Nick Cunningham

Pauline Blanchet discusses her new doc project, which pitches September 14 at AJB DOC, about a 14-year old female wrestler defying traditional gender norms and ethnic barriers in her isolated Albanian-Muslim community. “Audiences worldwide will connect with Sadije’s struggle to forge her own path in a world that has already defined her role. Her story speaks to anyone who has faced pressure to conform to societal norms, especially during teenagehood,” Blanchet tells Business Doc Europe.

Belgian producer Frederik Nicolai discusses his new project, which pitches September 14 at AJB DOC, that focuses on Baron Arthur, the leader of a once wealthy and powerful Romani community at the border between Moldova and Ukraine, who faces a dilemma as his community seems to fall apart. “The emancipatory struggle raging in the Roma community today is a story that is universally relevant,” Nikolai tells BDE. “It can inspire women from other communities worldwide to dare to pursue their own dreams and ambitions, and fuel vigilance in more progressive societies.”

Georgia, November 2003. For three days the family of President Eduard Shevardnadze finds itself at the epicentre of the country’s pivotal Rose Revolution. Producer Sergey Yahontov outlines to Business Doc Europe why professionals and audiences alike should invest in the feature doc, directed by Shevardnadze’s grand-daughter Sophie. “This film is a deep emotional personal experience for our director. It’s a story of the 23-year-old Sophie documenting her beloved relatives in a critical situation,” says Yahontov ahead of his September 15 presentation.

Inside Gaza tells the highly pertinent and powerful story of “a war most international media have been banned from covering,” as told through the experiences of Agence France-Presse (AFP) reporters trapped in Gaza. “Our film brings the unique perspective of what happened in Gaza, seen through the eyes of professional witnesses working for an independent international news agency, dedicated to fact-based journalism,” producer Yann Ollivier tells Business Doc Europe.

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.