The Big Sky Works-in-Progress Pitch is the headline event of DocShop Filmmaker’s Forum held during the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival. This is an exceptional opportunity to pitch your feature length documentary work-in-progress to some of the top funders and commissioning editors for documentary film. All documentary forms and subjects are eligible to submit.

The session will be held Friday, February 19th, 2027 in Missoula, Montana with a live audience of filmmakers and industry representatives. A maximum of 10 projects will be accepted to pitch in this session. Selected projects will have 20 minutes on "stage" (10 minutes to pitch, 10 minutes of feedback) to pitch their project and hear suggestions and critique from the panel of funders.

***Please note: If selected, you must be able to attend the Big Sky Pitch in person.***

Our Big Sky Pitch program includes one-on-one pitch training before the official pitch. This is a wonderful opportunity to refine your pitch and connect with those who will help you take your next steps forward. Selected projects will receive an All-Access pass to Big Sky Documentary Film Festival and DocShop, and will be notified of their acceptance by January 8, 2027.

Only documentary feature length works-in-progress are eligible to apply. Documentaries may be in any phase of development, production, or post production, but must be in need of funding. Submissions must have a visual sample that represents their story.

Past Big Sky Pitch jury members included: HBO Documentary Films, Ford Foundation, The Redford Center, Participant Media, AmDoc, BBC Storyville, CNN Films, ITVS, Impact Partners, POV, PBS, Tribeca Film Institute, Magnolia Pictures, Dogwoof, Sundance Documentary Fund, Bright West Entertainment, Chicken & Egg Pictures, Fork Films, Firelight Media, Tribeca Film Institute, The Fledgling Fund, Catapult Film Fund, ESPN Films, Film Independent, ITVS, WIF, New York Times Video, IDA, Vimeo, Magnolia Pictures, Gravitas Ventures, Field of Vision, Nia Tero, Al Jazeera, Cinetic and TIME Studios.

Visit the link below to view a list of Big Sky Pitch alumni projects and participants: www.bigskyfilmfest.org/docshop/big_sky_pitch/big_sky_pitch_alumni

Rules & Terms

Projects should be considered independent work in need of additional funding to complete.

Pitch projects should be feature documentary projects in late pre-production, production or post-production.

Projects with existing distribution deals are not eligible for submission.

Pitch submissions must include:

A 5-minute (or less) video sample of the work-in-progress - sizzle, trailer, or scene(s).*

A brief project summary and synopsis. This summary should concisely describe the focus of the film, the intended length, shooting format, and any other relevant technical details.

A one-paragraph status report, including stage of production, production credits, and any current partners and funding sources and amounts.

Total production budget and secured funding to date.

A brief resume and filmography from the director or producer of the film.

*A short (5 minutes maximum) sample of the work-in-progress must be submitted in addition to the written application. Links to rough cuts (if applicable) may also be included in the written section of your submission in addition to your 5-minute (or less) sample.

Note: You must create a FilmFreeway project profile to submit. When you click "submit now" select your project page, and the questions above will appear for you to fill in your answers.

14 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Sara Chishti

    Such an amazing experience and opportunity! Thank you to Rory who organized an incredible cohort and some stellar judges. We are all still in touch! I had the best time.

    March 2026
    Helpful
  • Arisleyda Dilone

    I had a great time at Big Sky. The fest organizers were so easy to work with and very supportive. At the Pitch I made a ton of new friends and learned so much about the what the next steps for my current project should be. Missoula is beautiful and the food was delicious. Great time overall.

    February 2026
    Helpful
  • Elizabeth Webb

    Big Sky Pitch was an amazing experience! Such a welcoming, well organized, and supportive environment. We made great contacts with industry professionals and peers in the field. I can't recommend it enough!

    March 2025
    Helpful
  • Rachel Mueller

    Sharing our film at the Big Sky Pitch was a dream! The BSDFF team set us up for success in a multitude of ways, in addition to being welcoming and warm. There were multiple different ways to connect with industry leaders and other filmmakers -- truly a gift! I am humbled and grateful to have our film be included with the other remarkable projects and I can't wait to follow their journeys. The non-pitch programming was also excellent! The DocShop and Masterclass that I was able to attend was extremely informative, and the nightly parties made the experience feel celebratory. Thank you Big Sky!

    March 2025
    Helpful
  • Erin Kokdil

    We had a wonderful time sharing our film at the Big Sky Pitch! The support from Alana, Carolyn, and the BSDFF team was generous and helpful. Sharing our film in production proved fruitful - we received great feedback and encouragement. A wonderful opportunity to connect with industry representatives who are tracking your project, join a cohort of passionate, kind filmmakers, and meet festival attendees! Thank you, Big Sky Pitch for the great experience!

    February 2025
    Helpful