Bio: 

Pauline Blanchet is an award-winning film director and producer whose work explores sports, nationalism, and identity. Her short documentary Zuckerberg You Owe/Own Me has been screened internationally, and she has participated in talent programs at CPHDOX, Sheffield Doc Fest, Sundance Co//ab Documentary Course, Ateliers Médicis, and has pitched in Dok Leipzig’s Short ‘n’ Sweet. Her current project Big in Gazi Baba has earned multiple awards, including the Vanessa Redgrave Award at PriFest, the Al Jazeera Balkans Co-production Award, Cannes Docs Marché du Film Award, the IDF East Silver Caravan Award, and the EURODOC Award for Best Pitch. 

Her archive film What You Remember, currently in development, received a Special Mention Award from Sandbox Films at AFO in 2024. In addition to her filmmaking, Pauline has produced over five podcasts and served as Senior Producer at World Radio Paris. Her storytelling also extends to XR media, focusing on environmental issues in the Arctic through collaborations with New Images Festival and Garage Stories.

Pauline is currently pursuing a PhD at the School of Advanced Study, studying urban identity in North Macedonia. Her MA in Urban History and Culture, completed with distinction, emphasized the use of collaborative filmmaking as a research method. She also runs Aral Sea Productions, is a producer at HERProductions, and heads communications for European Short Pitch.

Notable Awards:

Best International Short Documentary, Zuckerberg You Owe/Own Me, KINOKI XVIII International University Film Festival, October 2024

Cannes Docs Marché du Film Award, Big in Gazi Baba, September 2024

IDF East Silver Caravan Award, Big in Gazi Baba, September 2024

EURODOC Award for Best Pitch, Big in Gazi Baba, September 2024

Al Jazeera Balkans Main Pitch Co-production Award, Big in Gazi Baba, September 2024

Olomouc, Czech Republic: Special Mention Award from Sandbox Films, What You Remember, April 2024

Prague, Czech Republic: East Doc Forum Docs Ireland Award, Big in Gazi Baba, March 2024 

Pristina, Kosovo: PriFest Vanessa Redgrave Award, Big in Gazi Baba, September 2023 

Best Pitch for Garage Stories #arcticstoriesResidency with Tvibit in Tromsø, March 2023

Best Experimental Film Award Winner: United Artist International Film Festival, Mumbai, India, January 2023, for 'Zuckerberg You Owe/Own Me'

Best Student Podcast Nomination: The Publishers Podcast Awards, UK, April 2022

Transat Grant Winner and Film Residency with Ateliers Médicis , France, July 2021 

Sundance Co//ab Course in Documentary Filmmaking Scholarship Grantee, September 2021

Nathan, Quinn and Esmond Scholarship Recipient: MA in Urban History and Culture, September 2020

Platforma 5 Art for Social Change Residency Invitation, October 2019

Student Development Fund Winner, SOAS, University of London, June 2019

Nominated for Social Activist of the Year, SOAS, University of London, March 2019

SLiice Grant Winner, SOAS, University of London, February 2018

Two 02 Think Big Grants Winner, 02 Think Big, February 2018

Lens in Development Photography Award Shortlisted, February 2018

London Photo Show Competition Shortlisted, February 2017

Screenings, Talks, Publications, & Exhibitions:

2024:

Jihlava, Czech Republic: Ji.hlava IDFF New Visions Market, 2 or 3 Words About the Cité 4000, October 2024 (Project Selection)

Bilbao, Spain: Jornada Audiovisual e Inteligencia Artificial, Skopje 2014 according to ChatGPT, October 2024 (Official Selection)

Brooklyn, NY, USA: Labocine Live, Skopje 2014 according to ChatGPT, October 2024 (Screening)

Brooklyn, NY, USA: Labocine Live, Zuckerberg You Owe/Own Me, October 2024 (Screening)

Mexico City, Mexico: KINOKI XVIII International University Film Festival, Zuckerberg You Owe/Own Me, October 2024 (Official Selection)

AJB Industry Days Main Pitch, Big in Gazi Baba, Spetember 2024 (Project Pitching)

Beyond Borders Pitch Lab, Big in Gazi Baba, August 2024 (Project Pitching)

London, UK: Uncanny Valleys, Immaterial Film Club, Skopje 2014 according to ChatGPT & Zuckerberg You Owe/Own Me, July 2024 (Screening)

Barcelona, Spain: +RAIN, Skopje 2014 according to ChatGPT, June 2024 (Official Selection)

Docs Ireland, Big in Gazi Baba, June 2024 (Project Selection)

Sheffield Doc Fest Meet Market, Big in Gazi Baba, June 2024 (Project Selection)

Athens, Greece: Finlay Forum in the British School at Athens, Constructing Urban Identities:  An In-Depth Analysis of Space, Culture, and Everyday Life in Čair, Skopje Through Ethnographic and Audiovisual Methodologies, May 2024 (Research Talk)

Olomouc, Czech Republic: AFO, Skopje 2014 according to ChatGPT, April 2024 (Official Selection)

Offenburg, Germany: SHORTS, Zuckerberg You Owe/Own Me, April 2024 (Official Selection)

Honolulu, Hawaii: Association of American Geographers, Zuckerberg You Owe/Own Me, April 2024 (Official Selection)

Prague, Czech Republic: East Doc Forum, Big in Gazi Baba, March 2024 (Pitching)

London, UK: London Short Film Festival, Zuckerberg You Owe/Own Me, January 2024 (Official Selection)

2023:

Geneva, Switzerland: Geneva Film Festival, Zuckerberg You Owe/Own Me, November 2023 (Official Selection)

Barcelona, Spain: SUNCINE International Environmental Film Festival, Through Her Eyes, November 2023 (Official Selection)

Rijeka, Croatia: Student International Film Festival, Skopje 2014 According to ChatGPT, November 2023 (Official Selection)

Berlin, Germany: East Meets West Screening Studio Hannibal, Skopje 2014 according to ChatGPT, October 2023 (Group Exhibition)

Leipzig, Germany: Dok Leipzig Short n Sweet Pitching, 2 or Words About the Cite 4000, October 2023 (Pitching)

Pristina, Kosovo: PriFest Forum, Big in Gazi Baba, September 2023 (Pitching)

London, UK: Future of Film Incubator, Naia the Narwhal, August 2023 (Incubator)

Barcelona, Spain: Sónar+D Festival, Naia the Narwhal, June 2023 (Talk)

Sheffield, UK: Banijay UK Acceleration Bursary for Up-and-Coming Talent at Sheffield Documentary Festival, June 2023 (Bursary)

Tromso, Norway: FRAMM Centre Presentation, Naia the Narwhal, June 2023 (Talk)

Tromso, Norway: TVIBIT Arctic Residency, Naia the Narwhal, June 2023 (Residency)

NY, USA: SWIFF 2023, Through Her Eyes, June 2023 (Finalist)

BYLINE Supplement: Eurovision Glory Meets Brexit Britain, May 2023, co-authored with Isis Menteth Wheelwright (Text)

Tirana, Albania: Travel Up Film Festival, Through Her Eyes, July 2023 (Official Selection)

Tranås, Sweden: TRANÅS AT THE FRINGE, Zuckerberg You Owe/Own Me, July 2023 (Official Selection)

Ljutomer, Slovenia: Student Cuts, Zuckerberg You Owe/Own Me, May 2023 (Official Selection)

Nevada, USA: Sci-On!, Zuckerberg You Owe/Own Me, May 2023 (Honorable Mention)

Olomouc, Czech Republic: Academia Film Olomouc, Zuckerberg You Owe/Own Me, May 2023 (Official Selection)

Toronto, Canada: Images Festival, Zuckerberg You Owe/Own Me, April 2023 (Official Selection)

Paris, France: Immix Gallery, Alchimies Numeriques, Zuckerberg You Owe/Own Me, April 2023 (Group Exhibition)

Trondheim, Norway: Galleri KiT, MANIFEST/O, Zuckerberg You Owe/Own Me, April 2023 (Group Exhibition)

Stockholm, Sweden: City Film Festival,  Zuckerberg You Owe/Own Me, March 2023 (Finalist)

Copenhagen, Denmark: CPH DOX, March 2023 (F:ACT Academy Participant)

Falmouth, UK: Bewnow Film Festival @ Falmouth Art Gallery, Through Her Eyes, March 2023 (Official Selection & Speaker)

New York, USA: 21 Islands International Short Film Festival, Zuckerberg You Owe/Own Me, January 2023 (Official Selection)

Mumbai, India: United Artist International Film Festival, Zuckerberg You Owe/Own Me, January 2023 (Official Selection)

2022:

Lamentin, Guadeloupe: CineVision Sud Film Festival, Like a Fish Out of Water, December 2022 (Official Selection)

Paris, France: Megacities-Shortdocs Festival 8th Edition, Imprisoned Schools, December 2022 (Official Selection)

Kalamata, Greece: Kalamata Monthly International Short Documentary Festival, Zuckerberg You Owe/Own Me, November 2022 (Semi-Finalist)

Warsaw, Poland: 16th Ethnographic Films Review Eyes and Lenses Zuckerberg You Owe/Own Me, November 2022 (Official Selection)

New York, USA: Student World Impact Film Festival, Zuckerberg You Owe/Own Me, November 2022 (Official Selection & Honorable Mention)

Naples, Italy: DISACCORDI - International Short Film Festival, Through Her Eyes, November 2022 (Official Selection)

Bologna, Italy: Urban Visions, Imprisoned Schools, November 2022 (Official Selection)

Charlotte, USA: Experimental Film Fest, Zuckerberg You Owe/Own Me, October 2022 (Official Selection)

London, UK: Theatre Deli Delivision, Zuckerberg You Owe/Own Me, October 2022 (10-day Solo Exhibited Screening)

Piešťany, Slovakia: Dox in Vitro Development Workshop, Champion of the Periphery, September 2022 (Workshop)

Cambridge, UK: Breaking the Frame, Zuckerberg You Owe/Own Me, September 2022 (Official Selection)

Paris, France: Upgreen.TV, Imprisoned Schools, July 2022 (Distribution)

Krakow, Poland: Krakow Film Festival CEDOC Market Selection, Beyond the Red Light, June 2022 (Meet Market)

Paris, France: Journée du Green Documentaire, Imprisoned Schools, June 2022 (Official Selection)

Ajmen, UAE: URBAN VISIONS, Architecture and the Future of Cities, Like a Fish Out of Water, March 2022 (Official Selection)

London, UK: Candid Arts Trust Film Night, Like a Fish Out of Water, March 2022 (Official Selection)

London, UK: Hive Conference, Through Her Eyes, March 2022 (Live Speaker)

Boden, Sweden: Boden International Film Festival, Kings of Our Own Right, August 2022 (Official Selection)

Kalamata, Greece: Kalamata Short Docs, Kings of Our Own Right, August 2022 (Semi-Finalist)

London, UK: Sunday Shorts Film Festival, Kings of Our Own Right, July 2022 (Semi-Finalist)

2021:

Eden Project's Festival of Discovery: Stories from the Stage, Through Her Eyes, November 2021 (Live Speaker) 

Reporting Earth Summit: Through Her Eyes, September 2021 (Live Speaker) 

Asfar e-Journal: From Alat to Aktau on the Caspian Sea, August 2021 (Text)

Voices of Nature: Aral Sea Productions - Disrupting the Film Industry, July 2021 (Podcast Interview)

2020:

Site Writing: Station F, October 202(Text) 

World Literature Today: Almaty's Changing Musical Rule Book, October 2020 (Photography)

Beyond The Chameleon: Ep 05 Interview with Aral Sea Productions, October 2020 (Podcast Interview)

Ours to Save: The Green Aral Sea, October 2020 (Podcast Interview)

F Word: Beyond the Red Light, September 2020 (Text)

Generation Tribe: Diversity in Film - Why I Set Up My Own Production Company, by Charlotte Harding, July 2020 (Interview)

Unography Magazine: Being a Lunatic, June 2020 (Producer, Photographer)

2019:

Aral Sea Productions, Ceausescu's Orphans 30 years later, November 2019 (Producer)

Caña Magazine , Ales and Dissent in Kyrgyzstan, September 2019 (Photography) 

Equilibrium Magazine, Speak Up!, August 2019 (Text)

The Oxford Student, Bibimbap In Bloomsbury: Seoul Bakery, January 2019 (Photography)

2018:

Brent & Kilburn Times, Brent student wins grant to help teenagers with mental health issues, By Nathalie Raffray, March 8, 2018 (Press)

SOAS Spirit, Humans of SOAS: Agony Aunt, October 2018 (Text)

ULAB, London, UK. 11th-13th of April 2019; “A Bilingual in Marseille: Regional Aspects and Adolescent Speech” (Conference)

Maker Faire, Berlin, Germany. 17th of May 2019; “Graphic Narratives: Representations of Refugee-Hood in the Form of Illustration” (Conference)

Migration Conference, Bari, Italy. 18th-20th of June 2019; “Graphic Narratives: Representations of Refugee-Hood in the Form of Illustration” (Conference)

Equilibrium Magazine, Speak Up!, October 2019 (Text)