Reed Midem has announced the opening of the 2015 MipDoc Co-production Pitch call for entries.
Sponsored for the first time this year by leading international producer and distributor ZDF Enterprises, the competition is open to all creators and producers from across the globe seeking to develop factual and documentary projects with co-production partners.
This year's competitors will have an unprecedented opportunity to present their most compelling new projects to ZDF Enterprises, the commercial arm of the German public broadcaster ZDF, and one of the most influential producers and distributors of factual and documentary programming on the media landscape today.
The competition is an integral part of MipDoc’s Co-production Initiative, which sees major commissioning editors and buyers from around the world gather together to meet with some of the hundreds of producers in Cannes looking for co-production partners.
Competitors will be narrowed down to five finalists who will be invited by ZDF Enterprises to pitch live to a jury made up of senior executives from ZDF Enterprises and a selection of senior programmers in Cannes on Saturday 11 April. Registration for the Pitch competition is open now to applicants through its unique Digital Screenings platform powered by Reelport.
"ZDF Enterprises is one of the leading global players in the co-production and distribution of high-end science, history and wildlife programming. It is our aim to be where the best producers gather and where new ideas originate. Therefore, MipDoc is an ideal environment for us. We are looking forward to many stunning projects and enthusiastic producers involved with the pitching battle,” said ZDF Enterprises Vice President of Factual Ralf Rueckauer.
"ZDF Enterprises' support for the 2015 Co-production Pitch takes the upcoming edition of this event to a whole new level," Director Lucy Smith points out. "We are honoured and delighted to be working with a company whose significant blue chip credentials, inspired leadership, and international outreach cannot help but encourage and energise producers and creators of factual and documentary programming to seek out and find new opportunities to develop their projects while in Cannes."
MipDoc runs from April 11-12, ahead of the MipTV global content market set for April 13-16 in Cannes. With a mission to help make international connections that take non-fiction to the next level, it will feature two days of major keynotes, conferences, case studies, screenings, networking events, and one-on-one buyers meetings.
Last year there were more than 470 companies and 400 buyers from 50 countries. The event offers the world’s largest Screenings Library screening service and this year's 18th edition is expected to offer more than 1,500 programmes and projects registered and more than 2000 hours to be screened by buyers and commissioners in just two days.