Visions du Réel announced January 23 that Brit filmmaker Asif Kapadia will be the opening speaker of the 23rd edition of VdR–Industry, the Festival’s four-day programme of activities designed for film professionals. The director, screenwriter and producer has won an Oscar (for Amy), a Grammy, a European Film Award and several BAFTAs. Kapadia will give a masterclass in Nyon on Sunday 6 April.
“Throughout his long career, Kapadia has continued to develop an innovative cinematographic language that combines the use of a rich corpus of personal archives, often previously unpublished, with extensive investigative work and a psychological approach to the life of his characters,” the festival writes. He is the author of a trilogy of films centred on the tragic destinies of extraordinary talents from different background and generations. Senna (2010), Amy (2015 – winning the Academy Award® for Best Documentary) and Diego Maradona (2019) are among his critically acclaimed films.
His body of work “blurs the contours of the documentary genre by freely intersecting the emotional and narrative punch of fiction and the more rigorous veins of investigative filmmaking, shedding light on the inner lives of his protagonists and those around them,” the festival continues.
Alice Burgin, Head of Industry at Visions du Réel, comments: “Asif Kapadia‘s impressive and diverse oeuvre is an endless inspiration to film professionals all over the world and we are excited and honoured to welcome him to open our Industry programme. We hope that through sharing his knowledge and experience, and by delving into his work, this masterclass will set the tone for an inspirational four days”.
Kapadia’s participation in the VdR–Industry programme will be part of a larger offering across the four days, from Sunday 6 to Wednesday 9 April 2025 in Nyon, Switzerland, featuring numerous pitching showcases, project labs, talks and masterclasses, soirées and parties. The full VdR–Industry programme, including additional guest speakers and talks, will be unveiled on 12 March 2025.
Biography of Asif Kapadia is (supplied by Visions du Réel)
Asif Kapadia is an Academy Award®, four time BAFTA Award, Grammy, European Film Award-winning director, writer and producer. Best known for his acclaimed trilogy of films SENNA (2010), AMY (2015) and DIEGO MARADONA (2019) focusing on child geniuses and the price of fame, these ground-breaking films work dramatically like fiction films but are constructed entirely from archive material. Kapadia’s films have premiered at the world’s most prestigious film festivals. AMY (2015) tells the story of singer songwriter Amy Winehouse using her own words and lyrics. The film premiered at Cannes, was universally acclaimed, was a huge hit at the international box office and is the most successful theatrical British documentary of all time. In 2016, AMY won the Academy Award, BAFTA award, the European Film Award (2015), a Grammy for Best Documentary. His seminal film SENNA (2010) told the story of the Brazilian Formula One legend Ayrton Senna, the film was a hit around the world, premiering at Sundance Film Festival where it won the Audience Award, and went on to win BAFTA Awards for Best Documentary and Best Editing.
Kapadia co-wrote and directed his epic debut fiction feature film THE WARRIOR (2001) starring the late great Irrfan Khan, shot in India, the film won the Sutherland Award at the London Film Festival, two BAFTA film awards, Outstanding British Film of the Year and Special Achievement by a Director, Writer or Producer in their debut film as well as being nominated for Best Film Not in the English Language.
Kapadia also directed episodes of the hit MINDHUNTER (2017) series for David Fincher and Netflix, he directed and executive produced the critical hit music series 1971: THE YEAR MUSIC CHANGED EVERYTHING (2021), and co-directed and produced the mental health series THE ME YOU CAN’T SEE (2021) with Oprah Winfrey, Prince Harry and Lady Gaga (AppleTV+). In 2024, he premiered 2073 at the Venice International Film Festival, a dystopian docu drama, inspired by the 1962 short film LA JETÉE (1962) by Chris Marker. He also recently co-directed tennis star Roger Federer in FEDERER: TWELVE FINAL DAYS (2024), which retraces the last twelve days of the Swiss sportsman’s career.
Kapadia has been on the BAFTA Film Committee, he was a member of the Academy Awards® Documentary Film Committee, he has been on Juries for the BAFTA awards, Sundance Film Festival, the London Film Festival, The Venice Film Festival VR section. The filmmaker has an Honorary Doctorate from the Royal College of Art, he is Honorary Doctor of Letters from University of Westminister and has an Honorary Doctorate of Arts from the University of East London.
