event, please contact Herdis Levang, herdis@nnfs.no.