The pitching session will be opened on November 8th, 2012 by the winner of the coco Special Pitch Award 2011, a prize underscoring the synergies between the film festival and the co-production market by enabling the main prize-winner of the FilmFestival Cottbus to pitch their newest project at Connecting Cottbus the following year. 

The coco Special Pitch Award 2011 went to the main award winner of the 21st FilmFestival Cottbus, TWILIGHT PORTRAIT (Russia 2011). The award, which includes the invitation to pitch her next project at connecting cottbus 2012, was accepted by the successful Russian producer of arthouse and mainstream films Alexander Rodnyansky on behalf of the director Angelina Nikonova.

2011 once again saw the participants of connecting cottbus competing for the coco Best Pitch Award. All of the projects were presented in Cottbus were automatically in the running for this prize. The best pitch was   voted on by the professional audience following the event, and the winner of the Award was announced during an evening reception by Medienboard and MDM at the restaurant "Zelig" in Cottbus on Thursday, November 3, 2011.

For the first time the Berlin-based post production company "The Post Republic" was donating color correction services and the production of a DCP for a suitable project. The winner was chosen by a jury of three film professionals.