Award Season for Asian Side of the Doc across Asia in 2017

We’re thrilled to announce that the following four documentary projects in progress have received in-kind support from Asian Side of the Doc to help fund and complete their stories during the 8th edition of the international marketplace in Bangkok from 30 January to 2 February 2018.

Asian Side of the Doc project development workshop in Bangkok, Thailand (19-22 September 2017)

As part of our pre-market activities, Asian Side of the Doc project development workshop and masterclass provided valuable insight for selected ASEAN documentary producers and directors aiming for the international non-fiction market. A total of 40 documentary projects from 7 countries were submitted; only 10 concepts were selected to attend this intensive 4-day training programme around a team of top international experts, incredibly supportive and generous:

• Yves Jeanneau, CEO of Sunny Side of the Doc and Asian Side of the Doc
• Esther van Messel, Producer, and CEO of First Hand Films (Switzerland/Germany)
• Christian Popp, Independent producer and co-founder of YUZU Productions (France)
• Pailin Wedel, Independent filmmaker (Thailand/USA)

Helping producers and filmmakers get at the essence of their projects and articulate what they’re trying to do was the objective and two stories really stood out with a more clarified, impactful way of describing their project to potential supporters or partners.

★ Best Pitch Award

DUCK ACADEMY (Thailand)
Produced by Yupa Rattanajan, Payai Creation Co.,Ltd.
Prize: Free accreditation & Pitch Selection at Asian Side of the Doc 2018

Logline: Three thousand ducks, one farmer, and an ultimate goal to produce chemical free rice for his consumers. Against all odds, a determined Thai Farmer trained ducks as “living pesticide.”

★ Special Jury’s Prize

SONG OF HOMELAND (Thailand)
Produced by Preecha Srisuwan, InsideDoc Thailand
Prize: Free accreditation and free project submission to Asian Side of the Doc 2018

The Asian Side of the Doc team is always pleased to witness the quality and the diversity of the pitched projects coming in from all over Asia. There are definitely new talents emerging in China, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and Asian Side of the Doc is one of the best platform for them to enter the international documentary market.

CNEX Chinese Doc Forum in Taipei, Taiwan (23-26 September 2017)

Yves Jeanneau attended the 8th edition of CNEX Chinese Doc Forum and awarded the creative teams behind 2 promising projects with most international potential.

★ Asian Side of the Doc Award

THE MACHINE (Taiwan)
Directed by Martin CHEN and produced by Diana Chiawen LEE & Gwyneth CHEN (Dreams Films Company)
Prize: Free accreditation & pitch selection to Asian Side of the Doc 2018.

Logline: Swapping financing for fighting, 33-year-old Jeff leaves a 7-figure salary job for the hope of becoming the next Mix Martial Arts champion. But the biggest challenge isn’t in the ring; it’s in convincing the naysayers that he’s not throwing his life away.

★ Asian Side of the Doc Invitation

PARADISE GARDEN (China)
Directed by PAN Zhi-qi and produced by Mike SHANG
Prize: Free accreditation to attend Asian Side of the Doc 2018.

Logline: In a world where their personal beliefs and values differ, a mother and son are still trying to save each other out of love.

Docs Port Incheon (2-5 November 2017)

★ Asian Side of the Doc Award

MOMMY AND ME (South Korea)
Directed and produced by YEON Wang-mo (MomoLudens)
Prize: Free accreditation & pitch selection to Asian Side of the Doc 2018

Logline: Before a mother dying soon, her son appears after 40 years of separation, but he only speaks English.

Tokyo Docs (5-8 November 2017)

★ Asian Side of the Doc Award

PIANO SCHOOL, GIFT TO MY DAUGHTER (Japan)
Directed Yoshitaka Nitta (Eurasiavision) and produced by Fumiko Shiobara (Shiobara Office Inc.)
Prize: Free accreditation & pitch selection to Asian Side of the Doc 2018

Logline: A piano teacher and her daughter, a failed pianist, struggle to forge a new approach to early music education.