Nick Cunningham

The Czech docfest revealed September 22 details of its Industry programme running October 25 to 28, that includes pitches of new Czech and international projects, presentations by the EMERGING PRODUCERS 2024 cohort and a range of panel discussions. Organisers also list the nine US projects selected for third Ji.hlava New Visions Forum.

Christopher Morris’ film, which world-premiered in Sheffield, documents, over the course of a year, a standing stone in a Cornish field, literally a rock of calm within a turbulent world. “This is genuinely [one of] the most moving and thought-provoking films I have ever seen,” claims Eden Project co-founder Tim Smit. The part-Q&A tour stops at 23 cities over the next two months. The September 21 start date was set to coincide with the Autumn equinox.

The Rome-based event has selected 18 documentary and factual projects from 8 countries. Nine of the projects are from Italy and a further four are Italy-themed. The majority of projects will be market debutants. Across all sectors, 62 projects were selected from 36 countries. In 2022, MIA hosted more than 2400 participants from 60 countries (+20% increase on the previous year).

Showtime in Helsinki, directed by Arthur Franck and produced by Oskar Forstén won the FFA Documentary Award, valued at €3000 and which goes towards the production of an international trailer. The film concerns the 1975 ‘Helsinki Accords’ conference, designed to bring the Cold War to an end, but which ultimately led to “the demise of the Soviet Empire and totalitarian rule in Eastern Europe.”

The competition films for the 66th edition of DOK Leipzig have been finalized with a total of 71 films, including 35 world premieres, competing for the Golden and Silver Doves in 2023. “Quite a few films made during the pandemic had a personal angle. This year, the films have gone back to looking at broader societal and political themes – partly in order to understand what’s going on at the moment and explore how we can work towards a different future,” underlines festival director Christoph Terhechte.

The Focus on Finland event was the first of a series of doc pitch sessions at Finnish Film Affair, running 20-22 September. Five new projects were presented to the documentary professionals in attendance. “The aim of the event is to strengthen the promotion of Finnish content to international industry events and increase the opportunities for Finnish content creators to achieve international funding, sales and distribution,” say organisers.

Nine new international immersive documentary projects have been selected for CPH:DOX’s talent development and training programme CPH:LAB. The participants will go through an intense development phase and be ready to present their prototypes at CPH:DOX 2024, which takes place in Copenhagen March 13-24, 2024.

Organised by Flanders Image, a division of the Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF), CONNEXT 2023 will unveil an array of Flemish doc projects, works in progress and screenings in Antwerp, 9-10 October. Additionally, Oscar nominee and Cannes laureate Lukas Dhont will curate The Future Five in which five emerging filmmaking talents are introduced to the national and international professionals in attendance.

Doc filmmaker and artist Wang Bing, Guest of Honour at IDFA 2023, will be celebrated with a retrospective of his work as well as a personally curated Top 10 which comprises a “contemplative journey into contemporary Chinese cinema.” IDFA Lifetime Achievement award-winner Peter Greenaway will also be honoured with a retrospective programme. The 36th edition of IDFA takes place from November 8 to 19 2023.

This year’s programme of 25 premiere feature films, featuring 50 UK-wide events, represents a wide range of music genres, including rock, punk, rap, folk, dance, black metal, drone metal, bossa nova, jazz, avant garde and more. Audiences will “journey around the world from Basel to Brazil, Atlanta to Australia, Seattle to Swansea,” write organisers. Screenings will take place across 10 UK cities, 26 Oct to November 11.