Every year BSD gathers over 100 filmmakers from the Baltic Sea region, Eastern Europe, and Caucasus. Participation in the preparatory workshops, public pitching sessions and seminars is an opportunity for filmmakers to find funding for the production of their projects and to ensure that their films reach a wide audience across Europe and beyond. 

BSD is looking for applications from independent production companies from the wider Baltic Sea region countries (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden), Eastern Europe and Caucasus region, and from other countries if the documentary subject relates to the region. The main focus of the BSD is on full-length creative documentary projects, but cross-media applications are also welcome to apply. 

Guidelines and application form is accessible on BSD website: http://balticseadocs.lv/industry/submission_guidelines-2020/

Participation at BSD is free of charge. The selection results will be announced by 10 July.

To name just a few of the films presented in the previous edition of the BSD – Immortal (Ksenia Okhapkina, 2019, EE/LV, Grand Prix at Karlovy Vary IFF), The Earth is Blue as an Orange (Irina Tsilyk, 2020, UA/LT, Best Director award at World Cinema section at Sundance IFF). 

BSD is organised by the National Film Centre of Latvia, with financial support of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia, Creative Europe Media programme, and Riga Municipality. In parallel to the industry event, BSD is presenting a film programme of recent documentaries.

BSD organizers are following the developments of the restrictions due to the pandemic in Latvia and internationally, and in case physical event is not possible, it will be held online on the same dates.