Twelve projects have qualified for the Progress Pitching Session organised as part of the MDAG Industry. The films will be presented to an international group of pitching experts on 12 May at the Atlantic cinema, during the 20th edition of Millennium Docs Against Gravity. The pitching moderator will be Frank Piasecki Poulsen.

„Although this is the first edition of the Progress Pitching Session at MDAG Industry, we received projects of a very high standard. With difficulty and care, we have selected 12 films, but we hope that those which will not appear at this pitching session will have a chance to be seen on cinema screens during the next editions of Millennium Docs Against Gravity. We would like to thank the Polish filmmakers for entrusting us with their projects and their willingness to present them in front of the industry professionals we have invited to the festival from all over the world. Our goal is to create an event that will make a real contribution to the development of documentary cinema in Poland and provide a space for filmmakers to establish contacts and promote Polish films abroad. We hope that the Progress Pitching Session will serve this purpose.” – Anna Szczypińska, Head of MDAG Industry.  

The selected films include new projects directed by acclaimed filmmakers such as Lidia Duda, Piotr Bernaś and Jasmina Wojcik. There are also debut projects such as “Go&See” by Julia Kuzka or “I Am One of Them” by Nadim Suleiman.

• GOING B(L)ACK, dir. Joanna Ratajczak, prod. Telemark
   
• GO&SEE, dir. Julia Kuzka, prod. Małgorzata Małysa, Furia Film
   
• I AM ONE OF THEM, dir. Nadim Suleiman, prod. Adrianna Rędzia
   
• STEP BY STEP, dir. Eliza Kubarska, Michał Woroch, prod. Monika Braid
   
• KING MATT THE FIRST, dir. Jasmina Wojcik, prod. Marta Dużbabel, Agnieszka Rostropowicz
   
• FOREST, dir. Lidia Duda, prod. Michał Ostatkiewicz, Aleksandra Ostatkiewicz, Patryk Sielecki (Lumisenta Film Foundation)
   
• SONGS OF SISTERHOOD, dir. Hanka Nobis, prod. Esther van Messel
   
• THE BEAR AND THE PIANO, dir. Piotr Bernaś/ Cheng Herng Shinn, prod. Piotr Bernaś/ Velvet Studio sp z.o.o
   
• THE LIFE AND DEATHS OF MAX LINDER, dir. Edward Porembny, prod. Edward Porembny
   
• WAJDA, dir. Liliana Komorowska, Maria Zmarz-Koczanowicz, prod. Daria Maślona, Stanisław Zaborowski
  
  Two Ukrainian projects developed as part of the Young Europe programme, organised by the Foundation for Documentary Education, were invited as guests to the pitching:
   
• METRO, dir. Pavel Dorohoi, prod. Foundation for Documentary Education (Fundacja Edukacji Dokumentalnej) - Mirosław Dembiński
   
• OBROŃCY RUIN, dir. Mariia Shevchenko,prod. Foundation for Documentary Education (Fundacja Edukacji Dokumentalnej) -  Mirosław Dembiński, Ella Shtyka

The prizes in the pitching session are funded by the event's partners:
CANAL+ Poland – cash prize of 3,000 EUR
SMAKJAM Award – colour correction service worth 15,000 PLN 
DAE Award – DAE encouragement award, including bespoke mentoring and free membership for 12 months for the producer of the project
The SFP distinction – a stay at the SFP House of Creative Work