“Fight For Food” Wins #Global Pitch 2023
By Maggie Burnette Stogner, 10 February 2023
This year’s Sunnyside of the Doc Global Pitch was held virtually with an impressive global attendance. One hundred pitches from 37 countries were submitted. (My film “Upstream, Downriver” was among the pitches as we are expanding it, thrilled to be among so many talented filmmakers.)* The focus of this year’s global pitch was on our climate crisis. The projects represented a vast range of approaches, new perspectives, and equitable storytelling. Twelve pitches were selected (see full list below) and each pitch received feedback from leading broadcasters/streamers including Al Jazeera, ZDF, ARTE, NHK, PBS, The Redford Center, and many others.
The winning pitch “Fight For Food” — is an expansive film project that takes “A closer look at the farmers, scientists and cultural activists fighting to preserve Kenya’s agriculture and food cultures — and the forces working to take control of the country’s food systems.” Five East African directors are collaborating on the project: @Maia Lekow, @Christopher King, @Zippy Kimundu, @Akuol Mabuior, and @Saitabai Kayiare. Producers include @Jim Chuchu and @Benjamin Muasya from Rada Studios Ltd. in Kenya. The project promotes community through The Garden, a space that reconnects people with indigenous seed crops and progressive farming. It provides an inspiring model of local efforts that can grow across many communities.
Photo used to showcase “Fight For Food” project that was selected as the top pitch.
The jury of industry experts selecting the winning pitch were @Khadidja Banouataf (Impact Social Club), @Keisha Knight (IDA), @Cleo Veger (Dogwoof) and @Julian Etienne (Doc Society). Their comments about why they chose “Fight For Food” included:
“importance of global south films from global south perspectives”
“impressed by team approach”
“inspires sustainable and equitable systems”
and @Julian Etienne’s observation that “The Garden is the space for the impact campaign and plays a role in the narrative. . .it erases the space between film and impact campaign.”
The jurors summarized by saying: “With the consequences of climate change and privatization affecting day to day Global South communities, Fight for Food shows how Kenyan farmers are adapting to extreme weather, unpredictable climate patterns and extractive foreign influence. We believe that the film can be an inspiration for other community-based approaches for climate justice.”**
Producer @Jim Chuchu thanked the reviewers and concluded with “food is intimate. . .it connects people, and we are all connected.”
Logo for #GlobalPitch 2023 Sunnyside of the Doc
The Jurors also elevated “The Present is our Future: Saleem and Climate Adaptation” with a special mention as “a project we think deserves highlighting for its attention to climate adaptations made possible by grassroot social innovations and the moral urgency of establishing a loss & damages fund.” This project is based in Bangladesh.
Here is a list of the twelve pitches selected and we congratulate them all!
For more information, go to: https://www.sunnysideofthedoc.com/home/marketplace/global-pitch-2023/official-selection.htm
- THE C WORD
Northern Picture (Australia) - CAPTURING WATER
Uhuru Production (South Africa) - CLIMATE JUSTICE
Seppia (France) - STANDING UP
State of Mic (Gambia) - INTOXICATED — HOW TO AVOID THE END OF THE WORLD
Small Boss production (Italy) - THEIR PRESENT IS OUR FUTURE: SALEEM AND CLIMATE ADAPTATION
- Pulp Films (France)
- FUTURE HOME
Terra Mater Studios GmbH (Austria) & Amberjack Films LTD (United Kingdom) - PORTO CENTRAL
Storyhouse (Belgium) - FIGHT FOR FOOD
Rada Studios Ltd. (Kenya) - FLYING GREEN
Vidicom Media GmbH (Germany) - EVERYTHING IS FINE (Working title)
Banyak Films (United Kingdom) - OJOS DE AGUA, FREE THE WATER OF CHILE
Dryades Films (France)
The #GlobalPitch2023 was sponsored by AJB Doc, Al Jazeera Documentary Channel and WaterBear Network. The next #Sunnyside of the Doc will take place in person in La Rochelle from June 19–22, 2023.
FOOTNOTES —
- * “Upstream, Downriver” is expanding to include more stories of water equity and justice. For more information, go to www.upstreamdownriver.org
- ** Sunnyside of the Doc press release: https://www.sunnysideofthedoc.com/home/marketplace/global-pitch-2023/official-selection.htm
