Nick Cunningham

Jean-Pierre Rehm talks to Business Doc Europe of his relief at being able to run a ‘non-virtual’ FID Marseille, which again sets out to blur the lines between documentary, fiction and experimental within its programme.

Egyptian film producer Abdelwahab (When We’re Born, 2019) disappeared on 5 May from his office in Cairo, subsequently accused 11 May at the Supreme Court for State Security of “partnering with a terrorist organisation” and “spreading false news.”

The DocLab scheme, supported by Netflix, The Rank Foundation, The Rumi Foundation and seven UK independent production companies, underlines that “diversity is at its heart.”

The World Congress of Science and Factual Producers has announced July 15 that Congress '20, originally to be located Strasbourg, will be held online December 8–10 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Findings of late-2019 survey indicate 35-54-year olds most likely doc viewers, VOD most popular platform, subject matter main attractor and 3/4 of respondents ‘emotionally affected’ by the experience. Recommendations: more docs on topics to interest 16-24-year olds and wider non-urban availability.

Ahead of its world premiere on July 15 in Thessaloniki, co-director Pippa Ehrlich talks about her film that chronicles the transformative year spent by conservationist and filmmaker Craig Foster in the company of an octopus off the southernmost tip of Africa.

The 12th edition of FIDLab took place online July 6 - 10. Fifteen projects (mixture of fiction and documentary), nine awards in total.

The second edition of Icelandic fest Icedocs kicks off next week (15-19 July) on an island where lockdown isn’t so restrictive. Festival co-founder Ingibjörg Halldórsdóttir tells Business Doc Europe what to expect.

Vienna-based Moldovan director Pavel Cuzuioc talks to Business Doc Europe about his second feature doc Please Hold The Line, which world-premiered at Sheffield.

Sharon Lockhart’s project Baumettes seeks to create a different kind of cinema for (and about) an environment where the cinematic experience is not possible – prisons.