Nick Cunningham

An open letter signed by 41 European documentary bodies calls for the reversal of new Creative Europe measures they claim will severely penalise the doc sector. “While the MEDIA budget is increasing… the European Commission is quietly digging the grave of the creative documentary,’ the letter states.

The public prize, valued at €2000, was handed May 22 to Cille Hannibal and Christine Hanberg’s for their documentary about Christine’s sibling Peter, who can neither see nor hear. The film was described as a “moving portrait of a courageous family in the struggle for a dignified life: absolutely unforgettable.”

The Pitch Award of the Haus des Dokumentarfilms was won by Max Carlo Kohal for his film Der Siebte Sohn, described as “a documentary river-movie about growing up between the big ports of Europe, which also addresses the economic-political importance of international shipping trade.”

The Deutscher Kompositions-Förderpreis was given to composer Akmaral Zykayeva (aka Mergen), who will create an auteur soundtrack for May it be a Girl in close collaboration with director Katerina Suvorova and producer Viktoriya Kalashnikova. The film concerns Kazakhstani women whose names indicate their parents’ wishes to have had a boy.

Julia Fuhr Mann’s British Pathé Archive Award winning project seeks to explore the utopian potential in competitive sports, aiming “to create a world far away from strict sex and gender perceptions – because sex segregation is still socially accepted in sports, but unimaginable to be that rigid anywhere else in today’s society.”

May 21 sees an IDF online Sessions discussion between Tatsiana Hatsura-Yavorska (WATCH DOCS Belarus) and Courage director Aliaksei Paluyan about the struggle for creative freedom and freedom of speech, while on May 26 IDF hosts a Sessions discussion on Festivals as Distribution Platforms with Inka Achté (Raina Film Fest Dist) and Philippa Kowarsky (Cinephil).

A total of 41 documentaries are selected for the live/online IFFR 2021, whose final part runs 2-6 June. Eight world, 4 international, 3 European and 20 Dutch premieres within Harbour, Bright Future and Cinema Regained strands. “We’re raring to go and look forward to celebrating our 50th anniversary with audiences at home and in cinemas in Rotterdam,” says fest chief Vanja Kaludjercic.

“Filmmakers needed our support in the best of times. Now, as they face endless challenges, the decision by the Council of Minister for Culture will have a dramatic impact on the industry's most important gathering in our region,” says Nordisk Panorama Executive Director Anita Reher. The Council’s contribution (€215,000) currently amounts to 60% of the event’s operating budget.

The documentary, directed by Mateusz Kudła and Anna Kokoszka-Romer and selected for Polish Competition, will premiere internationally May 30 with the film’s subjects Roman Polański and Ryszard Horowitz in attendance.

Leading pitch forum revealed May 18 the official selection for its 32nd edition, plus the XR experiences shortlisted for the 5th PiXii Festival. “It’s sending out a strong message by shining the spotlight on diversity, independent voices and creativity at the international marketplace for documentary and narrative experiences!” say organisers.