It was snowing on the morning of November 28th.
Video
Then we headed towards the Auditorium.
Video
It was a big day, some of us had to present (or pitch) our projects to the public.
![preparing for the pitches](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_uwf_JuvaCiC3irAKiofEwv2uCC3bsoyLmnunk_PdWPNSfU37MeyXPyqjF5m7IP2aYOHqK9H6TLW50nxEWsmW8omDcR8EquVazACqUdFqulGkL2SvP2pDq4nXF9TEcyuw=s0-d)
There it was, the moment that this workshop was arguably building towards since March. My teammates, Anita and Alexis, were unfazed. It's been a long and strange journey, three of us developing each of our scripts over the months.
![Anita and Alexis](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_td5uYycB9uSeOJriYykgxmoixfb244dG6GBal7FfDeG3G0pDBYdTkGhhGprWZ4yFpLnTiJKOiORK8kem1laNe6SeKiJbNVln9qYXu-Izj1saIa4f5QPJJ0oUGPwATiIA=s0-d)
Denijen and Anka pitched first.
![Denijen and Anka pitching](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tp9WM2u-5BCLG0oKQr8wEA5DaBFReHvQdhBYHmWCTrhBHfKFpBHqkFPGO2fCcj1ZMjNEfN-7s2qKN-ct7L9UwkamomPD_11qJHlU9-Dyy8i0heicX6EDETqPLDiOUbzpQ=s0-d)
Then Itamar.
![Itamar pitching](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tux5Lf5K_VPPyLEl42nmfB2ub4tOOG0JE-26HVuDheC5LTZUXV67cZqHKcCnPgkgi4shSK93odXHgQ9AAh_LdUrUsn4BFCcTMa_arpybswb2yPLVAIh6pXYi87w4CRZJo=s0-d)
My yellow sister Eva presenting.
![Eva pitching](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tD--p92AvtNoYFAst-Ern7-4GqeGIOLZG0NRhReEZqhdOjM1xFPwGR1wf_Mnipi2hzp4a3I8Cr2CZjMKDClgQxwf-K8ayEURuI0aD4irSf0SFwZnQATextjVVRuBC9mas=s0-d)
Hers was popular.
Video
Alvaro began his pitch by showing a trailer of his first film, BAD DAY TO GO FISHING.
![Alvaro pitching](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vR7wBM7m7MHdX3RM1BRkZdB5DqWkE373VoQZuvlaTUlyywTXT9igHApNtuOSE04kBWblGbn-xV9QsrJLPG6lG3VCk_JjBWo9Jjhr4SEabzgFAjdg8HGGGKiWu7B0n_yOs=s0-d)
BAD DAY TO GO FISHING trailer
Elaine pitched hers. Look at how attentive the audiences were.
![Elaine pitching](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tjNQtOs3U5UFm_lD5ZLjC6b3L7CmuQgWOjz0J86n6af-Du11jNIPulS-FlV_jUscn42rRWrod6FYtEi2Uo-GkOh3DCO-pvlst4GhDqzrX3zBu01ViQon6OvHHTBjcpWqs=s0-d)
Teammate Alexis also showed a trailer, of his debut film ISTORIA 52.
![Alexis's pitch](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_sD7OUxzaJD8ybZV9ea3bfuhirXgGeAh5yYHVq7WOp7mDtdCvdH8RDZ6pw0REFjtDu_ZKCN9YZhjFXYfMRMA0C5jX8uh0bIHURzfigozlSbWMjsd2JGr1TVo95Vr9F3Vw=s0-d)
ISTORIA 52 trailer
Teammate Anita pitched her project.
![Anita's pitch](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tNsNNuYtOcvo-1gj3oGD37gxxj1gqULIIbBpJrqpteV-oOQs1cbdsfxBO971Ql-fJAi8fnPtx4rkALVVQKwuSxJt57Fkd0NzVDj2s3bu3Xx0kPmv6r0a6byFiQx4WFJys=s0-d)
Then it was finally my turn. I displayed my oracular skills.
![me, pitching](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_sKUNyfmiH3nxI2zBnFnWKLTHoj7VKGdA5aX373kwkmbNB3vkErjQJ9uDS6MDle--msncQ-kGccXiFNfbQL-LrPopsxq060TAwUmPSTYZJqKgsepgTtl9bXvoeftcrHQfc=s0-d)
![me, pitching 2](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vDhjgIqFqZ0Wx-TlPXKMGedVcGA8RSlj0Z6-2e998PJs_m7r4yKuVmodSVIMk00wt4Ahnt9zbBYmeXxuGzLxrDKShssfUf5QjJKjV76Sw83NlwEdfphCS22tq5zp5wxQ=s0-d)
![Audiences listening attentively to my pitch](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_spD-BGQApK5yKNu6gM0QomJR6yNsI8s26Do0sXFaROP9qYBocj99LZsxS2yzoMo2GfSj0uTfNcmM9bZwizFL8f18Yk-mm85VRXBJzJs1TmKpqTW-WkOkLN1c2bjkgDcN4=s0-d)
![me, pitching 3](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vUVl8GFNNy5rsDAR0uFjZgX-YoOd-gStvT7zlOHpEof486sT0bcHhGLGOgIvwuwrleM7o69f4Lz0NFmoc1AYDs6_w2vnof5-z-v2okR2iUdj9gzFoKXtAzmFhKydJ3CWw=s0-d)
Prior to my pitch, some had worried that I would be moving too much, or clowned around etc. like I did during the rehearsals. But as I would say later to a disbelieving bunch, it was really all a facade, I was a consummate actor. Since I hated repetition, I didn't want to do the same thing over and over again, so I'd rather save my own actual pitch for the real thing, and not the rehearsals. After addressing the public so much in the past two years in film festivals during my own screenings, speaking in public is not something foreign to me.
Finally, it was Julien and Simon pitching their animated project.
![Julien and Simon pitching](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_sNiviu858BkY0BV6wEo52-IFxB-io8NuBSNl49qhRt5yQ_us2EU1R89AAgSwOpsMuoWizWtLI7CayqkriHDhJvpGykJpekNz1q5gaMODe1zVO03qAbLtw-kSR0PUwQKzE=s0-d)
We then had lunch.
![Lunch after pitch sessions](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_ttlW2UjIB5Kj5lljOJ99MV-KsXMUjzlSkBRzOkKUWIjn4cyancQX03XAHx0vSsHC76aVUI2NAhOUFGJzc_7Smk-9XoYNsvKNIalGXrnjOI2XcAj_Z09BEC39SyATYSAN8=s0-d)
![Huddled at the stairs for lunch](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_va_iwT365IpDqEBjSnhLwPiakhkWPzGSQJZe_ZDpiBt3XN3o_GDhTVuTeYqixuVC-8CCyGesP2u4aQY8DGbFXfjSvqDLlsVw2SuORWoH6fMyCSG9VAchYlej0mMkvaDbA=s0-d)
Followed by one-on-one meetings with producers and potential suitors interested in our projects.
![One-on-one meetings](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_ufXu3moKErPzfnfICeuvihOgxQJ1L-jky1VEh0qWFlb5EmEU2syMjieI-yKoRE-t8wY-ab7i9n-gupI1RdC5MySGVn585BseBu8Ffbw8yz1aPcNnQKRpcUBOPv06XlIl4=s0-d)
Virgil, whose desk is next to mine, with a portrait of himself. I think Simon drew it. Or was it Julien? Hm.
![Virgil and his portrait](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tSHxfMWpBCO_PgkSR84ex-fzPwWhvN7KPCklhvwWivNu4e5tGBVDEkFXeeqcIuN_WDilNZ-XX-UEjjK9Z8KF02h5q9zUJzOSqRh9AEAfJg6mEZiroC5TdG0RFhGDNiyDU=s0-d)
![Virgil's portrait](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_sWT1btPlOrmMPJt-56QLJ0rejoYIWEyq4AygVD4G899yuB2AQ9_TSojA89M_xw75ANwsNYvsvhCeGWS7uqrA-sEsy__1yQsqY6NAXpvPKiiI97P6-XN_SwCLzz1HujJf8=s0-d)
Night came.
![Pretty Torino street](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_v_4HChPjNEgXoKTEaKmnD-RBkG0LV_YevF9aZ77_Rai0yvwYpRnHUBVV8AovxOKfWYQ-_v_lSVGON-719SQjsv5qdEsZBCy8dsPbDx84AhQMAb5uuvGk7kVFIN3GhcO6E=s0-d)
![Pretty Torino street 2](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_sytPIv6J8SSkdVI9ahkByWX-DYxrez6TRKr2vWA2VeK6tXjtycmjxmDsV063Xeyycm5MXljT4BfSHqkvDelcU9Siaw32Ok1PfligK54zP5I9bVFjMVVaf7oaj9uitlnPs=s0-d)
Took the tram home with my Latin American brethren.
Video
Video
2 hours later I went to catch the film "Agua fría de mar" by Paz Fabregas, which won the Tiger Award this year at the Rotterdam Film Fest. Film was one of the projects from the Torino Film Lab, so folks from the lab had a lot of pride and love for it. I enjoyed it, great atmosphere, some strong images and pretty actress. I was happy.
I then went to have dinner.
Calzone was delicious.
![Yummy calzone](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_taBtIUC_Ok2DfkkncFCObKmlh0Wj10Xp5DzE0Y_M-ZvAi_dDI0Q42jfSqo-BmHU4VzoaeMFFNSmXoqTATGH1QzcGNTVWXV19iQZv6xLARJyXLGQYCMcL5BiqMI9MeDSdE=s0-d)
![Calzone oozing out](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vVu6iT_W7bVMsP-u4FSReSUzI51ElXT0Ezf7DGU0rwH2p6_oMAdGwnH-14RHrR5V9XruGUgMsbSo3WBqwwvzbdyVpAx1COueggJfDbinabA-xcDW_JNSWz8pYs-o615uM=s0-d)
The next day, I walked to the auditorium with Fabienne, Elaine, Orsi and Benjamin. The walk lasted almost an hour.
![Torino tree](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tUoEOkDja8hfQAcX2TckYrbzYLaKaoi0yR3V8k3dm-1kiC3qU7PYi8ffr7neWU9sdtKlasBTTPzMhIAzqZS7eQ7BO7T3204tidFtyKEwdHddvmncJZGbscQW9yYCngO1M=s0-d)
![Torino tree 2](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_uGVGTwl6Wlb6t3NcGPPvzO-ek_V0gYUklx36KrySK_irG6hhqUWuVonXe7ZO3SlvsW61szd2TR6Ywe9VZWehCH6mqa1vEFXAov3s_m2Bj8QwLxMxKl9bZKQHj3v0PGnA=s0-d)
![Benjamin and Fabienne](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_u2SzvWHPNfnY7PXRL4xPnRM4xU2aW87OvjAz2oOjJkjX7fPHq6M8vq7q3qJplyuof8PncXXwLKdCdiCsKdouD4wnnS2ct69_kr1zKriuZCOzsTWHY32V3osX91xCz0r80=s0-d)
The group of people pitching that day were of the development group (I belonged to the 'training group', where the focus was on developing the screenplay, while development group participants already had a screenplay and were looking to start shooting their films)
I liked Kirsie's pitch.
Then it was Seng Tat's turn to pitch his sophomore feature, IN WHAT CITY DOES IT LIVE?
![Seng Tat's pitch](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vO8RCfZRARs71tZg6zHQ4kgO2sGYq3VizTzKD6GgSpOO4yOxopkO49Z94BuiQsZWI1F3zbP4fiymQOBhfeI5RxW8CAcgHSxt-cswOTtDKquzzX0A2sqjJXBwrfgL_dWh0=s0-d)
![Seng Tat's pitch 2](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vIPUV8LVfXX2p4ChtL0aF0wwgjz0xnF4qfGD3xkPgK_ZKOpUtuw4OGlgDQmscQwPjrj5CMqf_rl7aYb0ks_0C3pu5Gmf_tF0KtBIoDPOAOob1DghGL6yuAB5E-MFbEG2E=s0-d)
Video
Pitching session done.
Lunch again.
![Lunch after pitching session](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_s44OHvDk_hOQQq1-cMMEgTFj62Ldvfk1n0xmTA1EIVAkC8S3yrctvmK7-0RjU9kX0Q5kD2h4RZOVskkRemkbqKED_ulZlx42KuBwUnrY3jLFW84tBIRlD9zS9IqW0F9g=s0-d)
More one-on-one meetings. I got bored and went to Eva's desk. Eva did her meetings with the help of her attached leading lady and story contributor Aewia.
![Eva Tang and her leading lady Aewia Huillet](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vpo9JnoqsCcpcPr-WmscHokTwJpOIX6j7NYMDSadI_GXudmuVOPXzNXFiHvVljXu6t3Hr8DRLRfV0DMtJ5sWYV3UadOv7XYBBI8oQ2z1fZGfj0uOBmQiMeBaILuAbIqYs=s0-d)
I will chronicle my last day in Torino in the next entry.
Video
Then we headed towards the Auditorium.
Video
It was a big day, some of us had to present (or pitch) our projects to the public.
There it was, the moment that this workshop was arguably building towards since March. My teammates, Anita and Alexis, were unfazed. It's been a long and strange journey, three of us developing each of our scripts over the months.
Denijen and Anka pitched first.
Then Itamar.
My yellow sister Eva presenting.
Hers was popular.
Video
Alvaro began his pitch by showing a trailer of his first film, BAD DAY TO GO FISHING.
BAD DAY TO GO FISHING trailer
Elaine pitched hers. Look at how attentive the audiences were.
Teammate Alexis also showed a trailer, of his debut film ISTORIA 52.
ISTORIA 52 trailer
Teammate Anita pitched her project.
Then it was finally my turn. I displayed my oracular skills.
Prior to my pitch, some had worried that I would be moving too much, or clowned around etc. like I did during the rehearsals. But as I would say later to a disbelieving bunch, it was really all a facade, I was a consummate actor. Since I hated repetition, I didn't want to do the same thing over and over again, so I'd rather save my own actual pitch for the real thing, and not the rehearsals. After addressing the public so much in the past two years in film festivals during my own screenings, speaking in public is not something foreign to me.
Finally, it was Julien and Simon pitching their animated project.
We then had lunch.
Followed by one-on-one meetings with producers and potential suitors interested in our projects.
Virgil, whose desk is next to mine, with a portrait of himself. I think Simon drew it. Or was it Julien? Hm.
Night came.
Took the tram home with my Latin American brethren.
Video
Video
2 hours later I went to catch the film "Agua fría de mar" by Paz Fabregas, which won the Tiger Award this year at the Rotterdam Film Fest. Film was one of the projects from the Torino Film Lab, so folks from the lab had a lot of pride and love for it. I enjoyed it, great atmosphere, some strong images and pretty actress. I was happy.
I then went to have dinner.
Calzone was delicious.
The next day, I walked to the auditorium with Fabienne, Elaine, Orsi and Benjamin. The walk lasted almost an hour.
The group of people pitching that day were of the development group (I belonged to the 'training group', where the focus was on developing the screenplay, while development group participants already had a screenplay and were looking to start shooting their films)
I liked Kirsie's pitch.
Then it was Seng Tat's turn to pitch his sophomore feature, IN WHAT CITY DOES IT LIVE?
Video
Pitching session done.
Lunch again.
More one-on-one meetings. I got bored and went to Eva's desk. Eva did her meetings with the help of her attached leading lady and story contributor Aewia.
I will chronicle my last day in Torino in the next entry.