Pitch

In 2020, the BlackStar Film Festival will host the second annual BlackStar Pitch. Filmmakers will pitch their projects in front of a virtual audience and a panel of judges to receive feedback and have an opportunity to win a $25K co-production deal with WORLD Channel. An honorable mention pitch will receive a $2,500 cash prize from IF/Then.

This year’s BlackStar Pitch will be focused on documentary short projects.

BlackStar Pitch will showcase a group of 8 filmmakers, who will be selected based on their applications due July 12. The filmmakers will pitch their works-in-progress to a distinguished panel of funders, executives, distributors and producers. The 8 finalists will also have a chance to meet with a minimum of 2 panelists in one-on-one sessions prior to the Pitch contest to get direct feedback and advice on their projects.

The panelists will choose the best pitch, to be announced during the awards ceremony on August 26.

Each pitch will last 7 minutes (including video reel) followed by 8 minutes of constructive feedback. The pitch is designed to connect industry professionals with new voices in the independent film community.

Alex Hannibal, CNN

Chi-hui Yang, JustFilms/Ford Foundation

Chloe Gbai, IF/Then

Chloe Walters-Wallace, Firelight Media

Chris Hastings, WORLD Channel

Jamila Farwell, Netflix

Jihan Robinson, Quibi

Opal Hope Bennett, POV Shorts

Poh Si Teng, Al Jazeera