For over two decades, DocedgeKolkata has been the launchpad for some of the most ground-breaking South Asian documentaries, offering a unique space for storytellers to refine their medium whilst engaging with international co-producers from the outset.
“Docedge is where you launch your story and get connected with the international industry professionals, foundations, grants and funds,” Nilotpal Majumdar, President and Founder of DocedgeKolkata, tells BDE. “Stories start traveling the moment you pitch, moving into markets and forging connections. It’s a paradigm shift in terms of accessing finance and eventually bringing resources on board.”
The event’s 22nd edition runs from 3-9 March, a key focus being the pitch of 24 selected projects, including a few from DocedgeKolkata’s incubation lab. Presented in association with the Goethe Institute, the program partners with leading industry stakeholders such as The Whickers, IDFA (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam), Sunny Side of the Doc, Tokyo Docs and more, to support South Asian filmmakers.
Other highlights of the event include a non-fiction soundscaping masterclass from Harry De Wit, a sound composer most widely known for Cobain (2018) and Brownian Movement (2010); discussions on sustainable co-production; alumna screenings and industry presentations.
An efficacious legacy
The raison d’être for Docedge is as compelling now as when it was founded more than two decades ago as a dedicated space for the documentary filmmaking community to come together, exchange ideas, and collectively elevate the art form to develop stronger storytelling techniques.
However, in the last 10 to 15 years, DocedgeKolkata’s influence has “radicalised and transformed the Indian documentary landscape” in terms of quality storytelling, providing access to bigger platforms and connecting global audiences. Since its inception, it has workshopped over 300 films, more than half of which have won awards or gained recognition on global platforms.
Some of the most notable Docedge projects include Shaunak Sen’s All that Breathes (2022) which bagged the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize in Documentary Competition at Sundance 2022, the Golden Eye at Cannes, and both Oscar and BAFTA nominations in 2023.
Sarvnik Kaur’s Against the Tide (2023) and Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh’s Writing with Fire (2023) also received global accolades and recognition, the latter receiving an Oscar nomination in 2022.
South Asian projects from beyond India have also thrived, such as Ema Ryan Yamazaki’s The Making of a Japanese (Japan, 2023), Snow Hnin Ei Hlaing’s Midwives (Myanmar, 2022), Ha Le Diem’s Children of the Mist(Vietnam, 2021) and Nishtha Jain’s The Golden Thread (India, 2022).
From the forum’s 2024 edition, 8 projects are in production, while 3 stand-out projects have received grants and partnerships:
- Mandakini Gahlot & Bikram Singh – Camels of the Sea (India): DMZ Docpitch Award, Whickers, DocedgeKolkata Bursary Awards ($3000+), TMZ Pitch Award
- Sybilla Patrizia – Shape of Blue (Japan): ATF SAAVA Award (Singapore), Tokyo Docs, Best Pitch Award – DocedgeKolkata Awards, Sunny Side of the Docs Award, Docedge Kolkata – SAAVA Award
- Mukesh Subramanyam – Umbrella of the Acrobats (India): AIDC Awards at DMZ Industry Docs (2024)
Changing perspectives
“It’s quite encouraging to see that there is a great degree of interest in Indian documentaries,” enthuses Docedge’s Majumdar. Yet, despite the global success of many projects incubated at past editions, co-production continues to remain a challenge for Indian filmmakers. “It will take some time for Indian projects to start being recognised as a potential and viable investment opportunity. Though there are existing investments in the form of pre-buys, grants or other initial investments, the influx of money is not constantly pouring in, and needs to be built.”
However, Majumdar reaffirms the “resilience” of his country’s filmmakers and their ability to navigate limited funding opportunities while still producing strong and unique documentary narratives.
He also highlights a silver lining: a significant change in how documentaries are perceived within India, thanks to the success of the past 5 years. “There has been a shift in how we view documentaries. People have started to associate with documentaries in a way that makes them feel like it’s something they should be a part of. People are now talking more about documentaries in academic spaces, both students and faculties have always been engaged in discussions about them. On campuses, there’s a growing connection with the general public, sparking more interest in documentaries. This shift in thinking has definitely emerged, and it’s also impacting producers and investors who are now recognising documentaries as a valid format.”
Majumdar informs BDE that while there are no set themes for the projects selected for the 2025 programme, filmmakers are bringing more complex narratives with personal perceptions and learnings around climate, conservation and human stories.
“At Docedge particularly, we do not always emphasise on the subject, but ultimately look at the cinematic expression of how beautifully the story can be told and what kind of creative treatments and tools the director is employing into the process of filmmaking.”
As the documentary landscape evolves, DocedgeKolkata continues to provide a necessary bridge between local storytelling and global opportunities. Looking ahead to the expected pitches at this edition, Majumdar describes the 2025 projects as “particularly strong.” He adds, “every year, at least 5-6 films from our intake come to life, and if our 2025 filmmakers secure grants, co-producers, and key meetings, we’ll consider it a successful edition.”
