The event will take place on June 23 to the 26 at La Rochelle, France.
Sunny Side of the Doc, the international community and marketplace dedicated to linear and non-linear documentaries, revealed the 42 projects that make up the official selection for its 36th edition (23-26 June 2025, La Rochelle, France).
The international co-production stakes are high at the eagerly anticipated pitch sessions. These sessions will take place during the marketplace in front of more than 250 high-level international decision-makers, including major broadcasters, streamers, foundations, distributors, buyers and other investors looking for stories with the biggest impact.
Launched last December, this year’s call for projects once again mobilised the international community, with 328 documentary submissions — a stable figure for the third consecutive year, following the strong rebound in 2022 — from 56 countries, including 15 new countries (vs. 2024) such as Algeria, DRC, Ethiopia, Morocco, or Colombia.
Hispanic America has a standout place in this year’s selection, with several projects coming from Spain and Latin America. From Spain, the list features the documentaries Homeland Security, produced by Enero Films; Ghetto Classic, produced by WKND; and Unveiling the Cosmos, produced by Spain’s Cabala Films, in alliance with Bilderfest from Germany and Cabala Producciones from Chile.
And from Chile, another two titles made the cut: South Pole Explorers, produced by Oxitocine; and The Letelier File, produced by La Ventana Cine. Other entries from Latin America are the Brailians Invisible Birds, produced by Cadenza Films, O par, Capuri; and Queens of the Water, produced by Frame 22 Hub de Conteudos; and Ecuador’s Mama, produced by Eterea S.A.S.
“This 2025 selection does more than simply reflect the state of global documentary filmmaking – it drives its transformations, responds to broadcasters’ expectations, and stands out through its eclecticism”, explains Aurélie Reman, managing director of Sunny Side of the Doc. “Facing new coproduction dynamics, the 42 selected projects from 22 different countries offer a remarkable panorama of pitches that deeply resonate with our times — while exploring bold narrative formats. In line with our theme ‘New Routes to Storytelling’, I am thrilled to showcase these authentic stories that combine truth, creativity, and financial feasibility, while highlighting on the international stage the talents who have the capacity to shape a more inclusive and sustainable future for our industry.”
Over four days in June, the 42 selected projects will have the privilege of competing for the Best Pitch Prize. The projects will be pitched across seven thematic sessions, supported by key industry partners including PBS Distribution, Blue Ant Media & Love Nature, RTBF, Al Jazeera Documentary & AJB DOC, and ZDF Studios. Each selected project receives a cash reward based on the available sponsorship.
All project holders will receive support throughout the process, ranging from mentoring with industry experts to exclusive access to a qualified and diverse professional audience. In this way, all efforts are made to increase and foster fruitful financial and creative co-production opportunities for these talents of tomorrow.
