Nick Cunningham

In her new feature doc, which world-premiered at IDFA, Dutch director Saskia Gubbels observes, at first hand, how change is effected within the Amsterdam Fire Department towards wider gender and ethnic inclusivity. The central character, commander Gerrie, put up little objection to his every move, and that of his close team, being followed, but he certainly wasn't going to change behaviour for the camera, says director Gubbels.

Five films in official selection, one immersive project in DocLab competition, and a delegation composed mainly of women form the core of the Chilean offer at IDFA in 2023. “This year, there is a special emphasis on the diversity of generations of directors and thematic richness and languages, reflecting the quality and diversity of Chilean productions,” comments Chiledoc’s Diego Pino.

Director Guillermo Asensio and executive producer Emma Darby talk to Business Doc Europe about their highly cinematic and meditative portrait of renowned Taiwanese/Scottish potter Nancy Fuller, set in the highlands of Scotland. “It as an antidote to the hyper-accelerated, hyper-stimulated and very turbulent world that we live in,” says Darby. “It's an ode to beauty, stillness, and nature.”

Four Polish docs-in-progress, all made by female directors, were presented November 13 to the great and the good of the international documentary sector. Two are by debutants (Julia Kuzka and Natalia Pietsch) while two are by established filmmakers (Agnieszka Zwiefka and Malgorzata Szumowska). KFF Sales & Promotion is also selling Girl’s Stories by Aga Borzym, which premiered at IDFA Youth Competition.

IDFA staff posted an onsite message November 12 which looked to reach out to the aggrieved parties affected by the events of the opening night when protesters took to the stage to present to display a ‘from the river to the sea’ banner.

The film, which world-premiered in IDFA Envision section November 10, concerns recent archaeological findings in southern Portugal which reveal Portugal's forgotten role in the transatlantic trafficking of enslaved African people. “We're proud to be part of a project that sparks important conversations and helps us understand our shared history better,” says CEO Irena Taskowski, whose company celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2023.

Ingrid Kamerling’s new documentary discusses one of the most emotive and divisive topics of our times, that of the guidance and medical treatment offered to kids suffering from gender dysphoria. “We hope that it helps the debate in Holland and in other countries so that people can get more informed, so they can see how complex [this issue is and how careful we must be,” says the Dutch director.

Dutch director Festus Toll discusses his provocative short film which tells the story of Ne Kuko, a 19th Century chieftain in Boma in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who was duped into passing his land over to an unscrupulous Belgian colonialist. The film also appeals for the return of stolen objects, some of enormous spiritual value, from the museums of Europe.

Jagoda and Zuzia, two smart, articulate and very funny young Polish teenagers talk about life as they see it in Aga Borzym’s charming doc selected for IDFA Youth Competition. “Generally, Polish documentaries like to show really tough topics,” says the director, “It’s not so [usual] to have a documentary where the protagonists are kids.”

It’s like The Apprentice, but on steroids. But unlike that Trumpian gift to television, the candidates in Piet Baumgartner’s The Driven Ones are seriously smart (potential) entrepreneurs. In the film we meet five students on the world-renowned Masters program at the Swiss University of St. Gallen. But student life accounts for a mere quarter of the film. Because Baumgartner then follows his subjects into the wider world to see how they put theory into practice. The director gets down to business with BDE.