Nick Cunningham

Since its launch by the International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk (ICFR) three weeks ago, the Emergency Fund for Filmmakers has already supported 108 filmmakers who are in direct danger because of the ongoing war in Ukraine. “But we would like to be able to help more fellow film practitioners in the midst of this terrible war. For that we are going to need more funds that are quickly available,” says ICFR board member and IDFA chief Orwa Nyrabia.

The World Cup. 1971. Crowds numbering in excess of 100,000 in Mexico City’s iconic Azteca stadium. But you’ve never heard of it. Why? Because it was a women’s tournament, and one conveniently airbrushed out of history. Until now. “I think it's no exaggeration to say that we have actually uncovered one of the greatest secrets in sport,” Copa 71 co-director Rachel Ramsay told the professional audience at Forum 2022.

Director Kristy Guevara-Flanagan and producer Helen Hood Scheer pitched their feature doc project Body Parts, now fully financed and recently selected for an as-yet unnamed US ‘A’ fest. The film explores the making of American ‘sex’ scenes, and assesses the toll on those involved. What if women speak up, shed light, and demand an entertainment industry that takes its responsibility to heart, the filmmakers ask.

In his heartwarming film competing for Nordic:Dox Award, director Einari Paakkanen introduces us to a cast of Finns for whom karaoke is more than mere entertainment, rather a support mechanism that alleviates, at least temporarily, personal tragedies, problems and concerns. What’s more, the director explains to BDE, it is a particularly ubiquitous form of expression. “It's huge. You can go to any small town in Finland and there's two things you'll find - the alcohol shop and the karaoke place.”

Ahmir ‘Questlove’ Thompson’s documentary, about the so-called ‘Black Woodstock’ that was held in Harlem in 1969, garnered the Best Documentary Feature at dramatic Oscar ceremony held March 27. Ben Proudfoot’s Queen of Basketball, about women's hoops pioneer Lusia Harris and exec-produced by Shaquille O'Neal, received the nod for Best Short Doc.

It may be framed by images of the total eclipses of 1961 and 1999 which were observable in her former country of Serbia, but Nataša Urban’s DOX:Award documentary is not a study of astronomical phenomena. Far from it. Rather, the film comprises a heartfelt mea culpa for Serbian atrocities inflicted during the Balkan wars. “My homeland […] put me through hell, and much worse, had done unconceivable atrocities, genocide even, in neighbouring countries,” says Urban.   

Swedish director Marcus Lindeen talks to Business Doc Europe about his short film Dear Dancer (international premiere), made in response to an interpretative dance event in Stockholm which was denied an audience because of lockdown, but which acclaimed choreographer Deborah Hay was determined should go ahead.

Institute of Documentary Film Programme Director Zdeněk Blaha tells Business Doc Europe about East Doc Platform (25 March - 1 April) which welcomes projects and filmmakers from Ukraine as well as the rest of the region, and hosts nearly 400 international guests eager to explore new documentary output from Central and Eastern Europe. In total 46 projects are up for grabs this year (three from Ukraine), accompanied by a varied public and professional programme of events.

In late 2021, CPH:DOX 2022 seemed destined for digital roll-out a third year running. But to the relief of all, the Covid threat abated and Danish cinemas re-opened in January, which meant plans for a hybrid festival presentation of 200 new films, 76 world premieres and 6 international competitions comprising 59 titles could go ahead. Katrine Kiilgaard (MD of CPH PIX and BUSTER as well as CPH:DOX) explains her relief to BDE.

Doc Alliance, the creative union of seven major European documentary festivals, has unveiled the shortlist of 14 nominees for the 2022 Doc Alliance Awards, to be handed out during the Doc Day lunch in Cannes on May 24. Seven films will compete for the awards in each of the Best Feature Film and Best Short Film categories.