Nick Cunningham

Seven new feature projects looking for festival premieres, gap financing and distribution partners, and developed in collaboration with top training initiatives from across Europe and international partner markets, were presented during DOK Industry this week. The session was moderated by DOX BOX’s Laura Kloeckner and DAE topper Brigid O’Shea.

Festival to run May 13-22 in cinemas before going online May 25-June 5 2022. The 18th edition, which ran in September 2021, programmed 140 films in cinemas and 128 films online selling a combined total of 134,000 tickets. A new partnership with Łódź FIlm School is one of many initiatives that will strengthen the festival's Industry activities, director Artur Liebhart tells Business Doc Europe.

The poignantly titled Fati’s Choice (like Sophie, the biggest choice of Fati’s life concerns the fate of her children) is part of the Generation Africa initiative, which aims to shine a light on the future of youth in Africa through the topic of migration. In the film, Ghanaian Fati is a returnee migrant who is subsequently stigmatised and deemed a failure by the folk in the town to which she returns.

Visions du Réel Industry has sent out a reminder of its Oct 31 deadline for the 2022 VdR–Development Lab, dedicated to projects from Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. Submissions are still open for films & projects for Visions du Réel plus Industry 2022, with a first deadline of November 8. The festival runs 7-17 April 2022.

Panel discussions and masterclasses presented by national and international experts will take place 10–14 November, and will provide insight into reviving the film industry in a world shaken and transformed by the pandemic, examine the kind of projects supported by the Sundance Institute, and will underline the steps necessary to complete a debut feature-length doc.

In the Generation Africa short doc Stay Up, which receives its world premiere both in Lisbon and Leipzig, Mariam, a woman who suffered shocking abuse as a child in Mali, deals with her trauma through the medium of dance within a troupe in the neighbouring Burkina Faso. Director Aïssata Ouarma explains to Business Doc Europe her inspiring film about hope and resilience.

Eight new German doc projects at advanced stage were pitched this week at DOK Leipzig, both online and in-person. The session was moderated by German Films MD Simone Baumann and doc producer Tanja Georgieva-Waldhauer of Elemag Pictures. The D-Facto Motion Works-in-Progress Prize, valued at €10.000, went to President’s Tailor – From Auschwitz to the White House.

During the opening ceremony of Ji.hlava IDFF 2021 the first awards were handed out. The winner of the Short Joy section, traditionally chosen by DAFilms viewers is Open Mountain by Maria Rojas Arias. APA World Excellence Award was given to French producer Jacques Bidou. The Best Documentary Book Award went to The Taste of Mulberries/Travel Message of the Wizard’s Apprentice by Miloslav Nevrlý.

The British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) announced October 26 the 14 films that are longlisted in the Best Documentary category. Ten of the 14 documentaries are directed or co-directed by women and non-binary filmmakers. The final five nominations will be announced on Wednesday 3 November. Winners will be revealed at the BIFA ceremony on Sunday 5 December.

In addition to overseeing the 2022 event, former BFI London FF director Stewart will “work with the Board and senior team to forge a new, long-term strategy for Sheffield DocFest.” Oscar winner Kapadia will personally select some sections of the screenings programme and work with the Sheffield team on events, talks and other initiatives, say festival organisers.