Nick Cunningham

The Main Competition of the 21st edition of Millennium Docs Against Gravity comprises 12 films from around the world directed by a total of 10 female and 9 male directors. The films will compete for six awards across six festival cities, including the Grand Prix - Millennium Bank Award. The Polish fest also revealed the Jury members: Anna Hints, Murtada Elfadl and Lauren Greenfield. The upcoming MDAG runs 10–19 May in cinemas and 21 May to 3 June online.

On April 15 Visions du Réel awarded the 2024 Prix d’honneur to Chinese director Jia Zhang-Ke. French filmmaker Claire Denis, Guest of Honour at the Festival in 2020, paid tribute to him while the prize itself was awarded by Carlo Chatrian, International Feature Film Competition Jury member and former Artistic Director of the Berlinale.

Swiss Films’ Doc topper Charlotte Ducos discusses the six projects nearing completion that have been selected for the SWISS FILMS Previews showcase of April 17. Most of the projects are just about ready to be launched onto the festival circuit. “I think we have a great diversity of storytelling and of background and among the six projects we have three women directors and three women producers. That's important for us,” Ducos underlines to Business Doc Europe.

Each year, Cannes Docs partners with a number of institutions and organizations from different parts of the world to showcase curated selections of docs-in-progress at finalization stage, aiming to hit the circuit within a few weeks or months. These showcases of docs-in-progress are primarily designed for decision makers looking for fresh new titles, in particular festival programmers and sales agents.

In Anas Zawahri’s feature doc debut, world-premiering April 16 in Nyon, residents of the shattered city of Homs (Syria) talk about their recent past that delivered little other than devastation within their lives and surroundings. “The film explores the idea of disclosure as a way to confront repressed emotions and heal from internal wounds that have not yet healed,” explains director Zawahri.

In Maria Stoianova’s feature doc debut she revisits the Ukraine of her childhood, as well as the world beyond, courtesy of the films that her father, a champion ice skater, shot on his video camera between 1986 and 1994. “I was selecting material for the film, hoping to understand our path from point A to point B. After 2022, it became clear that we were all already at point C, and this, of course, also influenced some of my choices,” she says of her film that world premieres April 13.

New Industry Head Alice Burgin fills in Business Doc Europe on the 2024 professional programme running April 14-17. “A luxury of VdR Industry is that we have such a niche cinema that we are nurturing,” she says. “To actually be able to use your market as a platform to find these projects, but also to tailor buyers or financiers to that content, I think that is one fundamental thing we can do.”

Additionally, HBO Max, ARTE, RAI, POV and Al-Jazeera are among the funders that will participate in the Barcelona market, which will take place 6 to 10 May. "DocsBarcelona Industry wants to be a space for critical debate, safe and with an eye on the future. More than ever, we need creators and producers to bring new perspectives and contribute to the critical and artistic spirit through film," says Head of Industry, Èric Motjer.

Fourteen documentaries have been selected for the International Documentary Competition of the 64th Krakow Film Festival, including two productions from Poland. “Events you hear about in media, yet recounted from the personal perspectives of their heroines and heroes. Stories from places seldom ventured into and a fresh look on what seemed thoroughly familiar,” underlines the festival, which runs May 26 to June 2.

The 8-month dok.incubator rough-cut workshop has announced its final selection of documentary projects to be developed during 2024. “From circumstances that turn life upside down and clashes of different worlds to one's healing journey – the variety of topics to be unfolded at this year’s workshop creates a powerful and touching mosaic of today,” write organisers.