New Orleans Film Society South Pitch

Overview

South Pitch is an annual live pitching competition hosted by the New Orleans Film Society (NOFS) during the New Orleans Film Festival. Now in its 15th season, the program selects up to 5 documentary teams and 5 narrative teams to pitch their works-in-progress to a panel of industry professionals. Each team has 5 minutes to present, followed by 10 minutes of feedback from the panel.

The program is designed specifically to surface stories from and about the American South - a region that NOFS considers systematically underrepresented in independent film distribution and in the national documentary funding landscape. South Pitch combines the competitive grant element with structured pitch training and one-on-one coaching sessions, making it useful for filmmakers who are still developing their pitching skills alongside their projects.

The 2025 cycle received a record number of applications, with a 30% increase in submissions over the previous year. Applications for the 2026 South Pitch are currently open.

What It Funds

Grant Structure

Each of the 10 selected teams receives:

• An unrestricted grant of at least $1,500
• A travel stipend for teams coming from outside the Greater New Orleans Area
• Up to 2 All-Access Passes to attend the 2026 New Orleans Film Festival
• Pitch coaching and one-on-one mentorship
• Direct feedback from a panel of industry experts

In addition to the base grant, selected teams compete for:

• $5,000 top prize - awarded to one team in each category (documentary and narrative), decided by the industry panel
• $2,500 runner-up prize - awarded to one team in each category, decided by the industry panel
• $500 audience choice prize - awarded in each category, decided by audience vote at the live event

This means a winning team in a single category can receive up to $7,000 in total grant funding ($1,500 base + $5,000 top prize + $500 audience choice), plus travel support and festival access.

Pitch Coaching and Mentorship

All selected participants receive one-on-one pitch training ahead of the live event. This coaching has standalone value for filmmakers preparing to approach broadcasters, co-production partners, and other funders. The training covers how to structure a 5-minute pitch, how to present a work-in-progress reel, and how to handle panel feedback in real time.

Project Stage

The South Pitch does not restrict projects to a particular stage of development. Both early-stage projects and works in progress are eligible, as long as the team can present a compelling pitch. The program is designed for filmmakers who have enough material to demonstrate the project's viability but need funding and industry connections to move forward.

Industry Panel

The South Pitch panel consists of funders, broadcasters, distributors, and producers who evaluate each pitch and provide direct feedback. Prior panelists have represented organizations including:

• ITVS
• Firelight Media
• Sundance Institute
• Marginal Mediaworks
• SFFilm
• Southern Documentary Fund
• Viva Maude
• Field of Vision
• NBCU

The live event is free and open to the public, which means attendees can observe how industry professionals evaluate proposals in real time. This transparency is unusual for a pitching competition and adds educational value for audience members.

Eligibility

• Projects must be documentaries or narrative films made in or about the American South, or by filmmakers with a demonstrated connection to the South.
• Both emerging and established filmmakers are eligible.
• Teams can include up to 2 members for the live pitch presentation.
• There is no restriction on project stage - both development-stage and production-stage projects are eligible.

Application Process

Application Fee

Applications for South Pitch cost $30. Applicants must submit payment through the NOFS website to receive a unique passcode for the application form.

Timeline

Applications are accepted annually ahead of the New Orleans Film Festival, typically opening in summer. The 2026 South Pitch applications are currently open. Filmmakers should consult the NOFS South Pitch page for current application windows and updated requirements.

What to Prepare

Applicants should be prepared to submit:

• A project description or logline
• A statement of the project's connection to the American South
• A work-in-progress reel or sample footage (if available)
• A team biography
• The $30 application fee

The strongest applications demonstrate a clear story, a specific connection to the South, and enough visual material to show the project's direction. Because the live pitch is only 5 minutes, applicants should be able to distill their project into a concise, compelling presentation.

Related NOFS Programs

South Pitch is one of several filmmaker development programs operated by the New Orleans Film Society:

• Emerging Voices Directors Lab: A development program for early-career directors
• Southern Producers Lab: A producer-focused intensive
• South Summit: A broader industry convening
• New Orleans Pitch: A separate pitch program designed for emerging Louisiana-based filmmakers to showcase works in progress and pitch for production resources

Filmmakers who are Louisiana-based but not working on Southern-themed projects may find the New Orleans Pitch program more appropriate than South Pitch.

Who Should Apply

Documentary and narrative filmmakers with stories rooted in the American South who are at the development or production stage and who want both financial support and direct access to industry professionals through a live pitching context. The program is particularly well suited to filmmakers who are developing their ability to pitch their work in person, as the coaching component adds value beyond the grant itself.

Filmmakers who have never pitched to a panel before will benefit from the structured coaching. Filmmakers who have pitched at other forums (IFP Week, Sheffield DocFest, IDFA Forum) may find the coaching less necessary but will still benefit from the direct access to funders and broadcasters on the panel.

The $30 application fee is low compared to most festival submission fees, making South Pitch accessible to filmmakers at early career stages. The travel stipend for out-of-town teams reduces the financial barrier to attending the live event.

See Also

For building a documentary financing strategy that combines pitching competitions with other funding sources, see Documentary Financing: Building Your Stack. For preparing a documentary pitch, see Film Grants and the Development Pathway. For calculating the return on investment of festival submissions and pitching competitions, use the Festival ROI Calculator.