ZagrebDox Pro: Slow Pitch Sails!

As we older people know, the launching of ships is regularly accompanied by the breaking of champagne on its freshly painted bow. The bow of Slow Pitch was spared the champagne, but the sea was plowed, a deep furrow remained behind the stern.

Eight projects, four mentors and six days all over Zagreb is the shortest description of the new, innovative concept of the program focused on documentary films in the making. The final meeting took place in the spirit of a collegial, even friendly (we have lightly given up on that wonderful but politically battered word!) atmosphere of mutual listening and understanding. Slow Pitch is a niche concept that fully justifies its description. Each project was given an hour with each mentor, and the sessions took place in parks, cafes, restaurants, the Museum of Contemporary Art and even in a car.

Mentors Ana Fernandez Saiz, Ieva Ūbele, Nebojša Slijepčević and Tue Steen Müller described their view of the Slow Pitch concept with one plea: "Don't ever normalize it!" ZagrebDox Pro didn't need more praise and encouragement, but it wasn't just words. And some works resulted. Mihkel Oksmann arrived in Zagreb with the project In the Winds of the Icefields, and Siavash Jamali with Lost in Tehran, Lost in Japan. Both of them were sent away from ZagrebDox Pro with a one-year right to consultations with Ana Fernandez Saiz and her company Impronta Films.

Two projects this summer can count on a new Croatian festival experience: Robert Tomić Zuber, head of the Pro program, invited Olha Tuharinova (Entr'actes) and Petko Glyulchev (Nests of Storks and People) to his Rab Film Festival, where they will further develop their projects in a residential context. Ludovico Chincarini (Sonic Silence) left Zagreb 1,500 euros richer: Sead Kreševljaković presented him with a cash prize on behalf of AJB DOC.

Slow Pitch has set sail, may it have calm seas and visit numerous ports!