The first Sunny Side Pitch awards were handed out June 20. In the Science category the French project Science’s Forgotten People (Laurence Thiriat) won Best Pitch, while the Irish project This is a Quiet Love (Garry Keane) won Best Pitch in the Global Issues categories. Magali Serre’s Right-wing Extremism: The New Terrorist Threat won the Impact Social Club Award.
SCIENCE PITCH AWARD
Science’s Forgotten People by Laurence Thiriat. Produced by: Good to Know S.A.S. (France)
Logline: What if history of science was not what you think?
Great discoveries have not always been made by those we think of. This series of short animated documentaries deals with the amazing stories of eminent scientists who, despite their research and great discoveries, were not recognized by their peers for various reasons (discriminations, etc).
Jury citation: “We were Impressed by the passion of the production team to create a refreshingly original project which used humour to shine a light on important, untold stories of scientists and their discoveries. The project offers a clear proposition, and is smartly conceived with regards to its format, its audience, and its intended mission.”
GLOBAL ISSUES PITCH AWARD
This is a Quiet Love by Garry Keane. Produced by: Curious North Productions Ltd (Ireland)
Logline: In this intimate feature documentary, four Deaf couples share the stories of how they met and fell in love. Together, these cinematic love letters weave a rich tapestry of Deaf experience over a period of 70 years.
Jury citation: “The pitch itself revealed a strong team and chemistry between the producer and director. It’s an early stage development project and we want to encourage its international potential. It’s a warm, inclusive and positive project. The love stories of the protagonists are connected to a bigger picture : historical, social, diversity.”
IMPACT SOCIAL CLUB AWARD
Right-wing Extremism: The New Terrorist Threat by Magali Serre. Produced by: Roche Productions (France)
Logline: Often underestimated, sometimes ignored, the threat of ultra-right-wing terrorism continues to grow in Western societies. Emerging in tandem with populism, conspiracy theorists and far-right parties, it raises the risk of mass killings and large-scale attacks.
