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The Good Pitch returns to Silverdocs!

The Good Pitch is a one-day forum set to take place during the Festival (June 21-27, 2010), bringing together specially selected foundations, NGOs, social entrepreneurs and broadcasters to maximize the impact of social-issue documentary.

AFI-Discovery Channel Silverdocs Documentary Festival today announced the return of The Good Pitch @ Silverdocs. The Good Pitch is a one-day forum set to take place during the Festival (June 21-27, 2010), bringing together specially selected foundations, NGOs, social entrepreneurs and broadcasters to maximize the impact of social-issue documentary. Eight filmmaking teams pitch their projects and associated outreach campaigns with the aim of creating a unique coalition around each film to accelerate its impact and influence. The Good Pitch @ Silverdocs will be held on Wednesday, June 23, 2010.

AFI-Discovery Channel Silverdocs Documentary Festival will be the second stop on The Good Pitch’s 2010 North America Tour after the Tribeca Film Festival on April 27, 2010. The Good Pitch made its North American debut in 2009, and AFI-Discovery Channel Silverdocs was one of three destinations to host the forum.

“The Good Pitch @ Silverdocs in 2009 resulted in numerous tangible creative and business connections, and was among the many highlights of the AFI-Discovery Channel Silverdocs International Documentary Conference which runs concurrently with the festival,” said Sky Sitney, AFI/Discovery Channel Silverdocs Artistic Director. “As the largest gathering of documentary filmmakers in the United States, we’re excited to host this accomplished pitching forum for a second year.”

In 2009, Art Stevens of the Calvert Foundation made a dramatic on-the-spot pledge of $10,000 towards production funding for GREEN SHALL OVERCOME and the team received a further $25,000 grant from the National Black Programming Consortium after their presentation. Another film, BUDRUS, secured Sundance completion funds before enjoying a World Premiere at the Dubai International Film Festival.

“We are pleased to bring the Good Pitch back to AFI-Discovery Channel SILVERDOCS, particularly given that the DC area is home to so many of the organizations that participate in Good Pitch,” said Jess Search, Chief Executive of the Channel 4 BRITDOC Foundation. “We are looking for documentary film projects which tackle important global and national issues and enhance our understanding of the world.”

The Good Pitch @ Silverdocs is aimed at directors and producers of any nationality with an ambition to work in partnership to harness the power of documentary to create positive change. In keeping with the mission of the AFI-Discovery Channel Silverdocs Documentary Festival, the Good Pitch supports the diversity and free expression of independent storytellers and is interested in reaching out to filmmakers from traditionally under-represented communities. Given the proximity of the festival to Capitol Hill, the Good Pitch is particularly interested in projects that speak to the many government agencies and lobby groups situated in the area.

The Good Pitch is a project of The Channel 4 BRITDOC Foundation in partnership with the Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program. It is made possible by The Fledgling Fund, Chicken & Egg Pictures, Tides Foundation and anonymous donors, with campaign development for filmmakers provided by Working Films.

“Good Pitch in North America has attracted hundreds of documentary project applications from established and emerging filmmakers over the five events held so far. It is becoming a must-attend event for a range of stakeholders across the documentary and social issue fields,” said Cara Mertes, Director of the Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program.

For more information about Good Pitch at AFI-Discovery Channel Silverdocs 2010, please click here.