The largest documentary forum in Asia will be held in Japan this year (March 19-21) and it is encouraging people to a) pitch any documentary ideas and b) to participate! There are more than 100 commissioning editors from around Asia and the rest of the world coming and it could be a great place to network. It will have simultaneous translation in Korean, Japanese, Chinese and English.
According to its website:
Asian Side of the Doc is an annual international co-production rendezvous designed as a Co-production Pitching and Matchmaking Forum. After its inception in Hong Kong in 2010, the event was held in Seoul in 2011. Asian Side of the Doc will be held in 2012 in Tokyo, Japan. The main objective is to create new co-production opportunities for Asian and international documentary producers and commissioning editors, allowing new ventures within the world’s fastest-growing documentary market. The forum offers producers the chance to pitch projects to decision makers of documentary blocks on platforms around the world and provides a rare opportunity for face-to-face meetings between producers and commission editors. More than 500 participants will also have the opportunity to attend panel discussions, workshops and numerous networking sessions over coffee, cocktails and dinner. ; Winners of the ASD Pitch this year will be awarded with free travel and accommodation to Sunny Side of the Doc to be held in June, 2012 in La Rochelle, France.