Nick Cunningham

On the face of it, the images we see in the post-war home films of Rose, the grandma of German director Annika Mayer, reflect nothing other than domestic bliss, good health and affluence, all set against a backdrop of the country’s economic recovery. But the footage we see hides 23 years of domestic violence, which is revealed by 90-year-old Rose as she is shown once more the Super-8 chronicle of her earlier life. The director talks to BDE.

IDFA announces line-ups for its Short Doc and Youth Doc competitions as well as the new Signed section, and Best of Fests. In total, 100 films have been included in the IDFA 2023 program to date. In addition, IDFA Forum has expanded to a total of 64 projects, including seven by Ukrainian filmmakers. The 36th edition of IDFA runs from November 8 to 19 in Amsterdam.

Doc, fiction and animation luminaries include Radu Jude, Anne Isensee, Steven Markovitz and Serpil Turhan, who will deliberate over films in the International Documentary, International Animation and German competitions. A jury of film buffs, cineastes and festival goers will decide on films in the audience Competition. Seven Golden Doves and two Silver Doves will go to films in the four competitions.

DOK Leipzig 2023, running 8-15 October, presents a DOK Industry Talk on Generation Ukraine, a new initiative by the ARTE Group aimed at supporting the Ukrainian filmmaking industry via its co-production 12 documentaries that explore “Ukrainian reality in the throes of the ongoing war.” Moderated by documentary film producer and consultant Heidi Fleisher, the Talk will be held 10 October.

Located in Halle, Germany, the new history-themed international platform is designed “to question traditional cinematic storytelling, to open new perspectives, and to initiate innovative projects.” The event will present keynotes, panel discussions, thematic group talks, moderated lunch roundtables, one-to-one meetings, and receptions to “facilitate connections for filmmakers in a divided and divisive world.”

The Geneva-based FIFDH International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights will once again host Impact Days between 10-12 March 2024. “At the FIFDH Impact Days we facilitate meaningful alliances between filmmakers and key players in the vast ecosystem of organisations, policymakers and funders active around International Geneva and beyond,” write organisers. The deadline for submissions is October 6.

The upcoming Doclisboa will screen 250 films from 42 countries, including 35 world premieres and 39 Portuguese films. This year's International Competition includes selections from 16 countries and features 6 world premieres. Of the 39 Portuguese films in this year's edition, nine are in Portuguese Competition, 7 of which are world premieres. “The films reveal the pulse of the world and those who inhabit it,” the festival writes of this year’s programme.

Apolonia, Apolonia by Lea Gob wins Best Nordic Documentary while the New Nordic Voice Award is shared by the doc Under Construction by Markus Toivo and the short Prelude by Arman Zafari. The inaugural Nordic Documentary Producer Award was presented to the Swedish Stina Gardell. The City of Malmö Audience Award was handed to The Home Game by Smari Gunnarsson & Logi Sigursveinsson. All awards…

In the feature-length doc, which world premieres at the London-based Mental Health Film & Arts Festival, Akers talks to parents, youth and experts looking for solutions to help kids become mentally strong. Additionally, campaigner Maddie Kitchen of Sobriety Films will be screening the short film Say Something, which follows a teenager’s journey from active addiction to recovery. SHOUT LONDON runs October 10 and 11.

CPH:DOX’s international financing and co-production platform CPH:FORUM is open for submissions for its 2024 edition, and accepting projects up to the deadline of November 15, 2023. The event, running March 18-21 2024 in Copenhagen, is dedicated to supporting “creative and visually strong film projects and connects professionals from the worlds of non-fiction, fiction, journalism, science and visual art.”