European regional film funds start DOCU REGIO to stimulate documentary co-production.
In 2007, twelve European film funds initiated the documentary pitching forum, DOCU REGIO. The aim of DOCU REGIO is not only to organize training for European regional documentary producers, but also to create a network of European regions already funding documentary production and now ready to promote cross-border co-productions among themselves.
Producers with projects at the development stage that are suitable for a European co-production, can send in an application to his/hers regional correspondent, and one project per film fund are selected for the DOCU REGIO programme.
The documentary projects selected must be aimed at television and should have a European dimension that is of interest to a regional, national or international broadcaster.
In 2010, 16 European regions were partners of DOCU REGIO, coming from Austria, Belgium, Italy, Denmark, Ireland, France, United Kingdom, Germany, Finland, Switzerland and Sweden.
The DOCU REGIO programme consists of two workshops. The aim of the first session is to work on the projects that have been selected, improve them by setting targets and to start the rewriting process (2 pages). At the second workshop the participating producers will present their documentary projects at a final pitch before twelve commissioning editors coming from the major European broadcasters involved in documentary production. Between the workshops, the producers will keep close contact with their tutors to continue the working process.
The participating producers will be trained by skilled professionals under the leadership of Cecilia Lidin, director of European Documentary Network, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Docu Regio 2011
The first session of DOCU REGIO 2011 will take place in Brussels, Belgium, from 6-8 of June. The aim of the first session is to work on the projects that have been selected, to improve them by setting targets and to start the rewriting (2 pages). Case studies will support the process of project development.
The second session of DOCU REGIO will take place in Lille/Tourcoing, France, from 14-16 of September. At this stage, the projects have been re-written and presented in two pages.
The final pitch takes place at Le Fresnoy in Tourcoing.
Docu-Regio 2010
The first session of DOCU REGIO 2010 took place in Turin, Italy from 7-9 of June.
The second session of DOCU REGIO took place in Lille/Tourcoing, France, from 11-13 of October. The final pitch took place at Le Fresnoy in Tourcoing.
Docu Regio 2009
The first session of DOCU REGIO 2009 took place in Hamburg, Germany, from 8-10 of June.
The second session of DOCU REGIO took place in Lille/Tourcoing, France, from 12-14 October. The final pitch took place at Le Fresnoy in Tourcoing.
Docu Regio 2008
The first session of DOCU REGIO 2008 took place in Galway, Ireland, from 2-4 of June. It was hosted by the Irish Film Board.
The second session of DOCU REGIO took place in Tourcoing, France, as follows:
On the 14th October, a meeting was scheduled with all the Film Funds’ representatives, followed by a dinner with the commissioning editors.
On the 15th October, the final pitch at Le Fresnoy in Tourcoing, took place.