Al Jazeera Documentary Industry Days reveals 2024 winners
Projects competed for co-production and cash awards worth more than 120,000 EUR provided by Al Jazeera Documentary, Al Jazeera Balkans, and other partners.
After a captivating three-day event, during which 29 projects were presented in four categories (Main Pitch, Rough Cut, Balkan Stars, and Special Selection), the decision-makers ruled out the winners.
DOC HOUSE TUNISIA AWARD (Invitation to the pitching sessions of Point Doc 2025) - My Father’My Father’s Wars War, dir. Younes Jaddad
BELDOCS AWARD (Opportunity to present the project at the next BelDocs Pitching Forum, including free accreditation and accommodation) - For Whom the Bells Toll? dir. Denis Karam and Zlatko Ivanišević
SHEFFIELD DOC FEST NETWORKING AWARD (This award will support emerging talents in discovering and connecting with the UK and international documentary industry) - The Amateur Photographer’s Family Portrait, dir. Nurlan Hasanli
MOVIES THAT MATTER IMPACT AWARD (One project will be selected to attend the Festival, Industry Days Film & Impact, including free accreditation and accommodation) - 3 Brothers, dir. Katalin Bársony
DOHA FILM INSTITUTE – DFI PRODUCERS LAB AWARD (Selection of one project to participate in the DFI 2024 Producers Lab) - The Amateur Photographer’s Family Portrait, dir. Nurlan Hasanli
MIA - DOC & FACTUAL AWARD (Attendance at the Doc Co-Production Market and Pitching Forum/Doc Hosted Session) - The Other Gaza, dir. Wafa Jamil
SUNNY SIDE OF THE DOC AWARDS (Two Sunnyside 2024 accreditations for one project. One €500 grant plus accreditation for another project) - The Other Gaza, dir. Wafa Jamil
CANNES DOCS - MARCHÉ DU FILM AWARD (Two projects invited to take part in Cannes Docs as "Spotlighted Projects" at Marché du Film - Festival de Cannes 2025, plus tailored mentoring) - Big in Gazi Baba, dir. Pauline Blanchet and The Dry Period, dir. Nihal Atasoy
IDF - EAST SILVER CARAVAN AWARD (One year of festival distribution service. During the year, films are submitted to international film festivals for consideration) - Big in Gazi Baba, dir. Pauline Blanchet
LOOKS TV - PROGRESS FILM AWARD (Award of Progress archive material worth 3,000 EUR) - Magma, dir. Mia Bendrimia
EURODOC AWARD FOR THE BEST PITCH (Full tuition fee for one EURODOC training session plus one-year-long EURODOC membership (value of €1900). Eligible for projects whose main producer is based in EU Member States (and non-EU Participating Countries in the Creative Europe Programme) - Big in Gazi Baba, dir. Pauline Blanchet
RADIO TELEVISION OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA - BHRT AWARD (In-kind award of archive material worth 5,000 EUR) - Weeping Houses, dir. Srđan Perkić
CZECH TELEVISION DEVELOPMENT AWARD (This award includes editorial support and film archives/financial co-production support/in-kind resources, depending on the nature of the project) - Close to Paradise - Zarema and Her Rebel Family, dir. Tatsiana Khamliuk
RUM PICTURES & MCQ AWARD FULL POST-PRODUCTION PACKAGE (In collaboration with Media City Qatar, a post-production package valued at $30,000 will be awarded. The package includes video editing, audio mixing, color grading, animation & GFZ, DCP creation) - 32 Meters, dir. Morteza Atabaki
FILM CENTER OF MONTENEGRO BALKAN STAR AWARD (Award of 2,000 EUR in cash) - Weeping Houses, dir. Srđan Perkić
BH TELECOM AWARD (Award of 2,500 EUR in cash) - Weeping Houses, dir. Srđan Perkić
CROATIAN RADIO TELEVISION - HRT TV AWARD (Award of 5,000 EUR) - Houses on Sand, dir. Vid Begić
AL JAZEERA DOCUMENTARY CHANNEL AWARDS
MAIN PITCH (THE CO-PRODUCTION OF 25,000 USD) - The Amateur Photographer’s Family Portrait, dir. Nurlan Hasanli
ROUGH CUT - (THE CO-PRODUCTION AWARD OF 15,000 USD) - 32 Meters, dir. Morteza Atabaki
BALKAN STARS - (THE CO-PRODUCTION AWARD OF 10,000 USD) - Weeping Houses, dir. Srđan Perkić
AL JAZEERA BALKANS AWARDS
MAIN PITCH - (THE CO-PRODUCTION AWARD OF 8,000 EUR) - Big in Gazi Baba, dir. Pauline Blanchet
ROUGH CUT - (THE CO-PRODUCTION AWARD OF 7,000 EUR) - Dreams of the Wild Oaks, dir. Marjan Khosravi
BALKAN STARS - (THE CO-PRODUCTION AWARD OF 5,000 EUR) - Third Person, dir. Dragan Gmizić
A total of 29 projects were presented throughout the three days. Projects competed for co-production and cash awards worth more than 120,000 EUR provided by Al Jazeera Documentary, Al Jazeera Balkans, and other partners.
Adel Ksiksi, Head of Industry Days, congratulated the winners and shared that, among more than 270 submissions, he now feels and sees that he has picked ideal projects for the third edition of Industry Days.
"Over the past three days, we have witnessed remarkable creativity, genuine compassion, and truth-seeking among filmmakers and decision-makers. This edition had stories that inspired, challenged, and educated. As we've seen, documentary projects are a powerful medium that confronts us with reality. These projects sparked important conversations and called us to act. Each of these stories brings winds of change. These filmmakers did an excellent job - especially those pitched for the first time", said Ksiksi.
Ksiksi also expressed gratitude to platform partners, sponsors, friends, and supporters. This edition of the AJD Industry is supported by Media City Qatar, BH Telecom, Croatian Radiotelevision (HRT), Czech Television, Radiotelevision of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BHRT), Eurodoc, Looks TV, The Institute of Documentary Film, Cannes Docs, BelDocs, Sheffield DocFest, Movies that Matter, Doha Film Institute and MIA DOC, Rum Picture and Point DOC.
Our special thanks go to our media partners Cineuropa, Business Doc Europe, Dokumentarni.net, Modern Times Review, Anadolu Agency, BHRT, and TRT Balkan.
AJD Industry Days were held from September 14th to 16th and presented projects covering various issues facing Southeast Europe (SEE), Caucasus, and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) regions.