Nick Cunningham

At FIPADOC 2025, 24 International Pitch project teams will present to 60+ international funders from Europe and beyond. The submission deadline for projects is October 24, 2024. Filmmakers from the 2025 countries in focus (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia) as well as filmmakers from Ukraine can submit projects for free. FIPADOC Industry Days will run January 27-30, 2025.

The seventh Al Jazeera Balkans Documentary Film Festival (AJB DOC), running September 13 to 17 in Sarajevo, will examine the question of ‘JUSTICE?’ and “bear witness to the violence against Palestinians and address the world's economic and political turbulences,” says Festival director Edhem Fočo. “We wanted to focus on the issue of Gaza and Palestine. It pains us that other film festivals have somewhat overlooked this topic, as if it were not the most important issue today."

DOK Co-Pro Market unveiled September 12 the 35 documentary project selections for its 20th edition, running 28 October to 29 October in Leipzig, with complementary online meetings scheduled for 5 November. Project teams will be seeking international financing and co-production partners. This year’s crop of projects was culled from 366 submissions.

The winning projects, created by Alaa Minawi, Lisa Schamlé, Marcel van Brakel and Hazal Ertükan for POLYMORF, and Ruben Cabenda encompass a diverse range of immersive installations, XR, and performance art. The innovative works will have their world premieres during IDFA, November 14 - 24. “The selection stands out for its diversity, both in terms of themes and approaches to interaction,” comments Netherlands Film Fund film consultant Michiel van Opstal.

The festival will highlight Grimonprez’s “uncompromising approach to challenging narratives and reinterpreting historical events through a critical, contemporary lens.” The director’s Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat won the Special Jury Award for Cinematic Innovation at Sundance 2024. The festival also announced its new Dead Angle programme, a dedicated Spotlight on Cuba, and first titles within IDFA on Stage and IDFA DocLab sections.

The Danish documentary producer, editor and founder of THE WHY Foundation will be honoured September 26 in New York for her 25 years of work in the documentary sector. “The award recognizes not only my work, but also the power of storytelling and the crucial role documentaries play in shaping our perception of the world,” says Hoffmann Meyer.

Narrated by Star Wars’ actor Daisy Ridley, produced by FIFA and the Supreme Committee, Qatar, and co-produced by Noah Media Group and HBS, We Were There is available worldwide as an 8-part series of 30-minute episodes. “[It] brings together an incredible array of footballing superstars and passionate fans from around the world with the amazing archive from the biggest sporting event in the world.” says Catherine Quantschnigg, Noah Media Group.

The 1974 Carnation Revolution and its echoes will be everywhere at the opening of the 22nd edition of Doclisboa, which this year runs from October 17th to 27th. Sempre, by Luciana Fina, which recently premiered at the Venice Film Festival and which, “50 years later, revisits and brings to the present the films, images, faces and forgotten or unfulfilled ideals of the revolution,” the festival writes.

Leading doc specialist Autlook Filmsales announced September 10 the appointment of Stephanie Fuchs as its new CEO. Fuchs will succeed Salma Abdalla, who is stepping down after “a transformative and highly successful leadership term.” Autlook is strongly represented at TIFF this year with two world premieres: Patrice: The Movie by Ted Passon and Tata by Lina Vdovîi & Radu Ciorniciuc,

Six new Finnish feature documentaries and one doc series will be presented during the upcoming edition of Finnish Film Affair, 25-27 September. Other features of FFA 2024 include a spotlight on avenues and means of co-production with other countries, including India. Award-winning producer Rakasree Basu will deliver a crucial keynote talk, ‘Co-producing with India’, offering insights for buyers and key industry players.